- Details
- Category: Industry News
Charleston, S.C.-based Coastal Limo is honored to celebrate the first anniversary of their acquisition of Diamond Transportation. The husband-and-wife team of Matt and Marina Miller started their first black-car service venture in Charleston, SC in 2012. Since then, they have expanded their capabilities to a fleet of 48 vehicles, providing a comprehensive transportation service to the Charleston area and beyond.
Coastal Limo believes that its growth can be directly attributed to its strong sales-focused team, led by Group Sales Manager Amanda Hays and Retail Sales Manager Shanklin Wilson. Hays joined Coastal over five years ago and brings her expertise to the group transportation team. Dividing the sales team into two sectors has allowed each individual department to apply different strategies and tools to their sales approach.
In late 2021, the Millers were considering expanding their services into the Savannah and Hilton Head, when they were presented with the opportunity to acquire Diamond Transportation. Diamond services Bluffton, Hilton Head, and Savannah, Ga., and has a strong presence in Jacksonville, Fla., where they frequently travel upon request.
Marina and Matt Miller of Coastal Limousine of Charleston
Coastal Limo was thrilled to have nearly all their staff stay on throughout the conversion, so there were no interruptions in the process or quality of service. Diamond Operations Manager Robert Lucas also agreed to stay on and is a huge asset, bringing strong leadership to the company while also fostering a deep-rooted family culture, according to the owners.
“A year ago, when I learned Diamond was being sold, I was kind of uncertain. Then I met Matt and Marina and learned their vision for the future. This gave me hope. This last year has gone beyond my expectations, not only with the growth and perfect blending of families, but to say I love my job and family doesn’t come close,” says Lucas.
“The office and chauffeur staff at Diamond have been extremely welcoming to new technology and changes in their day-to-day work,” adds Matt Miller. “Chauffeurs have gone from using paper trip sheets and driver logs to using apps for everything they do. The transition was a bit painful at first, but the staff of nearly 40 have placed their trust in Marina and me and allowed us to implement many adjustments that have without a doubt had a huge impact on our growth there.”
Visit coastallimocharleston.com and hiltonheadrides.com for more information.
[02.14.23]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Fresh off last week’s State of the Union Address, where President Joe Biden touted his administration’s historic investment in climate initiatives like electric vehicles, Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Minnesota facility of bus manufacturer New Flyer of America on February 9, producers of the Xcelsior and Xcelsor CHARGE line of buses (including electric and hybrid). New Flyer is a division of the NFI Group, which is also the parent company of motorcoach manufacturer MCI.
Harris addressed a crowd of several hundred, including St. Cloud, Minnesota, Mayor Dave Kleis. Harris toured the assembly line where New Flyer’s most advanced e-bus, Xcelsior CHARGE NG, is produced, according to a release from the company. The Xcelsior CHARGE NG has already been adopted by numerous transit authorities across the country.
“Buses are our nation’s most popular form of public transportation,” she said to the crowd. “The electric buses being built in this factory are a model of American innovation and key to the future of public transportation. In 2009, then Vice President Joe Biden stood in this plant, when at the time you were building cutting-edge hybrid electric buses, and said, ‘NFI is an example of the future.’ A lot has changed in the last 14 years, but one thing has not; you are still an example of America’s future.”
Vice President Kamala Harris tours New Flyer of America
Last year, the bipartisan infrastructure bill allocated billions over several years toward electric vehicles writ large, including e-buses. More recently, Harris has spoken about the availability of grants—more than $5 billion over the next five years--to allow school districts to switch over to electric buses.
“It was fantastic to host Vice President Harris at our New Flyer facility in Minnesota, providing us with an opportunity to showcase our incredible team, our facility, and our industry leading solutions. The benefits of the Biden Harris administration’s record investments in public transportation were on display as we walked our production floor and sat on buses destined for cities across America. We were also able to discuss opportunities for the administration to assist our manufacturing industry as we recover from the effects of global supply disruption and prolonged inflation,” said NFI President & CEO Paul Soubry.
NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center, the first and only innovation lab of its kind in the United States dedicated to advancing bus and coach zero-emission technology and workforce development. Since opening in late 2017, it has hosted over 350 interactive events, welcoming 7,000 industry professionals for zero-emission bus and infrastructure training, according to the company.
Visit newflyer.com for more information.
[02.14.23]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Most Small Businesses Give Fed Government a Barely Passing Grade: American small businesses aren’t feeling the love from the Biden administration, according to a new survey from Goldman Sachs of nearly 2,000 small businesses across the Continental US. A whopping 93 percent of those small biz owners feel that Washington isn’t doing enough to prioritize their issues over those of big business, while 55 percent are worried about a recession in the next 12 months. Respondents also cite the difficulty in finding and retaining qualified employees as their top concern (35 percent), followed by inflation at 23 percent and affordable employee benefits at 13 percent. On a positive note, 68 percent rate the current economy as fair or better, and more than half expect to create new jobs in the coming months. The full report can be read here.
Source: Goldman Sachs
Delta to Offer Free Wi-Fi on All Flights: In an industry that is known for slashing perks and charging for every little thing that customers will reluctantly pay for, Delta is sharing some good news with its frequent fliers. By the end of this year, Delta hopes to have more than 700 of its aircraft equipped with free Wi-Fi, with full availability on international and regional aircraft by the end of 2024, according to an announcement from CEO Ed Bastian during the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show last month. The airline has partnered with T-Mobile to bring “an easy, seamless experience” to its passengers. While Wi-Fi has not always been reliable on flights, so far the reviews are mostly positive across the travel blogosphere. Passengers have to use or sign up for a free SkyMiles account to access the free perk. The only drawback now is you can longer use “airplane mode” as an excuse for not answering those texts and emails at 30,000 feet. On the flipside, your flight won’t likely be delayed due to some stubborn celebrity refusing to stow their phone. Ah, the peace and quiet was great while it lasted.
Sources: Delta, CNBC
Las Vegas Tourism Was on Fire in 2022: There’s no stopping a trip to Sin City! The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority recently released its year-end report for 2022, noting that the city had a 38.3 million visitors, only about 4 percent below its 2019 high. Big spending—and winning—at casinos also boosted the state’s coffers as casino taxes equate to nearly 20 percent of the state’s total revenue. Additionally, convention attendance (like the upcoming 2023 CD/NLA Show this March 5-8!) was just below that of 2019 at 5 million (6.6 million in 2019). Hotel occupancy, building of additional state casinos, and sports betting was also up year over year. However, with such increased demand, officials are worried that a second airport might be needed, stat. Seeing a record 52.6 million passengers in 2022 at Harry Reid International Airport, with max volume expected to be reached by 2030, talks are for a new airfield about three dozen miles southwest of Reid near the California border along I-15. Another slated project—albeit with private funding—is a high-speed rail line connecting LA and Vegas, with construction expected to begin this year.
Sources: AP News, LVCVA, Brightline West
[02.07.23]