
In this lesson we will learn the different types of transportation that you can decide to get into. We introduce you to
- The Taxicab or cab or taxi Service
A local service that offers point to point rides within the city, town or village. The yellow cabs have stands throughout the city and can be hailed. The fare can be negotiated and they also carry a meter and a credit card reader in the vehicle.
- The Livery Service
A County Service that has a license to offer city to city trips as well as all trips coming into or leaving the County. This is the most popular transportation service that will take clients to airports, cruiseports, can offer long distance and all prearranged services. Vehicles here are of a higher class and this type of transportation requires that a vehicles and its driver both be registered and insured commercially and be dispatched by a base.
- The Shuttle Service
The Shuttle service often points to a type of transportation in common that involves a larger vehicle that either waits on location for clients to come and get in, or the vehicle simply goes from homes to homes to pick up or drop off. Fares in this type of service is usually lower due to the fact that the vehicle has to make multiple stops and does not leave with just one clients. Rides are either dispatches on a schedule or once the vehicle is full. The insurance and license requirements for this type of service and vehicle are different than those of smaller vehicles due to the vehicle size and how many passenger it can carry.
- The Limo Service
A transportation service of a higher class. The Limo Service is often confused with Limo Vehicles. Vehicles are often black, its drivers well dresses (Shirt, ties, suit). Limousine vehicles are vehicles that mostly get hired on an hourly basis, Ex $120/hr with 3hr minimum + 20% driver tip. They cater to birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, proms etc.
A limo service can incorporate Entertainment in the vehicle as well as alcoholic beverages if the company has an alcohol license.
- The Non Emergency Medical Transportation (Medical Transportation)
A livery or taxi service that involves mostly Recipients of an Insurance company. Ie Medicaid. The company that has completed it's registration as a local taxi service or a livery service can sign a contract with the state and gets trips dispatched by the Insurance Company to drive patients (Recipients) between homes and Dr Offices or Hospital and back.
After each day, the transportation company bills the States and waits for a Direct Deposit.
In this lesson we discuss the various types of clients you will get based on the type of transport you decided to offer.
Every niche has a very specific types of clients:
- Taxi: local clients who book last minute by hailing a cab in the street or walking into a taxi base
- Livery: The most hybrid transportation type which also caters and benefit from many types of clients. City to city, airport clients, out of town or out of state clients, medical trips, VIPs and more types
- Medical. You can decide to add this transportation type to your array of services. You can either pick clients (patients) off for their medical appointments or you can sign a contract with a hospital, a home or an insurance company and offer pre-arranged trips to recipients and bill the state or the hospital based on that contract.
- Limousine clients, VIPs. This include a VIP Service and a nicer and bigger vehicle or a bus, where you will negotiate an hourly rate with a certain minimum number of hours and added driver's gratuities.
- Medical Trips. You can either incorporate these clients under a Livery Service or simply specialize with the NEMT contracts, which means you only offer trips to and from Doctor Offices, Clinics, Hospitals and more. Here you get paid by the Insurance Company, the Hospital or the Family.
- Schools: if you decided to offer school transportation, you can do so either with your livery transportation service, taking students back and from between their homes and their schools. In certain states and counties, you have to have a School Transportation Permit and vehicles registered specifically to transport children. You also need to have a bus or a van that is registered to offer that service. In this case, make sure to check with your County or your State.
For each type of Passenger Transportation service type, there are requirements from the Department of Transportation, the State, the County and the City in which you will run your transportation base.
Requirements are both for the Base, the Vehicles and the Drivers. These requirements might vary slightly from one State or County to the other. The Requirements we discuss here are general and might be different based on where you operate from.
