The Fog is Clearing (a little anyway)
For the last three years (give or take), there has been talk in the limousine industry about the demise of the Lincoln Town Car and what make and model (if any) would be anointed its successor. After all, the Town Car has been the standard bearer for the industry since the 80's. But at the start of 2013, a front runner still has not been identified, as some of the early "favorites" haven't been able to capitalize on the confusion.
Over the next few years, there will be plenty of opportunities to experience the selection process with us. O'Hare-Midway Limousine Service has already tested Lincoln and Cadillac SUV's, S Series Mercedes Sedans, Cadillac XTS Sedans, Mercedes R350 Crossovers, and coming soon...E Series Mercedes Sedans. There are pros and cons to each of these vehicles, but the single most frustrating issue we're running into is the difficulty in putting the legacy of the Town Car behind us.
Customers loved the "old" Town Car because of the size and comfort. It certainly lacked the amenities of today's generation of luxury sedan, but amenities are secondary to the overall feeling of comfort that the cavernous Town Car afforded. However, the giant sedan is a thing of the past. Today's sedans are feature-loaded, but meant for three passengers at the most. The comfort is still there, trunk space is adequate, but the idea of putting more than three passengers in a Cadillac XTS, Toyota Avalon, or Lincoln MKS is out of the question. The Chrysler 300, which "feels" like the largest of the industry-friendly sedans, lacks the elegance associated with the Town car. Seemingly made to be an economy grade full-size sedan, the 300 doesn't offer the extended warranty that other manufacturers do. It also has a reputation for being less durable as some of its counterparts. The Hyundai Equus was the surprise hit of industry shows a few years ago, but it seems to have dropped off the list of potential replacement options. Other cars; the E Series and S Series Mercedes sedans, Audi A8, and Lincoln MKT Crossover have all sparked some interest, but none has a clear advantage over the others.
Slowly over the next several years, the old version of the Town Car will disappear from the landscape, and will probably be replaced with a combination of different vehicles. It is possible there will never be another car that becomes as identifiable to the limousine industry as the Lincoln Town Car, but in the worst case we will see fleets comprised of various vehicles that fit the individual needs or wants of a limousine operator's client base.
As for O'Hare-Midway Limousine Service, we will continue testing the vehicles we've chosen in order to determine which perform the most efficiently, while affording our clientele with the most safe and comfortable ride available.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Still Thinking......
It's been a while since the "old style" Town Car was bounced from the Lincoln lineup, to be replaced with the MKT Crossover. The reception for the MKT has been tepid at best, and word on the street is that Lincoln has already set its sights on another version of the Town Car for 2014. For companies like OML WORLDWIDE, this brand "volatility" poses a threat to any consistency we hope to have in our fleet, which may not seem like a big deal on the surface yet has some interesting ramifications.
As a refresher, a majority of livery vehicles on the road since the mid to late 1980's have been Lincoln Town Cars. Sure there were some Cadillacs, Chryslers, and a Lexus or two, but the flagship was the Town Car. On the plus side, every customer that used a limousine company probably knew what to expect when their car showed up since they were virtually the same from coast-to-coast. On the management side of the equation, it was simple to value your services based on the fact that vehicle pricing was fairly stable. Once you factored in items like insurance, chauffeur costs, repairs and maintenance, you had a baseline that was easy to understand. That is starting to change as older Town Cars are being replaced you new vehicles from a variety of manufacturers at a variety of prices. This is where it can get tricky.
Operators across the United States must make decisions based on how they want their company to be viewed by their clients. If a company that has been running Town Cars decides to go "cheap", their clients will likely (at some point) start to ask..."What's in it for me?". If the vehicle cost is 20% less...shouldn't rates go down proportionately? Good question, at least from the consumer point of view.
OML WORLDWIDE has a long history of providing luxury transportation options to our clientele, and the loss of the Town Car will not change our approach. While we haven't committed to a single vehicle as our anointed "replacement", we are doing our homework, and relying on input from our industry partners to establish a game plan that will take us from where we are now to where we want to be 10 years from now. Whatever we do, we will do it with quality and luxury in mind.
It's been a while since the "old style" Town Car was bounced from the Lincoln lineup, to be replaced with the MKT Crossover. The reception for the MKT has been tepid at best, and word on the street is that Lincoln has already set its sights on another version of the Town Car for 2014. For companies like OML WORLDWIDE, this brand "volatility" poses a threat to any consistency we hope to have in our fleet, which may not seem like a big deal on the surface yet has some interesting ramifications.
