RSSLimo Rental Tips | San Francisco Travel Blog - Part 13
Russian Automaker Unveils New Limousine
Legendary Russian automaker ZIL has announced that they are introducing a new limousine that for the moment is called the 4112-R. ZIL is an acronym for Zavod Imeni Likhachova or, literally, factory named after Likhachov. ZIL was the Soviet Union’s primary supplier of heavily armored vehicles for their Defense Department and also manufactured high-end limousines for the Soviet elite. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, ZIL has also branched off into making ultra-luxury sedans. Few of these vehicles are sold outside Russia, and, when they are available, they fetch prices more commonly associated with Rolls-Royces and Maybachs.
According to early reports, the 4112-R closely resembles other ZIL limousines from the 70s and 80s, with a boxy look reminiscent of Mercury Marquis models from the late 70s. ZILs tend to favor sharp edges and long wheelbases, but the new 4112-R features some updated body moldings that soften the ZIL look somewhat. The new limo seats six comfortably and includes four climate control systems, a television, minibar, polished wood trim accents and plush leather upholstery.
Under the hood, the 4112-R sports a powerful 400-horsepower 7.7-liter V8 engine capable of reaching 125 mph. The 4112-R needs a big power plant, as it weighs in at a very hefty 7,700 pounds. All that horsepower is smoothly transferred to the rear wheels by an Allison transmission that we suspect has been over engineered to withstand the rigors of moving such a heavy vehicle. ZIL reports that production of the 4112-R will begin sometime this winter and will be available in many different trim packages and interior configurations.
The 4112-R might not be the prettiest limo, but we would like to add one to our fleet of San Francisco limousines anyway. We are always on the lookout for new and unusual limos to add to our collection, and our technicians love to get under the hood to see how the motors are made and configured. It may be a while before we get a chance to get one, but if you’re looking for a Bay Area limo rental for an upcoming event, we still have many different options. Classic stretch limos, limousines with hot tubs, limo buses and SUV limos are but a few of the many options available for our guests. For more information about your limo options, availability, rental rates and more, just give us a call at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936!
Governor Brown Signs Party Bus Bill Into Law
We have blogged quite a bit over the last several months about a proposed law that would toughen regulations and penalties for allowing underage drinking on party buses. The “party bus” law would close existing loopholes in California law that apply to alcohol consumption in limousines and other types of transportation and make it illegal for minors to drink alcohol while on board party buses. After debate in the State Assembly and Senate, Assembly Bill 45 passed both houses of the legislature and was recently signed into law by Governor Brown.
You may remember that the bill was introduced by Assemblyman Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) after a couple of tragic and irresponsible accidents involving excessive alcohol consumption aboard party buses. Beginning Jan.1, 2013, party buses carrying minors will be required to have a chaperone on board to ensure no underage drinking occurs. If minors do consume alcohol while riding in a party bus, chaperones could face criminal charges. Chauffeurs and party bus rental services can also get into trouble if minors drink on board party buses. Chauffeurs with three such violations could face misdemeanor charges, and party bus operators would face fines up to $2,000 for the first two offenses and have their licenses revoked for three or more violations.
The two fatal accidents prompted Assemblyman Hill to introduce this legislation.
"These incidents caused me to say, why could these things be happening?" Hill explained recently to reporters. "When these tragedies occurred a couple of years ago, what this new legislation hoped to do was to close that loophole and provide the same restrictions on buses as it does to limousines."
Many bar owners in San Francisco have banned party buses from their establishments after growing tired of party buses dropping off drunken riders at their businesses.
"Most clubs I know say ‘no’ to party buses," Steven Lee, owner of The Grand nightclub and member of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission. "People do all their drinking on the buses and it’s not a benefit to the club. We have to deal with all the security and all the hassle without any of the benefit."
As we have stated many times before, the new law won’t change our policies on underage drinking or rowdy behavior on our Bay Area limos, party buses, limo buses, luxury coaches and other types of transportation. The safety of our guests has always been and always will be our primary consideration, and we do not tolerate any illegal or reckless behavior. Our other consideration is that each of our guests has a fun, comfortable, memorable and affordable limo experience! If we sound like your idea of a professional and responsible San Francisco party bus service, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936 to reserve one for your next special occasion.
Pop Star Calls Limousines Embarrassing
If Australian pop star Kylie Minogue heads to the Bay Area for a concert, don’t look for any San Francisco limousines to pick her up at the airport. The 44-year-old singer recently told reporters that she gets embarrassed when a limo arrives to pick her up. She claims that she prefers a simpler, low profile life these days and is quite happy to live without some of the more ostentatious trappings of being an international recording star.
