- Details
- Category: Industry News
Costa Mesa, Calif. — The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) held its fourth annual Expo and Trade Show September 23 at Orange County’s Promenade Event Centre & Gardens, bringing with it vendor and vehicle displays, sponsor presentations, and guest speakers—as well as an upbeat atmosphere that is reflected in its organizers’ enthusiasm for the event.
“It was just a phenomenal show,” says GCLA First Vice President Kevin Illingworth of Classique Worldwide Transportation. “We had way more people than we expected, the vendors were extremely happy, the guests were great, and we had some great speakers.”
Chauffeur Driven Publisher Chris Weiss and West Coast Editor David Hartson were both on hand to attend the one-day shindig that has become the GCLA’s biggest function of the year. The 2014 Expo’s turnout easily topped those of previous years, boasting an attendance of about 310, who embraced the event’s theme of wiping the industry clean by donning their finest whites for a White Party.
After the evening kicked off with roughly 20 vendor displays that showcased the services and products of companies such as Lincoln, SoCal Penske/Acton Fleet Sales, Century Business Solutions, and Grech Motors, representatives from Cadillac and Ford then gave fleet presentations between dinner, drinks, and dessert.
One of the main draws was a TNC panel discussion with Cheryl Berkman of Music Express Worldwide, Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, and Gregg Cook of Government Affairs Consulting California, which was moderated by GCLA President Rich Azzolino of Gateway Global.
“I felt that more people would be interested in coming if we had Dawson and Cheryl speak,” Illingworth says. “We set up the panel because TNCs are a hot topic. We wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of what’s going on and what we’re doing for them.”
While Illingworth says that “everything flowed so well that it’s hard to put your finger on just one highlight,” he was pleased that the GCLA Expo continually fosters camaraderie among its attendees.
“You get to see people who are actually competitors come together for one night and become friends, everyone networks and has fun talking to each other,” he says. “It was great seeing everyone come out and support California operators and what we’re doing in the industry to try and make sure that we can all stay on the same playing field.”
With an attendance constantly on the rise and each year presenting a new learning opportunity, Illingworth has nothing but praise for this year’s expo.
“We learn something new every time we do this,” he says. “It just gets better every year.”
Visit gcla.org for more information.
[CD1014]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Morrisville, N.C. — The North Carolina Limousine Association (NCLA) held its September 17 meeting at Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s (RDU) Terminal 2. The afternoon included discussions covering both association-specific and industry-relevant matters.
Robin Luiz of Special Occasions Limousine & Chauffeured Transportation and Chauffeur Driven Show Manager Lauren D'Ambra
NCLA President Carolyn Henson of Prestige Limousine began the meeting by announcing that Lenora Bowman of Johnny B’s Limousine Service has resigned as the association’s secretary so she can spend more time with her family and their new addition. Henson also reported that City of Oaks Transportation owner Diane McLean, who has been filling in for Bowman, officially agreed to be the new NCLA secretary.
In additional membership news, NCLA Treasurer Vernon Gambill of Black Tie Transportation has recently purchased Blue Diamond Limousine, which will give his company additional presence in Raleigh, N.C.
Members also discussed the increasingly positive relationship that has developed between the NCLA and RDU, as Jorge Carrasquillo was on hand to represent the airport. Carrasquillo also offered guidance with concerns about illegal transportation companies operating in Asheville Regional Airport, who are transporting clients across state lines without Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance.
The conversation then turned to TNCs and the power of local operators uniting as a single voice against unregulated transportation companies. The association rallied together to send photos and letters to the DOT, which has since resulted in a single operator being fined more than $89,000 over illegal activities. Additionally, RDU has been citing Lyft drivers for illegally picking up passengers at the airport, as they have been removing the company’s telltale pink moustaches from their vehicles so they can conduct business without being identified.
Chauffeur Driven’s Show Manager Lauren D’Ambra attended the meeting. She spoke about all that the CD Show has to offer, such as its expanded Operator Mentoring Program, Affiliate Day, and Extended Stay CEO Jim Donald’s keynote speech, as well as the free shuttle service to and from Philadelphia International Airport. D’Ambra also raffled off a free pass to the show, which was won by Robin Luiz of Special Occasion Limousine.
The next NCLA meeting will be November 19.
Visit nclimo.org for more information.
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Orlando — The Greater Orlando Limousine Association (GOLA) launched a billboard campaign at the end of September. Its members are aiming to raise awareness about the dangers that TNCs present to public safety by operating illegally and shirking the regulations that traditional transportation companies must abide by.
President Cliff Wright of Royal Transportation Group says that the association’s messages are on 28 electronic billboards throughout the Orlando area and appear “roughly 150,000 times a day.” So far, the billboards—which started running the same day that local media outlets reported that an Uber driver had been arrested for assaulting a female passenger, who had recorded evidence of the incident—have garnered the association quite a bit of attention.
“We’ve had a great response so far. A lot of people have seen them and we’ve been doing a lot of interviews,” Wright says. “We’ve picked up a few new members because we put the GOLA logo on the billboards. A lot of people didn’t know there even was an operator organization here.”
GOLA also has recently partnered with the Florida Livery Association (FLA), so anyone who joins the regional association will automatically become a member of the statewide one. Wright says that the partnership was a long time coming since the two groups have frequently worked in tandem before, and was inspired by the two organizations both heading to Tallahassee last year in an effort to combat Uber.
“The FLA is going to keep pouring money into this fight. It’s hard asking single operators to keep throwing in money: We decided it would be easier if we could work it out so all of our members could become FLA members so the FLA has a steady contribution from us,” says Wright.
GOLA has also found an ally in Mears Transportation, which handles the majority of Orlando’s tourist transportation.
“Right after our September meeting, we went to a city council meeting about TNCs and, between us and Mears, we forced a lot of pressure on the city to have another public hearing, which will be October 13,” says Wright. “Everybody wants to voice their opinions.”
While the fight to get TNCs on the same playing field as regulated livery companies has been a long and frustrating one, it has highlighted the necessity of traditional operators forming a unified front.
“We have to stick together,” Wright says. “We’re all united on the same thing: Just make TNCs operate legally, make them get permits, make them pay for the same things we do.”
The next GOLA meeting will be October 14.
Visit getaroundorlando.com for more information.
[CD1014]