RSSAugust, 2012 | San Francisco Travel Blog - Part 4 Archive
Hummer Limousine Part of Kid’s Make-A-Wish Dream Come True
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska and Washington made a 12-year-old boy’s dream come true recently, and this particular dream involved espionage. This young man’s name is Colby, but he prefers to be called Agent C to protect his identity. Agent C struggles with spinal muscular atrophy, a general muscle weakness that prevents him from enjoying many of the activities that other kids his age take for granted. However, that does not prevent him from sharpening his sleuthing skills, and Make-A-Wish granted his wish to be a secret agent with an adventure that took two days to solve.
Agent C lives in the Seattle area and was shocked to learn that someone had stolen Blitz, the mascot of his beloved Seattle Seahawks. In order to help him solve this heinous crime, the Foundation arranged a Hummer limousine for him to use while he acted on clues. He also received his own tuxedo complete with spy gear, visited the Seattle Crime Lab and enjoyed dinner atop the Space Needle.
Agent C knew that he would need to enlist the help of others in his mission, so he called in his partner, Agent Dad. Together, they followed a lead to the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts, where they found a piece of folded paper that seemed suspicious. They followed the lead to a Starbucks, where they discovered mysterious messages scrawled on the inside of their beverage cups. This led them to a crime scene, where they found zip ties and duct tape with blue and green feathers stuck to it. They found additional clues that suggested they needed to head to the waterfront. Since time was short and secret agents have extraordinary resources at their disposal, they found a nearby helicopter, which flew them toward Puget Sound. En route to their destination, they spotted a boat carrying Blitz and his captors. Through careful maneuvering, they were able to force the boat ashore, where they incapacitated bad guy Rex Velvet with silly string and released Blitz and another secret agent named Agent R.
We love stories like this and pass them along whenever possible. If you’re looking for a San Francisco Hummer limousine to transport you and your friends and family for an upcoming adventure, you have definitely come to the right place! We offer different models of Hummer limos with plenty of space and luxurious amenities for up to 20 guests. If you’re looking for a SUV limo with extra headroom and lots of cool features such as dance floors, laser light shows and much more, call us at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936 to reserve your Bay Area Hummer limo rental today!
Call Us First for San Francisco Hybrid Rentals!
Many San Franciscans live without cars. Parking and traffic hassles combined with steep gas prices and the costs of owning a car can make it an unattractive and unnecessary expense. However, despite plenty of alternatives to get around such as cabs and mass transit, sometimes having your own wheels is the best option. For those who wish to get around but want to have a low carbon footprint, the best option of all is a hybrid vehicle. Most folks don’t know that in addition to our Bay Area limousines, party buses, SUV limos and other types of luxury ground transportation, we also offer San Francisco hybrid car rentals!
We offer two types of stylish, comfortable and very economical hybrid rentals at the moment and plan to offer more options in the future. For now, your San Francisco hybrid rental options include the following:
- Toyota Prius Models ($55 an hour or lower)
- Toyota Camry Hybrid Models ($60 an hour or lower)
Our Prius rentals are sedans that seat three adults or two adults and two children very comfortably. Our Camry hybrid rentals are sedans that offer ample room for four adults. Both types of hybrids use very little fuel during city driving and are perfect for a variety of different uses including these:
- Running errands around town
- Picking up friends and family from the airport
- Transporting large purchases from the store
- Showing off the beautiful Bay Area for sightseeing tours for friends and family
- Visiting friends who live outside the city
- Day trips for shopping, wine tours, sporting events and other excursions
- Anytime you need your own transportation
With a name like Nationwide Limousine Service, you might not expect us to offer economical Bay Area hybrid rentals in our fleet of luxury vehicles, but we do! So, the next time you’re thinking about renting a car to get around and you’re looking for San Francisco Prius rentals or Camry hybrid rentals, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936!
