TLPA

I have been with TLPA since 1994. It is a great organization that does an outstanding job representing the Taxi and For-Hire ground transportation industry. If you are not a member of TLPA we have an offer that you should be interested in. Become a TLPA member now and your membership will be valid through December 31, 2011 – that’s 16 months for the price of 12. That’s right: you get four FREE months of membership when you JOIN TLPA TODAY!

Visit our web site at www.tlpa.org for more information on TLPA membership benefits or review and mail/fax the enclosed membership application to join us. Following is a brief history of the association.

TLPA History

In 1917, a small group of taxicab operators met in Washington, D.C. and formed the National Association of Taxicab Owners (NATO). NATO was born of the need to protect operators from the encroachment of the Federal government which proposed to levy a 5% tax on the gross receipts of all companies operating three or more taxicabs. The new association presented its views before Congress and the legislation was not adopted.

Originally based in Chicago, NATO's first president was John Boobar, president of the Terminal Taxicab Company in Washington, DC. Another of the founding members was John Hertz, president of Yellow Cab in Chicago, who later founder Hertz Rent-a-Car.

Travel restrictions during World War I prevented regular meetings until January 1919 when the first national meeting of NATO was held. Topics on the agenda for this meeting included:

• credit – should it be extended or encouraged;
  
  
  
• the auditor's view of the taxicab;
  
  
  
• the manufacturer's view of the taxicab; and
  
  
  
• the taxicab driver.
  

These subjects, to this day,continue to be industry issues and receive attention in breakout sessions at TLPA's conferences.

The taxicab industry encountered severe financial difficulties during the Great Depression yet NATO survived. In 1938, the Cab Research Bureau was formed. Based in Cleveland, the Cab Research Bureau was developed to compile and provide statistical information on the industry, rate information, and interpretation and analysis of operations data. Four years later the Cab Research Bureau became affiliated with the National Association of Taxicab Owners.

In 1942, a second national organization called the American Taxicab Association (ATA) was formed to represent the newer, smaller taxicab companies in the United States. Charles Ossman of Madison, Wisconsin served as the first president of ATA. Both NATO and ATA were very active during World War II as a result of wartime conditions that required priorities to maintain and service equipment and to efficiently utilize the equipment in providing wartime transportation.

The postwar years saw the widespread adoption of the two-way radio, considered the greatest innovation in the taxicab industry since the taximeter. This technology revolutionized dispatching and the industry. In 1947, NATO and ATA formed a joint committee to deal with the problems created by the proliferation of requests for radio frequencies within the industry.

In October 1966, representatives of NATO and ATA met in Bal Harbour, Florida, and merged their organizations into one, forming the International Taxicab Association (ITA). The officers and board of directors were elected from the United States and Canada and represented large, medium, and small companies. Jerry Wilson, General Manager of Yellow Cab of Denver served as the first ITA President.

In 1990, ITA made the historic decision to add Livery to its name marking the diversification of the association's representation to include all for-hire providers of local ground transportation. Immediately following, the association created three membership divisions for its members in 1991 that still form the basis of the organization today. The Taxicab Division focuses on meeting the needs of taxicab companies, the Limousine & Sedan Division represents companies that provide upscale transportation service, and the Paratransit & Contracting Division concentrates on meeting the needs of paratransit and non-emergency medical transportation services.

In October 2000, by overwhelming membership vote at its 83rd Annual Convention & Trade Show, the International Taxicab & Livery Association became the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association. This new name more clearly identifies the different types of transportation companies the association has grown to encompass.
Today, TLPA represents the interests of airport shuttle, executive sedan, limousine, non-emergency medical transportation, paratransit, and taxicab fleets. TLPA is the largest trade organization in the industry with 1,100 members operating over 100,000 vehicles and serving 900 million passengers per year. Congress, federal agencies, states and cities regularly seek TLPA's advice.

In the August issue of TLC I wrote about TLPA’s 92nd Annual Convention & Trade Show that is being held in Los Angeles, October 28-31, 2010. This one of a kind gathering of For-Hire Transportation Fleet Owners will offer you quality programming, valuable networking, an opportunity to learn and share ideas with industry experts and world leaders, build new partnerships and relationships and expose you to the latest and greatest products and services in our industry via TLPA’s most anticipated Trade Show!

Convention Programming

• On Oct. 28, the first day of the Convention, a keynote on TLPA’s New Web-based Driver Education Program will be the highlight of the Opening General Session followed by the Operator of the Year Award presentations.
  
  
  
• On Oct. 29, a Keynote speaker will address the second General Session, followed by the State of the Industry Address delivered by TLPA President Victor Dizengoff, the Legislative Update and the Driver of the Year Award presentations.
  
  
  
• On Oct. 30, the General Session will consist of Annual Business Meetings that include the Foundation Report and Video by TLPF President Ellis Houston, the election of New TLPA Officers & Directors and a speech by newly elected TLPA President, Robert McBride, presenting his vision for the future of TLPA and the industry.
  

