The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

Hello All!

I have been working for the past 2 years as inside sales and a driver for a firm in the Cincinnati / Dayton area and was wanting to start my own business. While I know some of the ins and outs of reservations, advertising, driver etiquette, that sort of thing, I need information on what I need in Ohio to be legal. I know insurance, I know if I am to have more than 14 passengers I need a CDL, but how do I go about DOT inspections? Where would I find this information? I have read Wheels of Gold and thought it was just an overview of how to start a business, I need some nitty gritty information so I get my wheels rolling. I also had a question with regards to vehicles. My inital focus will be the special events market, I don't have a ton of money to invest in a vehicle. I see I can find an older stretch town car (older than 2000) for very cheap, but would I be shooting myself in the foot with this? Should I purchase a stretch town car or would it be a better investment to purchase a stretch navigator or hummer? Really any information for a guy who has a dream and knows he can make it work once he has his ducks in a row, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Riverman

I have been trying to find information on the DOT website, anyone have a link? sorry I am very new to all of this...can you help out a newbie?

Thanks

Thank you, thank you, thank you....that is excellent information. I guess to answer a question you had in the post, why would I want to purchase used? Well it is all about cash flow, when I say used, I mean late model, I don't want to be that guy who is running this fly by night operation with a 1995 lincoln town car with 300K miles on it. I know there are many brand spank'in USED cars out there which are in good repair, still look good and run well as well. Also, in Ohio, the turn over for cars is much less than that on either coast, most of the operations here have late model used cars, with most of the mom and pop operations having very old cars....so there is room to shine here for a used car. I appreciate any and all information / advice / warnings, anything which can help me get this show on the road. One question, and this will seem like a dumb one. Does anyone know the link on the Federal DOT and OHIO DOT websites which deals with this stuff? Any assistance would be helpful and very much appreciated.

Thanks again,

Riverman

Dreams make the world go round. The real question is can you turn your dream into reality? It is not easy and at times can be extreemly frustrating. Regulations, Tax's, municipalities, Port authorities, citys, state and federal, insurance, fuel, amenities can all add up to a check writing bindge of grand purportions. Wheels of Gold was OK but in truth all it did for me was afirm what I was already doing and then some.

For me personaly it is nothing but New Vehicles. There are plenty of older ones around who attempt to do Dirt cheap reservations and drive some of us crazy.

Bringing elegance back into an Industry which is full of Illegals in leasure suits and no ties when everyone around is shopping for the best price, You had better figure out how to keep your head above water in the early stages of your Business.

DOT will tell you what you need simply go to their web site and fill out the questionere.

Start up costs are soaring with fuel the way it is going. INdeed as previously stated Insurance can run from $1500 to $3700 a year per vehicle depending on alot of factors.

Yes you can buy a used vehicle but why would you buy what another has already discarded and used up more than likely? I get rid of mine every two years they have used up their usefulness and even with excellent Maintainance programs they are on the downard slide of the slope and if you Amortaize your Capitol expences and depreciate them on a schedule it is best to dump them in the long run for new models and keep your fleet as new as possiable.

I market mine as brand new in a Market where most are at least 3 to 5 years old. There is an advantage to upselling style and grace and ellegance as opposed to old and used and cheap and most buyers and purchasers of Limousine services can and will acknowledge the diference especially if you upsell the Service and Luxury as I highlight them rather than just a ride as many with older vehicles do.

I manage to get 15% higher charges than my local competators just because of my marketing of World Class Service and Luxury and the Amenities I toss in as part of my servies. Where the going rate for an Airport service in a Luxury Lincoln Stretch is $85 an Hour pluss Grat I manage to get $120 against those who charge less but again its all about the preceived service level and Luxury in my mind anyway. My drivers are in Tux's, My flowers are fresh, The Coffee is Hot and the Paper is todays Paper and the Sparkling Cider is Cold and ready to serve.

I have not lost anything to those who simply price shop the lowest Bid for I simply point out the differences. Companies try to undercut me all the time so what? I do not play their game and perfer to drive some quality business to my Bank account rather than grovel for scraps at some Minimum rate war.

Michael: An the Choir said Amen Brother.

You must register with the PUCO for your intra-state operations , get an SSR( single state registration) from them for every state you plan to do business in and pay each one of those states taxes for each vehicle.

You then have to contact the USDOT and start that process. Let your insurance agent know that you need a 91X filing.

As far as stretches go , if you do this the legal way(which most in Ohio do not)you should expect to pay about $ 3500.00 per year for a 1.5 million dollar policy with proper filings.

Then you have to get an Ohio vendors license , a workers comp policy , register with unemployment and family services.

When all is said and done , you should go back to college and get a good job , have the weekends off , spend time with family and let someone else worry about how all the illegal operators are running them out of business.

When you say contact the Department of Transportation, are we speaking Federal or State or both? I have heard that there are different regulations for the two. I have searched the Ohio DOT site (what a mess it is) and couldn't find anything relating to livery or limousine businesses. Any links or information regarding that would be great...thank you so much for you comments. Also, anyone know of a good reputable insurance agency?

Thanks

Load the gun and take aim!! You should first contact the DOT. They will send you all the info you need. Next, you have to register with the state as a business and pay for fees and permits. Then check with the area around you for special permits, regulations. Then, check on insurance for the vehicle your looking at, most likely $1500-1700 for a stretch car. Most require you to pay up front for a newly started business. Then figure about $3000 to put into the limo you buy. Have a shop do a full once over on it, prior to purchase to let you know what your in for.

Get out the checkbook!! A lot of people will help you get into business...but, they all have their hands out too!