“I’m like, ‘Please don’t send a limousine! I find them embarrassing!’ I love to have this glamorous life sometimes, and if I didn’t have any of that, I would probably be dressing up a bit more each day or going out on the weekend and making a real effort. But I get to live out those fantasies on stage, in videos or photo shoots. But if I can go somewhere you can wear wellingtons – and just be a total and utter bush person – I need that,” she said recently.
Perhaps Ms. Minogue is a bit jaded after many years of limo transportation to and from nearly all destinations. She’s certainly entitled to her opinion, but her complaints ring a bit hollow to most people who only get to ride in limousines during special occasions. We freely admit that our opinion on this matter is anything but impartial. We still enjoy helping our guests celebrate significant events in their lives, such as these:
- Weddings
- Anniversaries
- Proms
- Bachelor/Bachelorette parties
- Other important events where our San Francisco limos add just the right touch of elegance, sophistication and comfort
If you’re planning a special event and would like to add a Bay Area limo rental to the occasion, you have come to the right place! Each limousine, party van, SUV limo, classic car, limo bus and other luxury transportation option in our fleet is clean, very comfortable and more affordable than you may think! And unlike other Bay Area limousine services, we don’t nickel-and-dime our guests with a la carte charges. We prefer to include as many amenities as possible for one low price. So, the next time you need a San Francisco limo, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936. Who knows? Maybe you want your limo rental for an upcoming Kylie Minogue concert!
Officials Cut Three Limos in Half to Discourage Illegal Limousine Services
Britain’s Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is similar to California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in that both government agencies are responsible for issuing licensing and ensuring compliance with regulations to ensure transportation safety for passengers. However, it appears that both agencies have different approaches to discouraging illegal limousine services. The CPUC issues fines and publishes lists of illegal operators to protect Californians. VOSA recently sawed three limousines in half to illustrate what can happen to vehicles owned by illegal operators.
VOSA recently teamed up with a team from the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, who used a Range Rover limo, Porsche Cayenne limo and a Hummer H2 SUV limousine to gain experience with their metal cutting equipment. All three limousines were cut neatly in half, and VOSA invited local media outlets to capture the proceedings on video and help them publicize the message. You may remember a blog we wrote last year about a similar event where VOSA crushed a Ford Excursion SUV limo owned by an illegal limo service.
Neil Barlow, Head of Enforcement at VOSA, told reporters that his agency has seized vehicles destroyed to demonstrate the “dangers to the public” that illegal limousine services present.
"We don’t feel any great need to prove anything here, and I think this demonstration shows there are some issues in terms of getting passengers out of the vehicle," he explained. "It’s also about getting the message back to the industry that if they’re going to operate limousines, they need to operate within the law because I’m sure they don’t want to see this happening to their vehicles."
Here in the Bay Area, we’re fairly certain that our San Francisco limousines, SUV limos, party buses and other vehicles are safe from VOSA’s publicity stunts. Even if the CPUC wanted to stage similar events, we’d still sleep well at night as all our licenses, insurance coverage, vehicle maintenance, inspections and all other requirements are fully in compliance with state regulations. Spending the time, money and energy to ensure CPUC compliance is only one of the many things we do to ensure that all our guests have a safe, fun and very comfortable experience with us. If you’re looking for a Bay Area limousine service that puts the safety of its guests above all other considerations and has the most competitive and affordable rental rates in the area, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936!
Bus Delays Anger Delegates at Republican Convention
Organizers of this month’s Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay received withering criticism from delegates and other attendees after numerous bus delays kept them from getting to and from area hotels. In an effort to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety around the convention site, delegates were supposed to ride buses from Tampa Bay Times Forum to nearby Raymond James Stadium, where another fleet of buses would take them to their hotels. However, communication and technical glitches combined to make one evening of the convention a nightmare for delegates, many of whom were unable to get back to their hotels until 3 a.m. the following morning.
One of the delegates was John Zajicek from Illinois, who was eager to get back to his hotel room for some rest and relaxation when he left the Forum at 11 p.m. after an evening of speeches and festivities. He and others arrived at the bus staging area, but there were no buses waiting to transport them.
"Nobody knew where they were going to catch the bus," said Zajicek. "You would ask one person one thing and go that way, and then somebody else would tell you to go the other way. There were no signs. Nothing. It took a half-hour just to get to the bus."
The Republican National Committee had reserved more than 400 buses to ferry delegates to more than 100 hotels throughout the sprawling Tampa Bay metropolitan area. Getting delegates to the convention site went smoothly without incident. However, getting them back to their hotels was another matter entirely. After that evening’s final speaker, delegates came pouring out of the arena and began wandering around the facility looking for their assigned buses. When buses eventually arrived and transported passengers to Raymond James Stadium, delegates encountered more delays as buses inched their way along a narrow two-lane road to enter the parking area. Many delegates were forced to move from bus to bus, asking drivers if their bus was designated to take them to their particular hotels.
