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New Details Released About “The Beast,” Obama’s Presidential Limousine
We have written before about President Obama’s relatively new presidential limousine, but tantalizingly few details about this limo have been available due to understandable security concerns. However, after the recent inauguration marking the beginning of his second term in office, a few more details about this remarkable limo were made available to people with an insatiable desire to know more about this highly specialized limousine, like us. So, in keeping with our ongoing efforts to supply our readers with the very latest in weird and wonderful limousine news, here are some of the new details recently released about “The Beast”:
World’s Largest Custom Limousine Manufacturer Latest Victim of Economic Downturn
We received some bad news recently that does not affect our San Francisco limousine service directly but affects most limousines services across the country directly or indirectly. Krystal Koach, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of custom limousines, will halt production and close down in the near future. In a press release, Krystal officers reported that their company “doesn’t have the cash to purchase parts to continue manufacturing vehicles.” Ed Grech, Krystal’s founder and CEO, cited the global economic downturn as the reason that his company was closing its doors and reorganizing.
The company had recently moved into the burgeoning Chinese market and had invested heavily in developing its custom stretch Lincoln MKT limousine specifically for that market and other clients in Asia. The company currently has around 51 vehicles in various stages of completion. Grech has told creditors that if they give him time to finish these projects and sell them, along with liquidating some real estate holdings, he would be able to pay them in full with funds leftover to pay other outstanding debts.
When he recently announced the closure and reorganization of his company, Grech told reporters, “Unfortunately, operators are still hurting and demand has been tepid. During the first quarter of 2012, these projects were halted due to the current economic climate both domestically as well as in Asia. We will not be idle during this time. Rest assured that Krystal is still committed to developing the most innovative and cutting-edge vehicles you can buy for luxury ground transportation, and the excellent customer service you expect from us will never waver.”
Grech founded Krystal in 1982 and grew the company from a small Southern California body shop into a company posting annual revenues of $50 million with clients all over the world.
While we don’t conduct any business with Mr. Grech, as we do all our own customization work, we were certainly sorry to hear this news. We hope that he is able to finish and sell his remaining vehicles in production and reorganize to square his debts with his creditors and begin the long process of rebuilding his company.
The economic downturn has affected us all, but NLS Limo is still here, and we plan to keep on serving the Bay Area with custom limousines, party vans and other luxury vehicles for a long time to come. We believe that a big part of our success is our customer service, attention to detail and offering a superb San Francisco limo experience at an affordable price. If you are looking for Bay Area limousine rentals for an upcoming special event, please give us a call today at 800-339-8936 to find out for yourself why our customer service helps us stand out from the hyper-competitive San Francisco limo rental market.
D.C. Commission Reduces Cost of Limousine Permits for Obama Inauguration
After receiving sharp criticism from area limousine services with reservations for the upcoming Obama inauguration, the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission has backed down from plans to require out-of-town limos to obtain a $500 permit. The commission lowered the permit price to a much more affordable $150 recently after the price hike outraged limo companies that had already signed contracts with clients that included the $125 limo permit required for the last inauguration. The limousine services only learned of the price hike in mid-November, well after many clients had made reservations. They howled that the commission was implementing the price hike much too late to plan accordingly and that passing along the additional $350 to clients would outrage their clients.
"I’m speechless," said the manager of one limo service in suburban Washington. "That’s over the top. That’s stiff. That’s very stiff."
"I’m not shocked by anything that they will do," said the owner of another limousine service. "They… have no idea what they are doing."
The commission says that the $150 limo permit will be in effect for a four-day period around the January 21 inauguration, a much smaller time frame than the 30 to 45 days the $500 permit allowed. Limo companies claimed that the additional time did them or their clients little good since the inauguration only occurs on one day. As you might guess, a presidential inauguration is a very big event for limousine companies. Around 10,000 limos and other for-hire vehicles obtained permits from the commission for the last inauguration, netting the district around $1.2 million in revenue.
Commission spokesman Neville Waters told reporters that the commission reconsidered the price hike after receiving "input from the marketplace," calling their change in policy “a dynamic process.”
Since we own and operate our own limousine service here in the Bay Area, we can only assume that the dynamics to which Mr. Waters refers involved unpleasant phone calls from limo companies and tersely worded correspondence from their attorneys. The price hike that the commission tried to implement was not only ill-timed; it was also very ill-advised and would have been very damaging to these businesses if it had not been rescinded. They would have had to choose between absorbing the $350 cost or passing it along to their clients, neither of which is an attractive option.
If you’re looking for attractive San Francisco limousine options for an upcoming special event, you have definitely come to the right place! We simply offer the best Bay Area limo experience for the best rates in the area and go above and beyond to ensure that each of our guests has a wonderful time. If you need a San Francisco limousine, party bus, SUV limo or other luxury transportation for a special occasion, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936 today to receive the presidential treatment!
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.
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5Great 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.