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L to R: Jennifer Wong of DriveProfit, Chauffeur Driven Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela, and Arthur Messina of Create-A-Card West Orange, N.J. — When the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ) held its May 13 meeting at The Wilshire Grand Hotel, the house was packed with state operators and supporters who came out for a day that included a slate of guest speakers, recognition of longtime board members, and the annual auction that is LANJ’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Chauffeur Driven’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela and Editor Madeleine Maccar were present at the event.
LANJ President Jeff Shanker of A-1 Limousine kicked off the meeting by welcoming and thanking everyone in attendance. He also presented both LANJ’s Immediate Past President Jim Moseley of Trip Tracker and LANJ Director Barbara Chirico of Gem Limousine Worldwide with tokens of the association’s appreciation, speaking of how far LANJ has come in recent years because of its members’ dedication.
Newly installed NLA Executive Director Sarah Gazi also spoke at the meeting, as both she and NLA Deputy Executive Director Kyle Hammerschmidt presented LANJ with a rebate check.
Assemblyman Joseph Lagana, who is the primary sponsor of AB-3765, was the meeting’s keynote speaker. When the Assembly Transportation Committee passed the bill in March, LANJ had opposed it for not addressing all areas of the association’s TNC safety concerns; however, members of the association have been working with Lagana to revise the bill before it goes to the Senate, and he has expressed his concern for the public-safety threats that arise from TNCs’ lax regulations.
L to R: LANJ President Jeff Shanker of A-1 Limousine, Assemblyman Joseph Lagana, and LANJ First Vice President Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Chauffeured Services Worldwide “I wouldn’t even put my name on the bill if it didn’t have an insurance trolling period,” Lagana said, referring to the “app-off” times when a TNC driver might otherwise not be covered. “Each day that passes, people are at risk.”
The auction raised more than $10,000 for LANJ, and a number of CD donations were among the items up for grabs: Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet won a full-page ad; Bob Schiavo of Albert’s Transportation won the South Jersey Affiliate Central ad; Cabot Smith of Royale Limousine won an e-blast; Arthur Messina of Create-A-Card won a pass to next month’s Executive Retreat in Nashville; and Karen Gajda of Country Club Transportation Services won two passes to the Miami Show this October.
LANJ’s next general meeting is scheduled for September 16.
Visit lanj.org for more information.
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FLA’s May 27 meeting will be held at Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Miami Beach, Fla. — The Florida Limousine Association (FLA) will be holding a free meeting open to all industry members and vendors May 27 at Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Chauffeur Driven will be sponsoring the event.
This must-attend meeting will provide insight into a variety of topics delivered by speakers representing many facets of the industry.
FLA’s Executive Director and CD Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela will kick off the meeting by discussing sponsorship programs he’s developing, plans for the association’s website, and more regarding both the recent successes and future goals of Florida operators. Chauffeur Driven Publisher Chris Weiss will also be speaking at the meeting, providing a national perspective of the industry and highlighting how operators are flourishing both locally and across the country.
FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service
Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service, the association’s president, will present What Has the FLA Done for Me Lately?, an overview of the legislative battles that FLA and its supporters have been fighting at both state and county levels. With Uber attempting to circumvent operational licensing on a county-by-county basis by appealing for a statewide law, the Florida market has taken its TNC fight to Tallahassee, the state capital, again and again. It has also hired Sachs Media Group to serve as its PR team.
As TNCs have highlighted the public demand for and interest in applying app technology to the industry, FLA has helped develop miRide, which allows clients of luxury ground transportation operators the ability to make their reservations with either their preferred company or, in the case of the on-demand option, with the closest vehicle available. The app is slated to roll out across Florida before connecting national operators who wish to be included in its network. Representatives from miRide will be on hand at the meeting to discuss the app, its integration, and its marketing.
Mike Marroccoli of The Capacity Group will be providing an overview of the STOP program with a PowerPoint presentation about its user-friendly online courses that certify all chauffeurs who successfully complete the program.
Those who wish to attend tomorrow’s meeting can still RSVP by emailing Philip Jagiela at philip@palmamc.com
Visit floridalimousine.com for more information.
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A still from the NLA’s new PSA, “Digital Hitchhiking: Think Before You App” With its Day on the Hill less than a month away, the NLA has recently released a new PSA, the 60-second video titled “Digital Hitchhiking: Think Before You App” that is an extension of its ongoing Ride Responsibly initiative.
Announced earlier this month, the PSA quickly garnered not only a receptive audience but also a positive response from the chauffeured ground transportation industry, according to NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation.
“Within about an hour of its release, we already had more than 300 views, which was absolutely astronomical,” he said. “We have had nothing but kudos from the majority of people on our board and certainly a large number of the NLA membership.”
The “Think Before You App” video, which can be viewed here, echoes many of the safety issues that have been concerning traditional livery operators, especially in regard to the riding public’s safety. Statistics gleaned from NLA surveys—such how 91 percent of Americans feel that there should be mandatory rules and regulations in place for TNC drivers, and 83 percent believe that the drivers of ride-hailing companies should undergo a criminal background check—are also included in the minute-long PSA.
The video comes as an effort to reach the Millennials who comprise much of the TNC user base, as well as elected officials.
“We’re very hopeful that someone from the Millennial generation will help it go viral,” Buffo said. “We have already started the process, through not only our membership but also our friends, families, and everybody else associated with us, of trying to get it hand-delivered or emailed to our local politicians around the country—and around the globe, for that matter. If our elected politicians can view it, they may just be able to really understand what they’re allowing to happen—not just on a federal level but on a regional level.”
The TNC discussion will continue with the NLA’s annual Day on the Hill, which will formally take place June 10 but will have events also occurring June 9 and 11, too.
“We are truly focused on really having the best Day on the Hill we’ve ever had in the history of the NLA,” Buffo said. “We’ve got a lot of key talking points that we’re going to be bringing up there. We’re also going to be doing a Day After Day on the Hill, where we’ll do a PR/lobby session just to make sure everybody is on the same page. We really need to focus on delivering a single message on a daily basis for our lobbying efforts through a PR stance.
Visit limo.org for more information about Day on the Hill, and rideresponsibly.org for more information about Ride Responsibly.
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