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Call Sign revealed two months ago
that together with Jim Bell - President of the
Canadian Taxi Drivers Association – DaC Chairman
Brian Rice was due to be sworn in as an
International Vice President of the Taxicab,
Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA). The official ceremony took place in early November at the 86th TLPA Annual Convention and Trade Show called ‘Opportunities & Solutions for Success’. The event took place at the Caribe Royal Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. The conference featured an extensive series of educational seminars, roundtable discussions and presentations, where those attending were able to learn more about a variety of industry, operational, and management issues. Over 100 displays filled the trade show floor with those present being able to test products and perhaps more importantly, meet the people who produce and back them. In total, over 1,000 diversified fleet owners and managers from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia were on hand to talk business making it the largest trade show of its kind in the world. Brian Rice told Call Sign: "Becoming an International Vice President was not just a great honour for me personally, but for Dial-a-Cab. We have been associate and full members of the TLPA for around 17 years and this is the first time that a Chairman from DaC has had the accolade of becoming an International Vice President. As for the trade show and convention, it was extremely interesting and nice to keep abreast of the latest technology coming to the fore. |
BRIAN RICE SWORN IN AS |
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 Brian Rice and Jim Bell on either side of the new TLPA President Jamie Campolongo. |
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 Brian Rice with Australian Taxi Industry Association Secretary Blair Davies. |
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Having said that, we at DaC are
perceived as being at the top of the tree when it comes to up-to-date technology, however, there is always something you can learn. I attended many ‘breakout’ sessions and was extremely interested in how they lobby their congressmen and senators. The main difference seems to be that they are allowed to put money into their representative’s campaigns – some would call that akin to bribery! I wouldn’t go that far, but that’s just the way it’s done over there. Neither can they believe the way we have to beg our MPs! I also found the way they |
deal with their Paratransit
situation (the equivalent to our TaxiCard) very interesting. With all that, I still feel that we are ahead of the game. They were fascinated when I demonstrated how I could enter our system at DaC in London directly from a laptop in Florida. The conference was tiring but very interesting and I’m looking forward to the next one where I will be able to have a direct input into the TLPA Board from the Board at Dial a-Cab. This is something that would be wonderful so far as the UK taxi trade was concerned." The next TLPA meeting will be held at Las Vegas in March 2005. |
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