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Federal Government Claims It Owns Fewer Limousines
The General Services Administration (GSA) has refuted claims by some government watchdog groups that the federal government owns more limousines now than at any other time in the nation’s history. According to the GSA, the number of limos in the federal fleet is in sharp decline and reflects the belt-tightening occurring in nearly all branches of government. However, critics say that the decline is due to bureaucrats who have redefined what types of vehicles can be classified as limousines.
The Center for Public Integrity, a non-partisan government watchdog group, published a report last year that said the number of limousines owned by the federal government had skyrocketed during the Obama administration. They said that when President Obama took office in 2008, the government owned 238 limos and that by 2010 that number had ballooned to 412. The GSA’s most recent findings indicate that the government owned only 158 limousines in 2011. Responding to the GSA’s findings, the Center for Public Integrity said that the sharp decline was mostly due to reclassifying the term “limousine” by excluding shuttle buses and other vehicles capable of transporting larger groups of people.
The Center claims that new GSA guidelines classify a limousine as “a vehicle with a lengthened wheelbase, generally driven by a dedicated driver with possible customization, including ‘privacy panels’ and stretching for capacity and comfort."
The Center also reports that the GSA instructed federal agencies that "vehicles, including shuttle buses, without the aforementioned characteristics should not be reported as limousines."
At NLS Limo, we classify our San Francisco limousines, shuttle buses, SUV limos and other luxury ground transportation options as “vehicles with a longer wheelbase driven by a dedicated professional chauffeur designed, engineered and maintained to provide our guests with a fun, luxurious and entirely wonderful time at very affordable prices.”
Admittedly, we have not submitted our definition to the GSA for their review. If you choose one of our Bay Area limos, party buses, luxury sedans or other luxury vehicles for an upcoming special occasion, we’re confident that you’ll agree with our definition. In fact, instead of reducing our fleet of limos, we are constantly adding new models in order to better serve our guests for all their luxury ground transportation needs! If you would like to reserve a San Francisco limo for an upcoming event, just give us a call today at 800-339-8936! We welcome any inquiries by the Center for Public Integrity.
High School Graduates Rewarded With Limo Ride on Last Day of School
The parents of seven graduating high school seniors gave their kids a very cool reward that allowed their kids to end their high school careers in style. After the last day of school this year, these lucky kids were picked up at school by a pink limousine, which transported the graduates around town for two hours. The graduates, six young ladies and one young man from Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana, were picked up promptly at 2:45 p.m. one recent afternoon at their school’s front entrance. The location of the pickup, as well as the color of the limo, made it impossible for anyone in the school and immediate area to miss this very unique graduation gift.
"I was the first one out of class, and I saw the pink limousine and I was confused," said one of the lucky graduates. "Then I saw Kaylee, and we knew it for us. I was so excited. I just stood there screaming."
The only male of the group said that when he saw his parents waiting outside the school, he wasn’t quite sure whom the limousine was for and what was happening.
"I wondered what was going on and when I saw my parents I was so excited. A pink limo — it was a wonderful thing for our parents to do for us," he said.
By all accounts, the graduates had a wonderful time. They decided that their first stop would be a local yogurt shop for a cool treat. Then, they all climbed back into their limo for a cruise through local streets and neighborhoods while they sang with music on the radio and made music videos in the back of the limo.
The graduates told their friends that they had very mixed feelings about their last day of high school. They were excited to graduate but were a bit apprehensive about not being able to see each other on a daily basis.
"When I walked out of school today I had bags and bags of things from my locker," one of the graduates said after the ride. "When I saw the pink limo I said out loud, ‘It’s not that serious,’ but when I saw our pictures on the limo, I gave my mom a hug and screamed and screamed. It was a great feeling."
If you know some high school students or other young people who have earned a special treat and you have been thinking about rewarding them with a San Francisco limousine ride, you have come to the right place! At NLS Limo, we have become the Bay Area’s premier limo service by providing the best selection of luxury vehicles at the best rates and offering the best customer service in the industry. For more information about our limo rentals, rates and availability, call us today at 800-339-8936 to speak with one of our reservation specialists.
