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The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation's (TLPF) Transportation On Patrol (TOP) educational program is now available for purchase for operators around the globe. The implementation of a global TOP program was one of TLPA Past President Robert McBride's major initiatives. His company gained national acclaim almost immediately once he started his program after one of his TOP trained drivers captured the license plate number from a car involved in a hit and run that caused a fatality. There are numerous instances where the program has already proven to be successful in the markets where TLPA member companies have implemented the program. TLPF, in conjunction with eCubed learning, has developed an on-line, at any time program, to provide the for-hire transportation industry an affordable standardized educational resource for TOP implementation.

The primary overall objectives of this program are to:

• Explain to transportation companies, police departments and public officials the value of implementing a TOP program in their community;
• Educate transportation companies about the recommended process for implementing a TOP program;
• Educate drivers on how to effectively participate in the TOP program; and
• Provide a funding stream that will recover up-front program development costs and provide funding support for on-going program maintenance, marketing, revisions and enhancements.

Operators who are interested in this program, click here to purchase seats for drivers at $5.00/seat.

To view the FREE TOP introductory video, click here.

Operator of the Year, Driver of the Year & Outstanding Contributor to Women in Transportation Awards
It is now time for nominations for the 2012 TLPA Driver of the Year, Operator of the Year and Outstanding Contributor to Women In Transportation awards. Nomination forms are attached. Please help us acknowledge the industry's best in 2012 by submitting a nomination in one or more of these categories. Nominations are due no later than Friday, June 1, 2012. You may print nomination forms from the links below.

For the 2012 Operator of the Year Nomination Form click here.
For the 2012 Driver of the Year Nomination Form click here.
For the 2012 Outstanding Contributor to Women in Transportation Form click here.

A TLPA Legislative Alert: House and Senate Take First Steps Toward Reauthorizing the Federal Transportation Program was emailed on February 3, 2012. The notice reviewed very positive steps taken in the House and extraordinarily bad actions taken in the Senate. It went on to state, "There are other issues that we will inform you about later but none are as serious as the Senate assault on private operator rights to participate fully and fairly in the federal transportation program. We urge you to contact both of your U.S. Senators today and urge them to oppose the elimination of the current Section 5306 from the transit title of the transportation reauthorization bill MAP-21 when the bill comes to the Senate Floor..." So far, we know that 22 companies faxed letters to U.S. Senators. If you have not yet sent your letter, please click here Legislative Alert to see the sample letters we prepared for your consideration (in the Resource Center of the Member's Only portion of the TLPA web site.) Be certain to fax a copy of your letters to TLPA at 301-984-5703.

Join TLPA NOW! We are the leading information, education, and legislative resource in the passenger transportation industry. We serve our operator member companies by providing a network of programs, services and support that will enhance their company's ability to effectively and profitably serve local public transportation needs. We also offer membership to industry providers of transportation products and services, along with other kinds of memberships. To join any of our five membership categories and learn the benefits of each, click here.

The 2012 TLPA Division Fact Book Surveys are available electronically for you to complete! The questions asked in these 2012 surveys have been simplified by the Division Steering Committees to make it easier for more members than ever before to respond. Please choose each of the following division links to access the survey for each of the divisions you belong to:

Link to the Taxicab Fact Book Survey click here.
Link to the 2012 Limousine Fact Book Survey click here.
Link to the Paratransit Fact Book Survey click here.

A free Fact Book valued at $100, will automatically be sent to all TLPA members who fully complete a survey. The cost to purchase a Fact Book for members who choose not to complete a survey is $100. To receive a free copy of the results, you need to complete and return this survey by Friday, April 6.

2012 TLPA President Sworn In TLPA held it's 93rd Annual Convention & Trade Show in San Francisco, CA where our new TLPA President, Mary Smarelli was sworn into office by Past President, Robert McBride. Click here for Press Release.

Attention TLPA Member Photographers! Share photos from events such as the 93rd Annual Convention & Trade Show with TLPA and friends!
Mail premium quality photos to Leah New, in high resolution (300 dpi or more than 1MB size) to TLPA on CD/DVD or thumb drive. Provide your company name, contact name, photographer name, phone number, city and state with your photo so that we may appropriately give credit. Select photos may be used by TLPA for promotional purposes in print and otherwise.

