Public Relations Push, Legislative Efforts Focal Points of CLA Meeting

Denver — The Colorado Limousine Association (CLA) held its most recent bimonthly meeting September 15 at The Timbers. The association is in the midst of a growth period, which is reflected by its recent public relations initiative to increase visibility through social media, a membership newsletter, and a redesigned website.

That push to publicize CLA’s professional image was among the meeting’s key topics. After a presentation from the event’s sponsor Grech Motors and reports from each of the association’s committee chairs, much of the evening’s conversation was dedicated to legislative matters. CLA representatives are currently working with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to hammer out how—if at all—they want to be regulated differently from TNCs.

Members of the CLA board (L to R): Judy Cowen of Carey Denver & Corporate GT Denver, Treasurer Mary Norby of Carey Denver, Sergeant at Arms John Hafer of A Custom Coach Diamond Limousine, Secretary Nikko and Franci Ouzounis of White Dove Limousine, President Shane Stickel of Presidential Worldwide Transportation, Vice President Adam Paul of Colorado Corporate Car, and CD Industry & Brand Ambassador/CLA Executive Director Philip Jagiela “Right now, our legislative committee is determining whether luxury limousines in Colorado want to be regulated comparably to TNCs,” says CLA Treasurer Mary Norby of Carey Denver. “The TNC rules are getting ready to be released, and this is our opportunity to figure out if we want to have things like higher insurance requirements, newer vehicles, or stricter barriers to entry.”

While some members want baseline regulations for chauffeured ground transportation to be determined on a company-by-company basis, Shane Stickel of Presidential Worldwide Transportation, the association’s president, believes that a unified front is more beneficial to the region’s operators.

“I’d like us to be on a higher level than the TNCs so we can sell that,” he says. “This is our chance to say why we’re different from TNCs.”

This working relationship comes less than a year after the CLA and PUC had settled on a regulatory compromise that was largely analogous of what Colorado operators thought would be a favorable ruling—until Gov. John Hickenlooper put the kibosh on it and sent the PUC back to the drawing board. Since then, Stickel describes the state’s TNC scene as becoming a free-for-all.

Regionally specific issues that Colorado operators face include one relegated entirely to Denver, as its Department of Excise and Licenses requires all chauffeurs driving a commercial for-hire vehicle on the city’s streets to have a herdic license. According to Stickel, the longtime law has been creating confusion for anyone doing pickups and drop-offs in the city. A taxi and limousine council has been working with the department to address the rule, with the help of its director Stacie Loucks.

“It’s on the agenda for this year to, at minimum, figure out exactly who needs the license and to have clearer definitions around that,” Stickel says. “The ultimate goal is to eliminate it for limousine operators because it really doesn’t serve a purpose for us.”

The next meeting of the CLA is scheduled for November 17.

Visit cololimo.org for more information.

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