Cancer Patients Enjoy Limo Ride Despite Canceled College World Series Game
Some young cancer patients from the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha received a special treat from supporters recently when they were awarded a limousine ride to a College World Series game at TD Ameritrade Park. Although rain clouds did not cooperate and the scheduled game was rained out, the patients still enjoyed being pampered and treated to a luxurious ride in their limo. The majority of the limo guests were teenagers who are either undergoing cancer treatment or have recently completed it at the Medical Center.
Omaha hosts the College World Series each year, and Child Life Services specialists at the hospital host an annual outing that provides patients with great seats behind home plate for one of the games. This and other Teen Night Out events allow young cancer patients to spend time together and enjoy some fun while they deal with the physical and emotional difficulties of cancer treatment.
“It makes you feel more normal,” said patient Grace Fitting, 22, who became friends with fellow bone cancer survivor Aly Poteet through the Center’s program.
“You don’t feel like such a freak,” said her friend.
Dillon Hilger, 15, was especially excited to attend the game. An accomplished high school athlete, he had just finished undergoing a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation treatment to treat his cancer. On one arm, he has a tattoo with a pink ribbon with the date February 15, 2012, the date he began receiving cancer treatment. His cancer is currently in remission, and he has returned to lifting weights and playing basketball.
He said, “It’s nice that people care enough to send donations so kids who can’t really do too much can have fun for a night or two.”
It certainly is nice that this organization treats cancer patients to a limo ride and great tickets to the ball game. Here in the Bay Area, we work with similar groups to provide limo rides to deserving recipients who have overcome or are in the process of overcoming similar hurdles. If you know someone who could use a break from difficult circumstances and you would like to treat them to something fun, rent one of our San Francisco limousines for transportation to a concert, sporting event or other special destination. Our fleet of Bay Area limo rentals can accommodate groups of all sizes, and our reasonable rates make it easy and affordable to provide a smile to those who could use one. For more information and to reserve a San Francisco limo, party bus, classic car or other modes of luxury transportation, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936.
Businessman Orders Gold-Plated Rolls-Royce Phantom
In what may very well be the world’s most expensive Rolls-Royce Phantom limousine and perhaps the world’s most expensive limo overall, a businessman based in the Middle East has recently received a very customized Rolls limo. Apparently, the owner felt that a brand-new Rolls-Royce Phantom limousine wasn’t luxurious enough. So, he bought $4.5 million worth of 18-carat gold and had it crafted into all the interior fixtures and trims. The work took 18 months to complete, and the wealthy businessman recently took delivery of his new limousine.
The owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, contacted noted custom automobile designer Stuart Hughes, who is based in Liverpool, England, to create the molds for the gold and oversee the project. Hughes has used gold to create many different one-of-a-kind items, including a gold iPad and gold iPad covers for clients. For this project, he used more than 250 pounds of 18K gold to create the extraordinary limo. In addition to the custom interior, the Rolls limo is also heavily armored. It has armor plating and bulletproof windows capable of withstanding two hand grenades and around 570 rounds fired from a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The prices for regular Phantoms begin around $500,000. The final cost of this custom Rolls-Royce limousine is estimated to be a cool $8 million or so.
Here at NLS Limo, we’re very fond of Rolls-Royce automobiles and offer a few classic Rolls limousines in our fleet of San Francisco luxury rentals. Our classic Silver Wraith and Silver Cloud limos feature many original fixtures, including suicide doors, original woodwork, dividers, plush seating, mini bars and much more. They also feature tasteful updates like CD players, speakers and some small conveniences that our guests expect in a San Francisco Rolls-Royce rental. However, none of our beloved Rolls classics feature gold-plated interior fixtures, bulletproof glass or armor plating. We’d much prefer that our guests enjoy our solid gold customer service!
If you’re thinking about renting a Bay Area Rolls-Royce for a wedding, anniversary or other special occasion, or you’re looking for a unique gift idea for someone special, check out our lineup of classic Rolls automobiles! Our site features plenty of information about each San Francisco Rolls limo in our fleet, but, for more detailed information on rates, availability and answers to your questions, call us today at 800-339-8936!
