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Louisville, Ky. — R & R Limousine Service, which is owned and operated by Carey and Eddie Fieldhouse, recently took delivery of its first motorcoach: a TEMSA TS 35 midsize coach. The fleet total is now 32 vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, vans, stretches, and two minibuses. The Fieldhouses worked with CH Bus Sales, which is an exclusive distributor of TEMSA motorcoaches in the U.S., to secure the vehicle.
Eddie Fieldhouse, vice president, reports that they chose the midsize coach because of the numerous requests they receive for smaller groups, as well as the high-quality features and nice ride of the TS 35. He says that the custom features, such as the galley and leather seating, bring the coach to the next level and impresses their customers. The coach can seat 38 passengers and is being used for corporate events, weddings, and tours. He says that R & R’s chauffeurs also love the ease of driving and maneuverability of the coach.
TEMSA bills the TS 35 as a fully integral midsize coach that offers a luxurious and spacious interior for passengers and driver, and construction from stainless steel ensures extra durability and safety. This coach is also equipped with an American drivetrain, Cummins ISL 345 HP-EPA 13 engine, and Allison B500 transmission.
For more information on R & Limousine, visit rrlimo.com. For more information about CH Bus Sales, visit chbussales.com.
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Pass winner Chad Peterson (left) of Renee’s Royal Valet and CD Publisher Chris Weiss
Minneapolis — When roughly 20 members and supporters of the Minnesota Chauffeured Transportation Association (MCTA) met at Elsie’s Restaurant on August 11, Chauffeur Driven’s Chris Weiss was among them.
The evening function kicked off with a social hour before launching into dinner and the membership meeting, which was led by President Gina Brennan of Corporate Car and Coach. Brennan discussed how the industry will be affected by the number of major sporting events that Minneapolis will be hosting in coming years: the Ryder Cup in 2016; Super Bowl LII in 2018, which will be held at the opening-in-2016 Minnesota Stadium; and the 2019 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball championship.
Chauffeur Driven recently joined MCTA and donated to its PAC fund while Weiss was visiting with the association. He also spoke in an open-forum setting during the meeting, providing an overview of the current states of both the industry and the economy. As TNCs continue to be the biggest fight operators are facing, he offered up insights into the strategies employed by other markets around the country to combat the unfair competition the disruptive companies pose with their widespread lack of regulation.
The next MCTA meeting will be November 10.
Visit mnlimo.org for more information.
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Miami Show pass winner Chad Casey (left) of Casey Corporate Transportation and CD’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela
Atlanta — More than 30 members of the Greater Atlanta Limousine Association (GALA) met at Mary Mac’s Tea Room August 18. Chauffeur Driven’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela was present for the bimonthly membership meeting, which was overseen by Vice President Jeff Greene of Greene Worldwide Transportation, as President Dennis DeLoatch of Carey Atlanta was unable to attend.
After member introductions and vendors’ brief “elevator speech” overviews, the meeting launched into discussing two bills that have been introduced to the House. One of the bills, HB 225, would establish the parity that members want in order to bring TNC operations to a level playing field. In their pursuit of fair competition, GALA members are especially focused on limited operating permits, fingerprint-based background checks, vehicle inspections, and special livery license plates for TNC cars and drivers.
Greene, who is also on the NLA board of directors, discussed some of the NLA’s current initiatives, such as Ride Responsibly (rideresponsibly.org), the upcoming emergency meeting in Washington, D.C., where all interested board members are encouraged to appeal to the Department of Labor in regard to TNCs’ business models and independently operating drivers, as well as the nascent Deem partnership that aims to provide not only the industry but also the riding public with a national app.
With the NLA/Deem app in its infancy and its many moving parts in various stages of completion, both the timeline to and final cost of a successfully launched live application are still unclear. But the national association is hoping to defray some of its costs by seeking volunteers from within its membership base to help assess the app as it grows ever closer to becoming launch-ready.
GALA Vice President Jeff Greene of Greene Worldwide Transportation
Among GALA’s more regionalized business include the new holding area at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), which will be designated once the planned fourth-quarter revitalization construction begins, and a few items pertaining to city council. Greene warned that the council’s regulations may affect TNC operations, as the ride-sharing services cannot legally perform airport pickups at this time. The council is currently rewriting its regulatory requirements, and has both included GALA members in its work sessions and encouraged operators to voice their concerns by communicating with their legislators.
Jagiela then took the floor, discussing trends he’s seen by visiting associations all over the country and providing an overview of what Chauffeur Driven is doing to support the industry, including the benefits of CD’s quickly approaching Miami Show. He highlighted how operators nationwide are dealing with their own TNC troubles, especially the ways they have maximized their meetings with regulating authorities by being both positive and proactive when discussing TNCs with them.
GALA Treasurer and Golf Outing Chairman Fred Rich of Olympus Worldwide provided the treasury report and updated all in attendance about the annual golf outing’s registrants, sponsors, and benefits. The fundraising charity tournament is the association’s next event, scheduled for September 22.
Visit galalimo.org for more information.
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