Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

William Rouse, whose Los Angeles Yellow Cab fleet of 1,200 vehicles is the largest cooperatively owned taxi company in the western U.S., was sworn into office at the TLPA’s 94th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas in October.

Gerald Ford, a driver with Select Ride Inc., accepted the award at the association's annual convention in Las Vegas last month. He was selected for his focus on safety and outstanding service to his paratransit passengers.

This year's conference, held in May, is expected to be well attended and attendees are urged to make their travel plans now, especially considering that the event begins the day after the close of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, one of the busiest times of the year for the city.

The IRS has published regulations implementing a new tax reporting requirement that will affect nearly all of the larger, and many smaller, for-hire transportation companies — both fleet owners and independent contractor drivers — across the U.S.

Mary Smarelli was voted into office at the TLPA's 93rd Annual Convention & Trade Show held last October in San Francisco. She is the fourth woman ever to hold the presidency of the nearly 100-year-old trade association that was founded by taxicab and rental car industry icon John Hertz.

Bridgewater, Mass.-based A&A Metro Transportation's President Thomas P. Arrighi was named "Operator of the Year," and Adepegba “Tony” Abiodun driver for Challenger Transportation of Gaithersburg, Md., was named the paratransit Driver of the Year.