Chauffeur Faces DUI Charges After Calling Police to Remove Drunken Guests
A chauffeur for a limo service in Vancouver, British Columbia, is facing charges of driving under the influence after he called police in Vernon, B.C., to remove several passengers who became unruly after having too much to drink. A spokesman from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported that the chauffeur was transporting 18 people in the back of his limousine recently when he stopped to call the police. When the officers arrived, they noticed that the man smelled strongly of alcohol and administered field sobriety tests to confirm their suspicions. The chauffeur failed the tests and now will likely have to find another type of employment in addition to the criminal charges.
This story describes a common problem in the limousine industry but, thankfully, a very uncommon problem for our San Francisco limousine service. We want our guests to have a wonderful time while they enjoy riding in our limos, party buses, SUV limousines and other kinds of luxury ground transportation, and we go to great lengths to ensure that they do. Frequently, our guests who are of legal drinking age enjoy alcoholic beverages that we provide or those that they have brought for themselves. As long as our modest rules for behavior are observed and no one’s safety is endangered, everything proceeds smoothly, and we accomplish our primary goal of helping our guests safely have a great time.
Occasionally, when guests have had a little too much to drink and violate our safety rules, a chauffeur warns them once, and, in most cases, the day or evening proceeds without incident. On rare occasions where one or more guests disregard their chauffeur’s warning and continue to endanger themselves and the other guests, the chauffeur terminates the rental and returns the guests to their point of departure.
Thankfully, we have never had an incident where one of our chauffeurs was charged with driving while under the influence of anything. Our drivers face a rigorous screening process before they are hired, and we ensure that they are properly dressed, rested and sober before they transport any of our guests.
We take the safety of all of our guests very seriously and go to great lengths to ensure that everyone has a safe, fun and memorable limo experience. We believe that this has been a key factor in our success as a Bay Area limousine service, and we have no plans to change our policies. If you would like to rent a San Francisco stretch limo, party bus, SUV limousine or any of our other luxury vehicles for an upcoming event and want to make sure that everyone has a safe and wonderful time, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936. You bring the guests, and we’ll provide the safe, fun and luxurious vehicles and professional chauffeur!
Prom Kids Stranded By Unethical Limo Service
A limousine company that billed itself as “the largest limo company in the United Kingdom” earned notoriety of an entirely different kind recently when it stranded 12 kids who had reserved a limo with the company for prom transportation. National Limousine Hire, supposedly based in Sussex, is now under investigation by law enforcement agencies for planning and executing a nationwide scam that left hundreds of prom kids without limousine rides on the biggest night of their young lives. The unfortunate kids and their parents also have nothing to show for the deposits they paid to reserve their prom limos. One angry parent complained via email to an English limousine website about the scams.
She wrote, “I have today discovered the shocking news, my daughter and 11 friends have been left without a limo tonight. I am trying hard to find another company which could take them but with 4 hours notice it’s not looking good. They are all upset and £220 (around $350) out of pocket.”
National Limousine Hire offered a brief statement on their website, which reads: “Unfortunately, due to the economy, National Limousine Hire has been forced to cease trading with immediate effect.”
Upon further investigation, this statement rings a bit hollow, as the company began operations in December 2009 and stopped conducting business in August 2011. However, the guests who were stranded and scammed by the limo service reserved their prom limos in January and February of 2012.
Regular readers of our blog know that we post stories like this on a regular basis. Our primary goal is to inform and alert prospective clients to exercise care when choosing a limousine service here in the Bay Area or anywhere else. Another goal is to make them aware that the vast majority of San Francisco limo companies, including Nationwide Limousine Service, are ethical and dedicated to providing their guests with fun, luxurious and affordable limos, party buses, VIP vans, classic cars, shuttle buses, luxury coaches and other types of transportation.
If you would like to reserve one of our San Francisco limousines for prom transportation or another special event and want to make sure that you and your friends and family members won’t be stranded, call us at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936 today to reserve your vehicle. We have proudly served Bay Area residents for years, and our reputation for superb customer service, ethical business practices and dedication to our clients speaks for itself. Call us today for the best selection of San Francisco party buses, limos and other vehicles at the best rates in the area!
