7 July, 2008

Dates announced for Royal Ascot 2009

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If you are a keen race goer who prefer to plan in advance, then the good news is the dates for Royal Ascot 2009 have now been announced. Royal Ascot 2009 starts on Monday 16th June 2009 through until Friday 20th June 2009. Ladies Day is on Wednesday 18th June 2009.

So, if you are looking to book the very best limousines or chauffeur cars for Royal Ascot, even if you can’t get the tickets, now would be a good opportunity to secure the best. Cars for Stars is a well established, award winning PCO (private hire) licensed company offering chauffeur driven cars and limousine hire anywhere in the UK. Full packages available for Royal Ascot 2009.

 

18 March, 2008

Just 23 limousines in London licensed by the PCO

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Eighteen months ago, the Government announced a change to legislation designed to protect the travelling public, many of whom were obliged to hire a limo from an unlicensed limousine operators because of a reluctance by the local authorities to allow limos to be licensed for private hire. Therefore, from the beginning of this year, all limousine operators were obliged to licence their vehicles for private hire. Outside of London, this would be with their local authority and inside London with the Public Carriage Office (PCO). Alternatively, they could register for a special ‘bus operators’ licence provided by the traffic commissioners on behalf of VOSA, the Government agency.

Limousine operators were placed on notice 18 months ago and the legislation came into force at the beginning of 2008. Why then, you may ask, are there only 23 limousines in London that have been licensed by the Public Carriage Office, when on an average Saturday night you can see hundred’s of limos around London? Well it is actually worse than that. Rumours are abound that some limo operators that had previously been registered with the PCO, have actually cancelled. So, we have hundreds of limos travelling around London, countless limousine operators claiming to be based in London (many are not, they just claim to be, especially the ‘brokers’) and just 23 licensed. What a pathetic state of affairs.

The situation is not helped by the fact that Government ministers tweaked the legislation rather than spending the time to address the real issues by adding a specific part aimed at limousine operators, which is long overdue. But the bottom line, is the PCO and other local authorities cannot force operators to licence their vehicles, their business or their chauffeurs. The PCO can police the situation, but that requires resource and the reality is most operators are unlikely to be stopped. Result, very few operators have licensed their limos with the PCO. This appalling situation is not helped by the fact that VOSA do not follow their own published guidelines, which clearly states that where a limo operator intends to operate limos for up to 8 passengers and there is a local authourity licensing scheme in place (such as London) then operators should register for private hire rather than as a bus operator with VOSA. Why does this matter, well private hire is manager locally, not regionally and it does not require that individual fares be charged? Local authorities should be able to look at who is advertising limousines in their area and then check to make sure that they are licensed. But, this process is made more complicated, because the limo operator could have a regional licence issued by VOSA. Why on earth does VOSA have to get involved in an area where there is clearly a local authority private hire licensing regime in place? There is simply no logic, even their own published guidelines sat that they will not licence for up to 8 seats if their is a local authority priavet hire licensing regime, but apparantly these guidelines don’t have to be followed by VOSA, so who where they published for?

In the middle of this mess, created by the Government’s failure to address the legislation properly, VOSA’s inability to follow their own guidelines and a lack of resource available to local authorities for policing is…. the travelling public! Placed at risk, because unlicensed operators are not regulated, their vehicles are not subjected to regular stringent tests, as required for all vehicles that have fare paying passengers and worst of all, unlicensed limo operators do not have to licence their drivers for private hire. This means that there is no need for chauffeurs to undertake a strict medical and no need for a Criminal Records Bureau check. Of course that doesn’t mean that your chauffeur hasn’t been checked, but there is no obligation on the limo operator to do so and lets face it, if the operator can’t be bothered to licence his limos, why should he case about his drivers?

You can’t really blame the PCO or your local authority, but you can expect the Police to shoulder some of the blame, they could do more with VOSA, undertake more spot checks and prosecute more offenders. VOSA should follow their own published guidelines, but they appear to set their own agenda’s, with little ministerial oversight on matters related to limousines. Above all, ministers and their advisors have ultimate responsibility for your safety and they have failed to deliver. They tweaked with legislation rather than addressing the real issues and now their initiative has had the opposite affect, now they appear to be shrugging their shoulders and doing nothing. Here is a Government that legislates for anything and everything, but when it comes to a major public safety issue, they are doing nothing.

You can vote with you feet of course and refuse to get into an unlicensed limo, however, if there are only 23 licensed limos in the capital, you would probably end up having to take a bus. So instead, people are getting into unlicensed limousines, with potentially the same risks as would be evident if they were to get into an unlicensed minicab. This is an appalling state of affairs, that the public should be placed at risk, because of inaction by the authorities that are obliged to protect and serve the public.

 

28 December, 2007

Unlicensed limos outlawed in the UK

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As we all ring in the New Year, some limousine companies will be waking to the realisation that they can no longer legally operate unlicensed limousines. Because from the 1st January 2008, all companies offering stretched limousines for hire must be fully licensed before they can offer limousines for hire, the only exception is where the limousines are used exclusively for weddings. The introduction of these new rules is to bring some regulation to a hitherto unregulated industry and afford some protection to the travelling public, as has always been the case with private hire companies and Hackney cabs.  This change follows amendments made to the Road Traffic Act 2006.