President Vladimir Putin’s Limousine Draws Complaint From Activists
A motorist group claims that the limousine that transported Russian President Vladimir Putin during his recent inaugural celebrations was in violation of the law and should be fined like any other vehicle on Russia’s roadways. After winning an unprecedented third term in office, Putin was recently transported throughout Moscow in a sleek black limo that did not have the required front license plate. His motorcade included his limo, police motorcycles, black minivans and lots of security personnel. The Blue Buckets, a Russian motorist rights society, have issued a complaint wondering how so many law enforcement personnel could overlook such an obvious disregard for the law.
The Blue Buckets have asked that the driver of the presidential limo be located and fined like any other driver without the required front license plate. Moscow police took their time reacting to the complaint and explained that the president’s limo was not in violation of the law. They said that the limo could drive on Moscow streets without the license plate because the streets had been cleared of all traffic for the newly elected president. A spokesman for the State Traffic Inspection Administration said that because there was no regular traffic present, normal "traffic rules did not apply."
He said that the occasion was like a motor race or Victory Day Parade on Red Square and added, "In these cases there is no regular traffic, and military hardware and racing cars drive without license plates."
By law, Moscow police are required to respond to complaints within one month. However, a Blue Buckets spokesperson told the Russian press that Moscow police were also in violation, as it took them more than two months to respond to the complaint. The group maintains that empty streets or not, the limo driver should be found and pay the 5,000 rubles ($150) fine or have his or her license suspended for three months like any other driver. The Putin administration has not responded to the complaint.
Here in San Francisco, you don’t have to be a head of state to receive the presidential treatment when you want to rent a Bay Area limousine, party bus, classic car or SUV limo. All you have to do is call us at 800-339-8936 to make a reservation! We treat all our guests like the VIPs they are and go the extra mile to ensure that everyone has a great time. So, the next time you need a San Francisco limo to make a special occasion even more special, just give us a call at NLS Limo!
Our San Francisco Party Bus Rules Let Everyone Have a Fun and Safe Experience
Recent proposed restrictions on San Francisco party buses by frustrated city officials and club owners and the tragic death of a Bay Area party bus guest in Santa Cruz have given party buses a bad reputation. We would like to point out that these serious problems, which affect all Bay Area party bus rental companies, are caused by a very small minority of operators who don’t take the safety of their guests seriously. We would also like to point out how we and most other San Francisco limousine rental companies prevent these incidents from happening. We let our guests know about a few simple rules, and we enforce them so that everyone can enjoy a safe and fun party bus experience. Some of the most important rules include the following:
- No underage drinking on board
If our guests want to enjoy alcoholic beverages while riding in their party bus, their chauffeur has the right to check all IDs to ensure that everyone is over 21. Anyone not of legal drinking age cannot board the party bus if alcohol is present. - No smoking on board
No smoking is allowed on our Bay Area party buses, limousine and other vehicles. If guests would like to stop for a smoke break, they should let their chauffeur know, and he or she will find a suitable place to stop as soon as practical. - Lewd, reckless or illegal activities are not tolerated
We try to be as flexible as possible and allow our guests to have fun, but any activities that are lewd, illegal or endanger guests in any way are not tolerated. When something unacceptable occurs, the chauffeur may issue a warning and politely request a guest to stop. If it persists, the rental is over, and all guests will be taken back to the initial pickup location. - Please respect the party bus and your chauffeur
Again, we want all our guests to have a good time, but if a guest is abusive toward the chauffeur or the party bus, the chauffeur has the authority to bring the rental to an abrupt end and return all guests to their original location.
We discuss these and other safety rules with clients before the party bus rental occurs and encourage them to ask questions or request clarifications as necessary. The safety of our guests comes before all other considerations. While we are in the hospitality business and try to please all our guests, situations occasionally arise that cause us to enforce our rules. If you would like to rent a San Francisco party bus for an upcoming special event and prefer to do business with a limousine service that is serious about helping their guests have a fun and safe experience, we would love to hear from you! Give us a call at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936.
CPUC Issues Cease & Desist Orders Against 35 Illegal Limousine Services
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the state agency that issues licensing and enforces compliance with all passenger carrier regulations, recently issued cease & desist notices to 35 companies operating illegally in our state. All of the companies that received the orders had continued to illegally transport passengers despite having licenses that were suspended, revoked, denied or expired or not having any licensing at all. Many of the companies named were operating illegally as Bay Area limousine, bus and shuttle services. Illegal San Francisco limo companies continue to be a very serious problem in our area, and we feel it is our responsibility to our guests and all Californians to make them aware of the risks of doing business with illegal and unethical passenger carriers.