Club Owners Slam San Francisco Party Buses at Community Meeting
Club owners recently held a public meeting where they aired their grievances with San Francisco party buses and the rowdy behavior of some party bus guests. They claim that a never-ending stream of drunken revelers pull up outside their clubs in party vans most evenings and cause a variety of problems. Many are saying enough is enough and have banned Bay Area party buses from dropping off guests at their clubs.
"As someone who has put on events in San Francisco for 20 years, party buses are just bad news," said Chris Smith, owner of Om Records and co-owner of Monarch, a popular nightclub in the SoMa neighborhood. "We don’t allow party buses at Monarch. If one comes up to our club, it’s getting towed."
Other club owners voiced similar complaints at the community meeting organized by the Tenderloin’s Community Leadership Alliance.
Steven Lee is the owner of popular nightclub The Grand and also a member of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission. He also said that party buses have been a persistent problem outside his club.
"Most clubs I know say ‘no’ to party buses," he said. "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."
He echoed other club owners who said that drunken party bus guests were responsible for causing problems inside and outside their establishments.
One San Francisco party bus service owner took issue with club owners blaming all operators for the actions of a few limo services with lax control.
"We station security on all of our buses and we limit people to two complementary drinks per passenger," she said. "I think it’s important to have management on board supervising what’s happening."
In addition to irresponsible Bay Area party bus providers, a big part of the problem is lax laws that govern behavior on party vans. While there are strict regulations on guest behavior while riding in limousines, there are few regulations on party buses, a relatively recent but increasingly popular mode of group transportation. South Bay Assemblyman Jerry Hill agreed with club owners, saying that the city needs to write and enforce tougher regulations about behavior on party buses.
"The growing popularity of party buses requires that the law keep pace with the trend," said Hill in a statement. "These are really rolling bars — and teenagers should not be allowed to drink on them."
We are saddened and unhappy that the actions (or inactions) of a few Bay Area party van providers are casting our limousine service and those of other ethical businesspeople in a bad light. In accordance with California law, we never allow minors to drink in any of our luxury vehicles and ask all our guests to respect our vehicles, other guests and clubs and neighborhoods where we drop them off. If you’re thinking about renting a San Francisco party bus for an upcoming event but prefer to do business with a limo service that puts the safety of its guests above all other considerations, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936.
Mercedes Looks to Regain Lead With New Luxury SUVs
Since they lost their spot as the top seller of luxury vehicles in the world more than ten years ago, legendary automaker Mercedes-Benz has been on a quest to regain that lofty position. Mercedes has been devising a strategy and now believes that their new lineup of luxury sports utility vehicles will help them achieve their goal. In 2011, they launched a new M-Class SUV, a new C-Class coupe and a refreshed C-Class sedan, and sales for the first few months of 2012 suggest that they may be poised to overtake archrival BMW for the top spot.
Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with researcher IHS Automotive, had complimentary words for the venerable German automaker.
“Mercedes has upped its game,” she said. “The refreshes and redesigns they’ve done on their sedans are going to be very nicely complemented by the work they’ve done on their trucks.”
In August, Mercedes will unveil their newest luxury SUV, an updated GLK compact SUV. In September, their new GL-Class large SUV will grace showrooms all over the world. Mercedes sold 531,382 during the first five months of 2012, putting it third overall in luxury vehicle sales globally. BMW sold 607,207 vehicles and was followed closely by Audi, which sold 600,200 luxury models.
Steve Cannon, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz USA, said that he has been pleased with sales thus far for 2012 but was reluctant to forecast that his company would finish first overall this year.
“We are outpacing all of our competitors, we’ve got great new products to launch,” he said. “If at the end of the year the luxury sales crown happens naturally, that’s great.”
Automotive insiders have singled out Mercedes’ new GLK for special mention. They say the nearly 1,000 new parts for the model have given it a much-needed and classy makeover.
Lindland was especially smitten by the new circular chrome air vents in the redesigned interior of the GLK.
“You don’t really appreciate all of the differences until you’ve looked inside,” she said. “Who knew that you could fall in love with vents?”