"It was a disaster," said Karen Dove, a 55-year-old Florida delegate who didn’t get back to her room until after 3 a.m. "It got so bad that people revolted. They actually got off the bus and took a cab."
If you need to transport a large group of people to an event but don’t relish the thought of transportation delays, choose a San Francisco bus rental from us and rest easy! We are one of the Bay Area’s premier luxury coach providers and can handle groups of any size comfortably, reliably and very affordably. Our buses are immaculately clean and very comfortable, and they offer many luxury amenities to make your experience relaxing and fun. If you’re shopping around for best bus rental rates and service in the Bay Area, look no further! Just give us a call at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936 and leave the rest to us!
We Have San Francisco Charter Buses for Groups of All Sizes
If you are visiting the Bay Area with a group of people or you live here and need a large, comfortable and affordable way to transport people, we have many different San Francisco charter bus options for you. While we are a limousine service, we also offer many other kinds of luxury transportation for groups of two to 200. Each of the charter buses is clean, spacious, luxurious and designed to make road trips fun! Our Bay Area charter bus rentals are perfect for the following:
- School groups
- Church groups
- Sporting events
- Concerts
- Convention transportation
- Sightseeing tours
- Weddings
- Casino trips
- Shopping excursions
- Overnight trips
- Amusement parks
- Many other groups and special events
Nearly all of them are equipped with amenities that make road trips fun and enjoyable, such as flat-screen TVs, audio systems, minibars, mood lighting, DVD players and other amenities. Depending on which model you choose, you can also enjoy plenty of storage for luggage, restrooms, captain’s chairs and tables for working and playing, karaoke machines, fiber optic lighting and other unique features.
No one in the area has a better selection of San Francisco luxury coach rental options including these:
- 12-passenger executive limousine buses
- 20-passenger party vans
- 20-passenger VIP bus with wheelchair lift
- 24-passenger VIP mini coach
- 47-passenger VIP coach
- 55-passenger VIP coach
- Many other options
No matter which Bay Area luxury coach rental you choose, you will enjoy an immaculately clean interior and a courteous, professional and knowledgeable driver to get you and your group to and from your destination in style. Whether you rent for an afternoon or a weekend, you’ll be amazed at how affordable luxurious group travel can be! Please browse the pages of our site for images of each of the charter bus rental options in our fleet and a listing of the amenities that each offers. For more information or to make a reservation, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936, and one of our reservation specialists will be happy to assist you!
Better Business Bureau Warns That Party Bus Scams Are on the Rise
According to a recent article from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), criminals are taking advantage of the surging popularity of party buses and defrauding customers across the country. In their article, the BBB cited a recent incident in Colorado where University of Colorado students thought they had reserved a party bus for transportation to and from a football game with archrival Colorado State. Their party bus never arrived to take them to the big game, and when they contacted the party bus rental service, the person who answered the phone told them that the bus had broken down. The person told them that they would not receive a refund for the party bus rental but if they caught a cab to the game and got a receipt, they would be reimbursed for the cab ride.
When the students told the man that they doubted the reimbursement offer and demanded a full refund for the party bus, the man refused, saying that he would not give them their money back because they had threatened him. Fortunately, the students had used a credit card to pay for the party bus and were able to cancel the charge after explaining the situation to the provider. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. The BBB warns potential party bus renters that there were problems with other party bus services in Colorado and in other areas across the country. The broken down party bus is a common excuse used by the scammers, and BBB investigators say that many of these criminals use several different business names to prolong their activities.
If you want to rent a San Francisco party bus for an upcoming special event, here are a few tips to avoid falling victim to unethical party bus operators:
- Check out the Bay Area party bus company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau.
- Go to the California Public Utilities Commission’s website at http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc/ to see if the operator is licensed in our state.
- Perform a web search to see what others are saying about the operator.
- Make sure the website of the company features the CPUC’s TCP number on each page, and check that against the listing on the CPUC site.
- If something looks or sounds suspicious, contact the CPUC directly. The number for their San Francisco office is 415-703-2782.
Renting a San Francisco party van should be a fun, memorable and very comfortable experience. However, as you can see, not all party bus services have the same dedication to their guests as we do. If you rent one of our party buses, we will go above and beyond to ensure that you and your friends and family have a great time and make your special occasion truly memorable. Call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936 to reserve an affordable San Francisco party bus for your event, and get ready to have a great time!
Rolls-Royce Announces Changes to Ghost Models Including Sport Coupe
Legendary luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has been making some bold moves recently with their updated Phantom models, and it appears that more developments are in the works for Rolls-Royce motorcars. Rolls recently announced that they are updating their Ghost models as well, with an announced three different versions, one of which will be a coupe with a 600-plus horsepower engine. Rolls-Royce sold 3,538 Ghosts last year, a remarkable 31 percent increase over 2010’s sales. With the new models, they appear to be staking a larger claim on the luxury market in the coming years.
