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Denise Sam Cali of J&J Private Car, Limousine & Coach Service (left) with Chauffeur Driven Show Manager Lauren D’AmbraKing of Prussia, Pa. — The Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) held its most recent meeting September 10 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in King of Prussia, which saw an attendance of nearly 50 people.
After appetizers and friendly conversation, the meeting got down to business with a brief introduction from PRLA President Jim Salinger before the meeting’s speakers took to the podium.
John Bumsted of J. Bumsted & Associates, who provides DOT compliance audits and transportation-safety training, then discussed the rules and regulations for commercial drivers in Pennsylvania and the limitations of CDL versus non-CDL drivers. He then took questions from PRLA members ranging from regulatory compliance for buses to the ongoing battles with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). PUC was the hot topic of the evening, as updates regarding its August 28 hearing on PPA were discussed.
Chauffeur Driven’s Show Manager Lauren D’Ambra and Editor Madeleine Maccar were both on hand to attend the evening event. After providing a few updates about the upcoming Atlantic City show, D’Ambra raffled off a pass to the event, which was won by Denise Sam Cali of J&J Private Car, Limousine & Coach Service.
PRLA president Jim Salinger of Unique Limousine welcomed “any vendor with a current membership” to apply for the open vendor position on the association’s board before members discussed how insurance companies are starting to come after drivers who are providing their services to transportation network companies (TNCs).
Mike Barreto of Flyte Tyme Worldwide Transportation then discussed a few items concerning the PRLA’s efforts to work with the Philadelphia International Airport, which has turned into a “great relationship over the years.” Chief among them was the construction of the F terminal’s baggage overpass, which will minimize foot traffic for chauffeurs, as well as working with the city to change the penalty incurred from receiving tickets in the airport’s parking lots. Parking violations themselves have been on the decline, though TNCs are still “running rampant” and account for half of the infractions.
TNCs were a main point of Barreto’s, who reiterated that while they may not have an immediate impact on the chauffeured ground transportation industry’s core clientele, “they will affect you if you’re doing business in five years and will change the way you’re doing business if you don’t adapt or at least communicate what you do for your clientele and how you service them.” He urged those in attendance to start speaking up and make their united stance against TNCs known to public officials.
“You can’t fight money with pockets that are deeper than you’ll ever know. Where you can fight it is with numbers, as a constituent,” he said. “As an industry, we have to understand that this is not a monster that’s going to show its face and then go away. It’s going to change the way we do business. Unless you try and get in front of this to protect your interests, not many people in this room will still be here.”
The next PRLA meeting will be at Fred Beans Ford on October 8.
Visit prlainc.com for more information.
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NELA Director Andrew Tighe of TriStar Worldwide Chauffeur Services (left), NELA Second Vice President Dave Lathbury of Black Tie Limousine, Chauffeur Driven President and Publisher Chris Weiss, and NELA CEO Rick SzilagyiBoston — More than 60 people attended the New England Livery Association’s (NELA) quarterly meeting on September 9, which was held at Logan International Airport’s Embassy Suites Hotel. Chauffeur Driven President and Publisher Chris Weiss not only attended but also spoke at the meeting.
The meeting kicked off with the educational seminar “Understanding and Meeting Client Expectations,” presented by Rick Cavalieri of BostonCoach. The workshop focused on training one’s chauffeurs to meet client expectations, and was offered by NELA as part of its initiative to provide association members with opportunities to better their services by increasing their industry knowledge.
NELA CEO Rick Szilagyi then addressed association matters. In addition to discussing the association’s ongoing pursuit of a level playing field for transportation network companies (TNCs) and licensed ground transportation operators, he also announced that the board has voted on changes to NELA’s bylaws. One of the most significant revisions to the bylaws is that members are now eligible to run for board positions two years after joining the association.
Dawson Rutter, president of Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation and Political Action Committee co-chair for the National Limousine Association (NLA), spoke about the NLA and the recent publication of its stance on TNCs. Rutter called for educating the public and corporate compliance officials alike on the safety issues that unregulated transportation services present, which he said would be key to ensuring the success of the legally operating livery industry.
Weiss also addressed the ongoing TNC issue, as well as the continued improvement of the economy. He attributed the livery industry’s 10-20 percent growth year over year to key areas of the business TNCs have difficulty emulating or breaking into, such as the customer-service focus a chauffeur can offer that an unlicensed rideshare driver cannot. Weiss also offered an update on November’s Chauffeur Driven show.
Chosen Payments CEO Jeff Brodsly emphasized his company’s mission to support the NLA and the chauffeured transportation industry, and discussed the ins and outs of credit card processing.
The quarterly meeting also hosted the ongoing American Motor Products’ road show, which gave an overview of the many fleet discount programs the organization’s sponsors have designed for the industry.
NELA’s next membership meeting will be December 9.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
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Elkhart, Indiana — Midwest Automotive Designs, a leading provider of customized luxury Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, announced that Harry Schmink has joined the company as CEO and board member. Schmink, a highly experienced automotive industry executive, spent the previous six years as president of DACCO, a nationwide distributor of automotive aftermarket parts.
Schmink joins an established management team that includes the founder, Tim Gray, who will stay on in a leadership role as president. Gray, who founded Midwest Automotive Designs in 2004, says, "We are excited to welcome Harry to Midwest Automotive Designs. Our ability to attract an automotive industry executive with Harry's track record and knowledge reflects Midwest Auto's potential for continued strong growth. We look forward to his leadership as we execute the strategies to enhance our already leading position in the luxury automotive conversion industry."
"I am impressed with Midwest Auto's growth in recent years, which results directly from their very high quality products,” says Schmink. “The quality of this entire organization is reflected in its being named to the 2014 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States, and in its celebrating the recent completion of its 3,000th unit. The company has an exceptional foundation in place that will enable us to accelerate our expansion. I look forward to working with Tim and the entire Midwest Automotive team. Together, we will continue to focus relentlessly on our customers and deliver industry-leading products and customer service."
Visit midwestautomotivedesigns.com for more information.
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