Disqus - Latest Comments for rareformlimo

Re: Absolutely No Machete Juggling » The Star Wars Saga: Introducing Machete Order

rareformlimo — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 10:21:41 -0000

*sigh* we all feel better now that you have told us how cool you are in a childishly passive-aggressive manner while incorrectly informing me that you think that the information I have presented is not relevant. Typical narcissist.

Re: Absolutely No Machete Juggling » The Star Wars Saga: Introducing Machete Order

rareformlimo — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 05:35:59 -0000

If you haven't read Dark Disciple you shouldn't comment on Dark Disciple related comments. You're wasting people's time.

Re: “Dear Mayor Adler …”

rareformlimo — Fri, 20 May 2016 11:19:27 -0000

Well, geez, that didn't take long!

http://www.usatoday.com/sto...

Re: “Dear Mayor Adler …”

rareformlimo — Fri, 20 May 2016 01:28:39 -0000

I have no information about Austin's taxi driver real-earnings per hour, but I know people don’t measure their time in weeks. I do know in Seattle taxi drivers make a little under $11.00/hr, since it’s reported to the city. They make this amount because it's a monopoly, the number of taxis are capped, and they have government contracts for low-income passengers to keep them relatively busy.

My estimate is accurate. I've done it. The "problem" doesn't correct itself for two reasons. First, there is no end to gullible immigrant drivers to replace the old ones that lose their cars. Please note I did not say they drive forever; they drive until they lose their cars, then someone else takes their place.

Limo licenses (what UberBLACK and UberSUV drivers hold) went from a total of 1100 to 1700 and back down to 1300 in a matter of 3 years here in Washington, so yes, the problem somewhat "corrects itself,” but it’s totally up to Uber how many cars they allow into their system.

Second, Uber has unending investor money to subsidize any problems. Taxis have no investor money.

Here's my point, because you're pretty far off on your assumptions about the reality of how this all works. Uber is unsustainable while drivers are in the equation. UberX/XL make half the dollars per hour than my example, because fares are half the money per mile. After similar expenses are applied (except assuming they drive a car they already own and that they use personal insurance i.e. they are totally uninsured while passengers are in the vehicle for hire), they make less than $4.00/hr for a 62 hour week.

My guess is Uber is simply trying to hold out until they can get driverless cars, and this was the best first-mover-to-market to beat Google to this game. Your attempt to discredit my facts with a snarky attitude and uneducated guesses isn't really debate, it's just you being a dick.

Re: “Dear Mayor Adler …”

rareformlimo — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:11:01 -0000

Backing out of Austin leads me to believe drivers were never part of the long term plan, as eventually it would backfire (taxi and limo companies never wanted to background check drivers, it just became necessary because of the reality of the job...they end up knowing where you live).

It seems to me they are using investor money to prop up this business model until driverless cars prove viable, which doesn't seem to far away, from what I've seen lately about their capabilities.

Re: “Dear Mayor Adler …”

rareformlimo — Mon, 16 May 2016 20:18:32 -0000

Here in Seattle, my employees and I have driven for UberBLACK and UberSUV, the two most "lucrative" ways to "drive for Uber."

I received emails every week telling my what the "best drivers" made, showing both their hours worked and their total money collected for Uber.

With some simple math, I could average the hours and the dollars and easily find out the "average gross profit" per hour, and the average hours worked per week to make this "average gross profit."

Average hours per week? 62. Average money for Uber in a week? $1750.

But here's where it gets good. Uber takes more than 25%, but let's round it. So there's about $1,312.50 to your bank account.

Every day, 6/days per week, you put about 200 miles on your car or SUV, at about $0.10/mile for standard maintenance, averaged, or about $120.00/week. Also, about 15 gal of fuel every day, 6 days per week, at let's say $3.00/gal. That's $270.00/wk in fuel. I'm being generous here, and we'll leave out the waters from Costco. So your $1,312.50 just lost $390.00, and you're down to $922.50.

