Friday, December 30, 2005

Looking for a limo?

Not that long ago, if you wanted to rent a limousine, you had a choice: Cadillac or Lincoln. Black or white.

Boy, has that ever changed.

Now, you can get a limousine that will create a genuine stir, and typically, the rental cost isn't that much higher than that of a conventional limo.

"People are certainly hiring and requesting larger, bigger and better, and more luxurious transportation than ever before," says Rick Versace, secretary of the Fort Lauderdale-based Florida Limousine Association. "Now we're seeing people who want something that's going to turn people's heads when it pulls up."

In Orlando, your choices range from a Pontiac Grand Prix stretched out and slathered with enough decals to make it look like a NASCAR racer (which is the idea), to stately Rolls-Royces. Full-sized sport utility vehicles have become the rage, with everything from Chevrolet Suburbans to Ford Excursions being stretched long enough to need their own ZIP codes. And the latest and perhaps most outlandish: stretched Hummer H2s.
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"Nowadays limousines come with everything from fish tanks and smoke machines, fiber-optic neon bars, Wi-Fi Internet connection to onboard satellite TV," Versace says. "Some of them even have hot tubs. Some of the larger vehicles have private rooms. Some of these limo coaches even have dance poles inside of them. So there's no end to what the coach builders are putting in these, and to what the companies are offering to the public."

Of course, you can still get the Cadillac or a Lincoln if that's what you really want. They have provided so many years of loyal service to livery companies that nearly all of them still maintain a sizable fleet of the industry standard.

"Lincoln and Cadillac sedans are the workhorses of the industry, and I don't think you're going to be seeing less of that," says Francis J. Shane, executive director of the National Limousine Association in Marlton, N.J. "Hummers and other vehicles are usually a little bit more expensive and don't make up the whole fleet. I don't think you're going to be seeing Hummers and SUVs taking over the market."

Regardless of what kind of limousine you rent, Versace and Shane agree that much of what makes a great night in a limousine is the driver. It is his or her duty to ensure that passengers enjoy themselves and arrive at all their destinations safely. Versace says good drivers make their passengers so comfortable that they arrive at their destination before they know it.

"They have to drive with such care and precision that the people hardly even realize that the vehicle is moving," he says. "That's really an art, rather than a science.

"The vehicle is very nice because you pull up and go, 'Oh, wow!' he says. "But the drivers are really the ones who make it. Because the drivers know -- they're doing this every night -- which hot spots to go to. They know what the latest hot club is or the best restaurant. A lot of times people don't know, and a lot of times they'll leave it up to or take suggestions from the driver. And the driver's job is to make sure they have an absolutely fantastic time and that they get to and from the event as safely as possible."

In the case of proms or other such events in which minors are involved, Versace says, most companies that are members of the Florida Limousine Association use limousine contracts, or prom contracts, which the adolescents and their parents sign beforehand. Typically, the contracts stipulate that no drinking or drug use will be tolerated. If anything is out of line, the evening is automatically terminated, he says. The contracts even have provisions for curfews.
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TRL Transportation Group: Typically on the leading edge of industry trends, TRL Transportation Group had the first PT Cruiser limousine and Hummer H2 in Orlando, according to company president Alex Carbone. The investment and risk were worth it because the Hummer grossed $30,000 in the first month in service.

The PT Cruiser and the Hummer are gone, but TRL still has unique limousines in its livery. For example, TRL has a black Ford Excursion with a Hard Rock Cafe theme. Inside, the limo features a thumping sound system, a pair of plasma-screen televisions, a cozy U-shaped lounge in the rear and a glass floor that houses rock 'n' roll memorabilia. Carbone says his company can change the memorabilia to suit the tastes of the client. The coach also has guitars from Sammy Hagar and Lita Ford permanently housed in glass cases in two of the seatbacks. And you can get it delivered to your front door for $145 an hour for a minimum of four hours. The gratuity for the driver is left to the client's discretion.

"All of the celebrities we shuttle around say the same thing," Carbone says. "This is the best limo I've ever been in."

If you're looking for something a bit more old-school, TRL also hires out a 1956 four-door hardtop Bel Air for $55 per hour for a minimum of three hours. Again, the gratuity for the driver is left to the client's discretion.

Or if you've spent as much time making enemies as making money, TRL offers a level-four armored SUV limousine. With 2-inch-thick bulletproof glass throughout, this diesel-powered Excursion features four-wheel drive with run-flat tires and grenade blanketing in the roof and floor.

"It's full protection from head to toe. Even the exhaust pipe is protected," Carbone says with a laugh. "We always joke that you can drive through Baghdad in it and come home safe." Pricing varies with the threat level to the client, Carbone says. No, he's not kidding.

TRL Transportation Group, 407-857-3881, www.trltransportation.com.
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This article has been edited due to space requirements. Please Click Here for the full article.
by: Brett Becker | Special to the Sentinel