View Photos on Facebook: Search for us on Facebook under, Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), and "Like" our fan page or "Join" our group page to view photos. Members of TLPA can join the TLPA group page and anyone on Facebook can "Like" our TLPA fan page.
If you'd like to share TLPA event photos with our group and fan page, just "tag" us. Remember you can only "tag" us if you "Like" us or are a Member of the group page.

The Social Media Handbook is our latest in a series of TLPA member Public Relations handbooks. This handbook offers tips on how to become friends with Social Media. Melwood Global gave a presentation on how to get acquainted with this topic at our 93rd Annual Convention & Trade Show in San Francisco. Take the plunge and download the Social Media Handbook, click here.

TLPA-ACS Pink Ride 2011 (Press Release) This TLPA Public Relations campaign first established in 2010 was updated for 2011. TLPA members painted, wrapped or placed signage designating at least one vehicle in the fleet as part of the TLPA Pink Ride to benefit the American Cancer Society program. For a list of TLPA members, and the communities they serve, that participated in the 2011 "Pink Ride" program, click here. Date Posted: November 2011

Taxis for Senior Transportation Interviews—Available Online
Audio recordings and transcripts of three interviews on Taxis for Senior Transportation are now available online, click here. Virginia Dize, co-director of National Center for Senior Transportation (NCST), speaks with experts, including Hal Morgan, Executive Vice President of TLPA, at the intersection of the aging services, community transportation and taxicab arenas on the use of affordable, available and accessible taxicabs for older adults.

Developing Favorable Public Relations, A Public Relations Handbook, prepared exclusively for TLPA members by Melwood Global, is a do-it-yourself manual designed to help guide members in media relations. This handbook explains that steady public relations efforts maintain a positive image for a company by popularizing successes, downplaying failures and announcing changes. This is a follow up to last year's Protecting Your Company in a Crisis Through Media Relations handbook. Click here for a copy of the Developing Favorable Public Relations handbook. Click here to view a press release about it.

Assessing the Full Cost of Implementing An Accessible Taxicab Program, a report prepared under the direction of Ray Mundy, Ph.D. for the TLPF, explains in Appendix A, software to use as an Accessible Taxicab Cost Calculator. This report addresses the cost issues and operational difficulties that are often associated with the development of accessible taxicab service resulting from the local expansions of ADA-type legislation. Click here to read the report. Read these instructions to learn how to use the calculator and then use the calculator to evaluate your cost in implementing an Accessible Taxicab Program.

Analysis of Alternative Fuels & Vehicles for Taxicab Fleets, a report prepared by TLPA, concludes that the evolution of technology will make "widespread use of alternative fuels no longer the dream of the future but a reality that already works for some today and that may soon be ready to work for all in the taxicab industry." Click here for a copy of the July 2009 report.

Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation: How to Maximize Safety and Cost Effectiveness Through Better Use of Private For-Hire Vehicle Operators, is a paper written by members of TLPA who provide Medicaid transportation services in order to offer government officials and others responsible for Medicaid transportation recommendations to be utilized to ensure that Medicaid clients receive a higher level of service by professional drivers working for qualified companies who are willing to meet higher levels of scrutiny and maintain higher performance standards. Click here for a copy of the 2009 paper.

Recommended Taxicab Driver Standard Developed by TLPA for taxicab licensing agencies located in major urban centers of greater than one million population now available. More

Recommended Taxi Company Standards — TLPA recommends taxicab regulatory standards that, if adopted in total by the taxicab regulatory agency in metropolitan areas of greater than one million population, would lead to a community-wide improvement in the professionalism of licensed taxicab companies and the quality of taxicab service they provide. More

Fair Taxicab Regulation At Work, produced by North Carolina State University, is a ten-minute video that promotes fair taxicab regulation to better serve communities. The video points out what passengers want and what actions regulators can take to enhance taxicab service. Click here to watch the video.

Recommended Paratransit Standards have been recommended by the Paratransit Steering Committee and were approved by the TLPA Executive Committee on January 25, 2008. The recommendations include background checks for drivers, prior to interview, minimum driver qualifications, a driver record check, drug and alcohol testing, driver training and record keeping. To download your complimentary copy, click here.

Use our BUYERS' GUIDE to shop for the latest products and technology from the industry's leading vendors. More

Use our FIND A RIDE directory to find a transportation provider near you. More

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