Limousines and party buses are a popular way to travel to the hundreds of destinations Chicago offers.
Parks, hotels, restaurants, museums, pubs… There are many great places to go see in Chicago region and beyond. Chicago suburbs also offer numerous bars, gardens, and other wonderful places and landmarks.
However, because limousine safety is becoming a concern lately, the city officials have implemented stricter regulatory systems for any limo service provider to operate. That alone filters out a great deal of shady and unlicensed businesses.
However, it is still a great idea to research your limousine company and here are 5 great tips that will help you find the most reliable and safe company.
You can check the federal safety records
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a searchable Safety and Fitness Electronic Records system. Anyone that has a computer and internet can access it at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. The site offers great deal about your chosen company: operating status; number of vehicles and drivers; and inspection record. Additionally, it also lists all the accidents reported to FMCSA in the past two years.
Find out more about your driver
The state of Illinois has very strict requirements when it comes to hiring passenger drivers. The legislation pertaining to the drivers require that the business that employs the driver verify their completion of medical exams; pre-employment checks, including criminal history; and biennial road and theory tests.
Katie S June, operations manager of Elite Chicago Limo, suggests calling your operators and asking specifically about whether their drivers are city licensed. If the reservationist doesn’t know the answer, it may be cause for concern, she said.
Ask about safety inspections
Vehicles that are made for livery use must be screened rigorously. Every six months they must pass an inspection as well as an informal inspection every week, said Ms June.
Stretch limousines or buses can be purchased by virtually anyone. Therefore, there are many operators that do not comply with the regulations, have not passed the inspections or have no licenses. Again, it’s a good idea to ask whether the vehicles have updated stickers and licenses.
Check references and plan ahead
If you booked your party bus with a tour in mind, you may want to check with your destinations if they allow a Chicago party bus to pull up.
Some Chicago bars and clubs, for example, do not welcome party buses to park or even pull up in front. It usually have to do with bringing groups that are not so well-behaved, Katie June said.
Other possible restrictions may occur when planning a wedding or a prom.
Use common sense
Before you make a reservation, have a conversation with the business representative or schedule a walk-through in their garage. A lot of businesses offer vehicle viewings, Katie said.
“Here, at Elite Chicago Limo we offer party bus showings. When the client sees the bus that he/she is getting, all doubts vanish,” Katie said. “If the Party Bus looks normal, and the staff is acting professionally, you are going to be fine,” she said.
To get more information about Elite Chicago Limo, visit www.elitechicagolimo.com