- Taxi:
Hack License, Vehicle, Base Location, Dispatch Radio, Fare sheet
- Livery:
E class driver license, Base Station, Fare sheet, At least 1 vehicle registered. TLC Permit and requirements if applicable
- Limo:
Same requirements for Livery Service + Alcohol License (if applicable)
- Shuttle: Same as Livery Service + DMV A,B or C Class license if operating a 15+ passenger vehicles and Passenger Endorsement
- School Bus. Same as Livery and Shuttle + School Bus Endorsement
- Medical Transportation and NEMT: The Non Emergency Medical Transportation has requirements for taxi and/or Livery. For Medicaid Contracts, should go through the Enrollment process with the State.
In this lesson we discuss the most popular vehicle types that are associated with traditional Transportation business types.
* Cabs and yellow taxis are often associated with lincoln towncars but they can also use camrys and other types of vehicles that have enough rooms for passengers
* Livery vehicles are the most flexible and can range from Towncars to Camrys, Hondas, Minivans and every vehicle in between that is clean and can pass an inspection.
* Limo vehicles are more roomy, have more options such as a fridge, entertainments and more features. This model can use party buses or extended vehicles such as stretch sedans or SUVs and even Hummers and buses
* Medical. Your NEMT service can use standard livery vehicles, Once you upgrade to Ambulettes, you can use wheelchair vans or ramp vans for the comfort of your clients
For your first vehicle, your choice will depend on the capital and budget you have assigned to launch your business. For larger fleets, you can simply make a deal with a dealer such as Toyota, Honda or other dealers and finance or pay your vehicles cash.
In most instances however, you can launch your base with the vehicle you currently own by simply registering and insuring it under your new company.
Regardless of what model you choose, here are your choices:
- Use your own vehicle
- Buy a used vehicle in person or on a website
- Lease your vehicle
- Buy here Pay here (Dealer Financing)
The BHPH is the most flexible option because it allows you to acquire the vehicle with minimal requirements. You can flip a car if needed without having to pay any bank for a car that you have returned to the dealer. The key here is to show the Dealer in the beginning of the relationship that you have income, put down a low amount and drive away with the car on the same day.
Expenses for a business launch:
The items on your list that will cost the most depend on the type of business you are launching, where you will keep your vehicles and how many clients you are attracting as well as whether you decided for a home-based or an office-based business.
Launching from home means you will not be paying rent or even parking for the moment. Renting from an office will automatically incur rent and/or parking.
The other expenses will come from your vehicle. You can save a lot if you chose to launch your business with your own vehicle or whether you decided to buy or finance a vehicle.
The next expense will come from registering your vehicle and insuring it commercially. The passenger vehicle insurance FH1 is more expensive then the regular car insurance. If you have worker's insurance, that will be your other expense.
A big expense will come into play if you hired a driver to launch your company. If they run their own vehicle then you won't be paying salaries, they will actually be the ones paying you. If you hired a driver to operate your own vehicle, that is an employee and you are required to carry worker's compensation insurance and pay a salary.
You will have to spend some money on advertising, at least if you decided to launch big. Hiring someone to design your website and publish it and pay for ads on Google, Facebook and other social medias costs money.
The Nerve of your business. This where you determine how much you charge your client. You pay bills, maintain the vehicle, pay yourself, buy gas, tolls, tax and have other operating expenses. It is therefore important that you price your service accordingly to make profit and maintain your business. After all, this is why you are launching this business.
You won't want to charge more than your competition and you definitely won't want to charge so little that you risk losing money. The key therefore is to check for comparable service/pricing with the competition.
In this lesson we will discuss how to determine your fare based on the competition, how to offer discount to encourage your first clients to trust you and return to your company, we will also discuss your upsell options. You will charge extra for the some of the following addons:
- Number of Passengers
- Number of pieces of luggage
- Number of Stops
- Car Seats
- Meet and Greet and more.
We also discuss whether you should provide an all-inclusive flat rate or if you should itemize items on your fare on the website booking engine or or your rate page.
Your clients should clearly see what you are charging with no hidden cost, which will make you more transparent and trusted by your clients in the long run.
Remember that clients always compare price vs experience. They will always go where they received the best service, the best experience or the best deal.
Your success will be based on the combination of those two items: The best deal at the best price!
