Illinois Limousine & Bus Association - ILLBA

Join us at the Great Lakes Transportation Show 2024!

📅 August 13-14, 2024
📍 Schaumburg Convention Center, IL

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to network with industry leaders, discover the latest trends, and gain valuable insights at our business sessions and immersive experiences.

Register now and elevate your business: https://form.jotform.com/241426333404144

Interested in maximizing your brand’s exposure? Become a sponsor and connect with a targeted audience.

Register To Sponsor: https://form.jotform.com/241425768590161

Warm wishes to all who celebrate

The city has confirmed there will be no fireworks display on the 4th of July in the city of Chicago this year.

No Fourth of July fireworks in Chicago this year The city of Chicago said there will be no Fourth of July fireworks display this year, but Navy Pier will continue its twice-a-week fireworks display every Wednesday and Saturday through Labor Day.

We’re back with our !

This week the ILLBA is pleased to be highlighting Stephanie & Markelle Ballard, President and Vice President of Visions Transportation in Chicago. Stephanie and Markelle embarked on their transportation journey after their pastor shared a dream he’d had of Markelle dressed as a chauffeur. Since then they have expanded to 10 vehicles and 8 employees, and are doing fantastic work in their community by offering specialized transportation for student, church, and senior populations in addition to their luxury black car services.

Read Stephanie and Markelle’s full interview on our illba.org website, and follow along to learn more about our ILLBA members!

Are you an ILLBA owner, operator, vendor or service provider who is interested in being featured? Connect with ILLBA Secretary and Executive Director Paula DeBiasi to participate.

Back by Popular Demand!

Join us at the Great Lakes Transportation Show on August 13-14, 2024, in Schaumburg, IL, presented by ILLBA!

Network with top professionals, discover ways to MAKE and SAVE money and get ahead of industry trends. Whether you're a startup or a legacy operator, we've got powerful sessions tailored for you. Don't miss the data-driven State of the Industry presentation that will WOW you!

Dates: August 13-14, 2024

Location: 1551 Thoreau Dr N, Schaumburg, IL 60173

For more information, contact us at [email protected] or (253) 314-7568.

A Happy Orthodox Easter To All Who Celebrate!

While supporting small businesses with your wallet is paramount, here are some additional *free* ways you can support local during National Small Business Week!

To all who celebrate!

Join us April 23rd at 2:00 PM ET for a jam-packed webinar event hosted by the NLA/CD Women's Leadership Committee!

Get ready to rev up your networking and speaking skills. Teresa will share ways to help you build strong connections and feel more comfortable giving presentations that leave lasting impressions.

Click here to register: https://form.jotform.com/240934896903165

This week’s is all about Coast, as Business Development representative Alex Sussman shares the many ways Coast is committed to helping the transportation industry transform financial operations for the better. Coast is an innovative Visa fuel card and fleet expense management system that allows greater visibility and control over employees' spending on fuel and other job-related expenses. By addressing longstanding fuel card issues, integrating seamlessly with systems like Fleetio and Quickbooks, and offering fuel discounts through their partners, Coast provides their clients with the opportunity to reduce costs and streamline business processes. In fact, fleets that switch to Coast from another fuel card save an average of 9% on their fuel bills.

Visit our website (https://www.illba.org) to read Alex’s full interview and learn more about the exclusive ILLBA member promotion Coast is currently offering!

Spring forward! Sunday March 10

Happy International Women's Day!

For this week’s , please allow us to introduce Guillermo Ramirez, and his company Ramz Limo Chicago. As a one-SUV operation, with no additional employees beyond Guillermo and his wife, Ramz Limo has been building a reputation for reliability, luxury, and customer satisfaction since 2018 by developing strong, long-term relationships with their clients. Guillermo wears many hats inside of his company — reservations, farm-outs, driving — but that also means he knows exactly what is happening at all times, and allows him to make the intuitive, personalized, and sometimes unexpected decisions that set their services apart.



Read Guillermo’s full interview on our website (www.illba.org) and follow along to learn more about our ILLBA members!

Today we’re wrapping up our recognition of the many ways Black men and women have helped shape the transportation industry with our appreciation for McKinley Thompson, Jr (1922-2006).



Hired in 1956 by the Ford Motor Company at 34 years old, Brooklyn-born Thompson officially became the first Black designer for a major automobile manufacturer. He had his hand in the design production of the Bronco, Mustang, Thunderbird and GT40 - vehicles that had a transformative impact on not only the automotive industry, but also popular culture. Thompson developed an early love of automobiles as a child after seeing a 1934 Chrysler DeSoto Airflow on the street, and carried that passion through the entirety of his career. Many car lovers consider him to be one of the unsung heroes of his time!

Our appreciation for the many ways Black men and women have helped shape the transportation industry continues with the life and achievements of Bessie Coleman (1892-1926).