Now you have insurance at a commercial level, between $250-$350 per month, unless you're really getting ripped off. Let's assume you're no getting ripped off, call it $300.00/month, which is $10.00/day (including days you don't work). That's $70.00 per 7 days in a week. So you have $852.50 left.

Remember that $1312.50 take home? You're a 1099 Independent Contractor, responsible for employer and employee payroll taxes every year. With L&I and such, it's about 15%, and we won't count the extra work to file your taxes. So $196.88 per week you have to squirrel away for the end of the year. Well, you only have $853.50 left, so let's take the $196.88 and you have $656.00.

You worked 62 hours and have $656.00 to show for it. Except that your car wasn't free. It was a used or very new luxury sedan or SUV. Either you have a $1000/month new car payment with interest, or you have a lower payment but more maintenance out of warranty. Either way, it's another $250/week you won't get back, due to depreciation.

So now you have $416.00, and you worked 62/hrs per week with no overtime. You made less than $7.00/Hr driving around in a $60,000 SUV. I didn't include licensing or airport permitting, but you get the idea.

See why they need drivers without background checks? After awhile, the pool of normal people runs out of money, their car is repossessed, they owe back taxes for 1099 MISC filings, and they may even lose their homes and marriages.

Just keeping it real.

Re: 'Star Wars' Spinoffs We Want to See Pictures | Rolling Stone

rareformlimo — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 16:54:46 -0000

Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress are curiously missing from this list. Perhaps you haven't read Dark Diciple? Probably the deepest look into the Force in all of current Cannon.

Re: Absolutely No Machete Juggling » The Star Wars Saga: Introducing Machete Order

rareformlimo — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 11:51:07 -0000

The biggest problem with skipping Episode I is that Dark Disciple is probably one of the most intense journeys into the possibilities of the force, and the interesting and important connection between Darth Maul and Asajj Ventress would be left unwhole without this prequel of sorts called Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

Plus, the pod racer scene sound mixing (and several other action scenes) is worth it alone if played in uncompressed Blu Ray HD sound.

Re: NerdWallet Insurance

rareformlimo — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 14:29:34 -0000

The insurance figures quoted are for personal insurance coverage. Carrying only personal insurance when driving for-hire will result in denial of liability coverage in the event of a collision. A true analysis will take into consideration the purchase of commercial insurance which will result in a three-fold increase in insurance costs.

Re: My First Ride In A Rolls Royce Ghost

rareformlimo — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 21:10:09 -0000

Sweet

Re: Is It Foolish To Pay More Fees To Fight Illegal Operators?

rareformlimo — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 18:47:37 -0000

The Puget Sound Limousine Association has been let down by the additional regulations and fees that went into effect at the beginning of 2012. No additional enforcement, over 400% higher carrier fees, and twice as long to get a vehicle inspection. I am trying to steer the board toward an association platform of general deregulation combined with a stricter safety component to include fire extinguishers, triangles, and true mechanical inspections.

Re: JIM LUFF: “Can I Get A Hook Up?”

rareformlimo — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:58:39 -0000

We have a 10% Friends & Family Discount. It's applied to every reservation unless we are running a deeper discount special. This way, friends feel like they are being treated like family and those who can't afford it go somewhere else.

Re: Rolls-Royce Limo Left For Dead In Abu Dhabi Desert

rareformlimo — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:35:12 -0000

Definitely a Town Car conversion. On a Rolls Royce Phantom, the raised body line from the very top front corners travels past the front window to the mirror. On a conversion, it travels straight into the windshield. To fake the mirror line, there is a second raised body line on the conversion that links to the mirror about 6 inches down the fender.

This particular conversion is particularly bad, because the fog lights are squished into the headlight openings, which are the wrong size. There are definitely better kits out there than this one...i'd try to hide it in the desert, too :-)

Re: JIM LUFF: The Check Doesn't Match The Invoice!

rareformlimo — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:34:24 -0000

I send another bill with the outstanding balance on the next billing cycle. The telephone call comes later, once I have a good amount of ammunition (i.e. several cycles of unpaid balance).