The individuals and companies that received cease & desist orders included these:
- David C. Hodgins dba Five-O Secure Transportation, Loomis (Unlicensed)
- Santa Barbara Limo Bus LLC dba Santa Barbara Limo Bus, Goleta (TCP 21820)
- Tom Bridger dba TCS Chauffer Service, Palm Desert (Unlicensed)
- San Diego Executive Sedan LLC, San Diego (Unlicensed)
- Arturo Ledesma, dba Central Cali Party Bus, Watsonville (Unlicensed)
- Linda R Pasqua dba Delivered By Grace, Sunnyvale (Unlicensed)
- Jorge Amaro dba A1 Limo Services, Mountain View (Unlicensed)
- Jasbir Singh Clair dba Antioch Express Cab, Antioch (Unlicensed)
- Avolar Limousine Service Inc. dba Avolar Limousine Service, West Hills (TCP 23280)
- Veronica Trillo dba H.I.S Transportation Services (PSG 27331)
- Polly Lau dba Polly Martini, Benicia. (Unlicensed)
- Juan E Gonzalez, Sr. dba Bad Boy Limo, Chula Vista (TCP 16842)
- Paola Enterprises LLC dba Katz Party Bus, Norwalk (TCP 28817)
- Jorge Amaro dba A-1 Limo Services, Mountain View (Unlicensed)
- Ruben & Scarlett Citores dba Bay Hopper Party Bus, Menlo Park (Unlicensed)
- Shapiro, Dinerman & Kaplun, Inc. dba Bay Shuttle, San Francisco (Unlicensed)
- Ulises Ramirez dba Imperial Valley Tours, Holtsville (TCP 16851)
- Payma Management Systems, LLC, Poway (TCP 15330)
- Go Californie, LLC, Concord (Unlicensed)
- City Sightseeing Corporation, San Francisco (TCP 21558)
- Limo Lounge LLC, Gilroy (TCP 24002)
- Prestige Limousine, Bakersfield (Unlicensed)
- Ruedas & Camancho dba California Shuttle, Hollister (Unlicensed)
- Michael Riches dba Town Cars San Diego (TCP 19059)
- Arthur Kesablian dba One Dream Limousine Service, Sun Valley (TCP 9787)
- Woody Guderian Dba Woody’s Wine Tours, Santa Rosa (Unlicensed)
- Ray Ramirez dba Hollywood Ray, San Diego (Unlicensed)
- The Santa Cruz Experience, Santa Cruz (TCP 27104)
- Josephine Rivas dba Payma Management Systems LLC, Poway (TCP 15330)
- Nick Falcone dba Sunbelt Limos, Laguna Beach (Unlicensed)
- Young Mock Sagong and Eun Jun Choi General Partnership dba Irvine Limo & Tour
- Travel Limousine and Sedan Service, West San Bruno (TCP10157)
- Apollo Luxury Transportation Corp., Martinez (TCP 20518)
- Berreth Limousine, Delano (Unlicensed)
- Edison Krosi, Aliso Viejo (TCP 24282)
If you are thinking about renting a San Francisco limo, party bus, SUV limo or other type of luxury transportation for an upcoming event and would like to make sure that the company has all the required licensing and insurance coverage, please check out the CPUC site. You can also call us at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936! We are one of the many Bay Area limousine services that protect their guests by purchasing required levels of insurance coverage, ensuring that their chauffeurs are fully licensed and following all CPUC regulations. What sets us apart is our unsurpassed level of customer service in addition to our very affordable rates! So, if you and your friends and family want to have a safe, fun, affordable and very luxurious limo, party bus or bus charter experience, call us first, and find out why we are the premier San Francisco limo rental company!