As a refresher, a majority of livery vehicles on the road since the mid to late 1980's have been Lincoln Town Cars. Sure there were some Cadillacs, Chryslers, and a Lexus or two, but the flagship was the Town Car. On the plus side, every customer that used a limousine company probably knew what to expect when their car showed up since they were virtually the same from coast-to-coast. On the management side of the equation, it was simple to value your services based on the fact that vehicle pricing was fairly stable. Once you factored in items like insurance, chauffeur costs, repairs and maintenance, you had a baseline that was easy to understand. That is starting to change as older Town Cars are being replaced you new vehicles from a variety of manufacturers at a variety of prices. This is where it can get tricky.
Operators across the United States must make decisions based on how they want their company to be viewed by their clients. If a company that has been running Town Cars decides to go "cheap", their clients will likely (at some point) start to ask..."What's in it for me?". If the vehicle cost is 20% less...shouldn't rates go down proportionately? Good question, at least from the consumer point of view.
OML WORLDWIDE has a long history of providing luxury transportation options to our clientele, and the loss of the Town Car will not change our approach. While we haven't committed to a single vehicle as our anointed "replacement", we are doing our homework, and relying on input from our industry partners to establish a game plan that will take us from where we are now to where we want to be 10 years from now. Whatever we do, we will do it with quality and luxury in mind.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Why We Need To Take Vacations
I enjoy my job, but I also like getting away from it once in a while. That being said, I am probably in the majority of working Americans. During the course of the year, I usually take about two weeks off for vacation. This apparently puts me in the MINORITY, according to a CNNMoney article dated November 30, 2011. This piece states that, while the average worker would earn 14 vacation days for the year, they would likely only use 12 of them.
Americans seem to be hardwired to work, and tend to be hesitant to take time off from their jobs. There are a variety of reasons for this, but we differ from other countries in our approach to vacation time. The article compares Americans to the French and English specifically, and it seems our European counterparts average more annual vacation time and manage to use almost all of it. Good for them I guess, but not so good for us.
Everyone is different, but most of us function better when we're rested. The daily grind of our jobs creates stresses within our bodies and minds that wears us down over the course of the year - physically and mentally. Relaxing after work and on weekends can help, but in our "hurry up" world it is often difficult to get the most out of our down time. So these stresses tend to pile up, ultimately damaging our health.
So how do we "teach" ourselves that value of taking time off of work? This may be harder than it sounds. Many workers are protective of their jobs, and leaving it - even for a few days - creates more anxiety and stress than their job does. Others suffer from a certain degree of paranoia...afraid that their absence will create opportunities for others to move into their roles, therefore making them expendable. Whatever the reason, we need to learn that vacation time is something that we earn as workers and we should use it as a way to improve our quality of life and maintain our sanity.
Start slowly, maybe a week at a time every 6 months. Maybe a few 3-day weekends if your employer allows it. But find a way to take all of your time. If you work for a company that allows you to convert your vacation time into cash, do whatever you can to avoid taking that step. Remember that time away from work has value too.
As for me, I take my two weeks off...but I've earned four weeks a year, so I'm only using half of what I earned every year. I can't explain specifically why I don't use all of my time, but this year I made a promise to myself to try. It's August 9th and I have two weeks and a day left. Wish me luck.
I enjoy my job, but I also like getting away from it once in a while. That being said, I am probably in the majority of working Americans. During the course of the year, I usually take about two weeks off for vacation. This apparently puts me in the MINORITY, according to a CNNMoney article dated November 30, 2011. This piece states that, while the average worker would earn 14 vacation days for the year, they would likely only use 12 of them.
Americans seem to be hardwired to work, and tend to be hesitant to take time off from their jobs. There are a variety of reasons for this, but we differ from other countries in our approach to vacation time. The article compares Americans to the French and English specifically, and it seems our European counterparts average more annual vacation time and manage to use almost all of it. Good for them I guess, but not so good for us.
Everyone is different, but most of us function better when we're rested. The daily grind of our jobs creates stresses within our bodies and minds that wears us down over the course of the year - physically and mentally. Relaxing after work and on weekends can help, but in our "hurry up" world it is often difficult to get the most out of our down time. So these stresses tend to pile up, ultimately damaging our health.
So how do we "teach" ourselves that value of taking time off of work? This may be harder than it sounds. Many workers are protective of their jobs, and leaving it - even for a few days - creates more anxiety and stress than their job does. Others suffer from a certain degree of paranoia...afraid that their absence will create opportunities for others to move into their roles, therefore making them expendable. Whatever the reason, we need to learn that vacation time is something that we earn as workers and we should use it as a way to improve our quality of life and maintain our sanity.
Start slowly, maybe a week at a time every 6 months. Maybe a few 3-day weekends if your employer allows it. But find a way to take all of your time. If you work for a company that allows you to convert your vacation time into cash, do whatever you can to avoid taking that step. Remember that time away from work has value too.