Re: JIM LUFF: Using the NLA Directory for Farm Outs

rareformlimo — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:45:52 -0000

I'm trying to figure out what the problem was with the rates you were quoted. Our base rate for a local 20 minute stretch limousine transfer anywhere, any time is a one hour minimum for $149.00. When the 20% chauffeur gratuity is added, the 20% affiliate discount is applied, and the 8.5% fuel surcharge is waived for our affiliate (a practice that we may be discontinuing), the total is still $149.00. We add a $25.00 Holiday Surcharge for each hour of service, bringing the total for an affiliate to $174.00 (although a regular client would pay $216.47).

Our chauffeur would be on double time ($20.00/hr) for 3.5 hours + gratuity, for a total gross pay of $99.80, leaving us $74.20 with which to pay for fuel and ice. We'd gross about $50.00 (28% gross profit), which is 30% less than our average 41% gross profit.We answer our phones 24 hours per day, work 365 days per year, and are happy to take any and all affiliate jobs at non-negotiable rates. So if you want to farm out some Seattle jobs, give us a call. We're an NLA member that will make you shine. Just make sure you charge enough!

Re: Dynasty Limousine Reports 1Q Results - Limousine, Charter & Tour

rareformlimo — Thu, 19 May 2011 04:46:52 -0000

31% is a very high operating margin. I can't find any Sales & Marketing Expenses in the 2011 Q1 Report. Their Annual Reports include Sales & Marketing Expenses, but interesting to note that there is only ~$20,000 in Officer Wages, hardly the pay for a CEO. Redo the numbers with $75,000 Officers Wages (approximate industry average according to LCT Fact Book) for each of 2 officers, and you have a $24,903 net loss for 2008 and a $115,991 loss for 2009.

In 2010, there is a 44% net profit in the Annual Report, but it is because of a website valuation of $213,970, plus only $20,854 in Officer Wages. Subtract the website valuation of $213.970 and $130,000 more in Officer Wages (at a $75,000/officer for 2 officers) from the "$315,800 2010 net operating profit" and you have a net loss of over $28,000. Hardly anything to cheer about for a 13 year old company. Am I missing something?

Re: JIM LUFF: How Far Should Customer Service Go?

rareformlimo — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:45 -0000

Here at Rare Form Limousine, we do the same as you, Jim. As long as the request isn't illegal, we will come up with a price and try to accommodate the client. If the request becomes common, we will set a standard price. We strive to be as much of a concierge service as necessary, as it adds value to the service we provide that many other companies are unwilling or unable to provide.

Re: Insurance Expert Cites 10 Reasons For Slowing Down - Finance & Insurance - Limousine, Charter & Tour

rareformlimo — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:24:41 -0000

Lee, we agree. At Rare Form Limousine, all of our stretch limousines are driven at 5 mph under the speed limit in the far right lane on any road with a posted speed of 60 mph or greater. The only exception is if there is an HOV lane in operation (5 am - 7 pm on most of our Interstates), and the passenger count qualifies us to be in it.

Re: JIM LUFF: Following The Fluid Schedule

rareformlimo — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:54:00 -0000

It's nice to read your description of the multiple steps of a last minute reservation change. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who understands :-)

Re: JIM LUFF: In Memory of James A. Luff Jr.

rareformlimo — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:48:50 -0000

Thank you for sharing, Jim.

Re: Bill Would Let Seattle Enforce Limo Regulations - Limousine, Charter & Tour

rareformlimo — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:01:21 -0000

For the record, Rare Form Limousine is a small limousine company, with a 3 vehicle fleet. I am a Director of the Puget Sound Limousine Association, and the current Membership Chairman. I fully support the deputization of city taxi inspectors to allow enforcement of current state limousine regulations, and also I also support the stricter regulations proposed in the bills now in our state congress.

It is outrageous to suggest that "potential poverty" or "loss of business" is a legitimate reason to for the state to discourage enforcement of limousine laws that are currently being broken. Being broke is not an excuse to break the law, and neither immigrants nor citizens, naturalized or otherwise, should be excused from following the laws as they currently stand.

For legitimate limousine services, such as Rare Form Limousine, this is simply an issue of public safety, as our services cost as much as double of what the illegal operators charge. They are not competitors of ours due simply to the vast disparity of price and quality.