CPUC Announces Enforcement Actions to Protect Californians
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the state agency responsible for protecting Californians against illegal passenger carriers, recently announced enforcement actions against a variety of limousine, bus and shuttle companies. These actions addressed violations of the Public Utilities Code and CPUC rules and regulations during the second quarter of 2012. A total of ten companies received citations and were fined a total of $28,500 for one or more of the following violations:
- Illegal display of charter-party carrier identification
- Failing to respond to consumer complaints
- Operated without a valid authority (suspended or unlicensed) program
- Advertised a revoked permit number
- Operated vehicles that are not insured at the required minimum level of public liability and property damage insurance
- Failed to enroll drivers in DMV Pull Notice program
- General Order 157-D violation (failed to maintain a current equipment list, no sub-carrier agreement or incomplete waybills)
- Engaged employees without procuring evidence of workers’ compensation insurance
- Failed to enroll and/or pre-employment test drivers in a mandatory drug and alcohol
- Failed to properly report gross revenue earned
A variety of Bay Area limousine companies and other operators throughout California received the fines and citations, and three other companies received criminal filings for serious infractions that included the following:
- Filing a false claim of proper insurance coverage when the company had no insurance coverage at all
- Operating a limousine service after having their permit suspended for other violations
- Operating without a valid authority and various workers’ compensation violations
We pass this information along to our readers on a regular basis in an effort to let them know about the scope of illegal and unethical limo, bus and shuttle services in our state and ways to protect themselves from becoming victims of shady operators. Anyone who wishes to know the names of the companies cited by the CPUC at any given time can visit the CPUC website for more information. Anyone wishing to check out a limousine service, bus charter, airport shuttle or other type of group transportation company before making a reservation can also check out the CPUC site to ensure that they have the proper licensing and insurance coverage.
If you are thinking about renting a San Francisco limo, party bus, luxury coach, cable car or other luxury vehicle for an upcoming event, give us a call at 800-339-8636. We work hard and spare no expense to ensure that we remain in full compliance with all CPUC regulations and put the comfort and safety of our guests above all other considerations. If we sound like the type of Bay Area limo service that you would prefer to do business with, please call us at NLS Limo today for more information and to make a reservation.
Bentley Allows First Glimpses of New SUV Limousine
Bentley, the legendary British automaker, recently released images and footage of its new sports utility vehicle limousine, ending years of speculation and rumors about the new direction for the company. The EXP 9 F is Bentley’s first SUV limo and exemplifies the automaker’s plans to build the fastest and most luxurious sports utility vehicles in the world. The clean lines of the EXP 9 F suggest the lean but shapely contours of their luxury automobiles with the accent on length rather than height. The world got its first glimpse of the SUV at the Geneva International Salon d’Auto earlier this year, and Bentley plans to showcase their new SUV again later this year at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California in August.
The EXP 9 F concept is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine capable of producing more than 600 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque governed by an eight-speed close-ratio transmission. Bentley has been very secretive about other aspects of the SUV’s power train, but early reports claim that a 500-HP V8, as well as a V6 plug-in hybrid may be available in the near future. If the hybrid is introduced as expected, it would be capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in an astonishing five seconds, comparable to or better than many SUVs in its class. The EXP will feature soft-touch leather seats and interior trim packages in a variety of stylish materials including wood, leather and polished aluminum, bronze and gunmetal.
A removable touch pad located on the center console will control the audio and video systems, as well as climate control and other features. The rear cabin will also feature seats that recline, a powered footrest, Internet connectivity, a drinks table, an infotainment screen and many other luxury accents. A sliding drawer located between the seats will hide a refrigerated compartment ideal for chilling champagne and glassware.
This SUV limousine sounds very enticing to us, and we expect that our readers are also eagerly looking forward to this beautiful automobile. Speaking of SUV limos, we offer a wide range of different SUV limousines in our fleet of Bay Area limos. Guests who prefer a bit more headroom and a higher riding profile can choose from our Escalades, Lincoln Navigators, stretch Excursions, Hummer limos and much more! If you are thinking about a San Francisco SUV limo rental for an upcoming event, please browse our selection of luxury sports utility vehicles at your leisure. If you have questions and would like to make a reservation, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936. We’ll take care of the rest!