Worker's Compensation is mandatory for Workers in your organization whether they work as driver, as office worker, as accessory employee, local or remote.
If you launch a 1-person LLC or Corp and you are the only worker in your organization, you do not necessarily have to have a Worker's Compensation Policy. You can simply file an exemption by downloading a form from the Department of Labor called CE 200 which exempts you from have an insurance policy.
This means you will be dispatching your own rides, answering your business calls and you will be the only driver. If you get into an accident, you will not be able to claim any benefits because you have forfeited your rights by denying yourself Worker's Compensation Benefits.
However, the day you hire another human being to work in any capacity in your organization, regardless of their location, you are required to carry a Worker's Comp policy for that worker.
When you make yourself a W-2 Employee by hiring yourself, you will automatically be getting a WC policy and will be protected as an Employee of your organization.
There are many benefits from carrying a WC Policy:
- In case of an injury, your WC policy can make sure your hospital bills are paid
- If you become unable to work after a work injury, you can get compensation by the Dept of Labor if you are covered by a WC Policy at the time of the injury.
Is it therefore a personal choice to carry a WC policy when you launch, especially because you are limited in your budget and because you are the only driver and trust yourself to be a good driver, but make sure to get that policy as soon as you hire a worker or when you make yourself an Employee of your business.
Finally, if your business engages in Intrastate or Interstate, if you have class A or B or C Drivers or if you get into School Buses or any transportation that involves a vehicle that carries more than 15 passengers or even a Wheelchair van, you are required to carry a WC Policy and Disability Insurance Policy as part of your condition to get and maintain your Authority to Transport.
Many companies use this model to run their operations. Drivers Operators own their own vehicles and are responsible for all expenses related to their vehicles and any insurance or registration required on the vehicle.
A taxi, livery or Limousine base can have up to hundreds of vehicles that belongs to their respective owners, but all the vehicles have to be registered under the company's name. This is cheaper for the Owner of the company since they are not responsible for any expenses related to buying, running or maintaining vehicles.
On the other hand, a Base Owner can decide to keep more control over the fleet by acquiring all the vehicles and hiring Independent Drivers as Workers or Employees.
For Limousine and Shuttle models, the vehicles often belong to the Company. The reason is that Owner Operators often cannot afford the vehicles required for these operations. Shuttles and Limousines are bigger, better and more expensive vehicles that regular Owners cannot afford.
For the NEMT model, the State requires that vehicles belong to the Company. Also, leased vehicles are not allowed to be used for Non Medical Emergency Transport in New York as an example.
We are offering you a tip on vehicle maintenance. Your vehicle(s) is (are) your business, your bread and butter. They run on the road all day, collect dirt, mileage and need to be cared for regularly.
In this video your coach is showing you a good maintenance schedule, how to check on your vehicles to find and catch problems before they appear, how to prevent issues from become a big problem.
Let's take this class outdoors!
There are many pros and cons to running a taxi base from home. Some of the pros include
- Being able to be your own boss
- Setting your own hours
- Having a flexible job.
Some of the cons include having to deal with:
- Bad weather
- Traffic, and
- Rude customers.
Overall, the pros outweigh the cons and running a taxi base from home can be a great way to make money.
There are many things to consider when thinking about driving for a home-based taxi business.
The pros may include
- Being your own boss,
- Setting your own hours, and
- Having a flexible job.
The cons may include
- dealing with difficult customers,
- working long hours,
- Having to maintain your own vehicle.
Ultimately, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of driving for a home-based taxi or livery business before making a decision.
In this lesson, we dive deeper into the daily operations of a base and how the booking process works.
Many items mentioned in the lesson pertain to a full fledge transportation base. For a beginner, remember that most of you will launch a one man operation and you will be the one taking in calls, making the bookings, dispatching and driving. Over time, you will get to a website, an app and possibly a dispatch or a call service.
The steps described here are mostly taken from my own operation that i perfected over the years from a one man single operation to a multistate million dollars transportation group made of multiple companies.
