When you hire a new driver, you trust that they will not be dishonest, steal, or operate a livery vehicle recklessly. Although you may think you can read a person well, sometimes looks can be deceiving. What if the one driver you thought could do no wrong ends up violating a customer and the policies of your livery business? This very incident occurred for one local livery company.

According to the Barnstable-Hyannis Patch, a family returned on a private jet from Florida to Massachusetts. Two limo drivers loaded the luggage into the awaiting vehicles. One limo driver drove the father and his two dogs to an animal sitter in Centerville and the second limousine brought the children and wife directly home in Osterville.

After both limousines arrived separately to the residence, the suitcases and bags were unloaded and brought inside by the livery drivers. However, a few hours later, the family realized that several pieces of their luggage and valuables were missing. This included a bag containing $100,000 worth of jewelry. After reporting the theft to the police, officials were able to obtain a confession from one of the limo drivers who had stolen the missing luggage and jewelry.

Such a devastating occurrence is something you never want your livery company to experience. This is why hiring the right people for your business is so crucial. Your customers rely on your services and believe they are safe in the vehicles they are being transported in. Don’t let them down. Here are some tips to use so you can hire the most honest and ethical drivers out there:

Know as much as possible about the people you are hiring.
Take the time to check their references. Make a list of questions to ask former employers to see if they will be able to work at your place of business.
Don’t hire the first person you like. Interview a number of people before deciding on a new driver.
Conduct a pre-employment background check to provide some information about each potential employee. This check will look at the history of crime, violence, theft, and fraud.
Put safety measures in place in case an employee decides to be dishonest or commit theft.
Safeguard valuable assets, provide accurate financial reporting, and make sure everyone follows regulations.
Conduct regular audits of processes and activities for each employee.
Your livery business is heavily reliant on your drivers and customers. Placing a level of trust in your employees is important so your company can run smoothly. Another safety precaution you should take is to have livery insurance from Wolpert Insurance. This package can include general liability, property insurance, small business financial planning, and much more. Contact us today for a tailored solution specifically made for your livery business!

Have you wondered what sort of effect speeding may have on your livery company? Speeding poses many dangerous hazards to not just your limos, but to other vehicles on the road, passengers in your limo, and pedestrians. Did you know speeding causes one-third of accidents each year in the U.S.? As the owner and operator of a local limo company in Massachusetts, you may want to immerse yourself in some speeding facts or else risk filing a claim on your livery insurance.

In 1995, Congress repealed the National Maximum Speed Law, allowing state governments to decide what their maximum speed limit is. Since that time, over thirty states have raised speed limits to 70mph or more. When experts weigh in, they contend that as speed limits increase, so do deaths. Some suggest that since motorists are likely to go five or ten miles over the limit anyway, increasing them doesn’t make much sense or benefit anyone.

But how does this tie into driving a limo? It’s simple. You and your drivers are performing a service, and that doesn’t only include getting customers from point A to point B. A large part of driving and being in charge of a limo is making sure you’re keeping passengers safe from harm. If you or one of your drivers is speeding, how are you watching out for passenger safety?

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) website, Massachusetts’ maximum speed limit for all vehicles either in rural or urban areas is 65mph. To be safe, we recommend telling drivers to stay within these limits. Besides, who wants to be in a speeding limo while they’re trying to relax in the cabin?

At Wolpert Insurance & Risk Management we hope that you take our advice seriously when it comes to educating your drivers on speeding. For more information on speeding and how it factors into Massachusetts law, give us a call today.