We knew. We’re crazy about cars, especially luxury vehicles, and we love details like chrome air vents that complement a well designed and executed interior. A big part of the luxury vehicle experience is the feeling that you get when you step inside and go for a ride. We do not yet offer any of the new Mercedes SUVs in our fleet of San Francisco limousines (we’re working on it!), but we do offer our very lovely S500 luxury sedans for discriminating guests for business travel, airport transportation, VIP transportation and other applications. For more information about our Mercedes sedans or any of our other Bay Area luxury transportation options, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936.
New Cable Car Expected to Be Ready to Transport Olympic Visitors
Organizers of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London recently announced that a planned cable car that will transport passengers over the River Thames on the way to and from events would be operational in late June. Called the Emirates Air Line after the Middle Eastern airline that invested $56 million for naming rights for the first ten years of operation, the new cable car will ferry passengers between Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Each trip between the two destinations will cover one kilometer and afford passengers a spectacular view of Olympic Park, the Thames Barrier, a series of massive flood control structures in the river, the Canary Wharf financial district and London itself.
London Mayor Boris Johnson was especially pleased that the project was finished in time for the Olympic Games.
"The Emirates Air Line is part of my plan to develop a package of new river crossings in east London and transform the surrounding area into a vibrant new metropolitan quarter that will attract new jobs, homes and enterprise."
The Air Line features 34 cable cars that can comfortably accommodate up to ten people. The cable cars and the infrastructure resemble the gondola cars found in many European ski resorts. Each one-way trip is expected to cost 3.2 English pounds, or around $5.
We know of another world-famous destination that is also known for cable cars! They are an integral part of the Bay Area experience, and very few visitors to San Francisco leave without taking at least one cable car ride. However, the problem with these cable cars is that they run on fixed routes and may or may not be able to take you where you want to go. If you are looking for an authentic cable car experience that can transport you and your friends and family all over the city and surrounding area, why not check out our San Francisco cable car rentals?
Each cable car in our fleet is built to look just like the cable cars seen in postcards and photographs, but these can take you wherever you’d like to go! Each can transport up to 34 guests very comfortably and affordably, and you can choose from open-air models for an authentic San Francisco experience or our enclosed models to shield you from the winds coming off the Bay. For more information or to reserve a San Francisco cable car rental for an upcoming visit, just give us a call at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936!
Chauffeur Faces Fines After Buying Alcohol for Teens
A party bus chauffeur in Issaquah, WA is facing charges in connection with an incident where she purchased alcohol for underage patrons riding in her bus. The 49-year-old chauffeur, who works for an area limousine service, is facing charges in Issaquah Municipal Court for reckless endangerment and purchasing alcohol for minors. Both charges are gross misdemeanors, and, if convicted, the chauffeur could spend up to a year in prison and pay a fine up to $5,000. The owner of the party bus company that employs the woman called the violation of company rules an “isolated incident” and ensured police and parents that the woman has been terminated.
School administrators suspended nine of the Issaquah High School students on the party bus for alcohol-related infractions in connection with this incident. Administrators launched their investigation after the students arrived intoxicated for an October 22 homecoming dance.
The owner of the party bus company issued a statement after the incident was published in a local newspaper. He said, “We do not provide alcohol in any way, shape or form. We can’t even take it from their house or their apartment to the bus. They bring it to the limo or whatever, we can’t touch it. Our company policy is that we cannot touch it.”
He said that it is not uncommon for underage guests to ask chauffeurs to purchase alcohol for them to enjoy while riding on the party bus, but he said his company has strict policies against it. “This is totally against all of our policies and most other party bus companies,” he said. “It’s not tolerated and it’s an isolated incident that’s going to be dealt with accordingly. Buying alcohol is absolutely no. That is for anybody.”
That statement pretty much sums up our position on buying alcohol for minors as well. We don’t do it under any circumstances. Ever. We want our underage guests to have a great time when they rent our San Francisco party buses and limos for proms, homecomings, concerts and other special events, but we will not allow them to drink alcohol or use any other illegal substances while under our care. Their safety is too important to us. It’s that simple. If you are underage and need a Bay Area limousine or party bus for an upcoming event or you’re a parent looking for an ethical limo service to transport your kids, you can rely on NLS Limo to get your loved ones to and from their destination in safety and comfort. For more information about our alcohol policy for minors and to reserve a limo or party bus for an upcoming event, please call us today at 1-800-339-8936.
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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.