In the past, many limousine companies used the so called “seven day rule” to allow them to operate as a limousine hire company. This was sometimes because the limo company could not be bothered to go through the hassle and expense of licensing their business, vehicles and chauffeurs, but also, and more commonly, as a direct consequence of their local authority either refusing to licence stretched limousines or introducing conditions that made it virtually impossible to comply. Invariably there were neighbouring local authorities that had a completely different interpretation of the rules relating to private hire, in relation to left-hand drive stretched limousines. The Government introduced the amendments to ensure that there was a common framework for limousine companies in relation to private hire and to introduce some regulation to a hitherto unregulated, burgeoning industry.

Fortunately for existing operators, the Government announced a delay to the introduction of the amendments to provide existing operators ample time to make the necessary arrangements to licence their business, vehicles and their chauffeur, in fact, the industry have had close to 18 months notice. Of course some limousine companies may already have ‘voluntarily’ licensed their business for private hire, if their local authority supported such applications and the business owner wanted to operate their business in a regulated and completely legal way.

So, given the industry has known about these changes for nearly 18 months, there is no excuse for any company to be operating an unlicensed limousine business and any that do, should be viewed in exactly the same was as an unlicensed mini-cab operator would be.

Of course those limousine operators that have invested the time and money into becoming licensed can rightly expect swift and decisive action from the enforcement officers against any limousine operators who continue to trade without an appropriate private hire licence. In the past the Police, local authorities and VOSA have failed to have a coordinated approach to this issue. Now, following the change to the Road Traffic Act, the public and the industry is entitled to expect these Government agencies to do their jobs.

No doubt there will still be some operators that whine about the amount of time they have been given to conform, but 18 months is a long time, plenty of notice for an operator to go through the necessary steps to licence their operation, vehicles and chauffeurs. Therefore they deserve no sympathy, if they have not licensed their business, then they are not entitled to trade and if they do, the Government agencies must prosecute all cases with vigour.

Many in the limousine industry have argued for regulation and they now have it, whilst not perfect, it is a good start and you can expect the vast majority of these operators to both welcome and conform to the new requirements. Others may feel that the costs were prohibitive and decided to exit the business; this means there may be less capacity in 2008, however, this is likely to be short lived as the professional operators expand to fill any void. Nonetheless, there will still be a hardcore of operators that consider the law is not for them and fail to licence, these people should be pursued, reported and prosecuted to the full extent of the law until they have all been closed down and until this has been completed, the Government agencies will have failed in their statutory obligations to the public and the private hire industry.

 

22 October, 2007

Is this Limo Company really based in London

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Why would any limousine company claim to be based in London when they are not?

 

This is a good question, but it is not so easy to answer and can only lead to some educated guesswork. For example, why would a company based miles outside of London, choose a domain that suggests their business is based in London, maybe even using a generic name that once again suggests that the business is local? Is it their intention to travel into London to complete the hire? Surely if this is the case, then they would be more expensive than a company actually based in the London area? That notwithstanding, the London limo hire business is very competitive, so how could anyone travel into London and offer a lower price than a local business, if they are offering a comparable service and limousine?

 

Perhaps it is their intention to sub-contract the hire to a London company? If this is the case, then surely they should be upfront about it, there is no need to pretend to be based in London is there? However, if a company from outside London intends to sub-contract the hire, then they must be getting a commission or a fee for their trouble, if this is the case, then you must be paying for it? Maybe the most important question is, if a company needs to pretend to have a London operating base in order that they can persuade you to place your business through them, is there anything they wouldn’t do to secure your business? Also, how can you be sure about the type of limousine or company that your business is being passed to?

 

Of course, London based Limousine Operators will have to be Licensed through the Public Carriage Office, which was set up to afford some protection to the travelling public in London and to regulate the industry. If a company has no legitimate base in London, then they can’t be registered with the PCO, which means that it is not a level playing field and the London based commuter will not have the benefit of the oversight provided by the PCO. There may be a few limousine companies that operate under a Bus Operators Licence in London, but these operators also have a regulatory framework that they must operate under and their Licence can also be checked online. So, if the company is sub-contracting your limousine hire to a third party, how can you be sure that they are passing your hire to a PCO registered Limousine Operator or a Bus Operator registered with Transport for London?

 

The bottom line is there are just too many unanswered questions, so what should you do? The best advice has to be to look for a local company, check their operating address and their address for clues as to their whereabouts. Better still, only use a company registered by the Public Carriage Office, that way you will know that they are based in London and are subject to regulatory oversight. You can check the validity of a PCO Registered Limousine Operator by going to the Transport for London website and entering their trading name or Licence number.

 

 

19 October, 2007

So you want a limo that can carry more than eight passengers

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If you have been searching for a limousine that can carry more than 8 passengers, then the chances are you will have come across many limousine companies that have told you that it is not possible to legally carry more than eight. If you have found this article, there is a good chance that you have not been deterred and have decided to continue your quest. This is not without its risks. Contrary to popular belief, these companies have not simply said that it is illegal just because they don’t have any limousines that can seat more than eight passengers. They are making a valid point, the bottom line is, if you go to a limousine company that is licensed with their local authority for private hire, then the maximum number of passengers that can be carried, irrespective of the size of the vehicle is eight.

If the limousine company has a Bus Operators Licence, a driver with an appropriate PCV Licence and the limousine has a Certificate of Initial Fitness, then more than 8 passengers can be carried, unfortunately, because of the cost of conversion, the number of vehicles with a COIF in the UK is very limited. Maybe you are now asking why so many companies appear to be offering limousines that can carry more than 8 passengers. Well if you really want to know how and the risks YOU may be taking, read on.

