Democratic National Convention Committee Names Transportation Management Team
CHARLOTTE – The Democratic National Convention Committee and
the Committee for Charlotte 2012 today named the team of Event
Transportation Associates, Vectour Group and Charlotte Destination
Group to serve as the transportation management team for the 2012
Democratic National Convention.
The transportation management team will be responsible for designing
and executing an elaborate shuttle bus system in which 250-plus buses
will service 150 hotels and dozens of carefully crafted routes to
transport thousands of delegates and convention guests. The
shuttle
system will allow all convention guests to have secure and reliable
transportation, and will reduce the number of vehicles on the road
during convention week.
“With today’s announcement, we begin to tackle a major element in
convention planning: the design of our transportation system,” said
DNCC CEO Steve Kerrigan. “After
engaging in an inclusive open bidding process as part of our efforts to
have the most open and accessible convention in history, we’re thrilled
that we have a team of three firms who combine experience from past
conventions and other large events with local resources and expertise.”
“Today’s announcement illustrates yet again the strength of Charlotte’s
thriving business community. In securing this contract, Charlotte
Destination Group’s local expertise, in partnership with these other
transportation firms, will contribute to a successful convention and
make our business community even stronger going forward,” said Mayor
Anthony Foxx.
The three firms bid as a team. They first connected in January, at a
business outreach meeting hosted by the DNCC and the host committee on
transportation contracting opportunities with the convention. The
DNCC
encouraged local businesses to connect with larger transportation
management firms to leverage their resources in their bid.
The transportation services vendor will be responsible for providing
motor coach transportation and transportation management services,
including developing a comprehensive transportation plan to and from
more than 150 hotels and various DNCC events, supplying full-sized
motor coaches that conform to DNCC guidelines, providing on-site
operation support and staff, creating maps and diagrams, developing and
submitting routings for approval, developing contingency plans,
tracking vehicle movements, and more.
Numerous transportation subcontracting opportunities will be made
available in the upcoming months. It is the DNCC’s goal to use local
firms to provide the buses for the convention to the fullest extent
possible, and the DNCC will conduct extensive outreach to local
businesses as the process moves forward.
Subcontracting bids for this project will be issued through the
Convention Vendor Directory which can be accessed through www.demconvention.com.
Local
bus companies are encouraged to register and bid for upcoming
contracts.
This is the fifth contract announced by the DNCC. The DNCC has
previously awarded contracts for construction management, event
architect, event and exposition services, and housing services provider.
The DNCC evaluated the proposals based on numerous criteria, including,
but not limited to: experience and expertise, reliability,
relationships to Charlotte, North Carolina, and the surrounding region,
participation of union labor, women, minorities and persons with
disabilities, and local resources to support the endeavor.
Firms Awarded the Transportation Service Provider Contract
Event Transportation Associates (ETA)
Event Transportation Associates, Inc. ("ETA") is a national leader in
the provision of special event transportation services. They provide
efficient, sustainable and cost effective solutions to a broad array
of clients, consistently resulting in a high level of customer
satisfaction. ETA has worked on some of the world's greatest special
events such as the Summer and Winter Olympics, the Daytona 500, and the
Democratic National Conventions in 1992, 2000 and 2008. From
specialized consulting to complete event transportation management, ETA
delivers Intelligent Transportation Solutions with Superior Service and
Value.
Vectour Group
Vectour Group (formally International Trailways) is a trusted provider
of integrated bus transportation management and shuttle contracting
solutions. As one of the nation's leading minority-owned transportation
management companies, it offers a wide range of services for various
types of projects from employees shuttles to global sporting events.
Founded by Reggie Haslam, Sr. and Alan Thrasher, Vectour Group has more
than 100 years of combined bus operations and transportation planning
experience.
Charlotte Destination Group
The Charlotte Destination Group, a Visit Charlotte! Service
Partner-of-the-Year Award recipient, is a full-service destination
management company headquartered in Charlotte. The company provides
personalized and professional services for meetings, special events and
motorsports related events.
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