“A candidate can act beautifully during the interview, but bad behaviors can manifest themselves once the employee is in the new role.”

Safety is one of those ALL-encompassing topics that really runs the gamut: From hiring the right employees and checking references to ensuring that your vehicles are not being mishandled by employees or damaged by vandals. All is part of being a responsible owner of a company. Below, I’ve highlighted some of the more important issues of how safety impacts you and your business.

Vetting Staff and Affiliates
Hiring, of course, is the first line of defense when it comes to safety, especially that of your clients. One of the biggest potential minefields seems to occur when a company is hiring extra chauffeurs for special events. Many outfits practice blanket hiring with little or no regard for background checks beyond DMV records and drug testing. If you pride yourself and your company on being safe for your clients, this is something that you cannot overlook. For security reasons, tracking and vetting of personnel is now job number one, regardless of whether it’s an emergency hire for a special event or just a regular staff position. Thorough background checks that include detailed verification of references are now a must when it comes to hiring. A candidate can act beautifully during the interview, but bad behaviors can manifest themselves once the employee is in the new role.

Keeping the public safe—as well as promoting the legitimacy of our industry—also starts with the owner of the company. I still laugh when I see operators using untrained, low-paid, unprofessional drivers during busy seasons. Luckily, these characters provide no real competition for legit operators, but they can give the industry a black eye or potentially hurt a passenger. Federal regulation is slowly catching up to these unsavory firms, but you can do your part by taking the vetting of your staff and affiliates seriously.

Security at the Office and on the Road
When it comes to staff and vehicle safety, another good place to start is by installing video surveillance in your shop and yard. Your goal should not be to spy on employees or to make them nervous, but to provide recorded backup for the safety of your fleet, your building, and your personnel. A camera placed strategically at your front door is a smart move for all shifts, especially the evening and overnight ones. You can push a buzzer and let them in if you wish. This keeps out any unwanted elements.

Cameras can be a pricy endeavor, but they may be worth their weight in gold if an incident is caught on tape. An operator I knew well came in to work some years ago to find a roof badly dented on one of his vehicles. The last chauffeur had clocked in as normal and filled out the inspection report with no listed damage.

Unfortunately for her, the parking lot video clearly showed that she had tried to race the automatic sliding warehouse door … and lost. In other cases, it can provide backup for an insurance claim should someone vandalize a vehicle or your office.

Beyond the Office Camera
You can keep an eye on your vehicle while in the lot, but what about when it’s on the road? Tracking equipment can definitely help, not only to keep passengers on time, but to ensure that your chauffeur is where he says he is. We’ve all heard the stories about the chauffeur who went joyriding in his company’s limousine while the owner was away one weekend or gave discounted rides on the side. Having the tracking equipment could also help in insurance claims or client disputes.

Don’t forget about the low-tech methods as well. Ever have a friend tell you that they saw your chauffeur drinking while waiting for a wedding pickup? Another firm reported to me that they had caught a chauffeur racing a brand new company limousine at a drag race. The chauffeur had chartered the vehicle for the day to take relatives out at a prepaid discount rate, and he disconnected the vehicle tracking. What the chauffeur didn’t know was that a friend of the owner was at the race, saw the permit numbers on the car, and videotaped the limousine while it was racing. It’s good to have others in the community who are looking out for your best interests. But remember: If others are seeing this, then your potential clients could be as well.

There are numerous other issues of safety that I did not discuss, such as chauffeur training or using accident cameras like DriveCam, but warrant as much attention as the above. Safety really is a topic that can’t be overlooked or avoided; make it a priority to running a sustainable business. LD

Dean Schuler is the Carey franchisee in New Orleans, Signature Livery. His company is a past winner of The Limo Digest Midsize Operator of the Year Award. Since 1982, Schuler has serviced, maintained, and grown numerous corporate accounts in a management and ownership capacity. Schuler can be reached at info@signaturelivery.com.