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- Category: Industry News
The Illinois Limousine and Bus Association (ILLBA) has announced the results of their recent Board of Directors election. The 2023-2024 ILLBA Board is:
Kaya Armagan of Flash Limousines and Buses
Bill Battisti of Nationwide Bus Sales (Vendor)
Beth Cox of Cox Livery Service
Paula DeBiasi of Chicago CoachWorks
James Jordan of Lux Tux Transportation
Lynn Kafkes of Galaxy Limousine Service
Michael McDaniels of Shriver Transportation Insurance (Vendor)
Tracy Raimer of Windy City Limousine and Bus
Art Rento of Pontarelli Companies
Brian Sheely of Epic Limo
Outgoing Board Member Jay Pearson of Century Business Solutions
The ILLBA Board has expressed their gratitude to outgoing board member Jay Pearson of Century Business Solutions for his commitment, dedication, service, and support to the association, its members, and the industry at large.
In accordance with the ILLBA bylaws, the 2023-2024 officers will be elected at the July Board of Directors meeting.
Visit illba.org for more information.
[05.22.23]
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- Category: Industry News
The Greater Atlanta Limousine Association (GALA) has announced that they will hold a Membership Luncheon on Tuesday, May 23, starting at 12:00 p.m. at the Louisiana Bistreaux Seafood Kitchen in East Point.
Billed as an interactive and fun workshop lunch, the meeting will include member updates and association announcements. The association also noted that it is soliciting feedback regarding chauffeur protocols, the best locations for pickups and drop-offs, as well as places to park nearby many of the popular hotspots in the Atlanta area for an upcoming video production.
Additionally, members will be entered into a drawing for a half-page ad in Chauffeur Driven for each new member that they refer to the association (or if you are a new member yourself). The winner is expected to be announced at the meeting.
More details about the meeting is available here.
Visit galalimo.org for more information.
[05.22.23]
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- Category: Industry News
Motorcoach associations like the American Bus Association (ABA) are celebrating the reintroduction of a bill that would eliminate the tax burden for those who received CERTS Act money during the pandemic. Bill H.R. 3510 was recently referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means after being sponsored by Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.). The bill has since garnered the support of Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Jared Golden (R-Maine), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), and John Rose (R-Tenn.).
The CERTS Act, or the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services, was $2 billion pandemic funding earmarked for motorcoaches and passenger vessel operators, who were disproportionately affected during the international crisis and has since seen a slower path to recovery than other industries. Associations like the ABA and the United Motorcoach Association have been lobbying Congress since the passage of the hard-fought CERTS Act for tax exemption for those funds.
ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso
“The CERTS grant relief program provided a necessary lifeline to the U.S. motorcoach industry, in response to the economic devastation brought about by the pandemic. Without this funding, at such a critical time, numerous small, multigenerational family businesses faced extinction and thousands of rural and underserved communities would have lost access to their only form of intercity transportation,” said ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso. “However, just when the industry began to stabilize and recover, operators were penalized with an unexpected tax bill for accepting the relief, forcing them to pay a good portion of it back in taxes. Like other pandemic relief programs, the CERTS grants should not be taxable, it’s a matter of fairness, equity and recognition of the key role motorcoach operations play in this country. We appreciate the hard work and the long-standing support of our industry and this program by Representatives LaHood, Panetta, Kelly, Blumenauer, Rose, and Golden.
More information about the bill can be found here.
[05.22.23]