February 2006
Cheat Sheet: Ground Transportation
Whether you delegate the responsibility to a reputable destination management company or work directly with providers, here’s what you need to know about ground transfers.
By Linda C. Chandler
How to find potential ground transportation companies
• Check with the local CVB
• Ask your convention center or hotel contacts
• Look in industry association directories for vendors who are members
• Get recommendations from industry peers
• Work with a DMC that has experience in ground transportation
What to include in RFPs
• Your budget
• Dates and schedules
• Rider history from similar events
• Group demographics
• List of hotels to be covered and numbers in room blocks
• Frequency of pick-ups expected
• Special event venues
• Insurance coverage
• Vehicle sizes and types
• VIP transport needs
• Any special/adaptive transportation needs
Sample RFP
A standardized RFP for “Chauffeured Transportation Service” and a glossary of terms are available to members of the National Business Travel Association. See www.nbta.org.
What to ask prospective providers
Company information
• How long have you been in business?
• Do you own your fleet or subcontract?
• Is there adequate equipment with wheelchair lifts for attendees?
• Can you supply a certificate of insurance and Department of Transpor-tation safety rating?
• Will you supply references from similar groups/events? (Check references!)
• Will you include my organization as a temporary “additionally insured” entity on your insurance policies?
Vehicle information
• What’s the average age of your vehicles?
• How many vehicles of each size/type are available?
• Do vehicles have video equipment? (So you can show a destination video or sell a sponsorship and allow an exhibitor to show a video.)
• What types of coaches are used (transit buses, private coaches, etc.)?
• Are extra vehicles available in case of breakdowns and how quickly they can be summoned into operation (stand-by driver availability included)?
Personnel information
• Can you submit a list of current qualified drivers with their commercial license numbers?
• Are drivers trained in defensive driving, crisis management, first aid, etc.?
• How often are drivers subject to drug testing?
• If drivers are members of a union, when does the contract expire and are there potential issues?
• What uniforms do drivers wear? (Is there any flexibility in this? Some shows have sold driver uniforms, or hats, as a sponsorship.)
Rules of thumb
• Request a test ride of proposed routes for citywide meetings.
• Preview any advertiser or sponsor submissions rather than having them sent directly to the transport company.
• Don’t allow surcharges to be labeled as “tariffs.” Tariffs are taxes and, if fees are not appropriately identified, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance may become an issue.
Linda C. Chandler is a freelance writer/editor based in Tyler, TX. She has written for association and convention publications for 17 years. She served as Director of Publications and Editor of Meeting Professionals International’s magazine. Contact her at linda.chandler@earthlink.net.
Cris Canning, CMP; Hospitality Ink; (619) 688-1030; www.hospitalityink.com • Phillip Capers, Wynne Sedan and Limousine, (888) 913-5466, www.golimo.com • Irene Reinhart, ACCESS Destination Services, (562) 427-0414, www.accessdmc.com • Michael C. Ruberry, George Little Management, (914) 421-3268, www.glmshows.com • Brian R. Whitaker, Chicago Transport Solutions, (877) 287-6338, www.chicagotransportsolutions.com
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What to ask about rates and other pertinent information
Rates
• Are there any minimum rental periods? Is a daily rate better than hourly for your needs?
• Do any after-hours fees or waiting fees apply?
• Are there fuel surcharges or extra charges for running during rush hours?
• How long before the event can changes be made to the contract without penalty (if attendance drops, for example)?
• What are the cancellation policies?
• What advance deposits are required?
Other pertinent information
• What driver-to-driver and driver-to-dispatcher communications are used? (It’s ideal if the company offers both because it allows more flexibility. This way if, for example, a party ends earlier or later, the drivers can talk to dispatch, or directly with one another, to make adjustments.)
• Who will be the key contact person assigned to our group?
• What other local events are you serving at the same time as ours?
• Are bilingual drivers available if needed?
• What are policies concerning overtime, tipping, etc.?
Advertising/Sponsorship opportunities
Will the company:
• Allow vendors to run video or electronic messages on buses?
• Let a sponsor(s) provide customized headrest covers?
• Sell the right to provide custom-labeled bottled water on board buses?
• Sell exterior graphics, anything from side or rear signs to bus wraps?
• Have drivers wear special shirts or caps?
VIP transportation tips
• Ask essentially the same questions of an executive car/limo service as you would of a coach provider.
• Find out how much waiting time is allowed before a surcharge is levied.
• Ask whether frequency discounts are applied for repeat business (for example, number of uses in a year).
• Provide recent photos of VIPs so drivers can easily recognize them.
• Be clear about where drivers will meet guests and communicate that in writing.
• If a driver is meeting a private plane, ask for the tail number, which is how private airports track planes.
• Be sure VIPs know whether they should tip drivers.
• Know what special beverages or other amenities (such as a newspaper) each VIP prefers so the cars can be stocked.
• Security for VIP transportation
“Since 9/11, private transport for VIP entertainers, speakers and political figures has changed,” says Phillip M. Capers, Director of Business Development for Wynne Sedan and Limousine. “It’s not considered so much a luxury amenity as a security extension.”
More clients expect not only background checks and impeccable driving records from chauffeurs but also evidence that they’ve had defensive-driving and evasive-driving training. Many clients request GPS systems in vehicles, some pay for duplicate vehicles and a few even require drivers qualified and licensed to carry weapons.
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