Popularly known as Queen Bess and Brave Bessie, Coleman was the first Black woman to have a pilot’s license. With an early interest in flying, she saved money and earned scholarships to attend flight school in France. Bessie received her license on June 15, 1921, and she became a notoriously bold stunt pilot and media sensation, known for never compromising her principles. She never realized her dream of opening a young Black aviator flight school, but was an inspiration for many during her life, and remains so today. She’s even been memorialized as a Barbie doll!



https://creations.mattel.com/products/barbie-signature-inspiring-women-doll-hjx37 #

Tech Talk Highlights Coffee With ILLBA Webinar - Chauffeur Driven Magazine Limousine Industry News and Updates. News stories dealing with the luxury ground transportation industry covering limos, buses, vans.

Today for our we’re happy to feature Brad Wallace, Director of Sales & Marketing for GO Riteway Transportation Group. GO Riteway was founded in 1957 when Rollie and Pearl Bast started running four school buses in Germantown, WI. Today they have over 1400 employees, and operate from multiple terminals serving customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota, with the Bast family still at the helm. Their ever-growing school bus division remains a primary part of their service portfolio, while their commercial division encompasses black car and coach operations. Meanwhile, GO Riteway owns their entire fleet, and their drivers are all full-time employees — a structure that allows GO Riteway to stand behind the above-and-beyond consistency, quality control, and safety standards they’re able to offer their clients 1000%.

Read Brad’s full interview on our website (www.illba.org), and follow along to learn more about our ILLBA members!

Are you an ILLBA owner, operator, vendor or service provider who is interested in being featured? Connect with ILLBA Secretary and Executive Director Paula DeBiasi to participate.

The Show is Fast Approaching - Are You Registered? Get the Best Price Now!   Register Now Before Prices Increase Onsite! The CD/NLA Show is fast approaching and you are running out of time to save! Registration rates will increase onsite so register n

Marriott Acquires Sheraton Grand Chicago in a $500 Million Deal Marriott International purchases Sheraton Grand Chicago for $500 million, ending a legal battle and solidifying its position in the hospitality market.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Today, in continuation of our celebration, we’re showing our love for the many ways Black men and women have helped shape the transportation industry by recognizing Garrett Augustus Morgan (1877-1963).

If you've ever driven safely through an intersection, or crossed the street without fear, you have Garrett to thank. In addition to owning a tailoring business, establishing a successful newspaper, and designing a gas mask that was used in WWI, he patented the first traffic signal in 1923 after witnessing the death of a young girl in a collision between an automobile and a horse-drawn carriage. It consisted of a manually-operated T-shaped pole unit that featured three positions: Stop, Go and one that halted traffic in all directions for pedestrians to cross streets more safely. His invention was in use throughout the entire United States until the units were eventually upgraded to automatic models.

Our continues with Jim Luff, Corporate Communications Manager for Payments, formerly Chosen Payments. Aurora Payments provides customizable and reliable merchant solutions through technology that helps businesses increase profits and efficiency while achieving additional opportunities for growth. Their proprietary payment platform ARISE allows businesses to harness their finances like never before, with nearly-instantaneous ACH payment processing, an internal invoicing system that features payment links for all sorts of payment types, and an included Customer Vault where recurring payments and subscription renewals are completely automated. As consumers continue to gravitate toward digital payment options, Aurora is your ally in keeping your business at the forefront of payment processing innovation.
Read Jim’s full interview on our website (https://www.illba.org), and follow along to learn more about our ILLBA members!

Are you an ILLBA owner, operator, vendor or service provider who is interested in being featured? Connect with ILLBA Secretary and Executive Director Paula DeBiasi to participate.

We’re so happy to be introducing Michelle & Tom Dacy, Founders and Owners of Special
Needs Chicago, for this week’s . Special Needs Chicago has been providing
individuals with physical and / or cognitive challenges the freedom to enjoy safe, reliable,
comfortable, and courteous transportation throughout Chicago and its suburbs since 2012.
Their team of trained drivers are career professionals who are dedicated to providing elevated
services for the communities they serve, whether within their own active network of clients, or
as supportive affiliates for their fellow operators who look to them for their highly-specialized
offerings. With the 2024 launch of three franchise locations under the name Tootl Transport,
Special Needs Chicago is now able to create an even more widespread impact with their
particular brand of professional, reliable, and accessible transportation.
Read Michelle and Tom’s full interview on our website https://www.illba.org , and follow along to learn more about
our ILLBA members!
Are you an ILLBA owner, operator, vendor or service provider who is interested in being
featured? Connect with ILLBA Secretary and Executive Director Paula DeBiasi to participate.

Thank you Chauffeur Driven for the article regarding our year end event!

ILLBA Holds Holiday Dinner - Chauffeur Driven Magazine Limousine Industry News and Updates. News stories dealing with the luxury ground transportation industry covering limos, buses, vans.