When it comes to transportation, the experience can make or break your program. For some, it is the first interaction for attendees, whether it is an airport or event transfer--and the first impression is a lasting one. This fast-paced environment, where travel plans change quickly can be hard to manage. Doing it right will go miles in the overall success of the entire program.  Below are 12 simple, yet important tips that are crucial to ensure a successful transportation program.

1. Know your Transportation Provider

Always check references and don’t be fooled by bells and whistles – it seems like a no-brainer, but this step is often skipped. Know the company’s contingency plans in case of breakdowns or failures, including the location of the yard and how long will it take a back-up vehicle to arrive.

2. Buy Local

Local providers know their town. They know the best drivers, the most experienced staff, the quickest and safest routes and the local quirks and nuances that when played right, will aid in a smooth operation. Also, local operators are far less likely to deadhead less expensive and lower quality vehicles from far destinations to work for your program.

3. Achieve the Perfect Vehicle Order

A common mistake is to under order in an attempt to save money. Be very careful when doing this, as it can easily backfire and leave you in an undesirable situation - not enough seats for the guests standing on the curb.

Know what you’re ordering – how many usable seats does the vehicle have? There are some companies that claim the jump seat next to the driver is an actual passenger seat! Once you know the exact number of seats, subtract 10% to get the comfortable level for the guests. Some seats, though totally legitimate, are in less desirable locations on the coach—just ask the person who had to sit next to the restroom. Your guests will appreciate you not packing them in and will have a more relaxed experience.

Be sure to include a no substitutions/no sub-contracting clause in your contract with the transportation company. This covers you from Company X over-booking and sub-contracting out your job to another, usually cheaper, company. It also prevents different types of vehicles showing up on-site the day of your program. Some transportation companies believe that as long as they send the same number of seats, it doesn’t matter which vehicles they provide on-site, for instance two minicoaches in the place of one motorcoach results in a completely different experience for the guests and a surprise your client could do without.

Schedule vehicles appropriately and keep in mind the time it takes to brief drivers and for the vehicles to be properly staged for the initial pick-up.

4. Request the Newest Vehicles

When placing the order, ask about newer inventory and request that you receive those vehicles for your event. Motorcoach companies should be consistently upgrading their fleet, adding new vehicles every couple of years. It only takes a few months for some serious wear and tear to show on commercial vehicles. Think about it, that one motorcoach could be used every day for 12 hours a day, in every type of weather condition. The newer, the better!

Typically, the major coach manufacturers are producing more 45-foot, 55-59 passenger vehicles, rather than the older 40-foot models that only seat 47-49 passengers. Though a bit more expensive, it’s best to request the larger vehicles as you’re more likely to get a better quality coach.

5. Know the Route

If possible, drive the routes yourself and keep an eye out for possible obstacles or tricky maneuvers. Know the local laws and restrictions. In major cities, many streets prohibit motorcoaches, requiring your vehicles to travel alternative routes. In the case of shuttles, routes should be continuous and should avoid double-backing if possible.

Know the local traffic conditions and the events, weather and time of day that affect traffic. For instance, a Monday evening Giants baseball game is guaranteed to create gridlock in San Francisco’s SOMA district. Plan to re-route your vehicles to avoid the mess!

Get in touch with the local Parking and Traffic Authority to obtain information on local events and construction that may impact your transportation – they can also inform you of any lane closures or street closures in your area.

6. Allow Enough Time to get from A to B

The larger the vehicle, the more time it will take to get from A to B. Loading passengers, traveling to the destination, unloading passengers – these steps take time. Remember all the times you jumped on the convention shuttle at your hotel and waited until the entire coach filled, and then how long it took for the coach to empty upon reaching the convention center? Be sure to factor this time into your transportation plans.

7. Hire Knowledgeable, Local Staff

We cannot emphasize enough the need for local staff. They work in their destination every day and know the ins and outs of local transportation. It is vital to select personnel who are experienced in shuttles. Guests will look to your staff to answer questions about the transportation and the city in general.

8. Enlist Police Assistance

It is possible in many cities to coordinate services through the Police Department or through the Parking and Traffic Authority to support an efficient transportation operation. Whether by reserving curb space or closing lanes and streets, your transportation will be that much smoother and add to your guests’ enjoyment. Even the mere presence of a Police Officer can breed cooperation and a sense of order.

9. Make Friends with the Right People

Befriend the hotel door-man – he will be invaluable to you when you need that one sedan moved or a taxi kicked off your curb. Proper staging plays a huge role in the overall appearance and enjoyment of your transportation planning, so make sure you have plenty of curb space.

Drivers can make or break you. When treated with kindness and respect, most drivers will go above and beyond the call of duty. Remember to tip well and say thank you!

10. Embrace the Paperwork

Bring more than enough paperwork including site plans, maps, written directions and a contact sheet. Some drivers are visual and will use the map, while others rely on the written instructions. All instructions should be clear and very simple, leaving no room for interpretation or confusion. Review the materials with the drivers and be there to answer any questions or address any route concerns they may have.

11. Don’t Over Plan

Unless you have a very good reason, do not pre-assign drivers to routes or passengers. This only creates rigidity where you need flexibility. Assign the drivers as they arrive at their spot location and distribute driver packets that cover all possible routes and assignments. This allows you to switch things around on-site if needed.  

Overall, be prepared but be flexible!

12. Drive Green 

In this day and age, everyone must think about the effects transportation systems play on the overall climate. Be smart and drive green when possible.

Biodiesel

While 100% biodiesel is rarely used in commercial vehicles, mainly due to the required engine modifications, biodiesel blends are increasingly common. The blending process is actually quite simple, requiring the two types of fuel, biodiesel and conventional diesel, to be blended in mixing tanks at the facility or on the tanker truck itself. The blend is then labeled based on the components; fuel containing 20% biodiesel is labeled B20 and so forth. These blends can be used in unmodified diesel engines. Check with your transportation provider as to which blend level their vehicles can support.

Particulate Filters

Diesel particulate filters remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine. Depending on the type of filter used (one-time use or regeneration), a high soot removal rate can be achieved resulting in little to no visible smoke or emissions.

Emissions

All drivers should be trained to reduce idling and to turn off air-conditioning when passengers are not in the vehicle.

Hybrid Vehicles

As hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular, they are increasingly available for commercial use. MCI’s diesel-electric hybrid motorcoaches feature the latest low-emission clean-diesel engine technology including the Cummins Engine and the Allison Ep50 Electric Drive Propulsion System. Though currently marketed for commuter systems, it will be interesting to see how the transportation industry embraces the hybrid coach. Additionally, current hybrid cars can be modified to appeal to the corporate client by adding custom black leather seats, tinting windows and installing other high end amenities catering to the group’s needs.

Carbon Credits

Any vehicle can be made "green” by off-setting the environmental impact with carbon credits. Though an additional expense, carbon credits have a high cost to value ratio and will help to achieve your company’s environmental goals and objectives.

These simple yet important tips will ensure you have a successful program, when coupled with a strong DMC partnership guiding the process.

By, Liz Watson, CMP, DMCP, co-owner of PRA Destination Management San Francisco. Watson and the staff of PRA San Francisco have been recognized with the Best Transportation Logistics Award by the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME).

For additional information on the award-winning transportation programs, please call 

(760) 496-0540 to connect with any of our offices around the globe.