In order that a limousine can carry more than 8 passengers for hire and reward, it must first be issued with what is known as a Certificate of Initial Fitness, or by its abbreviated term, a CoIF. The problem here is that the conversion work to gain a CoIF requires a substantial investment and this would have to be reflected in the cost of the limousines and therefore the hire charges, making it too prohibitive for most operators . At this time, there are a very limited number of limousines with a CoIF, probably less than 20 in the country and those that do have a CoIF will, quite rightly, shout about it.

 

Whilst there is certainly some merit in having a strict conformity process for vehicles that could regularly be carrying up to 16 passengers, there is also an argument that the regulations where never designed for stretched limousines and therefore some flexibility should be considered to make conformity easier to attain, without necessitating a relaxing of the rules that may put passengers at risk. Needless to say, the authorities have not listened to the industry and therefore, the more enterprising operators have sought and found a work around.

 

Currently, it is possible to complete some minor conversion work and then register a limousine as a private minibus, this is perfectly legal and means that the limousine will not have had to pass an SVA or gained a Certificate of Initial Fitness. Once the limousine has been registered as a private minibus, it can be used to carry up to 16 passengers, depending on weight etc. Therefore anyone is entitled to drive this ‘private minibus’ on a normal drivers licence, provided they have a D1 on their licence. However, it still cannot, under any circumstances, be used for hire and reward without the Certificate of Initial Fitness.

 

With limousines costing anything up to £100,000, few operators will be willing to actually let you drive the limousine yourself, so the criteria employed to be deemed an appropriate driver is quite strict, this means that in many cases, you will be obliged to employ a chauffeur from an approved ‘pool’ of chauffeurs provided by the limousine company. No two operators work in the same way, but here is a typical example of how the practice works.

 

You and a group of 13 friends want to hire a limousine that can carry all 14, but, for whatever reason, you do not want to hire two limousines. Therefore, you approach a company that operates a 14 seat limousine which has been registered as a private minibus and they are prepared to hire out on a self-drive hire contract. The limousine operator will agree to hire you the limousine on a “self-drive” basis, but (typically) insist that, because it is a large and a specialist vehicle, you use an experienced, professional driver or chauffeur from a ‘company’ that provides these on a casual basis. Then, under normal circumstances, you would pay the hire fees to the limousine operator and settle with the chauffeur direct. So, whilst there is a little more paperwork, you now have a limousine which can carry you and all of your friends.

 

Is this legal? Probably, but no-one really knows, the self-drive hire contract and the rules governing the scheme were, by all accounts drawn up by a Barrister with expertise in the transport sector. It would appear that the Barrister has indicated that provided the rules are followed, the practice is perfectly legal under existing legislation. Those operating this scheme now claim that it is legal, in the strictest sense, this is not true, all they have had is a ‘barristers opinion’ and that is all it is, to determine whether or not the scheme is legal would require a court case. So far, VOSA who would normally enforce the rules have done nothing, so the whole matter remains in abeyance.

 

Nonetheless, there are risks attached, and these fall mainly with the hirer. For example, the hire agreement would normally make clear that the vehicle cannot be used for ‘hire and reward’, that is to say, the hirer cannot accept payment from his or her friends towards the cost of the vehicle. In reality, is is most unlikely that anyone would be feeling the benevolent towards their friends or family. If it was proven that the vehicle was indeed used for hire and reward, then the hirer could be charged, amongst other things, with operating a vehicle for hire and reward without an Operator Licence and without a Certificate of Initial Fitness.

 

The driver or chauffeur would also not be immune from prosecution if it could be proved that he or she was, in any way, complicit in the arrangement. In addition, most self-drive hire vehicles are not insured for hire and reward, therefore, if your vehicle was involved in accident, the hirer, could theoretically become personally liable for any claims. Some insurance companies have included hire and reward on the policies, but it is fair to conclude that if they are insuring the limousine (or private minibus) for hire and reward, the insurance companies and therefore the limousine operators must have an inkling that the vehicle may actually be used for that purpose.

 

On a self-drive hire policy, there is also the very real possibility that the vehicle has an insurance excess, therefore it is conceivable that the limousine operator will seek to recover this from the hirer in the event of an ‘fault’ accident. If the hirer has “employed” a driver from a pool proposed by the limousine operator, it may not be reasonable for the hirer to be responsible for the excess in the event of an accident where their driver was at fault.

 

This practice is relatively new and untested in respect of the current legislation, but it is probably more of a moral issue than a legal one. Few would condemn business people who look to get a return on their considerable investment by finding ways to provide consumers with what they want. However, if there was not a justification for a Certificate of Initial Fitness on a passenger carrying vehicle used for hire and reward, then surely it would no be there. It is safe to assume that the authorities consider compliance to be a safety issue.

 

Furthermore, there is probably no need for a company operating in this way (self-drive hire) to have a private hire or bus operator licence, if this is the case, then how safe can the passengers feel when there is, theoretically, no regular checks on the chauffeur and the vehicle? Limousine companies that operate a limousine business for hire and reward are required (from 1st January 2008) to have either a private hire licence or a bus operator licence. Both of these licenses require that the limousine are subjected to a strict and regular test. In addition, the private hire operators or bus operators must employ drivers with the appropriate licence for the vehicle in question, this means that the chauffeur will have been subjected to a medical and criminal records bureau check.

