limo safety

Help! We are a U.K based company looking to set up a stretch limo service, but have come up against local government licencing problems.
As of July 1st in the U.K, limos will be restricted to only 8 passengers and will be subject to local authority licencing.
This is where the problem starts, the view is that the stretch limo is "a disaster waiting to happen".
At issue are:
1.Construction, there is a move to give the vehicle a maximum life of 5 years, is this the same in the U.S
2.Seating, is the "J" configuration a safety issue?, are there safer combinations?, are seat belts compulsory?
3.Bar, is the bar a safety issue ( other than of course customers getting wasted and falling out of the car!)
We feel that local government is trying to stamp out the american limo business in the U.K.
We have searched the net to find any useful info to back up the limo safety record, even the U.S D.O.T site has no section on the strtch limo.

We would appreciate your thoughts and comments, as it is only ignorance that stands in the way!

Thanks in advance

Bob Howitt

Hi Bob the Brit from an exiled Brit.
I don`t know about the U.S. but here in Canada Limos are restricted to 8 passengers,a 120" stretch is built to hold only 8 people.
Seat belts are Compulsory as for the "J" seat,I don`t like it,the poor sucker who gets to sit in the corner seat gets feet and legs all over him.
It is illegal here in Canada to have liquor or beer in the vehicle.There are no restrictions as to how old the limo can be,providing it passes an MOT every year it should not matter.
I took a stretch to Scotland in 1990 and had to change all my lights to suit before it passed an MOT.Do you have to do it also?
Best of British old chap!

Dear exiled brit,
Thanks for the speedy reply, it appears the Canadian licencing model, runs with U.K govt thinking.So I will try and contact your Department of Transport for the chapter and verse on this subject.
With maximum passengers it appears no matter what size of car, eight is to be the limit after July 1st.
Which seating arrangement works for your customers? with regards seat belt do your customer wear them and are you responsible if they refuse to buckle up?. Do you find the lack of bar a problem for your customers?Sorry for the extra questions but a big thankyou regards Bob

Hi Bob,We are NOT responsible for passengers over the age of 16 if they decide not to wear seat belts.As far as the Bar arrangements go,I only said it was illegal but we do it any way.The only thing I don`t do is supply the booze,they supply their own that way I don`t get done for supplying booze without a Licence.As for the seating arrangements I find more people prefer the 3 seat configuration.We now have Krystal Koach manufacturing 120" cars with a 5th door which will be tremendous asset.Hope everything works out for you.Best Regards,Sandy Allan. http://limos.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Dear Sandy,

Thanks again for your follow up, I will look into the 3 seat configuration and the krystalkoach site, I think after todays reasearch that I should look at QVM cars only and will have to see if it will be feasible to purchase a new limo, with the possible age restriction of 5 years it could prove a heavy write off.
Anyway many thanks again and look forward to giving you an update.

Best regards

Bob

Hi Bob the Brit,
First, I don't know how old you are, the reason for that question is you can't get insurance unless you are over 30 yrs of age in the U.K.
Next, its the first time I have heard about the five year age rule and for obvious reasons it can't be correct ( classic vehicles)being just one.
Next, it has always been the rule that you cannot carry more than eight passengers in any vehicle other than a PSV (now PCV) vehicle in the U.K. and as a Limo can't meet the specs you can't PSV it either, the new rule that you refer to is (or so I am told by the U.K. Vehicle Inspectorate) to limit the amount of SEATS by law in the vehicle, this means that instead of trying to catch a Limo with excess passengers all they have to do is count the number of seats in order to fine you ( or issue a PG9 notice and take the vehicle off you and transfer it to a pound) If that happens you will have to take out the seats in order to make it conform BEFORE they will release the car back to you.
Next, J seats or tri seats, well I run both and both have been succesful so you pays your money and takes your choice.
Next, You are thinking of buying a Limo in the States and shipping it in ? Have you done it before ? Here's some idea of the cost, lets say you purchased a car for $60,000 and the shipping and insurance came to say $2,500, so you have a total cost of $62,500, import duty is 10% $6,250
this is added to the $62,500 =$68,750, then they take the vat 17.5%= $12,031.25 and you car now costs $80,781.25 the current £x$ rate is about $1.4 which means that your car now costs £57,700.89
and then you have to convert the lights, the tyres
( Oh yes they must be EU approved )fit side repeaters and a fog lamp, then take it for SVA testing ( current waiting time 3 months )and you cannot register the car until it has passed the test so book early. Good isn't it, want to know more ? then e-mail me.
Alimo U.K. http://limos.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Try contacting Dick Hall - he seems to be an expert with UK related issues. He can be emailed at BigCarGuy@aol.com -- if he isn't overseas, he'd probably be able to help you.

Michael

http://www.limos.com/limoforumgraphics/bbtitle_small.gif

There is very little I can add to what has been said, I would suggest you contact Jackie Farrell who owns Platinum Limousine Company in Glasgow,he has a lot of contact with the Da Vinci Limousine Company in New Jersey. It is difficult but not impossible to overcome the UK regulations and remain in compliance.
Best wishes
Dick Hall