LILA President Tom Gouldsbury of Azure Limousine addresses the crowd
More than 60 members and guests headed to Wind Watch Golf & Country Club in Hauppauge, N.Y., on Wednesday, December 11, for the Long Island Limousine Association (LILA) holiday party and dinner. In addition to offering a delicious buffet dinner and valuable networking, the evening also gave members a glimpse of the association’s plans for the new year.
L to R: Jeffrey Dupoux of DH2 Chauffeured Transportation, Mike Rose of My Limousine Service, Nancy Vargas of DH2 Chauffeured Transportation, Douglas Schwartz of Executive Limousine, Drew Messina of Create-A-Card, and Annette Snedaker of DH2 Chauffeured Transportation.
“The meeting was very successful,” says LILA President Tom Gouldsbury of Azure Limousine. “We’re looking forward to a really robust 2025 where we’ve launched a new program against illegal operators. We’ve hired a PR firm, and we’re scheduling a press conference for late December. In January, we’re doing a breakfast for legislators and other politicians to catch their ear and inform them.”
The association has also had two meetings with the Suffolk County TLC about the issue of illegal operators. Currently, the biggest challenge for licensed operators is coming from Facebook pages that advertise cheap local transportation.
LILA teamed up with Advantage Remarketing Solutions to fill a Sprinter with donations for Toys for Tots
“Illegal operators are taking money out of our pockets and they’re driving with noncommercial plates. It’s about time that someone’s done something about it, and that’s what our association is trying to do. We’re never going to cure the problem, but we can have an impact on the situation,” says Gouldsbury.
Gouldsbury states that LILA has great support from their members to tackle this issue. Recently, the association got an NLA grant for $6,000, which will be used to help them kick off the program.
Ariel Ullberg and LILA President Tom Gouldsbury of Azure Limousine
“We want to let the surrounding area know that the LILA exists and we’re here to support the community. We’re out to share public awareness,” he says.
While the issue of illegal operators was highlighted, the meeting also served as a Toys for Tots benefit, with Eric Coolbaugh from meeting sponsor Advantage Remarketing Solutions bringing a Sprinter to fill with new, unwrapped toys. Dozens and dozens of donations were brought by members to support the Marine Corps charity.
Other sponsors of the dinner meeting included Friedlander Group, Royale Limousine, Model 1 Commercial Vehicles, Rocky Mountain Coach, and IntelliShift.
LILA has plans to hold a meeting in March, shortly after the CD/NLA Show in Vegas.
Visit lilimoassociation.com for more information.
[12.17.24]