 

For those consumers that intend to hire a limousine with a view to carrying more than 8 passengers from a self-drive hire limousine operator then we recommend that they consider the following:

  1. Read the self-drive contract hire carefully.

  2. Tell the company you intend to hire the limousine from how you intend to fund the vehicle and ask them if that would be considered hire and reward, then note their response in writing or do this in front of a witness. One definition of hire and reward has been provided by the Transport Office, you can read it here: Definition of Hire and Reward

  3. Check the terms and conditions of the hire to see whether or not the vehicle is covered for hire and reward, if it is, and you should fall foul with the law, then in theory you will not be in a position where the vehicle is uninsured.

  4. Find out if there is a policy excess and if there is, who would be responsible for reimbursement in the event that accident was considered the fault of your driver

  5. Remember, you are employing the chauffeur, so try and establish whether or not you will still be liable for the hire cost if the driver does not turn up

  6. Establish who will be responsible in the event that the vehicle has any faults which could give rise to Police action at the roadside. Would it be you as the hirer, the driver, or the hire company. It may be that all, or just some of you would be considered responsible.

  7. You should be aware, that ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse. So be under no illusion, if you intend to accept any form of payment from any of the passengers, that provides them with the right to be carried in the limousine, then this is hire and reward. It doesn’t matter whether this is a direct or indirect payment. As the hirer, it is your responsibility, if you are found to have provided a hire and reward service, then you must have, where more than 8 passengers are carried, a bus operators licence, the chauffeur must have an appropriate PCV licence and the vehicle must have a Certificate of Initial Fitness. This is no grey area, it is cast in stone!

 

19 October, 2007

London Hotels, Limousine Hire and You. A note of caution

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If you are staying in a Hotel in London and you want to order the services of a company providing stretched limousines for hire, the chances are you will enquire at the front desk or, ask the Concierge for a recommendation. It is highly probable that your Hotel will be able to recommend one or two companies, after all, this is not an unusual request! You may also assume that because the Hotel is prepared to recommend these companies, that they have also vetted them. This may be the case, but equally, it may not.

 

Therefore the onus is on you to either ask the Hotel what vetting procedure they have, if any, or to check direct with the company offering the services. No-one should assume that, just because a company is offering limousines for hire and they have been recommended, that they comply with all of the necessary local legislation. In fact, many Hotels may not even understand the obligations these companies are under. So here is some advice for travellers, that may want to hire a stretched limousine during their stay in London.

 

Limousine Operators based in Greater London and operating a hire or reward business must be licensed. In most cases, this will be with the Public Carriage Office, but some may have opted for a Bus Operator’s Licence, which is issued by the Traffic Commissioners. A recent survey of 20 London hotels indicated that 95% of them did not know that the limousine operators had to be licensed. In addition, none of them could be certain that the companies they currently recommended were licensed. Whilst this was an unscientific survey, it does suggest that there is a lack of knowledge within the Hotel industry in London relating to the use of American Stretched Limousines in the capital. The most common form of licensing for limousines is Private Hire, which in London is managed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO).

 

So what are the benefits of using a licensed limousine company?

  • Whether a limousine company is licensed by the Traffic Commissioners or the Public Carriage Office, their business will be subjected to regular checks and scrutiny by the relevant licensing officers.

  • Every limousine will be required to be registered as a Private Hire Vehicle or Passenger Carrying Vehicle and as such, will be required to undergo and pass regular tests. These tests are far more stringent than a standard Ministry of Transport Test.

  • All Chauffeur’s will be obliged to have an appropriate licence. Depending on which licensing authority they come under, they will be required to have either a PCO Licence or an appropriate PCV Licence. To obtain either, the Chauffeur will be required to pass a medical and a criminal records bureau check.

  • The Licensing Officers will check on the validity of the insurance on each licensed vehicle and they will be entitled to check their Public Liability Insurance for suitability.

 

What else does the Hotel need to know?

  • The maximum number of passengers that can be carried in a vehicle licensed by the Public Carriage Office is eight. Irrespective of the actual size of the vehicle.

  • If a limousine company is licensed as a Bus Operator, they may be able to offer limousines that carry more than 8 passengers, but only if the limousine has a Certificate of Initial Fitness. Most limousines cannot meet the requirements, therefore, very few limousine companies will be able to offer a limousine with a seating capacity of more than 8 for hire or reward.

 

How can the Hotel be certain that the limousine company and their vehicles are properly licensed?

  • The Public Carriage Office provide a facility whereby each company, limousine and Chauffeur can be checked to see if they have a valid licence. PCO Office.

  • VOSA provide an online facility to check on the validity and type of bus operators licence and whether a vehicle is licensed using the registration number. VOSA Online.

 

Hotels that book limousines on behalf of their guests and subsequently bill their customers for the service, may also be acting outside the law, because they are in effect, acting as a limousine operator. Therefore, they could need a Bus Operators Licence or a Private Hire Vehicle Operators Licence issued by the PCO. Hotels that are offering this service to their guests would be well advised to check with the local offices of VOSA or the Public Carriage Office to ensure that what they are doing is legal. Failing which, once they have established that the limousine company is correctly licensed, they may prefer to allow the guest to deal direct.