Rolls has not released many details about the upcoming changes but have said that they plan to unveil the sporty two-door Ghost models at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The new Ghost coupe will be built to hold the road rather than glide atop it, with a lowered suspension, shorter wheelbase and sport-tuned traction control system to get drivers’ adrenaline going in tight turns. Rolls has not yet announced a price for the new Ghost models, but buyers with adequate means will surely be placing orders with their local dealers for this new roadster.
You may need deep pockets to own a Rolls-Royce, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the classic look, feel and ride of a Rolls limousine. In addition to our San Francisco limos, party buses, limo buses and other luxury vehicles, we also rent Bay Area classic Rolls-Royce limousines for very affordable rates. These timeless classics have been lovingly restored and are very popular choices for the following:
Renting one of our Bay Area Rolls-Royce limos for friends and family is also a great gift idea for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and other special occasions! To learn more about our affordable rates, availability and to reserve your San Francisco Rolls-Royce rental, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936!
Make Your Bay Area Party Bus and Limo Reservations Now for the Upcoming Football Season
Ah yes, it’s midsummer, when a young man’s mind turns to…football and the upcoming season! Fall is right around the corner, and local professional and college teams are already in summer camp, preparing for preseason games and a full slate of conference games. Whether you watch your football on Saturday afternoons, Sunday afternoons or both, there’s nothing like being at the game and celebrating with tens of thousands of other fans. If you have tickets for a game this fall and you want to celebrate in style, comfort and luxury, we have a great idea! Rent a San Francisco limousine or party bus from us, and leave the driving to the pros!
No other Bay Area limousine service has a greater variety of luxury ground transportation options to choose from for groups of all sizes. For pregame and postgame transportation and luxury tailgating, choose from the following Bay Area Limos, party buses, limo buses, luxury coaches and other vehicles:
- Stretch Limousines (6-14 passengers)
- Hummer SUV Limos (16-20 passengers)
- Ford Expedition SUV Limos (12-16 passengers)
- Lincoln Navigator Limos (10-12 passengers)
- Ford Excursion SUV Limos (12-22 passengers)
- Limo Buses (12-32 passengers)
- Party Vans (16-28 passengers)
- Luxury VIP Coaches (47-55 passengers)
These are only a few of the many options for you and your friends and family to choose from for football game transportation. In addition to the best San Francisco Limousines, party buses and other luxury ground transportation options, you and your guests will also enjoy superb customer service, luxury amenities and many extras included at no additional cost.
Whether you’re a season ticket holder wanting a break from traffic before and after the game or a fan who seldom gets to go to games and wants to add luxury transportation to your game experience, you can rely on us to make your experience comfortable, memorable and affordable. To learn more about your luxury transportation options, amenities, rental rates and other information, just call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936! Here’s to a great season for all Bay Area football fans!
China Cracking Down on Unlicensed Charter Bus Companies
Chinese transportation safety officials recently announced that they are cracking down on unlicensed charter bus companies after a series of tragic bus accidents involving illegal bus services. Zhao Ruihua, deputy director of road traffic safety for the State Administration of Work Safety, told reporters assembled at a press conference that the Ministry of Transport will issue or renew charter licenses only after a careful screening process that will ensure that a bus charter company screens its drivers properly and has a good safety record. He said that bus companies that operate with forged or blank licenses and bribe officials to look the other way during inspections impede his agency’s efforts to make China’s roadways safer for everyone.
Many tour bus charter companies in China use fake charter licenses or illegally operate in provinces where they have not received licenses. Officials now say that with stepped-up enforcement, illegal charter companies will be subject to steep fines of up to ten times the value of any revenues they obtained illegally. Senior government officials forced the transportation agency to get tough on illegal operators after receiving stern criticism from the public and some media outlets after recent high-profile bus accidents.
So far this year, there have been at least 15 major bus accidents involving illegal bus charter companies that have killed more than 235 people and injured hundreds more. Many of the accident victims are tourists from other countries bringing much-needed revenue to many of China’s impoverished provinces. One transportation official said that new regulations would make it mandatory for official guides to ride on each bus. The guides would be responsible for ensuring that the bus operator was properly licensed and that all safety protocols would be observed.
Here in the Bay Area, we also gets millions of visitors from all over the world, and many tour groups enjoy the comfort and convenience of our San Francisco bus charters for sightseeing trips, airport transportation, sporting events and other destinations. If you’re looking for a Bay Area charter bus company with an exemplary safety record, outstanding customer service, clean, comfortable luxury coaches and very affordable rates, call us today at 800-339-8936. We may be named Nationwide Limousine Service, but we offer luxury tour bus rentals, limousine buses, VIP coaches and many other kinds of luxury group transportation. Call us at NLS Limo today for information about rates, availability and the many options available to you and your group.
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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.