Cab Drivers Strike at Oakland Airport to Protest Shuttle Service
A group of 200 disgruntled cab drivers recently staged a two-day strike at Oakland Airport (OAK) in protest over losing fares to airport shuttle services. They claimed that Bay Area limousine services that offer airport shuttle services to Oakland Airport and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have an unfair advantage. Taxi drivers that want to ferry passengers from Oakland Airport must pay an annual permit fee of $350 plus an additional $3.00 trip fee for each fare from OAK. They say that the airport’s policy of allowing shuttle services to operate from the same area is unfair, and they also claim that a wall of advertising billboards make it difficult for potential fares to see their taxicabs. The strike proved unsuccessful, as Oakland Airport officials arranged for extra shuttles to accommodate passengers during the strike and have not changed their policies.
The way we see it, we and other San Francisco limo services have many more advantages over taxis for discriminating customers who want airport shuttle service to OAK and SFO. Some of these advantages include the following:
- Clean and very comfortable luxury vehicles
Our limousines, corporate sedans, luxury coaches, VIP vans and other types of airport transportation are kept immaculately clean and very comfortable. If you have ridden in a cab recently, you know that clean and comfortable taxis are the exception rather than the rule. - Spacious interiors
The back seats of most cabs are cramped with very little legroom, and the advertisements, the acrylic partition between you and the driver and other unpleasant features make for a very uncomfortable experience. - Luxury amenities
Privacy windows, wet bars, climate control, high-end audio and video systems and plush seating are just a few of the luxury amenities that our Bay Area airport shuttle clients enjoy over cab rides. - Professional chauffeurs
It seems that most cab drivers are more interested in talking on their cell phones and listening to their radios than making sure that their fares arrive at their destination safely and comfortably. Our chauffeurs are rigorously screened and trained to provide each guest with the utmost respect and ensure that they thoroughly enjoy their experience.
If your last cab ride from the airport was less than satisfactory and you’re looking for comfortable, luxurious and affordable airport transportation, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936. Select your Bay Area airport shuttle from our huge fleet of luxury vehicles, and get ready to have a safe, fun and very comfortable ride!
Tragic Accident Spurs Legislator to Rally Support for Party Bus Law
California Assemblyman Jerry Hill recently renewed his call for tough laws against party buses after a young woman fell from a party bus and was killed in a tragic accident near Santa Cruz. The 25-year-old victim was reportedly fighting with another woman on board the bus when their struggles opened a door, causing the victim to fall onto Highway 17, where she was struck and killed. Calling party buses “booze cruises,” Hill asked fellow lawmakers to pass AB 45, the bill he introduced 18 months ago. If passed, the bill would close a loophole in an existing law, which holds chauffeurs responsible for underage drinking in limousines but has no provisions for drivers of party buses.
“The problem is, and the sad part is, that there are those operators who are just in it for a quick buck,” Hill says. “And they will take anybody on a ride and charge them what they can and allow them to do what they want without the responsibility of what can occur.”
Hill claims that if legislators had passed his bill when it was introduced, the tragic death of the Santa Cruz woman could have been avoided. The bill has already been passed in the California Assembly and is under review in the Senate. If passed, the law would subject chauffeurs that allow underage drinking to be fined up to $2,000 for each infraction, with the possibility of losing their driver’s licenses.
Whether this law is passed or not, it won’t change our policy on underage drinking or our approach to guest safety. We have stated many times that a very small minority of Bay Area party bus rental companies are responsible for the vast majority of incidences of drunken and rowdy behavior outside clubs and other locations. We work with other San Francisco party bus services to promote responsible guest policies and keep our guests’ party bus experiences fun and safe. Guest safety is our first priority at all times, and we explain our rules to guests before each rental. If you want to have a memorable San Francisco party bus experience that is safe, fun and affordable, please call us today at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936 to make a reservation for your special occasion.
Call 1-800-339-8936 for your free quote
Great customer service, great prices, and always a lot of fun.
I've used Nationwide 3 or 4 times now and have not once been disappointed. Great customer service, great prices, and always a lot of fun. Staff always helps me pick the best option for my group and our budget.