 

Cars for Stars Limited is a well established and experienced, award winning company providing chauffeur cars and limousines through an extensive branch network. Cars for Stars in London is licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) for private hire. Other Cars for Stars branches are franchised and therefore licensed through their respective local authorities. All Cars for Stars offices are obliged to adhere to the high standards and service as the Group.

 

Cars for Stars offer a full complement of chauffeur driven cars and American limousines for hire and all of the vehicles are exempted from the requirement to affix a private hire plate to the vehicle. As a full service chauffeur cars company, Cars for Stars offer a range of services, which include business and leisure travel, tours, wedding cars, transfers to and from airports, long-term hires, tours, European travel via the Eurotunnel other forms of event transportation.

 

 

18 October, 2007

Mandy is looking for Cheap Limo Hire

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Ask anyone that uses the search term ‘Cheap Limo Hire‘ and in all likelihood they will tell you that they don’t really want cheap. What they want is a good deal from a reliable company offering a decent stretched limousine. They may also tell you that it is difficult to differentiate between the good, the bad and the ugly. Maybe that it is nigh on impossible to compare offers because no two organisations are the same and they would be right. This article uses a fictitious character, Mandy and two fictitious companies to investigate how these differences arise, and how Mandy might compare each aspect of the offer from the limo company, including the actual limousine, the type of business, any additional services and the ‘pedigree’ of the organisation.

 

There is no intention of coming to a definitive conclusion, because Mandy, like everyone else is an individual and when hiring a limousine, it is very much a case of horses for courses, there is no right, nor wrong. But knowing how to compare the different offers may be useful to others that fact the same challenge. Many is looking to hire for herself and seven friends, this makes it a large responsibility, because if she and her friends have a bad experience, you can be certain, that they will forget the the ‘cheap price’ long before they forget a cheap experience. Therefore, Mandy’s responsibility, like many other real life characters is a potentially daunting one.

 

Mandy has decided that she wants to go to the NIA in Birmingham to see her favourite band, with a group of her friends and, has been charged with the hire a limousine to take them to and from the event. Mandy searches the internet, completes some online forms and receives two replies, one limo company is cheaper than the other, so Mandy calls both companies.

 

Limo Company One

Is asking £325 for the two journeys. The company is licensed for private hire, the vehicles are licensed as private hire vehicles and all of the chauffeurs are licensed to drive private hire vehicles, meaning the chauffeur’s have had to pass a medical and criminal records bureau check. Limo Company One, is offering a 3 month old, silver Chrysler 300 stretched limousine for the journey. They have also offered to include a bottle of Champagne. Limo Company One has confirmed that their vehicles are subjected to bi-annual checks by local authority authorised test centres. These are much stricter than a normal  vehicle test,  even checking that all of the lights and other electrical items inside the limousine are working. Limo Company One, is a full-time operator, VAT registered and has been trading for over 5 years. They operate from commercial premises and have invited Mandy to view the limousine at their premises or if she is too busy, they will point her to the high resolution pictures on their website.

 

Limo Company Two

Is asking £250 for the two journeys. The company has not yet licensed their company for private hire, therefore, they have no need to licence their limousines or drivers. They are offering a 2001 Lincoln Stretched limousine in white, which has covered 168,000, but is in “excellent condition”. The vehicle has recently passed a normal MOT test. Mandy can only view the limousine in the evening, as long it is not on hire, because Limo Company Two only operates on a part-time basis, from their home and their partner is not keen on too many late night visitors! Because Limo Company Two is a “part-time limo company”, there is no need for the business to be VAT registered and they have “only been trading for 6 months”. Limo Company Two can’t show any pictures of the actual limousine, because their website is under construction, but it does includes generic pictures of the same type of limousine.  Limo Company Two has offered to throw in a bottle of “Bubbly” for Mandy and her friends.

 

So which company is the cheapest? Obviously Limo Company Two. But is it a fair comparison, one price is lower than the other, but it is not a like for like comparison? One company is offering a brand new limousine, the other, one that is nearly 7 years old. One company has taken the time, trouble and expense to licence their business, limousines and chauffeurs, the other has not. One company operates full-time, from commercial premises and has been established for over 5 years, the other has confirmed that they are part-time, work from home and new to the business.

 

Limo Company One has invited Mandy to view the limousine at their premises, or indicated that high resolution images of the actual limousine are on their website, Limo Company Two has also invited Mandy to view the limousine, but is not keen on personal visitors at their home address and is unable to show images of the actual limousine, but Mandy can see the “type of limo it is” from the generic images on Limo Company Two’s website. Finally, Limo Company One are offering Champagne, whilst Limo Company Two is providing Bubbly. So which company is the cheapest?

 

The difference in price between the two limousine companies works out at just over £9 per head. If Mandy and her friends just want a cheap form of transport to get to and from the event and she is not bothered about niceties such as licensing, (which after all is the responsibility of the limo company), plus she admits that she and her friends can’t tell the difference between Bubbly and Champagne, then the chances are, she would be better off going with Limo Company Two. Or, perhaps consider another form of low cost transport, such as a minibus.

 

However, if Mandy believes that the journey to and from the event should be part of the whole experience and, she firmly believes that companies that invest in their business, vehicles and staff are likely to offer a positive and enjoyable experience, then she would be better off going to Limo Company One. After all, the difference is only £9 per head, they have not cut corners by offering cheap Bubbly and Mandy may well believe that trying to save a few pounds on a bottle of alcohol may be symptomatic of other short cuts that she and her friends can’t see.

