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The Wisconsin Limousine Association (WLA) held their monthly membership meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, April 13. The group welcomed guest speakers to discuss the benefits of belonging to trade association, including Illinois Limousine & Bus Association (ILLBA) Vice President Tracy Raimer and Karl Guenther of Statement Limousine.
WLA Director Paula DeBiasi of Chicago Coachworks
First and foremost, being part of a trade association gives you clout, said Raimer. For instance, membership gives you a proverbial seat at the table to make sure your voice is heard when, say, your local airport institutes a new rule that affects the industry. Furthermore, belonging to an association can offer you a de facto 20-Group where you can exchange benchmarks and advice. While addressing the fact that some operators may have concern about interacting with competitors, WLA Director Paula DeBiasi of Chicago Coachworks pointed out that associations are not social clubs; they are organizations for advocacy and education than only strengthen the industry within a given market. Guenther, who is based in Cleveland, Ohio, spoke about the formation of a new association in his region, which is quickly gaining traction and interest.
WLA President Larry Epstein of Gallant Knight Limousine
Following the discussion about trade associations, WLA President Larry Epstein of Gallant Knight Limousine informed the members on the webinar that new Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations went into effect in February, which require new drivers and chauffeurs to have more training before getting a CDL license. While this is ultimately beneficial in terms of safety and compliance, it only adds to the existing challenge of hiring new drivers.
A recording of the meeting is available to members on the WLA Facebook page. The WLA is planning a conference call for their May membership meeting.
Visit wisconsinlimo.org for more information.
[04.19.22]
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Global chauffeur service Blacklane named Henning Groß as chief technology officer (CTO). Groß runs Blacklane’s engineering and product teams, which comprise one third of Blacklane’s 350 employees. Most tech employees work in Berlin or Barcelona, and the company is hiring in both locations.
Blacklane names Henning Groß as chief technology officer (CTO)
Groß oversees the ongoing development of Blacklane’s product, technical innovation, resilience and security to support guests, chauffeurs, corporate travel managers and travel agents. His responsibilities include Blacklane’s booking platform, guest and chauffeur apps, and customer service technology.
“Blacklane has surpassed pre-pandemic monthly revenue and we forecast strong growth this year,” said CEO and Co-founder Jens Wohltorf. “Henning has the technical expertise to scale our systems to the next level and the people skills to grow and develop our crew.”
Groß replaces Frank Steuer, who co-founded Blacklane with Wohltorf. Steuer remains as shareholder and as part of the company’s board of directors. He handed over daily work to split time between Berlin and Finland with his family.
Groß has an extensive track record building efficient companies and transforming organizations. He focuses on an open culture, healthy team structures and performance-oriented values.
“Blacklane modernized the chauffeur industry. The company made local, professional chauffeurs available and affordable around the world,” said Groß. “Our priorities for the post-pandemic travel era include complimentary services for airlines and cruises, chauffeur hailing for on-demand rides, and innovative electric vehicle (EV) service.”
Groß has served as CTO in the insurance, marketing, IT services, and media and publishing industries. Before those, he held senior technical roles in online retail, automotive and translation services, and is the co-founder of three companies.
Visit blacklane.com for more information.
[04.19.22]
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In a surprise turn of events, the Biden administration dropped the mask mandate that had been in effect for airlines, transit hubs, and other modes of transportation (including public transit) for the past 15 months after a Florida judge ruled that US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had exceeded its authority with the mandate. The original mandate, which was due to expire April 18, was recently extended through May 3 pending reassessment.
Following the announcement, most major US air carriers said that masking would be optional and not subject to enforcement, which included Delta, America, United, Southwest, and JetBlue. In addition, Amtrak, Uber, and Lyft all released statements that masks were no longer required to use their services.
Note that many cities and states are still enforcing their local mandates, including New York’s MTA, San Francisco’s BART and Caltrain, and Chicago’s CTA on all forms of public transportation. Additionally, Philadelphia recently announced the return of masks in indoor spaces like restaurants and sporting arenas, but that masks were now voluntary on the city’s transit authority, SEPTA. Other public transit systems like NJ Transit and Los Angeles’ Metro will longer enforce but highly encourage face coverings.
US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Tori Emerson Barnes
While the announcement was a welcomed one for many, including transportation associations that have been advocating for a phase-out of the current restrictions, especially on airplanes, there are others that remain trepidatious considering rising cases of COVID (hospitalizations, however, remain relatively low at this time). The Association of Flight Attendants, for example, has been neutral on the lifting of the mandate even before the court ruling due to the ambivalence of its membership and the uptick in confrontation and violence that many attendants have experienced in the past two years. The association urged for the patience of its members and the traveling public as the nation works through this new stage.
For others, this fortuitous announcement couldn’t come soon enough.
“The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travelers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of COVID. We also continue to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits,” said US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes.
As this situation is rapidly changing, check with your local agencies for more information.
[04.20.22]