While major universities have not embraced the power of Wikipedia yet, for the sake of this blog I will consider it a credible source.

As it turns out, limos have been around forever. Hilariously enough, original limos had the driver sitting outside the limo with an overhead cover while the passengers sat inside protected from the climate. I suppose this hearkens back to horse and buggies.

"The word limousine is derived from the name of the French region Limousin, because this covered compartment physically resembled the cloak hood worn by the shepherds there."

 An owner operator in the transportation business is a person or persons who own a vehicle (descriptions to follow of a vehicle) and do work for various limousine companies. We the limousine company, consider this farm out work. We, the limousine company, cross our fingers and hope the job gets completed correctly by the person we gave the ride to. 

Owner operators are now known as IO's: Independent operators. As with anything else, there are good ones, okay ones and "I can't believe I'm giving this guy a ride" one's. 

Way to go Ford, you cancelled the best livery vehicle possible. Excellent ride. Powerful Engine. Great leather seats. Ridiculous amount of leg room. Special packages for rear passenger controls. Reasonably priced. What's next?

Next is the Lincoln MKT, according to Ford. It is a crossover, pretty nice actually. Check it out: http://www.lincoln.com/crossovers/mkt/ My problem with it is that it looks like the mom next door should be driving it; it does not look like a vehicle that chauffeurs professionals around.

 Sedan. The most basic vehicle of the ground transportation industry. Presently, the Lincoln Town Car is the car of choice. Not your standard luxury Town Car, no, Lincoln had to go and build a car with a six inch extension. Regular luxury wasn't good enough. And you know Cadillac had to match them. Now, Ford can not afford to keep building them, so now the Town Car will be gone. Cadillac DTS, gone too.

 Listen, I'm not a frequent flier, but I do travel several times a year. And there a something that I just don't understand. 

What is better, the first one made or the second or third. What the heck is he talking about? I'll tell you what I'm talking about.

 The way I look at the limousine business is very simple. My office people sit either by the phone or the computer and wait for a customer to give us a reservation, by one of those methods. We then enter the reservation, and when the time comes we dispatch it to a driver or chauffuer, whichever term you prefer. The driver then allows himself enough time to be at the customer's location ten minutes prior to the scheduled time. The customer then comes out on time as scheduled and the two drive off to either an airport or other location that was planned.

 The year of this next story is either 1985 or 1986. I'm not quite sure, but I do not think it is that critical. But who knows? 
 
I used to do my share of driving, along with other stuff, when we first started. I even did proms. Although you are up all night, they are money makers. 
 

 In 1988 we purchased a Mercury Gran Marquis. It was a beautiful car because it was black with a light gray vinyl top and dove interior. Most of the cars back then were all black. This car was special.
 
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving that year I had a driver who wanted to take that car home from the office. I told him he had no trips until Friday, to hold onto the stretch limousine that he had and switch cars on Friday before his ride.
 

"Lord, I was born a ramblin' man, tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can."
 
No, not ramblin', rambling! Although, I am trying to make a living. But in this economy it is getting tougher and tougher. Business is weak, and I know we will survive(no I'm not going to write those lyrics). We have been in business for 26 years and have recovered from a number of hiccups. But this is affecting everyone. Well, I said that, but I still have to wait at my favorite restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights. It goes to show our priorities.
 

I am completely blank as to what I want to say. So, let me ramble.
 
I did just get off the phone with my son Michael who is in his final year at NYU. He has an interesting dilemma. After three and a half years he completed his required courses, now he just taking some extra credits. Does he look for a job now, or relax and have fun. He is speaking with his advisors, and hopefully they guide him in the right direction. Mom and Dad are very proud.
 

Summer time, summer time ,sum sum summer time. My son Michael got me a Beach Boys greatest hits CD for Christmas. I know what you are thinking, CD's how lame. Hey I finally got an updated version of Sal Soul Orchestra Christmas songs from my friend Harry on CD, so I was able to get rid of my eight track cassette. I kid you not.
 

My son Daniel goes to school at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL just north of Chicago. He had his front wheel drive Scion there but he said he could not use it in the snow. So we decided it was best if he took the Chrysler AWD vehicle for the winter.
 

The holidays are upon us. Wow! What happened. Doesn't it seem like we were just sitting in traffic on the Garden Sate Parkway heading home from the beach? How time flies.
 

Back in the very early 1990's, my company was doing business with BMW of North America located in Montvale. We had the pleasure of providing ground transportation for them since 1985. We did have a very good relationship and we provided them with excellent service. But not everything is rosy in Mudville. One Saturday we were scheduled to pick up a Vice President at his home in the woods of West Milford, NJ. We have been there before so it shouldn't have been a problem. Now for a second, think back to that era, and remember how we communicated.

I took a walk to the the post office today to try to decifer the numbers on a certified receipt. Simple thing, I needed to find out, of my three items that I sent by certified mail, the order in which they were sent. As I walked up the ramp and through the door, a woman came around the corner with a child in one arm and a box in the other. I went back out and waited to hold the door for her. I then went and held the second door for her. Now, what do think happened. There was no line and one clerk. I went to go around her to the counter because, technically I was first.

You know how it goes. When we were young all we thought about was being older. At five you couldn't wait to be six or seven. Remember being fourteen or fifteen, you were beside yourself that if only you were seventeen, then I could drive. And even at seventeen you wanted to be eighteen because then you were officially an adult. OK, but that wasn't good enough, because if I was twenty one, then I can drink (officially)and now I'm really an adult.

About ten years ago our school had a Spring Social gathering that happened to be on a Port Imperial Ferry. The organizer did a great job in planning the buses to and from our town of Montvale loaded with food. The time on the ferry was a blast. We floated around New York Harbor and surrounding areas. The music was great, we were dancing and singing and enjoying the adult beverages and food. Unfortunately when there are roughly two hundred people and two restrooms it gets a little crazy. Then one of them happens to break so we are sharing just the one.