 

So which company is the cheapest?

This article cannot answer that question, nor does it seek to, because Mandy is an individual. The purpose of this article is to highlight the differences between the two companies by comparing aspects other than the headline price. It will be clear to many, that if Mandy were squeeze a little more money from her friends, then she could get much better value for money by going for Limo Company One, but if price is critical and she is prepared to take a larger gamble, perhaps she should place her business with Limo Company Two and then she will have achieved her objective of getting a cheap limo. If truth be told, no-one that hires a limo really wants a cheap limo, what they want is to understand the differences and achieve the best value.

 

Cars for Stars do not offer cheap limo hire. They are an award winning company providing late model, high value chauffeur driven cars and stretched limousines, with a service to match. Cars for Stars offer limousines and chauffeur cars through a network of franchised offices. All of which accept and operate to the same exacting standards, providing a quality service, with first class limousines at a fair and representative price. If you are not looking for cheap limo hire, but you want service, reliability and a choice of quality limousines representing real value for money, then call your local Cars for Stars branch.

 

All Cars for Stars branches are licensed for private hire by the relevant local authority, in London this is the Public Carriage Office (PCO). This means that all Cars for Stars franchisees are registered for private hire, the limousines are licensed as private hire vehicles and the chauffeurs are licensed to drive the cars and limousines.

 

If you are looking for limousine hire or chauffeur car hire companies based in the UK, then you could try the following internet resources. Chauffeur Cars Directory, Chauffeur Cars & Limousine Directory, as other general web directories with large limousine sections.

 

Limo Company One and Limo Company Two are ficticious names used for the purpose of producing this article. Any similarlity to any companies or businesses past or present is purely coincidental. Oh yes, Mandy is also a ficticious character!

 

17 October, 2007

Cheap Limo Hire, Cut Glass or Diamond?

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Ask any professional jeweller and he will tell you the difference between a genuine diamond, cut glass or zirconia. Similarly, a professional limousine company will be able to tell the difference between a company offering cheap limo hire and one offering genuine value for money. The reality is, basic economics dictate that no limousine company can offer cheap limo hire unless they are offering less. Maybe it is an older limousine, an inferior service or maybe they have not licensed their business, limousines or chauffeurs for private hire. It is something of a guessing game, but the if you get it wrong, the ultimate price will be yours.

 

This limousine business is a service industry, so ask yourself this, when was the last time you heard someone refer to a ‘cheap service’ other than in a derogatory manner? Also, what self-respecting company would refer to their service as cheap? The dictionary describes the word cheap as ‘of poor quality, inferior, worthy of no respect, vulgar or contemptible. If you are seeking to hire a limousine for a special occasion or event, the last thing you will want is an inferior or cheap service. Of course, the reality is, most limousine companies do not advertise cheap limo hire, but some limo agencies and brokers do, so what message are these third parties trying to convey?

 

Could it be that the companies they represent are cheap, offer an inferior service or limousine, or perhaps the implication is that the agent or broker can negotiate a cheap price. Lets deal with each point. Few limousine companies can afford, or would wish to cut corners, they must buy their limos, insure them, provide public liability insurance, service and repair the limousines, employ professional chauffeurs, licence the company and vehicles and then add fuel. In all likelihood, the only place they can save money is on the cost of the limousine, the servicing or maintenance. Offering an inferior limousine would be counter productive, because it would be apparent to the customer and a failure to service or properly maintain the limo will lead to reliability problems.  Therefore, if they don’t cut corners and offer a like for like product and service, can they really offer cheap limo hire? Unlikely.

 

Perhaps the agent or broker is suggesting that they can negotiate a better deal than you can. Maybe, but once again, the basic economics must come into play here. The agent or broker has to receive their commission or fees, so who is going to pay that? No matter whether you are charged an agents fee direct, or the limousine company pays a commission, in the end, you are paying. So where is the saving coming from that allows it to be described as cheap limo hire? Surely, it is beyond reasonable comprehension, that a limousine company can offer a service and product equal to or better than their competitors, pay over a slice of their income to a third party and still come in cheaper. Once again, unlikely? A Chinese Proverb reminds us “cheap things are not good, good things are not cheap”.

 

Cars for Stars do not offer cheap limo hire. They are an award winning company providing late model, high value chauffeur driven cars and stretched limousines, with a service to match. Cars for Stars do not accept hires from anyone that would dare to describe their service or limousines as ‘cheap’. In fact, Cars for Stars do not accept any sub-contracted limousine hires. Cars for Stars offer limousines and chauffeur cars through a network of franchised offices. All of which accept and operate to the same exacting standards, providing a quality service, with first class limousines at a fair and representative price. If you are not looking for cheap limo hire, but you want service, reliability and a quality limousine representing real value for money, then call your local Cars for Stars branch.

 

 

16 October, 2007

Dates announced for Royal Ascot 2008

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The organisers of Royal Ascot 2008 have announced the dates in June 2008. These are Tuesday 17th June until Saturday 21st June, Ladies Day will be on Thursday 19th June. Of course, Royal Ascot is the UK’s most popular race meeting and, it is also the time of the year when most limousine companies are fully booked, often months in advance. In addition, there have been changes within the Licensing regime covering limousine operators, as a result, it is likely that there will be fewer limousines available in 2008, than there were in 2007, so this year, perhaps more than any previous year, the mantle ‘book early to avoid disappointment’ has never more relevant.

