TLPA

TLPA COMPLETES A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING IN LAS VEGAS

The last time the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association held its annual convention and trade show in Las Vegas in October 2000, it shattered every previous TLPA convention and trade show attendance and participation record with 1,118 attendees. Then came 9/11 and attendance at TLPA shows has averaged 825 for the past five years.

The 88th Annual TLPA Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, October 7-10, was the third largest TLPA Convention ever and its largest since the record was set in 2000. More than 980 people attended this event and the reviews have been very favorable.

TLPA shortened the length of the meeting from four days to three days and this new format was a rousing success as members had to spend less time away from their offices.

The trade show featured industry vendors and suppliers in 80 booths and 24 vehicle spaces including the introduction of Standard Taxi's first U.S purpose-built taxicab since the demise of the Checker in the early 1980s.

The Convention set records for the Gateway Insurance Golf Tournament to support the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation where 50 golfers played at the Desert Pines Golf Club on Saturday afternoon October 7, before the meeting officially began. The Tournament raised $8,000 for the Foundation.

On Sunday morning, October 8, more than 400 TLPA members toured the fabulous facility of Yellow Checker Star Transportation. Yellow Checker Stars 825 vehicle fleet is propane powered and the company is the largest user of propane west of the Mississippi River.

On Sunday afternoon, the educational portion of the meeting began with 27 roundtable discussions. TLPA introduced this new element into its educational program at its annual convention in Boston in 2005 and it was so popular it was continued in Las Vegas.

Each roundtable had a moderator who provided a brief overview of the topic and then the floor was open for what turned out to be very lively discussions. Topics covered by the roundtables included:

• Pros & Cons of Exclusive Contracts at Airports;
  
• Advances & problems with Computer Dispatch;
  
• Filing for a Rate increase;
  
• Paratransit Independent Contractor Drivers;
  
• Managing Your Self Insurance Program and Claims;
  
• Medicaid Contract Policies and Reimbursement Rates;
  
• ADA Requirements for Taxicab Vehicles and Service;
  
• How to Place Credible Value on Your Company;
  
• How to Get Involved in the MPO Transit Planning Process;
  
• Strategies for Funding Drunk Driver Programs; and
  
• How to Purchase Auto Liability Insurance.

to name a few. These roundtable discussions were among the highest rated events of the meeting.

After the roundtables ended, the Grand Opening Reception took place in the Exhibit Hall. A number of vendors stated that they had more activity at this show than any TLPA trade show in recent memory.

Alan Reinbott, Aussie Cabbie, Sydney. Australia, Jim Bell, Diamond Taxicab Dispatch Services, Toronto, Canada and Don Souter Beck Taxi, Toronto, Canada

On Sunday evening, TLPA's Women in Transportation held a dinner for more than 60 people featuring a presentation from Robin Angle who works for TLPA's lobbying firm, Capital Partnerships. She told the attendees how to begin grass root lobbying at the local level.

Monday's General Session featured a keynote speech by Congressman John Duncan, a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which funds highways, transit, rail and airports.

Congressman Duncan, the recipient of TLPA's Legislator of the Year award in 2005, discussed how a number of provisions in the SAFETEA-LU transportation law were beneficial to TLPA members.

Izzy Aala and Chris Plunkett of Cab Connect, Chicago, Illinois

The General Session also featured outgoing TLPA President Brian McBride's review of the association's major accomplishments of 2006, a report from TLPA lobbyist Ken Butler, and presentation of the TLPA Operator and Driver of the Year awards.
Tuesday morning featured nine breakout sessions including presentations from:

• Mark Crosby, President of the Enterprise Wireless Alliance who discussed to what extent policy makers in Washington, DC are paying attention to the taxicab industry's wireless communication needs, radio spectrum resources that remain available and new wireless solutions that may be beneficial to the transportation industry.
  
  
• Dr. Ray Mundy, Director of the Center for Transportation Studies, University of Missouri-St. Louis, presented the findings from his new study, Benefits of a Full Service Taxicab Company to the Community and Consumers. Dr. Mundy stated that his research findings emphasize "the need for local regulatory authorities to reassess their present taxicab market structures and initiate changes in the legal framework (ordinances) that support the adoption of the full service taxicab company model."
  
  
• Jon Burkhardt, Senior Study Director at Westat presented his preliminary findings of an analysis of federally funded programs that allow private operator participation.
  
  
• A panel of operators, who use in-vehicle cameras in their company operations, discussed the pros and cons of the cameras.
  
  
• Another panel of operators who advertise in and/or on their vehicle discussed the pros and cons of such advertising.
  
  
• A third panel of operators who accept credit/debit cards in their taxicabs, discussed the pros and cons of accepting credit and debit cards and point of sales issues.
  
  
• The Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Steering Committees each met in a session.

On Tuesday afternoon, after the Trade Show officially closed, both the Taxicab Limousine & Paratransit Foundation (TLPF) and the Taxicab Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) held their annual Business Meetings.

Foundation President Larry Slagle and Treasurer Anthony Palmeri presented their annual report on TLPF's 2006 activities and accomplishments.

Mob of golfers readying for the shotgun start

At TLPA's Annual Business Meeting outgoing President Brian McBride, Yellow Cab of Cleveland, handed over the reigns of power to new President Brian Wier, SuperShuttle International. Brian Wier promised an exciting year of action including updating the TLPA Strategic Plan. He ended his presentation by introducing his personal hero to the crowd, his son, Michael Wier, who had just returned from his second tour of duty as a Marine in Iraq. There was a standing ovation and many tears in the audience.

The meeting concluded with a grand closing banquet featuring entertainment from comedian/impressionist Larry G. Jones. People left Las Vegas on a high note feeling that it had indeed been the best TLPA meeting in many years.

TLPA outgoing president Brian McBride, Yellow Cab of Cleveland
with Dan Leonas, City Cab, Lewiston, Maine

Next year’s TLPA Annual Convention & Trade Show will be held at the Hyatt Regency and the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, October 9-12, 2007.

Harold Morgan, TLPA Director of Research & Education, submitted this article. He can be reached at (301) 946-5700 or hmorgan@tlpa.org.

The operator tour of Yellow Checker Star Transportation

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