As for me, I take my two weeks off...but I've earned four weeks a year, so I'm only using half of what I earned every year. I can't explain specifically why I don't use all of my time, but this year I made a promise to myself to try. It's August 9th and I have two weeks and a day left. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
ON MY SOAPBOX
Can someone explain why cigarette garbage isn't garbage? Case in point....today I was following someone who apparently was finished with their smoke halfway through the adventure and tossed the still burning stick out of her driver side window. Hurled by the wind (and the science of aerodynamics), this burning projectile managed to land a direct hit on my windshield, scattering flaming little tobacco embers across my field of vision. That was an eye-opener to say the least.
Just about every day, I see someone toss a cigarette butt out of their car window, or an empty cigarette pack, or the cellophane wrapper from a cigarette pack. Then there are those times in a random parking lot where I'll see a small pile of cigarette "trash" - obviously a dumped ashtray - adjacent to or on the line of a parking space I'm pulling in to. This is not a blanket condemnation of people that smoke, but why is it that so many smokers find it okay to dump their cigarette "waste" into the environment, as though butts were as biodegradable as lawn trimmings?
The first time I saw the ocean was in the late 1970's. I broke away from my parent's routine of spending summer vacations hating everyone who went on an actual vacation and cruised down to Daytona Beach. I parked my car at The New Frontier Motel, brought my borrowed suitcase up to my room, changed into my beach clothes, and headed out to the water. My first impression wasn't the magnificence of the Atlantic Ocean, or the novelty of cars driving up and down on the densely packed beach. No...I was stunned by the fact that I was treading to the water through sand that was literally peppered with cigarette butts. I don't mean tens, or even hundreds, but countless butts. Every step I took in my inaugural march to the sea on that blazing hot sand included at least one cigarette butt. Most certainly not what I had pictured as I drove the 1000+ miles to the Atlantic Coast.
Litter is not a new problem. There are many stories told about the pioneer trails during The Westward Expansion that were littered with all sorts of refuse, and I imagine even the early cave dwellers of our continent didn't always take time to bury brontosaurus bones after cleaning a carcass. Still...we are supposed to be smarter and more aware than our ancestors, and I think a vast majority of Americans would agree that the act of deliberate environmental "trashing" is reprehensible. This may explain why it's not as common to see people toss soda cans or empty Starbucks cups from their cars, although I'm sure it does happen. It must...I just haven't seen it. But I HAVE regularly seen cigarette butts tossed out of car windows, and empty wrappers squeezed through car windows cracked just enough to allow the forceful but apparently necessary disposal of paper and plastic into the environment.
When I think about that trip to the beach over 30 years ago, I don't remember empty bottles, hamburger wrappers, or food remnants strewn about. What I DO remember is cigarette butts...everywhere. Why is this okay?
Monday, June 4, 2012
SUMMER IN THE CITY
In a few short weeks, summer will officially arrive in the northern hemisphere. We can relegate the memories of our most recent winter to our mental filing system, put the erratic spring weather behind us, and get ready for the blistering heat and humidity of a Chicago summer. In the immortal words of The Lovin' Spoonful..."Hot town, summer in the city".
Typically, summer also signals the official start of construction season. Various projects are already underway, but by comparison, 2012 is shaping up to be an "off year" as far as road construction is concerned. Still, it pays to plan ahead. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has a list of projects slated for the year on their website. Local municipalities also post roadwork if it impacts citizens, so a more focused picture can be obtained by the hardcore traveler.
There are several reasons to know where work zones are and how to avoid them. First and foremost, no one likes being stuck in traffic...the most common feature of road construction. Changes or reductions in driving lanes usually leads to stressful bottlenecks and frayed nerves. Increased travel time means more time in your car to reach your destination. Delays can be unpredictable; so planning meetings, day care, and other appointments can be nearly impossible. Secondary routes become clogged with disgruntled drivers looking to escape traffic jams, causing other traffic jams. The avalanche catches everyone in it's path.
Preparation is the key. Leaving for your destination early or at off-peak times, using alternate routes, and exercising additional caution are all ways to reduce the impact of construction season on you, your vehicle, and your mental health. Car-pooling may also be an option, since having someone to talk to can make time pass more quickly and you may not notice that your speedometer hasn't passed 20 miles-per-hour for your entire trip.
Happy Motoring!!!
In a few short weeks, summer will officially arrive in the northern hemisphere. We can relegate the memories of our most recent winter to our mental filing system, put the erratic spring weather behind us, and get ready for the blistering heat and humidity of a Chicago summer. In the immortal words of The Lovin' Spoonful..."Hot town, summer in the city".
Typically, summer also signals the official start of construction season. Various projects are already underway, but by comparison, 2012 is shaping up to be an "off year" as far as road construction is concerned. Still, it pays to plan ahead. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has a list of projects slated for the year on their website. Local municipalities also post roadwork if it impacts citizens, so a more focused picture can be obtained by the hardcore traveler.
