The Extreme Heat and Limos in Arizona
Yep it's here - the dog days of summer. Anytime the temperature reads over 95 degrees we know that vehicles are going to break down more. The limos, the party buses, the Towncars the SUVS.
It is NOT just our fleet. Have you ever taken a drive on the I-10 freeway in the middle of the day between Arizona and California? I have many times. During the winter there aren't too many stranded or broken-down cars. During the summertime there are MANY. Drive around the streets of Phoenix during the summer - same thing - many more cars broken down. Cars are not built to withstand the extreme heat without problems - engines overheating, belts breaking, compressors blowing. And it's hot. And people's patience is worn thin.
It's oppressively hot during the daytime in Phoenix. I always crack up when I get that call. "Yes it is my wedding on July 10th and I want a 10 passenger limo for 10 people from 2pm to 7pm". Really?? Really? In your wedding dress you want to stuff in right next to 9 other people loading into the limo at 110 degrees outside. Sounds fun!
One of our limousine friends (owns a HUGE company in Las Vegas) won't run limos in the daytime of the summer. They have deep pockets - they run a huge fleet of taxis so the limo business is just gravy to them. And they have no problem turning away limo runs for customers during the day in June, July and August (since they obviously have similar temperatures to Phoenix). This company ONLY books limos at night - after the sun-sets and they send a chaser van after the limousine.
This company, of course, charges more than we can demand in Phoenix. All other limo companies in Phoenix have drop-their-pants pricing - especially during the low demand summer. So if we charged $200 more than the next guy to cover the cost of a chaser van people wouldn't pay it. People won't cough up the money in Phoenix.
And then people call to complain. Angry that the vehicle broke down or that the a/c didn't blow colder. Get into your vehicle in the middle of the afternoon dressed in a suit after the car was sitting in the sun for 30 minutes. See how fast your car cools down - and you cool down. We service our vehicles all the time. Our maintenance bills are outragous. Especially in the summer.
I don't have a solution to this problem - do you? Would you be willing to pay more if we sent a chaser van and were honest that your middle-of-the-afternoon run in June/July & August is not really going to be fun. It's going to be hot. And you are going to be uncomfortable. And if the limo might break down - we will do our best to send a substitute vehicle out but sometimes everything is booked (or broken being repaired).
The limo business in Phoenix sucks ESPECIALLY in the summer - used to be good the rest of the year but I'd say with the recession it is officially a not-for-profit business!