If you are like most people, remember to start simple and evolve over time.
A virtual receptionist is a telephone answering service that enables businesses to outsource their calls to a team of remote receptionists. The service provides a cost-effective and convenient way for businesses to manage their calls, as well as offering a number of additional features such as call forwarding, call recording, and voicemail. Virtual receptionists are available 24/7, 365 days a year, and can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The service is simple to set up and can be tailored to each business’s specific needs. How does it work? When a caller contacts a business, they will be greeted by a professional receptionist who will ask how they can help. The receptionist will then forward the call to the relevant team member or department. If the caller wants to leave a voicemail, the receptionist will take a message and forward it to the relevant person. The benefits of using a virtual receptionist service include:• Reduced costs – businesses can save money on staffing and infrastructure costs• Increased flexibility – businesses can scale their receptionist services up or down as needed• Improved customer service – businesses can provide a higher level of customer service with 24/7 coverage.
Develop a social Media strategy to help promote your business
As a small business owner, you can’t afford to ignore the power of social media. An effective social media strategy will help you promote your business and connect with potential customers. Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your social media strategy? Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or generate leads? Be clear about your goals from the start.
2. Research your audience. Who are your potential customers? What social media platforms do they use? What kind of content do they engage with? The better you understand your audience, the more effective your social media strategy will be.
3. Create engaging content. Once you know what kind of content your audience wants, it’s time to start creating it. Whether it’s blog posts, infographics, or videos, make sure your content is high-quality and engaging.
4. Promote your content. Just creating great content isn’t enough. You need to promote it to make sure your target audience sees it. Share your content on your social media platforms, and consider running paid social media ads.
Having a strong branding strategy is important for any business, large or small. It's what sets your company apart from the competition and allows customers to easily identify your products or services. Choosing a business name, logo, and tagline are all important aspects of developing a strong branding strategy. The name of your business should be easily recognizable and memorable, while your logo should be simple and eye-catching. Your tagline should be concise and to the point, conveying the benefits of your products or services. Developing a strong branding strategy takes time and effort, but it's worth it in the long run. By taking the time to create a well-thought-out brand, you'll be able to better connect with your target audience and build a loyal customer base.
The limousine industry is a highly competitive one, with new companies springing up all the time. It's important to stay on top of the latest trends and developments in order to stay ahead of the competition. Potential customers for limousine services are typically those who are looking for a luxurious and convenient way to travel. This could include business executives, celebrities, or anyone else who is willing to pay for the premium service. Researching the limousine industry can help you better understand the competition, identify potential customers, and keep up with the latest trends. This will give you a leg up on the competition and help you grow your business.
We are gathering the last info and checklist before we register our company with the IRS and the State Department. We have the following information ready:
- The Name of the Company
- The legal Structure of the Company
- The Worker(s) information
- The Filer and CEO/Owner/President info and address
- The Departments where we register our business online, the link to the IRS to File for an EIN and the link to the Department of State where to file for the DOS ID.
Now we are ready and let's register this company.
We register the LLC or Corporation or Partnership or Sole Proprietorship with the the Department of State first to get our DOS ID, our Articles of Incorporation and our Filing Receipt.
Every State has an online portal with the Department of State that allows for name check and that also takes online applications and delivers a receipt from your payment.
A few days after your have filed for your Corp/LLC/Partnership, you should get an email with your Company Formation documents and if you files to get a copy by mail, that copy should also be mailed to the address you indicated.
In this lesson, we are using an example to file and we are filing live a real company from start to finish.
An EIN number is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the IRS. EIN stands for Employer Identification Number. This number is used to identify a business entity. The process of obtaining an EIN number is relatively simple.
- The first step is to determine if you need an EIN number. If you have a business with employees, you will need an EIN number.
- The next step is to complete an IRS Form SS-4. This form can be completed online or by mail. The form requires basic information about your business, such as the business name, address, and type of business. Once the form is complete, you will need to submit it to the IRS. The IRS will then assign you an EIN number.