There are several reasons to know where work zones are and how to avoid them. First and foremost, no one likes being stuck in traffic...the most common feature of road construction. Changes or reductions in driving lanes usually leads to stressful bottlenecks and frayed nerves. Increased travel time means more time in your car to reach your destination. Delays can be unpredictable; so planning meetings, day care, and other appointments can be nearly impossible. Secondary routes become clogged with disgruntled drivers looking to escape traffic jams, causing other traffic jams. The avalanche catches everyone in it's path.
Preparation is the key. Leaving for your destination early or at off-peak times, using alternate routes, and exercising additional caution are all ways to reduce the impact of construction season on you, your vehicle, and your mental health. Car-pooling may also be an option, since having someone to talk to can make time pass more quickly and you may not notice that your speedometer hasn't passed 20 miles-per-hour for your entire trip.
Happy Motoring!!!
Friday, May 25, 2012
MEMORIAL DAY
For many people, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, a long holiday weekend, or a reason to throw a party. Unfortunately, all too often the true meaning of Memorial Day is forgotten or its origins are unknown to the very people that celebrate it.
There are differing opinions as to the official origins of Memorial Day. What is known is that Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and was a day of remembrance for those who died in the service of our nation. This is the most important thing to remember as we plan our weekend.
If there is one thing that "hawks" and "doves" should agree on, it might be that our nations war dead made the ultimate sacrifice. As freedom loving Americans, the very least we can do is take a moment - one day a year - to recognize this sacrifice. Whether it's something as simple as hanging a flag, or donating time to the local VFW, we should all give our nations war dead their righteous due.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
(from usmemorialday.org)
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend, and take a moment to remember our fallen brothers.
For many people, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, a long holiday weekend, or a reason to throw a party. Unfortunately, all too often the true meaning of Memorial Day is forgotten or its origins are unknown to the very people that celebrate it.
There are differing opinions as to the official origins of Memorial Day. What is known is that Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and was a day of remembrance for those who died in the service of our nation. This is the most important thing to remember as we plan our weekend.
If there is one thing that "hawks" and "doves" should agree on, it might be that our nations war dead made the ultimate sacrifice. As freedom loving Americans, the very least we can do is take a moment - one day a year - to recognize this sacrifice. Whether it's something as simple as hanging a flag, or donating time to the local VFW, we should all give our nations war dead their righteous due.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
(from usmemorialday.org)
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend, and take a moment to remember our fallen brothers.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Chicago Welcomes the NATO Traveling Road Show
People in and around Chicago...brace yourselves. NATO is coming to town!
If there is one thing you can count on, it would be Chicago finding a way to welcome chaos. We may have dodged a bullet when the G8 Conference was moved to Camp David, but we're not going to be so lucky next weekend when NATO arrives for a quick get together. I don't know if the dollar figures will be public, but my guess is that the city will be writing big fat checks for security and services that the normal everyday Chicago resident could only dream about. Then there is the inconvenience factor to consider. Not only will it be difficult to get into or out of the city, but the simple task of maneuvering within the downtown area itself will be tricky at best with road closures and rerouting of public transportation.
It would be a good idea for anyone with plans in or around Chicago from the 18th through the 21st of May to do their homework. Check for updates information at http://www.chicagonato.org/ and be ready to change your plans altogether.
Since this is the first time that NATO has met in the United States outside of Washington DC, it will undoubtedly be a big deal, and worldwide coverage is a certainty. Chicago will have its "best face" on, and no expense will be spared in making this meeting a success. It's really too bad that - in some cases - it will be done at the expense of the average citizen of the city, who may find all of the hoopla a little taxing. Fortunately, it should be a little like removing a band-aid. The quicker you pull it off, the less it will hurt.
People in and around Chicago...brace yourselves. NATO is coming to town!
If there is one thing you can count on, it would be Chicago finding a way to welcome chaos. We may have dodged a bullet when the G8 Conference was moved to Camp David, but we're not going to be so lucky next weekend when NATO arrives for a quick get together. I don't know if the dollar figures will be public, but my guess is that the city will be writing big fat checks for security and services that the normal everyday Chicago resident could only dream about. Then there is the inconvenience factor to consider. Not only will it be difficult to get into or out of the city, but the simple task of maneuvering within the downtown area itself will be tricky at best with road closures and rerouting of public transportation.
It would be a good idea for anyone with plans in or around Chicago from the 18th through the 21st of May to do their homework. Check for updates information at http://www.chicagonato.org/ and be ready to change your plans altogether.
Since this is the first time that NATO has met in the United States outside of Washington DC, it will undoubtedly be a big deal, and worldwide coverage is a certainty. Chicago will have its "best face" on, and no expense will be spared in making this meeting a success. It's really too bad that - in some cases - it will be done at the expense of the average citizen of the city, who may find all of the hoopla a little taxing. Fortunately, it should be a little like removing a band-aid. The quicker you pull it off, the less it will hurt.
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