In addition to Breakout Sessions, Roundtable Discussions are back! Industry experts and leaders will be present to lead the discussions and cover a number of topics that will be of importance and interest to you. This series of informal Q & A discussions will kick off the opening of the Convention and offer thought provoking discussions related to our industry. Each table roundtable will accommodate 36 people so we encourage you arrive early to secure a seat. Please refer to the agenda for a complete list of roundtable discussion topics.

Tradeshow

The exhibit hall will be located in the Diamond Ballroom where leading industry vendors will showcase the most advanced solutions, technologies, products and services.

• The Grand Opening of the Trade Show will be held on Oct. 28 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. with the Grand Opening Cocktail Reception.
  
  
  
• On Oct. 29, the exhibit hall will be open from 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. with a lunch from 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. and then a Member Appreciation Cocktail hour.
  
  
  
• On Oct. 30, the trade show will re-open from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. with lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. along with prize drawings to be held before the exhibit hall closes.
  

Registration

Registration rates start at $295 for members and exhibitors through August 31! Note, the nonmember registration fee starts at $445 so take advantage of our new member promotion and save $150 on your convention registration fee. REGISTER TODAY and DON’T DELAY your opportunity to SAVE!

Included in the full convention registration fee are access to all of our exceptionally informative sessions and trade show with invaluable product/service information, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 cocktail receptions, a host operator tour and a prize drawing.

Optional Ticketed Events

Golf Tournament: The Annual Gateway Insurance Golf Tournament to benefit the TLPF will be held on Oct. 27, with departure from the JW Marriott at 11:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. at Brookside Golf Club. For information about this club visit www.americangolf.com/ca/pasadena-brookside-golf-club.

TLPA Women’s Spa Program: Escape for an afternoon of total personal pampering at the Ritz Carlton hotel Spa. This event will be held on Oct. 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton Los Angeles hotel Spa located on the 2nd floor connected to the J.W. Marriott hotel. We invite you to indulge yourself in this experience of luxurious relaxation that will also benefit the TLPF. (Registration deadline Oct. 6, 2010)

Women In Transportation Dinner: This dinner will be held Oct. 28 at the JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE immediately following the Opening Cocktail Reception with guest speaker Rita L. Robinson, General Manager for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Seating is limited to 60 therefore you need to purchase your tickets in advance! (Registration deadline Oct. 6, 2010)

Annual Banquet: This year’s annual banquet will be held on Oct. 30 and will feature The Surf City Allstars known to be the best surfin' beach party band around on a par with their friends, the Beach Boys, starring Matt Jardine from the Beach Boys, Gary Griffin (Beach Boys, Jan & Dean), David Logeman (Jan & Dean, Mike Love's California Beach Band, Beach Boys), Don Raymond (The Ventures, Jan & Dean), and Philip Bardowell (toured with the Beach Boys).

In addition, we’ve invited Dr. Arthur Benjamin, a professor of mathematics and magician that will bring a dynamic presentation called "Mathemagics". This high energy presentation has captivated thousands of groups throughout the world! and Reader's Digest calls him "America's Best Math Whiz". (Registration deadline Oct. 6, 2010)

Travel & Housing

The JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE, Los Angeles, CA will be our host hotel and will offer exclusive room rates starting at $259.00. Reservations can be made via telephone at 1-800-228-9290 (group code "TLPA") or online at: http://www.tlpa.org/meetings/annualconv10/hotel.cfm. The room block with special rates expire on September 24 or until our room block sells out, whichever happens first.

Left Hal Morgan, right Regency President David Mohebbi with one of the Regency managers getting the grand tour of Regency Cab’s new state of the art facility.

Regency Cab Opens New Facility

On Thursday, July 29, Al LaGasse and Hal Morgan attended the grand opening celebration of TLPA member Regency Cab’s new state-of-the art administrative offices in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The highlight of the morning was the attendance of Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett at the ceremony.

With a population of nearly one million, Montgomery County is the largest jurisdiction in Maryland. Regency President, David Mohebbi, introduced Mr. Leggett to a training class being conducted for drivers seeking to be paratransit drivers for Regency’s paratransit sister company, Challenger Transportation. Mr. Leggett was also able to see a demonstration of Regency’s fully integrated dispatch software product that was developed for a taxicab environment. This dispatching software will be on display at the TLPA Trade Show in Los Angeles.

Regency Taxi is one of the largest cab companies in Montgomery County, Maryland with a fleet of one hundred fifty vehicles, twenty-five (25) of which are wheelchair accessible. Challenger Transportation has a fleet of 129 vehicles. TLPA Board member, James McLary, who also serves as Chairman of Regency’s Board also attended the event. (See photo above – left Hal Morgan, right Regency President David Mohebbi with one of the Regency managers).

Hal Morgan, TLPA’s Executive Vice President, provided this article. You may contact him at hmorgan@tlpa.org