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FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service discusses miRide, an app that aims to provide on-demand rides and later reservations to luxury ground transportation clients Miami —The Florida Limousine Association (FLA) met at Loews Miami Beach Hotel May 27, hosting a packed house and covering a range of topics. Chauffeur Driven, which sponsored the event along with Chosen Payments, had Publisher Chris Weiss and Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela on hand for the evening meeting.
Jagiela, who also serves as the association’s executive director, kicked off the meeting by both welcoming and thanking everyone, especially the event sponsors and those who traveled from all over the Sunshine State to attend.
FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service then provided an overview of the ways the association has been fighting for its members with the presentation “What Has the FLA Done for Me Lately?” Versace discussed the statewide TNC battles that FLA has been involved in, including how Uber has been trying to circumvent county regulations by appealing directly to the state, the injunction in Hillsborough County that has prevented Uber from operating there, and its preferential-treatment lawsuit against Palm Beach County for issuing a temporary operating agreement that lets Uber transport passengers on its own terms. He also addressed how FLA worked with Broward County to draft TNC regulations that protect the riding public by mandating that ride-hailing apps operate under the same guidelines as the taxicab and luxury ground transportation industries do.
Versace also discussed the miRide app, which the association has not only endorsed but also helped develop. Described as an Uber-esque app for the luxury market, miRide is currently being beta tested in the South Florida market by A1A Airport & Limousine Service, Aventura Worldwide Transportation, and Coastal Car, with plans to gradually roll it out to FLA members across the state and, eventually, to regional association members across the country who are properly insured and licensed, as well as having successfully completed the vetting process. Having operators’ input while developing the app has allowed many of the industry’s concerns to be addressed, like allowing companies to retain their clients for later reservations but giving the closest vehicle first dibs for an on-demand ride—which will also divert a commission percentage to the company with whom the passenger is a regular client.
FLA’s meeting at Loews Miami Beach Hotel hosted a packed room miRide’s Chief Marketing Officer Stuart Gold continued the app conversation with a discussion of miRide’s marketing strategy. Offering “luxury at the tap of a button,” miRide will focus on selling the experience of chauffeured ground transportation—Gold likened it to how Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks both sell coffee but the latter sells a high-quality experience befitting its higher price tag. There was also a PowerPoint presentation that explained in greater detail how the app will work.
CD’s Chris Weiss then addressed industry trends both local and national. He also expressed his excitement and enthusiasm for bringing Chauffeur Driven’s annual show to South Beach this October—the first time a major chauffeured ground transportation trade show will be hosted in Florida.
Mike Marroccoli of Capacity Coverage rounded out the evening with a presentation on the STOP program, which offers user-friendly online training and has the potential to save FLA members money on their insurance premiums.
The FLA has also drawn up a petition calling for TNCs to provide commercial auto insurance that better covers their drivers and passengers in the event of an accident, as well as Level II fingerprint background checks. The petition, which currently boasts more than 350 signatures, can be signed at chn.ge/1KoTJ9I.
Visit floridalimousine.com for more information.
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KLA President Carey Fieldhouse of R & R Limousine and KLA Secretary Kent Sparks of Lake Cumberland Limousine
Louisville — In its first meeting since the derby came to town, members of Kentucky Limousine Association (KLA) convened June 2 with a full agenda to discuss.
On June 3, the association’s lobbyists at the Rotunda Group held a meeting with Kentucky House representative Hubert Collins and the Kentucky Transportation Committee. The meeting provided a sounding board for TNC regulations, as well as an update on the statute status of both insurance requirements and the sizes of stickers all TNC drivers in the state will be required to display in their vehicles’ front windows. As of April 30, Lyft is the only ride-hailing company to meet all of the state’s regulatory requirements and was granted operating authority in Kentucky.
Also on April 30, the Division of Motor Carrier’s Office of Legal Services reported that the amendments to KRS 281 include: elimination of both certificate of need and contract carrier designation; raised fees for certificate application and annual operator authority/vehicle renewals; instituted three-year criminal background check requirement for all persons directly involved with the general public in any capacity for any company; extended driver history requirements; and added required vehicle inspections by only ASE designated facilities.
In association-specific news, five KLA members’ companies reported additions to their fleets. Combined, the new vehicles include Cadillac sedans and Escalades, a Ford Transit limo and shuttle, 5-door Lincoln MKT 120” stretch limo, replacement Lincoln L sedans, and a 38-passenger TEMSA motorcoach.
KLA members also have a full slate of upcoming events to look forward to, starting with its annual participation in the Kentucky State Fair this August. The association’s booth will feature giveaways and also display KLA Treasurer Jenny Summit’s limobus.
The association will also host its first-ever advertised Member Appreciation Day, which it’s planning for a September debut. The inaugural event will also serve as an opportunity for the Republican and Democratic candidates in this autumn’s gubernatorial race to meet with KLA members so they can discuss the state of the industry with the governor-hopefuls.
“We’re very excited about this and putting it together,” said KLA Secretary Kent Sparks of Lake Cumberland Limousine. “The upcoming governor's race here is a crucial one for our industry, so giving both candidates, now that they have been selected by their parties, an opportunity to come speak will be huge for ground transportation in Kentucky.”
A fall retreat that would have KLA visiting a local coachbuilder is also in the works, as members have been brainstorming ideas to flesh out the association’s non-business aspects of their meetings.
The next KLA meeting is scheduled for August 11, with the location to be determined.
Visit kylimo.org for more information.
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WFLA President Dave Shaw
Oldsmar, Fla. — The West Florida Livery Association (WFLA) met May 26, its last Tuesday meeting before changing its meeting schedule to the third Wednesday of each month.
WFLA President Dave Shaw of Network Limousines welcomed all in attendance before updates were provided by Secretary Joe Russo of Primetime Limousines, Treasurer Gus Shahin of Luxury Transportation Limousine, Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission (HCPTC) regarding the ongoing TNC battle, and officers discussing the NLA, Florida Limousine Association, and Greater Orlando Limousine Association. Tom Smith of Click-A-Ride, an app that connects the riding public only with properly licensed and insured transportation companies, also spoke at the meeting.
As the WFLA has been working closely with the HCPTC to better regulate TNC operations, the commission’s then-upcoming Rules & Policy Committee meeting and workshop was discussed, which WFLA members were encouraged to attend. The committee unifies both the taxicab and black-car sides of the ground transportation industry to properly identify, define, and regulate commercial vehicles.
The next meeting of the WFLA will be held June 17 at FlameStone American Grill.
Visit wflatampa.com for more information.
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