- The final step is to use your EIN number. You will need to use your EIN number when filing taxes and when opening a business bank account. The process of obtaining an EIN number is relatively simple. By following the steps outlined above, you can obtain your EIN number in a few short weeks.
Buying a vehicle can be a daunting task, but with a little research and preparation, it doesn't have to be. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
1. Determine your budget. This is probably the most important step, as it will determine what kind of vehicle you can afford. Consider all potential costs, including insurance, gas, and maintenance.
2. Do your research. Once you know how much you can afford to spend, start researching different vehicle options. Read reviews, compare prices, and narrow down your choices.
3. Test drive. Once you've found a few vehicles you're interested in, it's time to take them for a spin. This will help you get a feel for each one and see which one is the best fit for you.
4. Get financing. If you're not paying cash for your vehicle, you'll need to get financing. Shop around for the best interest rates and terms.
5. Negotiate. This is probably the most challenging part of the process, but it's important to try to get the best deal possible. Be prepared to walk away if you're not getting what you want.
In this session, we show you different ways to buy your first vehicle, including the Buy Here Pay Here.
How to Get the Best Deal When Leasing a Vehicle
In order to get the best vehicle lease, it is important to do your research. You should know what you want and what you can afford. Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, you can begin negotiating with the dealer. The dealer will likely try to get you to lease for a longer term, but you should only agree to a term that you are comfortable with. You should also negotiate the mileage limit that you are allowed to drive. The dealer will likely try to get you to agree to a higher mileage limit, but you should only agree to a limit that you are comfortable with. You should also try to get the dealer to waive any fees, such as the security deposit or the first month's payment. You should also ask for a lower interest rate. If the dealer is not willing to negotiate on these terms, you may want to look elsewhere.
The Benefits of Leasing a Vehicle
There are many different types of vehicle leases, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The most common type of lease is the closed-end lease, which offers lower monthly payments and requires the lessee to return the vehicle at the end of the lease. Another popular type of lease is the open-end lease, which allows the lessee to purchase the vehicle at the end of the lease. There are also leases that allow the lessee to exchange the vehicle for another one at the end of the lease, known as a swap lease. Each type of lease has its own pros and cons, so it's important to choose the right one for your needs. Closed-end leases are great for those who want lower monthly payments, but you'll have to return the vehicle at the end of the lease. Open-end leases offer more flexibility, as you can purchase the vehicle at the end of the lease, but the monthly payments are usually higher. Swap leases are a good option for those who want to upgrade their vehicle regularly, but you'll need to find another vehicle to swap with at the end of the lease. No matter which type of lease you choose, be sure to read the fine print and understand all the terms and conditions before signing anything
The Different Types of Vehicle Leases
There are many benefits of leasing a vehicle that make it an attractive option for drivers. The most obvious benefit is that it allows you to drive a new car without having to make a large down payment or take out a loan. This can free up your finances for other purposes. Leasing also has the advantage of lower monthly payments than purchasing a car outright. This can make it easier to budget for your transportation costs. In addition, many leases include maintenance and repair coverage, so you can avoid unexpected bills for these services. At the end of your lease, you can simply return the car to the dealership. This is much easier than trying to sell a car yourself, and you don’t have to worry about finding a buyer who is willing to pay your asking price. If you are looking for a new car but don’t want the hassle and expense of owning one, leasing could be the perfect solution for you. With its many benefits, it’s no wonder that this option is becoming increasingly popular.
How to Get the Best Deal When Leasing a Vehicle
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking to lease a vehicle to get the best deal. First, it’s important to know what type of vehicle you are looking for and your budget. Once you have that figured out, start doing your research.
Look online and visit different dealerships to get an idea of what’s out there and what kind of deals are being offered. If you have a specific vehicle in mind, see if there are any lease specials being offered. When you’ve found a few options, it’s time to start negotiating. Have a down payment ready and be prepared to haggle. Don’t be afraid to walk away if the dealer isn’t willing to work with you. Last but not least, make sure to read the fine print. Know what you’re signing up for and what the terms of the lease are. This will help you avoid any unwanted surprises down the road.
