As a meeting planner, you’ve probably experienced times when your transportation just doesn’t seem to run exactly as planned. It may have been due to flight delays, construction, weather or some unforeseen incident, regardless of how much pre- planning you do, some things are just out of your control. Building a successful transportation plan can be a huge project, but by implementing a few crucial steps you’ll have your transportation running smoothly.

5 steps to successful ground transportation

Hire a Professional Transportation Company: Coordinating group transportation requires far more than just booking vehicles. There are plenty of details that take place well before vehicles begin to roll; logistics, timing, routes, schedules, signage, city regulations, load/unload points, parking, staging, guest management and, in the case of large group moves, crowd control. While you may have a team to assist with transfers, a professional transportation company will have key resources in place along with local knowledge on city policies, hotels, and the area itself, thus easing the transportation process.

Have a Plan A and Plan B: Preparation is key to success in any aspect of life, and that certainly holds true for meetings and events. Change happens especially when there are numerous factors that simply cannot be managed. Proper preparation can help eliminate some stress, but having a plan B just in case will help navigate those little bumps that may arise. Consider the possible scenarios that may impact your ground transportation plans. Could there be flight delays? Will guests actually arrive on time for event transfers or do you traditionally have stragglers? Do you have guests prone to motion sickness? Do your guests pay attention to instructions? Or will you have to send a team to round them up? These situations happen frequently. Knowing your attendees and their patterns can help you better prepare your   transportation schedule and determine the number and size of vehicles you’ll need.

Discuss your groups’ past history with your transportation partner, sharing what worked and what didn’t and why in order to help curb any issues before they may arise.

Communication is Key: Communication is crucial to keeping your transportation schedule intact. Make certain all staff is informed regularly of any schedule changes. This is extremely important when you have multiple pickups or plan to run a shuttle. People run late; flights are delayed; traffic gets heavy. Making sure you are in communication with your transportation partner including the chauffeurs will help keep transportation running smoothly and everyone on track even if there are unforeseen events happening behind the scenes.

Evaluate Routes/Schedule: Including your transportation company in the early planning stages will give you valuable insight into the area and any details that may impact transportation needs and costs. Meeting planners have a huge responsibility to organize and manage a successful program for clients. Conducting a site inspection on items like your hotel, dine around options and activities prior to attendees’ arrival is important to the overall experience. Just as important though, is your transportation. A professional transportation company familiar with group meeting and event transfers can help develop efficient routes that can extend your transportation budget. Make it a priority to review routes, timing and logistics with your transportation company ensuring both parties are familiar with the plans.

Successful ground transportation begins with partnership

Consider a preferred partnership: Once you’ve done the research to find a transportation partner you trust, why start the process all over again in a new city or with a new client. Look for a company that can handle transportation across the globe ensuring you’ll have the same level of service and reliability. Consider asking for a preferred partnership or multi-year contract, that way all pertinent details regarding your groups’ needs, likes and dislikes will be noted. Partner with a transportation provider who will make your transportation goals and attendee experience a priority.

BEST-VIP Chauffeured Worldwide partners with meeting planners and event coordinators handling all ground transportation logistics. Our experienced transportation specialists work with you to design a plan that will meet your objectives. You can trust BEST-VIP to go beyond transportation, delivering first-class, safe and reliable group transportation on time and in-style.