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Rochester, N.Y. — The most recent meeting of Limousine, Bus, Taxi Operators of Upstate New York (LBTOUNY) was held February 25. In addition to showcasing a few buses from sponsor Empire Bus Sales, the evening meeting hosted a three-person panel and had the roughly 25 members in attendance discussing topics such as state taxes and the association’s first-ever Day on the Hill.
The increasing burden of state taxes is a hot issue for Upstate New York operators. LBTOUNY has spent nearly two years pushing its bill to get the state sales tax eliminated, an effort that had previously met with success in the Senate but stalled out in the House, according to LBTOUNY President Kevin Barwell of Giorgio’s Limousine Service.
“We still have our bill in the House with Senator Schimminger and we’re going back to the Senate, where we’re hoping to get Senator Robach to sponsor that bill,” Barwell said. “The fight’s going to start again, and we’re looking for assistance from everybody who has helped us in the past.”
Members also addressed a new state tax that had come to LBTOUNY’s attention shortly before the meeting, which pertains to any automobile with a gross vehicle weight ratio exceeding 26,000 pounds. Barwell says that the association will “need to get the full details” on the proposed tax that would go into effect next year, but is concerned about another cost being passed along to New York State taxpayers.
“We do a lot of senior work with our coaches, and these seniors do not have that additional income,” he said. “They’re not going to be able to do their trips anymore with that loss of revenue. We’re very concerned.”
The meeting also hosted a new-trends panel comprising Mark Crisafulli from Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Rob Maloney from Empire Bus, and Dave Bastian from Towne Livery, and was moderated by Barwell.
“They talked to members about what people are looking for, and they also discussed new problems for vehicles now, and what the best warranties are,” said Barwell. “Everybody learned a lot, so it was definitely worthwhile to have those three members—one from bus, one from car, and one from insurance—talking about new things that are affecting the industry right now.”
While TNCs are still a passionately discussed topic among LBTOUNY members, Barwell says that the association is “staying the course” in that fight. “Our goal is to educate others and to focus on fair legislation for everybody,” he said. “We’re not opposed to TNCs operating in this area, we’re opposed to them operating illegally. I don’t think they understand that.”
Local concerns rounded out the meeting. One of LBTOUNY’s committees has been meeting with area wineries to foster a relationship between them and the association, ensuring that its operators are following wine trails’ rules and policies. Disregarding established protocol is grounds for being banned from the wine trails.
LBTOUNY is also planning its first Day on the Hill in Albany, tentatively scheduled for May 20, which Barwell hopes will become an annual event.
“We’re going to open it to all the operators in the state, and we hope to get some of the other associations up here,” he said. “I think it’s been too long since the state heard our voice. They don’t really know who we are but we want to change that.”
The next LBTOUNY meeting is planned for April 22 in Syracuse.
Visit lbtony.com for more information.
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ILA President Tracy Hodge-Raimer
Carol Stream, Ill. — The Illinois Limousine Association (ILA) is looking ahead to a busy spring as it prepares for its yearly membership meeting, as well as its first-ever Day on the Hill.
The association’s inaugural legislative day will take to the state capital of Springfield on April 21 in an effort to increase elected officials’ awareness of the chauffeured transportation industry and how its operators feel in regard to unregulated TNCs. ILA President Tracy Hodge-Raimer of Your Private Limousine said that “it’s amazing how many of them don’t know of us or don’t know where we stand.”
“It’s become so apparent to us that our senators and congresspeople need to know who the ILA is and who the livery operators are,” she said. “Talking to them serves as an introduction of who we are and what we do, and it gives us a chance to explain what our position is about the TNCs, which mostly comes down to public safety and operating on a level playing field.”
Hodge-Raimer said that while ILA Vice President and Legislative Affairs Chair Greg Eggan of O’Hare-Midway Limousine Service has been spearheading the committee behind Day on the Hill, it is truly a group effort among the association’s board of directors. And while this is the first time ILA is undertaking its own event of this sort, communication with other regional associations has proven to be quite beneficial.
“We’ve definitely been following some of the other associations and what they’ve been doing,” Hodge-Raimer said. “The social media updates just within our industry have been extremely helpful. Of course, just talking to different associations about what they’ve accomplished and the angles that they went in with, that definitely helps, as well.”
Through bolstering awareness of both their organization and the industry it serves, ILA aims to foster a relationship between the association and Illinois legislatures.
“Our hope is that representatives will realize that the livery industry exists and they’ll provide us with updates so that when things are happening in Springfield, we’re not the last to find out as new issues come up,” Hodge-Raimer said.
A month later, on May 20, ILA’s annual spring meeting will kick off at Comfort Suites O’Hare Airport, which is a new location that will put the event about 10 minutes from the airport. Speakers, sponsors, and a full agenda are currently in the works.
Visit
illinoislimousineassociation.com
for more information.
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Atlanta, Ga. — Atlantic Limousine & Transportation, located in Atlanta, Ga., provides ground transportation services throughout the Atlanta area as well as worldwide travel, through a network of affiliates. Now in its 19th year of business, this family-owned and operated business offers a variety of transportation services for corporate groups, airport transportation, wedding parties, and bus charter service for out-of-town trips. Atlantic currently has a diverse fleet of over 65 well-maintained vehicles. Atlantic Limo found great value in the TEMSA brand, with new invited technology that will be easier to maintain than previous buses they’ve had in their fleet. For more information on Atlantic Limousine & transportation, please visit www.atlanticlimo-ga.com. Recently adding more coaches to the fleet, Atlantic has taken delivery of six Temsa coaches: four TS 45 full-size and two TS 35 midsize coaches.
Atlantic Limousine’s TS 35 midsize coaches seated for 40 passengers and are equipped with leather seats, hardwood floor, a REI A/V system, flat screen TVs, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, 110V+ USB power outlets, and a restroom. The company says it went for an executive look on this bus, which is going to play a big part in helping it cater to both sources of revenue (full-size coaches and midsize coaches).
Hoss Oskouie, VP of Atlantic Limousine, shared that their current operation benefits from the TS 35 coach because it “is great for those smaller groups who do travel outside of town or local transfer trips who do not require full-size motorcoaches.” The TS 45 full-size coach des are seated for 56 passengers and are equipped with some of the same favorite features such as Wi-Fi, 110V+ USB power outlets, a REI A/V system, flat screen TVs, Satellite TV, and a restroom. Hoss also commented that their “experience has been positive so far with both models; for sure the executive look on the TS 35 has surprised a lot of customers who are wowed when walking inside of the bus.”
The world class Temsa TS 45 and TS 35 are wholly integral coaches that offer a luxurious and spacious interior for passengers and driver. Constructed from stainless steel for extra durability and strength. All Temsa coaches are exclusively equipped with the Cummins/Allison drivetrain, providing raw power and optimum serviceability. CH Bus Sales is the exclusive distributor of Temsa motorcoaches in the United States and Canada. CH Bus Sales is a privately owned corporation with an industry experienced ownership and management team. Temsa is a fully owned subsidiary of Sabanci Holding, the leading financial and industrial group in Turkey.
Visit www.chbussales.com for more information.
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