Engine repair bill on work truck...

[Angry White Male]

This is just one accordion that I have to keep certain things in about the truck and employed driver (myself).  CVSE could come by and ask to see this at any time.  It must be kept in order, and must be provided.



This is the simple box to keep in order.  The actual "corporate tax" boxes are little fuller...  These include tons of shit that are needed for tax-time.  CVSE doesn't care about that shit, but the tax-man does!





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[JOE]

Most limo work is one shot for an hour or two.



With a stretch limo you could charge $100 to $120 an hour.



The only way you could bill out for 4 hour durations are with corporate clients, weddings, birthdays and special events. And they don't come around all the time.



In order to gain steady work, you'd have to hitch up with one of the larger companies where they'd farm out work to you. But of course they want a cut, so its not terribly profitable if you rely upon them alone for your work.



Also the key is networking with other owner operators who can supply you with the work when they can't do it all.



Your cost besides buying the limo is maitnenance, gas, insurance and plate rentals. You need a vehicle for hire to operate in Vancouver and your vehicle should be no more than 10 years old from the date of manufacture.



On a good night you may make $1000. That was my best but of course, I didn't get to keep most of it as it wasn't my car. A decent average Saturday might be around $500 or 600. Friday too.



So on average a limo owner may gros between $40 or 50000 on the low end up to around $75 000 a year. Factor in $6000 a year for plate rental and insurance (lower cost, could be much higher than that), $15000 for gas and oil, $10 to 20,000 for maintenance and repairs and you have your net profit.



Then they tax you on that and that's your take home.



A lot of owners do it as a side business and either have jobs or are self employed truck drivers, tow truck drivers or mechanics.



Pretty hard to do it as a full time biz. You need something to subsidize it especially in the first years of operation.

......Hey S'Mel! Why don't you ditch the truck, buy yourself a stretch limo instead?

You know, I checked the governed minimum rates for limo work in BC, and they aren't that bad!



A guy could make money with a limo!  The issue would be steadiness of work...  I'm guessing most limo work would be of fairly short fare duration.



I don't have such issues, as I won't bill out for less than four hours, and usually get around a full day of work on my call-outs.



Not sure how much a limo would bill for customer time in the average day...  You would probably know though...  How much would be customer billed time in, say, a 12 hour period?

[Angry White Male]

So, you are on hourly?

[JOE]

Usually not hourly.



Comission plus tips gratuities etc



So of course the more u drive the more u make.



Likewise, the less u drive the less u make

So, you are on hourly?

[JOE]

I might be interested but I would try not to spend too much on a limo.



Brand new a stretch can cost anywhere from 80 000 to 150 000.



So used anywhere from 25 000 to 50 000.



Its best to try to keep the expenses or initial outlay as low as possible



Trick is not to buy too new, yet not too old.



I'd say this kind of business might be good for 4 or 5 years make as much money as you can and then get out, sell the car after that.

[JOE]

One possible arrangement an owner can make is to 50 50 with another co owner. It usually tales 2 or 3 people to manage and maintain those things.



Your individual profit margin is lower, but so are your costs.



So instead of $30 to 40 thousand you carry alone, 1/3 or 1/2 of that.

[Angry White Male]

Have you thought about owning your own, and putting it to work?

[Angry White Male]

The biggest conquest is clientele...



No different than my business!



If you're good, they'll call back!



I do know about the Crony shit that happens also, too...

[Berry Sweet]

You really do have no idea half the people who post here, do you?  Myself included.  Alcohol makes your mind small.

[JOE]

I was going to look into it. Ask around.



I think there's always used limos for sale, because people try it and they want to get out of the business. Its a difficult racket. Plus there are a lot of dodgy characters, etc.

Have you thought about owning your own, and putting it to work?

[JOE]

Clientele is a problem.



But its actually not too difficult to get yourself known.



Its a matter of tapping into the hidden demand.

Most important thing is service, showing up on time, driving with a smile.



Being a class 1 driver, you might want to drive large Limo Busses.

That seems to be the trend. Companies hire out large vehicles to transport boatloads of people, like a large office of 30 people or mkre.



But of course, the larger the vehicle like a limo bus, the bigger the headaches and difficult/expense in locating parts and competent personnel who can service those things. A stretch limo is essentially a car, with a few truck parts thrown in (like heavy duty shocks, etc.). So the parts are plentiful and there are more people around who can fix those things.

The biggest conquest is clientele...



No different than my business!



If you're good, they'll call back!



I do know about the Crony shit that happens also, too...

[Angry White Male]

You see, I'm not really a "people person"...  I like that I can show up at a job looking like shit/dressed like shit, and I fit right in!



That's why I like my segment of the industry.



Now, if you are a people person/suit/tie, etc...  And can actually pull this off well for customers, the Limo rates are high enough that one could make a profit if clientele are there.



I've seen the min. rates.  Unless you constantly smash up the Limo, the profits are there if the clients are there.



My ex-boss is also my "broker" if you will, for a lot of my jobs...  It's important not to burn bridges in the industry.

[JOE]

....

You see, I'm not really a "people person"...  I like that I can show up at a job looking like shit/dressed like shit, and I fit right in!



.......Unless you constantly smash up the Limo, the profits are there if the clients are there.

LOL! Well, ya can't treat your customers like chit or else they don't come back, eh S'Mel? Maybe you'd wanna just be a silent partner in the business and let somebody else do the driving.



And you can't smash up the Limo, buddy! It ain't a truck, y'know! LOL! One fender bender can cost you plenty since the body parts are one of a kind, custom made, eh?



Appearance in that business is everything. Its just one big illusion, all smoke and mirrors. You have to put on this show for people to make them feel at ease. Its all a dream, and when the night is over, the driver turns back into the blue collar slave that he is in real life.

[Angry White Male]

I know how the business works!



Cut-throat, just like any other...



Nonetheless, if you're good, word will travel, and people may pay a premium.



The shitty part is, though...  that it takes a long time to get there, and you'll probably run at a loss for quite some time.

[Angry White Male]

I ran a tilt-deck wrecker a few years back...  Best of both worlds!



No special licence needed, and limited interactions with the public.  They call if they need their shit moved.



That's the only job I had where people would come up to me and ask me if I was "for hire."  I technically wasn't, since my job wasn't towing your car at that job.  It was delivering certain items of construction machinery.



Nonetheless, I can see an opportunity there also!



But again, hard to gauge what your workload would be...