How to create a social media advertising plan
Are you looking to create a social media advertising plan but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create an effective social media advertising plan, including setting objectives, researching your audience, choosing the right platforms, and more. Creating a social media advertising plan can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By following the steps below, you can create a plan that will help you achieve your desired results.
1. Set objectives. Before you start creating your social media advertising plan, you need to know what you want to achieve. What are your goals? Do you want to increase brand awareness? Drive traffic to your website? Boost sales? Once you know your objectives, you can create a plan that will help you achieve them.
2. Research your audience. Who are you trying to reach with your social media advertising? It’s important to have a good understanding of your target audience so you can create content that appeals to them. Spend some time researching your audience, including their demographics, interests, and buying habits.
The Different Types of Social Media Advertising
There are many different types of social media advertising. Here are a few of the most popular:
1. Sponsored posts: These are posts that are specifically paid for by an advertiser. They are typically clearly marked as “sponsored” or “ad.”
2. Promoted posts: These are posts that an advertiser has paid to have “boosted” or promoted so that they appear in more users’ feeds.
3. Advertising accounts: These are social media accounts that are dedicated to promoting a product or service. They typically feature a mix of sponsored and organic content.
4. Influencer marketing: This is when brands work with social media users who have a large following to promote their products or services.
5. Native advertising: This is when brands create content that is designed to blend in with the surrounding content on a social media platform. For example, a native ad on Facebook would look like a regular post in the news feed.
Introduction to booking engines, landing pages and websites. The booking engine is an addition, an extension and the most important page that is attached to your website and can also be a standalone landing page.
The booking engine is the page on which your clients can quote, book, pay and sometimes confirm their rides. It is generally a complex coded page that you rent from a third party company for reservation, confirmation and payment of your rides.
A booking engine can help to automate the booking process, making it more efficient.
A booking engine can help to automate the booking process, making it more efficient. By automating the process, it can help to speed up the booking process and make it more accurate. This can save time for both the customer and the business. In addition, it can help to keep track of customer data and preferences, making it easier to provide a better customer experience.
A booking engine can provide a better customer experience by allowing customers to choose their own pick-up and drop-off times.
A booking engine can provide a better customer experience by allowing customers to choose their own pick-up and drop-off times. This can be especially useful for customers who have time-sensitive needs or who need to book their travel around other commitments. Allowing customers to choose their own times can also help to avoid customer service issues that can arise when people are forced to change their plans at the last minute.
A booking engine can help to reduce the chances of human error in the booking process.
A booking engine is a software application that helps automate the booking process. By automating the process, it can help to reduce the chances of human error. This is because the software can help to ensure that all the necessary steps are completed in the correct order and with the correct information. In addition, a booking engine can help to keep track of all the bookings made, which can help to identify any errors that may have been made.
This course is a product of years of working on and perfecting a system. When i became a taxi driver in 2016, i noticed that there was not a single book, a manual or training that would teach drivers how to run a business. I had to teach myself to be a successful livery driver so i could hire others and let them do my job at a scale while i would be a manager of the entire system. 3 years later, made my first million dollars by having other drivers work for me, i had launched a multi State company and joined the Medicaid Transportation Program, which boosted by income by 20.
Til this date, there is still no manual, no training and no tutorials that would teach transportation drivers how to run and scale their business, which made me launch this course.
Within 7 days, my students are able to learn the other side of the business of driving. They can register their LLC or corporation in 1 (one) day, get the hidden deals on acquiring a vehicle with no money down, no credit, reference or income checks, register a company and begin operating their business within a week. They can build, manage and advertise their online business and be making more money within 7 days.
At the end of this class, a student will have watched us register a company live during class and get a DOS id, build a live website and add a live booking engine to it, then advertise that website to the world.
Good luck to all.