TLPA

TLPA SPRING CONFERENCE & EXPO IN NEW YORK CITY MARCH 26-29, 2009

MEET TLPA'S NEW PRESIDENT — RICK HEWATT

In April 1998, TLPA held its Spring Conference at the Hotel Inter-Continental in New York City. This was the first time that a major TLPA meeting was held in New York. The meeting set three Spring Conference records:

• The total attendance of 297 was 68 greater than the previous record of 229 set in Norfolk in 1996.
  
  
  
• The 33 exhibitors who participated in the Exposition in New York far surpassed the 19 exhibitors who participated in the previous year's conference in Philadelphia.
  
  
  
• Finally, the eighteen sponsors who joined to defray the costs for the bars, food, theater tickets, and operators' tours set a record for any Spring Conference.

Well it took 11 years, but TLPA is returning to New York City and it is nearly certain that each of the 1998 numbers cited above will be surpassed.

TLPA's 2009 Spring Conference & Expo is being held at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, March 26-29, 2009. The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, the Black Car Assistance Corporation and Ronart Leasing are co-hosting the conference.

Although the ultimate details and sponsorships are not yet finalized as this article is being written you can be sure this will be the biggest and best TLPA Spring Conference ever beginning with a private event for all attendees at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. This will be followed by the opportunity to purchase tickets to see a great Broadway show, Jersey Boys, concluding with tours of one or two of the finest black car companies in the city. A visit to Ground Zero is also in the plans.

In between these events there will be:

• breakfast, lunch and an opening night cocktail reception with the Expo exhibitors,
  
  
  
• open meetings with the three TLPA Steering Committees:

(1) Taxicab,

(2) Limousine & Sedan, and

(3) Contracting and Paratransit,

• six breakout sessions, and
  
  
  
• a General Session featuring two panel discussions that will be of interest to each and every operator in attendance.

The Spring Expo

The exhibit hall will feature tabletop and floor exhibits from vendors eager to show off their newest products and services. As always, our exhibit hall will be the location of the food & beverage functions including the opening cocktail reception, buffet breakfast, and the buffet lunch. The Spring Expo allows for a more intimate setting than does our Annual Trade Show and our exhibitors take advantage of that time concentrating on their customers in a more relaxed atmosphere.

The Agenda

The conference will begin Thursday, March 26 with the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation Board Meeting at 9:30 a.m. followed by Taxicab Committee and Paratransit & Contracting Committee meetings at 1:30 p.m. The exhibit hall opens with a Cocktail Reception from 5:00 p.m. — 6:30 p.m. followed by a private showing of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum courtesy of TLPA's New York host operators:

• the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade,
  
  
  
• the Black Car Assistance Corporation, and
  
  
  
• Ronart Leasing.

Friday morning will begin with a Breakfast Buffet in the exhibit hall followed by three concurrent breakout sessions. After a luncheon buffet with the exhibitors, the Exhibits will remain open until 3:00 p.m. The TLPA Limousine & Sedan Committee will meet on Friday afternoon followed by the meeting's general session.

Friday night TLPA is heading out on the town. We will have tickets to the Broadway show Jersey Boys for sale on an optional, first come, first served basis.

An open meeting of the TLPA Board of Directors is planned for Saturday morning. The board will discuss what course the association will take for the coming year including establishing the legislative agenda; review the status of the strategic plan and future meeting site selections. A luncheon and tour of one or two black car companies and a visit to Ground Zero are planned in the afternoon.

Hotel Highlights

The Grand Hyatt New York is in a great location right in the heart of the action. You'll love the luxurious comfort of the Grand Beds™ with . . .

"European style bedding, ultra plush pillows, the softest of sheeting and thick down blankets piled atop irresistible pillow top mattresses."

Other notable amenities include hairdryer, 24-hour room service, iHome Stereo, T-Mobile high speed Internet access, and an in room lap top safe.

Connected to the famed Grand Central Terminal the Grand Hyatt New York has arguably the best location of New York City hotels. It is adjacent to the nearby Broadway theaters, 5th Avenue shopping, Empire State Building, Times Square and major museums. The city's most exciting shopping, dining and nightlife await attendees within walking distance of our best of New York hotels.

TLPA's convention rate is $335. Additional people are $25 per night. Suites are available upon request and start at $750 per night. Regency Club rooms are available for $435 per night. Make your reservations early.

TLPA's room block will expire on February 20, 2009, or whenever our block of rooms sells out whichever happens first. You may contact the Hyatt Reservations Center directly at (212) 883-1234 or toll free at (800) 233-1234 and use the reservation code: TLPA, to receive our special group rate.

Whether you are a TLPA member or not, you should plan to attend this meeting. Registration will soon be posted on TLPA's web site: www.tlpa.org

If you have any doubts please note that the theme of TLPA's 2009 President Rick Hewatt is "Work Hard — Play Hard." Rick was sworn in at TLPA's 90th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Tampa in October 08. During his acceptance speech he distributed Frisbees to his audience to stress his emphasis on the need to always have fun. Rick Hewatt proudly stated that Checker Cab Company had been a member of the TLPA for 40 years, and he had attended his first meeting almost 25 years ago.

Rick's grandfather, Richard F. Hewatt, Sr., started Atlanta Checker Cab in 1947 with one car. During the 1950's Rick's father, Richard F. Hewatt, Jr., assumed management of the company which flourished under his direction for over 40 years until his semi-retirement in 2000.

Rick was born into the taxicab business in 1959 although he did not start working for the company until 1973 at the age of 14. He spent his summers and holidays pumping gas and cleaning cars. He continued working for the company part time as a mechanic and driver while attending high school and college. He graduated from Middle Georgia College after earning his degree in Business Administration. He returned to work full time for Atlanta Checker Cab in 1982 working in every facet of the taxicab business: call taker, dispatcher, driver, mechanic, public relations, business promotions, and administration.

When asked what distinguishes Checker Cab from other taxi services, Rick simply states, "Service". He adds "The Hewatt family considers customer service our top priority so Atlanta Checker Cab provides the very best taxi service in Georgia." He defines his philosophy in running the company in one word, "Pride. Pride in your company, pride in your industry, pride in your character."

His goal for Atlanta

Checker Cab is to "continue to grow with Atlanta and to maintain the Hewatt family owned and operated status through generations to come." He enthusiastically asserts, "Atlanta Checker Cab continues to lead the way when it comes to adopting the latest technological advances for operating the company at maximum efficiency. Checker Cab was the first company in Atlanta to:

• install computerized dispatching, in-vehicle security cameras to maximize customer and driver safety,
  
  
  
• utilize Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite based navigation system, and
  
  
  
• real time credit card processing for customer convenience."

Rick's involvement in community and civic affairs include attendance at Atlanta Conventions & Visitors Bureau, Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the Atlanta City Council meetings. As a Board member of Team Georgia, an anti-drunk driving and driver safety coalition, and the Atlanta Taxicab Company Owners Association, Rick has spent more than 22 years promoting and participating in the Free Ride Home Program providing free rides to inebriated patrons of Atlanta's Bar and Restaurant industry. Rick knows how to have a good time and the importance of being safe while enjoying the moment.

Come and meet Rick Hewatt, learn about TLPA, learn about how to guide your business through these tough economic times, meet with the top industry vendors and play hard in New York City, March 26-29.

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