For taxi companies, these rogue limousine operators are direct competitors, as the article explains using quotes taken directly from the limousine operators in question. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is a "big company" vs "little company" issue. This is a "law abiding company" vs "law breaking company" issue.

Rare Form Limousine strives to achieve a higher standard, and is proud to direct a portion of our limited resources to helping eliminate law breaking operators.

Re: FEEL THE HEAT: One Big Carbon Spectacle

rareformlimo — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:22:41 -0000

Way to go, Martin. I've always appreciated your relentless assault against the theory that global climate change is a) predictable, and b) caused by humans.

The scientific method http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... cannot verify a theory, it can only falsify a theory. Einstein said "No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong."[1]

When applying the scientific method correctly, the concept of theory deniers is moot. The only relevant contributors to the theory are the disprovers. I realize this may be a bit heavy for a limousine, charter, and tour blog, but the understanding of the scientific method is the true basis for revealing the environmental globalists' for who they are: the post-Soviet global socialist redistributionist movement reborn. If this had anything to do with science, the leaders of the movement would speak in terms of the scientific method, not political action.

It's cold here in Washington state. I'm going out to run the SUVs for awhile and try to warm this place up. Too bad it's not going to work.

1. As noted by Alice Calaprice (ed. 2005) The New Quotable Einstein Princeton University Press and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, ISBN 0-691-12074-9 p. 291. Calaprice denotes this not as an exact quotation, but as a paraphrase of a translation of A. Einstein's "Induction and Deduction". Collected Papers of Albert Einstein 7 Document 28. Volume 7 is The Berlin Years: Writings, 1918-1921. A. Einstein; M. Janssen, R. Schulmann, et al., eds.

Re: REVIEW: 2010 Mercedes S Class

rareformlimo — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:36:36 -0000

I just test drove the S400 HYBRID a few days ago, including a stint in the rear right seat while the salesman drove me back to the dealership. With no reduction in trunk space over the S550, this vehicle was absolutely amazing in every way. From the fully adjustable rear seats to the immaculate stops and starts, it left nothing to be desired. Except the price.

At over $104,000 equipped to my specifications, I tossed and turned over it as I slept that night. Upon waking, I realized that there is no place in my small fleet for such an expensive vehicle. However, I desperately would like to find the place in our market that would allow us to profit from owning such a magnificent engineering marvel.

Re: LINDA JAGIELA: As-Directed Versus Two Transfers

rareformlimo — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:24:40 -0000

We price our Single Hour service at 80% of 2 hours. Therefore, 3 hours *always* costs less than two Single Hour reservations (aka the "split"). If we have 2 or more hours between the split, we can usually fit in another Single Hour in between if we can sell it. Many times, a customer will slightly adjust their plans to squeeze into our slot.

Single Hour service is not available in any stretch (defined as having a divider window) for reservations beginning at 4 pm or later on Friday or Saturday nights, period.

We solve several problems in this fashion:

1) Aside from Friday and Saturday nights, we don't have to hear that "we don't need the vehicle for 2 hours or 3 hours." No problem, we have a solution for that

2) We put our outstanding service and vehicles in front of one more client from which we can get possible referrals

3) We NEVER have to bargain. We have a strict internal "no bargaining" policy, so we help the client structure the reservation to save them the most money, which they appreciate.

We always inform them that the trade off for the savings is that the vehicle cannot be used as storage in-between, it will be there when the event is scheduled to end, and it will not be available to them during the event.

In our heavily competitive and highly discount-oriented market, this shows we understand that people could be on a budget, but that we have rules that the client must agree to in order to take advantage of our reduced pricing options.

Re: JIM LUFF: So Your Relative Or Friend Asks For A “Deal”

rareformlimo — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:33:49 -0000

Ahhh. Thank you for the clarification. I'll have to mull this over. Most of the pickup/drop off locations for venues, restaurants, etc. in Seattle are "double-parking" situations, so there's not much "standing in the chauffeur position" time, but I'm sure I could think of some exceptions.