 

In 2008, every limousine company in the UK will have to be licensed for ‘hire or reward’, some have already achieved this and others are currently going through the process. But why leave it to chance. Cars for Stars is a national company operating through local franchised offices. Each franchise is already licensed by their local authority for private hire and in the case of London, by the Public Carriage Office. Cars for Stars has an impressive range of chauffeur driven cars and limousines for hire, as well as a limousine hire package for Royal Ascot. The Licensing regime means that the company, limousines and the chauffeurs have to be Licensed, providing customers with the added confidence that an independent third party is providing some oversight, against measurable and tangible standards.

 

 

14 October, 2007

Different types of stretched limousines in the UK

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If you are going to hire a limo, then it helps to know the different types and styles that are available, this article is designed to offer some assistance. It will only list the more popular limousines available in the UK, rather than offering samples and descriptions of the very rare or more exotic limousines. This is partly because rare limos will only be available in certain areas and, the use of images without the owners permission could breach their copyright.

 

The most popular stretched limousine available in the UK is the Ford Lincoln Town car 120 stretched limousine. In the UK, these will typically be aged from a 1990 model through to a 2007 model, during this period there were three, fairly distinctive styles. The years of manufacture are approximated because the models may have been changed mid-year and some may have been stretched later.

 

Lincoln Town Car (Pre1990)

Pre 1990 Lincoln Stretched LimousineAlthough the Town Car name actually appeared in 1922, the vehicle itself only became a model in it’s own right in 1981. Most of these particular limousine were built post 1985 through to 1990 and many were built with a smaller stretch, so they may have a smaller seating capacity. There are still a number of excellent examples operating in the UK they would normally be described by their owners as “classic limousines”.

 

Lincoln Town Car (1990 to 1998)

Lincoln Stretched limousine 1990 to 1998

There are still a large number of these limousines operating in the UK and once again, whilst they may have high mileage and could be 16 or 17 years old, they were well built and owners tend to have looked after them extremely well. The majority of the so called ‘older style, square shaped’ limos were produced between 1990 and 1998. Nonetheless, there are some poor examples, therefore, it is worth asking for some images of the exterior and interior prior to confirming a booking.

 

Lincoln Town Car (1998 to 2003)

Lincoln Stretched limousine 1998 to 2003

By far the most popular Lincoln Town Car stretched limousine on the road in the UK is the model introduced in 1998, this discarded the previous box shape with an all new curvaceous design, the new design extended into the interior as well. A favourite amongst coachbuilders, it is likely the most successful model, from a volume perspective, of any of the stretched limos. Hence the reason there are so many of this particular model in the UK. Ford also introduced a standard specification for the design and build of stretched Lincoln limousine, coachbuilders that agreed to and adhered to the standard were allowed to purchase donor cars and become part of the QVM programme.

 

Lincoln Town Car (2003 to )

Lincoln stretched limousine post 2003

In 2003, a face lifted model was introduced, although very similar to its predecessor from a design perspective, the front was provided with a more ‘modern’ style and the rear also received similar treatment. Other changes included electrical specifications and the interior finish. Again the coachbuilder embraced this model and it has now become popular in the UK. Unlike the previous model, many of these vehicles were actually brand new when they were imported from the USA.

 

That other great Marquee in the United States Cadillac was also subject to the coachbuilders’ attention with donor cars being used to build Cadillac stretched limousines. For a number of reasons, the UK market has never really taken to the Cadillac in the same was as the Lincoln Town car, so the Cadillac is still something of a rarity in the UK. Cadillac have a similar approval programme for coachbuilders which is called the Cadillac Master Coachbuilder (CMC).

 

Cadillac DeVille (2000 to 2005)

Cadillac De Ville stretched limousine

Because the Cadillac is relatively rare in the UK, the most likely one offered for hire will be the Cadillac De Ville which was manufactured between 2000 and 2005. You may also come across the previous model which was built between 1994 and 1999, but there are no pictures of this model in a limousine format. There is also an SUV version of the Cadillac, called the Escalade (see below).

 

In 2006, Lincoln indicated that they were no longer going to build the Lincoln Town Cars (they have since relented, although they will be built in Canada), so the coachbuilders looked around for an alternative. At around the same time, the Chrysler 300 was launched and this became the coachbuilders favoured donor car. Whether it would have had the same success if the situation with the Lincoln had not been announced is highly debatable. But the customers liked the look and very soon the Chrysler 300 arrived in the UK.

 

Chrysler 300 (2006 – )

Chrysler 300 stretched limousine

Today there are probably more Chrysler 300 limousines stretched by USA coachbuilders than any other limousine, therefore the Chrysler 300 has become an increasingly common sight on our roads. Unlike the Lincoln and Cadillac, which do not disguise their origins, the Chrysler is an all new, modern design, commanding real ‘presence’ on our roads, even though Chrysler had never envisaged that the Chrysler 300 would end up being stretched.

 

Amongst the larger ‘SUV’ style limousines is the Ford Excursion, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, Hummer H2 and Hummer H3. Many are advertised as being capable of carrying more than 8 passengers, however, unless they are being offered on a self-drive hire basis, they cannot carry more than 8 passengers unless they have a Certificate of Initial Fitness (possible, but rare) and the company must have a Bus Operators Licence. Some companies are getting around this problem by registering the limo as a private minibus, using a self-drive hire contract and a ‘contracted in’ chauffeur employed by the hirer. Again, some of these limousine are more popular than others.

