- Details
- Category: Industry News
Atlanta — LakePoint Sporting Community, a premier sports vacation destination, recently announced an exclusive partnership with Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation, which will provide a full range of transportation options to all of LakePoint’s guests.
“At LakePoint, we strive to provide best-in-class service in all that we do. In the world of travel sports, getting your team from place to place can be a real logistical challenge. We chose Cooper Global as our official transportation partner because of [its] impeccable reputation and wide range of transportation options for teams and families. We believe our partnership will further enhance what has already become the premier sports tournament vacation experience," says LakePoint Co-CEO Earl Ehrhart.
“Cooper-Global is honored to be an official partner of LakePoint, this is a wonderful example of two companies seeing a vision and both being willing to be creative and flexible to accomplish the greater goals to serve our community,” says Larry Cooper, president of Cooper-Global. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with LakePoint to create an all-inclusive experience for all of LakePoint’s teams, coaches, fans, families, and guests.”
Visit cooper-global.com for more information.
[CD0415]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
ILA Vice President Greg Eggan
Springfield, Ill. — The Illinois Limousine Association (ILA) is gearing up for its first-ever Day on the Hill, which will take area operators to the state capital at Springfield to speak to Illinois representatives on April 21.
The legislative day, which ILA Vice President Greg Eggan of O’Hare-Midway Limousine Service calls “a very grassroots approach,” aims to increase state government’s recognition of both the association and industry through meetings with the state’s elected officials.
Eggan is among the association members who have volunteered to speak with more than one dozen state senators and representatives before the Day on the Hill to educate them about ILA’s concerns, particularly in regard to a level playing field. The main focus of ILA’s inaugural event, however, is to boost chauffeured ground transportation’s visibility in local government, which the association hopes will translate into being made aware of regulation changes that affect transportation providers.
“The primary mission is to let them know we’re here,” Eggan said. “Last year, in all honesty, we were unhappy with how we were not in the loop, so this year we’re letting them know we’re here, we’re ready to answer questions, and if questions are put to us, we’ll offer at least our view of the situation.”
With Eggan expecting today’s open ILA board meeting to yield more Day on the Hill participants, he emphasized that the legislative day is “being done pretty much entirely by volunteers on behalf of all the operators in Illinois” and that ILA is always accepting more members and volunteers to assist in its statewide and industry endeavors.
“We’re trying to expand our coverage of operators,” he said. “We need the numbers for a proper fight, and I’m trying to avoid the perception that we only represent northeastern Illinois.”
ILA’s annual spring meeting is scheduled for May 20.
Visit illinoislimousineassociation.com for more information.
[CD0415]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
(L to R:) Brandy Ollie of Go Platinum Transportation, FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine, Chauffeur Driven Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela, and WFLA President Dave Shaw of Network Limousines
Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Limousine Association (FLA), with some help from the Florida Taxicab Association, spearheaded its first-ever Florida Ground Transportation Day on March 25, which Chauffeur Driven’s own Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela attended. Operators from around the state came together for the legislative event in Tallahassee, presenting a unified front for the state’s chauffeured ground transportation and taxicab industries alike, while highlighting how unregulated transportation services put the riding public at risk.
FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine said that more than 150 operators swarmed the capital to meet with their respective legislators and discuss the public safety hazards that accompany TNCs, thanks to the newer companies’ model of less stringent insurance requirements and background checks. According to Versace, TNCs are trying to pass state legislature that would circumvent local jurisdictions, making it so companies like Uber and Lyft won’t have to apply to operate in each individual county.
“The rally was an attempt to educate our lawmakers about some of the issues surrounding the TNCs and also to indicate to them that you can’t legislate on a statewide basis if there’s no enforcement behind it,” said Versace. “We had appointments setting up everyone with their own elected officials, so we had a full schedule. Everybody in the capital knew we were there. It was a very well-done, well-executed event and we’re very happy with the outcome.”
The day’s agenda included a news conference held just outside the Tallahassee Capitol building, which presented facts about the day’s meetings to news outlets ranging from local to national media.
“Once Uber found out that we were having a press conference, they attempted to short-circuit it by holding one inside the center office building with senators and a big Uber sign—it was almost like a commercial for Uber,” Versace said. “But it helped us rather than hurt us because all anyone had to do was go downstairs to get the opposing point of view. The capitol press corps was there and every major news outlet was there. We ended up getting about three times as much press coverage as we probably would have been able to get on our own, so it really backfired for them.”
Given the success of March’s “Rally in Tally,” many Florida-area operators are returning to the state capital April 8, and will continue meeting with state officials on a smaller scale for the remaining few weeks of the current legislative session.
“They’re holding Miami-Dade County Days, so we’re meeting with Miami and Tampa Bay-area legislators,” said Versace. “For every week that’s left, we’re going to be up there. We’re letting our elected officials know that we’re not going anywhere: We have better public service, better customer service, and a more personalized relationship with our customers than anonymous drivers do.”
To finance its ongoing lobbying initiatives and PR campaign, FLA has established a “Join the Fight” page on its website, floridalimousine.com, which can be found in the drop-down menu under the site’s “UBER” tab.
[CD0415]