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Houston — When the Houston Area Livery & Charter Association (HALCA) met March 24 at Crowne Plaza, two issues dominated the meeting: a new revenue reporting requirement and vehicles’ accessibility.
Association president Wes Hart of American Corporate Transportation said that when the ordinance was modified last year, the city’s Administrative & Regulatory Affairs Department had added reporting requirements to the Chapter 46 ordinance that enforces for-hire vehicle regulations.
Aside from the complicated and labor-intensive paperwork that accompanies the new requirement, Hart and many other HALCA members are concerned that divulging proprietary information such as the number of pickups and drop-offs in a ZIP code or at an airport could compromise livery companies’ livelihoods—especially those of smaller operators—to the benefit of TNCs.
“If anyone goes to the city with a Freedom of Information request, they can get our information,” he said. “Any ‘technology company’ out there could just create this bubble map of how much revenue is in an area, so we’d be losing all of our marketing and competitive data. A lot of people don’t realize what an impact this has.”
While Hart reports that Houston is threatening to revoke operators’ permits if they don’t supply their revenue information, he added that “the city has allowed us to sign a waiver so we don’t have to report that information for one year.”
One of HALCA’s primary goals for the year is to fight the reporting requirement. Members are currently engaged in a letter-writing campaign to bring the issue to city council’s awareness, and Hart said that HALCA’s legislative committee is planning a “boots on the ground” meeting with Houston’s elected officials.
“I’m optimistic that, when they realize what they’re doing, they’ll modify the ordinance to make it not so restrictive,” said Hart, though he ventured that the difficulty of the battle ahead will be determined by the impetus of the regulation in the first place.
The second issue that commanded the meeting’s agenda was also born of last year’s modifications to Houston’s for-hire vehicle ordinance, as it created the city’s Transportation Accessibility Task Force, which includes HALCA member David Dillon of Carey Houston. The task force has mandated that 2 percent of each fleet’s vehicles be wheelchair accessible.
“The big issue is that a small operator would be spending $60,000 on an accessible vehicle,” Hart said. “As a small operator, I’d be spending that kind of money when I’ve only had one request for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle in my 10-year history.” Hart added that the average livery staff isn’t trained to assist a disabled individual in getting from a wheelchair to a vehicle, which presents a liability issue.
Additional issues that HALCA will address in the future include Uber’s arrival in Austin and fighting a pickup/drop-off fee that the Galveston cruise terminal has had on the books for years but never enforced until recently—a charge that Hart believes is in violation of The RIDE Act, as it introduces a cost to livery operators without offering them benefits not made available to the non-commercial public.
Visit houstonlimos.info for more information.
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Phoenix, Ariz.—FASTTRAK Technologies recently announced an integration with TomTom Telematics that allows dispatchers to send orders from FASTTRAK Cloud directly to TomTom PRO driver terminals in their vehicles. With a single mouse click, dispatchers can now send all relevant order information to the driver, and leverage TomTom’s award-winning vehicle tracking, navigation and real-time traffic capabilities, according to a joint press release from the companies. The integrated solution is expected to increase efficiency in the back office, and save chauffeurs time on the road.
“Partnering with TomTom has allowed us to extend the benefits of our reservation and dispatch management solutions to our customers,” says Eddie McCoy, president and owner of FASTTRAK Technologies. “In today’s business climate, anything that improves response times and efficiencies can help companies compete and thrive.”
TomTom Telematics’ WEBFLEET provides real-time visibility into vehicle location, delivering significantly faster response times and improved accountability. WEBFLEET’s advanced fleet management capabilities help FASTTRAK customers maximize the return on their fleet investment. WEBFLEET provides complete visibility into driver behavior, such as speeding over the posted limit, aggressive driving and idling. The PRO driver terminals offer drivers traffic-based navigation and Active Driver Feedback, a real-time coaching tool to encourage a safer and more fuel-efficient driving style.
“FASTTRAK and TomTom have created a one-stop solution for us,” says Stephen Winstead, transportation manager for Towne Park. “Being able to see reservations, what each individual vehicle is doing on one screen and manage it all from one hub has been phenomenal for us. I don’t know what we’d do without it.”
Visit FASTTRAKcloud.com or more information about FASTTRAK. For more information on WEBFLEET from TomTom Telematics, visit tomtom.com/telematics.
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Las Vegas — Meridian Specialty Vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz Preferred Upfitter and bus manufacturer, and Caleche B.V of The Netherlands recently announced and exclusive distribution agreement of Caleche's retractable glass-top convertible roof system designed specifically for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
The roof system, which replaces the factory upper walls and roof, converts a bus into a mobile panoramic touring machine like no other. The glass roof system replaces the factory structure, opens and retracts with the touch of a button, and incorporates several safety features to prevent injury or damage to the system.
Tour companies, amusement parks, attraction operators, and even hotels throughout Europe have been clamoring for the product. "As perfectionists, we didn't want to expand our footprint into the North American market until we felt the product was absolutely perfected for the rigors of the market,” says Robin Verachtert, Caleche's sales manager. "We're thrilled to have matured the product and have undergone extensive third-party testing over the last five years to the point where we have absolutely no doubts it will perform perfectly—from Glacier National Park to Las Vegas."
The patented glass top convertible roof system will be installed by Meridian from knock-down kits shipped from The Netherlands and available in North America on the 144" wheelbase 2500 model Sprinter and the 170" extended wheelbase 3500 model Sprinter in 8 to 20 passenger configurations and with multiple entry door options. Heavy-duty air conditioning systems, auxiliary heating systems, and a unique inflatable air seal system ensure passengers will stay dry and comfortable year-round and in any climate.
"We have been discussing opportunities with Caleche for the last four years and watching the product mature. We're thrilled to have been selected to represent the product in Canada, United States, and Mexico,” says David Ronsen, president and CEO of Meridian. "The experience of riding in a Sprinter fitted with the glass top (open or closed) is indescribable ... it is truly exhilarating. The glass top system literally creates new markets in the tour and other transportation industries that simply were not in reach before now. Nationwide, tour companies will now have a platform from which they can distinguish themselves from their competition and provide a one-of-a-kind, simply awesome touring experience for the masses or for their most exclusive clientele and in any climate, season, or weather condition."
The first North American glass top Sprinters have already completed all necessary safety testing and will be available for sale in coming months through Meridian's bus dealer network.
Visit meridiansv.com for more information.
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