 

Hummer H2

Hummer H2 stretched limousine

The Hummer is the road going version of the American military vehicle the Humvee and American coachbuilders have been stretching them for over 5 years. The H2, because of its size, is the the more popular model and it is not unusual to see models in the United States, stretched by up to 240″ (some even longer) and advertised as being capable of carrying up to 26 passengers. There are a few of the ‘larger’ H2 limousines in the UK, not least because there are very strict rules in terms of their use as a hire or reward vehicle. Some of the very latest model H2’s may have a Certificate of Initial Fitness, but these will be the exception to the rule, which means a maximum of 8 passengers when offered for hire or reward, irrespective of size.

 

Hummer H3

Hummer H3 stretched limousine

The Hummer H3 has only been around for a couple of years and is a little smaller than the H2, however, unless you place them side by side, or your know your Hummer limousines, most people would not be able to tell the difference. Typically the Hummer H3 is stretched by 140″ and will carry a maximum of 8 passengers. There is noticeably less headroom in the H3 version of the limousine.

 

Ford Excursion

Ford Excursion stretched limousine

Not the prettiest SUV limousine available on the market, but it is, nonetheless a very roomy limo. A few have been converted in the UK in order that they can gain a Certificate of Initial Fitness, which means they will be able to carry up to 13 passengers, when hired through a Licensed Bus Operator and driven by a chauffeur with the appropriate PCV licence.

 

 

Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln Navigator stretched limousine

Depending on who you talk to, the Lincoln Navigator is a more handsome SUV than others within its peer group, it also has a more upmarket feel, certainly from the chauffeurs perspective. Once again, it is possible to locate Lincoln Navigators in the United States that have been stretched up to 180″ and advertised as being able to carry 16 passengers. If they have been built by an approved QVM coachbuilder, then the stretch will be limited to 140″ and the maximum number of passengers in the USA will be 14. There are only a handful of these limousines in the UK and they will be subject to the much stricter rules employed here, irrespective of what the coachbuilders, manufacturers or QVM programme states.

 

Cadillac Escalade

Cadillac Escalade stretched limousine

Once again, for one reason or another, the Cadillac limousines are more popular in the United States than they are in the UK. The Escalade is Cadillac’s own SUV and may be stretched up to 200″, with perhaps, an advertised carrying capacity of 20 passengers. As before, the UK rules and regulation take precedence and, conversions to allow them to be used here to carry more than 8 passengers is prohibitively expensive. As a consequence, not many people will be offered these particular limousines and certainly not to carry more than 8 passengers.

 

Ford Expedition

Ford Expedition stretched limousine

This is the larger version of the Ford Excursion and the same rules apply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now then, onto the rules that govern your safety in the UK.

 

From 1st January 2008, all limousine operators that offer a limo for hire or reward must be Licensed. They can either register as a Bus Operators (there are 4 different types of licence) or as a Private Hire Operator, where they register with their local district council.

 

Private Hire Operators

No matter how large the limousine is, at the time of writing this article, the maximum number of passengers that can be carried for hire or reward is 8. FACT!

 

Bus Operators

Provided the limousine has an SVA and have been licensed as a Public Service Vehicle, they can carry a maximum of 8 passengers for hire and reward. To carry more than 8 passengers, the limousine must have a Certificate of Initial, Fitness, this will determine the maximum number of passengers (typically, but not necessarily) 14. The vehicle must be registered as a Public Service Vehicle and the chauffeur must have an appropriate PCV Licence. FACT!

 

Self-Drive Hire

Provided a limousine has undergone some minor conversion work, it is possible to register it as a private minibus. This vehicle can then be hired out on a self-drive hire basis, to carry a maximum of 16 (typically 14) passengers. The hirer is expected to use a contracted chauffeur from an approved source to drive the limousine. So, the hirer enters an agreement whereby they hire the limo on a self-drive hire basis and then employ a chauffeur, who the hirer must pay. As a consequence of this arrangement, the limousine company need not have an appropriate operators licence and the limousine does not currently need a Certificate of Initial Fitness.

 

This type of arrangement may actually be legal, but it most certainly circumvents many of the regulations put in place to protect the travelling public, in addition, it is the hirer that shoulders much of the risk if it all goes pear shaped and it is unlikely that the limousine company will be spelling this out at the time of the hire. Anyone considering using this method should do so with their eyes open, there are significant risks and the hirer could, theoretically be charged with operating a vehicle for hire or reward without an Operator Licence and a vehicle for hire or reward without a Certificate of Initial Fitness. You have been warned.

 

Of course VOSA who know exactly what is going on, appear to be nothing to prevent this type of hire, but you can rest assured, that if the worse should happen, they will not be slow to prosecute the hirer if any offence has been committed.

 

Cars for Stars in London is licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) for private hire and other Cars for Stars branches are licensed through their local authority. Therefore, the businesses are subject to regular assessments to ensure that they comply with all of the regulations, the limousines and chauffeur cars must be subjected to regular and very stringent tests, in order that they can retain their private hire vehicle licence and of course the chauffeurs must also be licensed to drive these vehicles. For a chauffeur to obtain and maintain their licence they must be subjected to and pass a medical and will also be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check.

 

 

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