Starting a Limousine Hire Business in Australia.
Limousine and Livery Business Plan
For a successful chauffeur limousine business the first thing that your will require is a robust business plan tailored to your local state, e.g., WA, NSW, VIC, QLD, ACT, NT, TAS.
Your business plan needs to be in-depth, identifying who is your existing competition, operating details, current limousine hire rates and charges, government licensing requirements, and a revenue and expense plan.
Contacting the local stretch limousine companies currently providing services in your city and asking for the cost to hire a limousine for a specific scenario will give you an idea of the possible income for the expected service and duration. Continue the research asking friends to also request a price for limo hire or employ a local mystery shopping company that specializes in this research.
Know your local market.
Each city in Australia will have differing hire rates according to the demand and number of limousine companies servicing the city. E.g., Melbourne, Perth and Sydney are more competitive in regard to quantity of limou
sines in the cities and limousine companies providing services than the other states and territories.
Research and identify the local services you can provide – look outside the square other than merely providing luxury transport, but rather the events you can cater the luxury transport for.
Examples are, School Ball transport, Wedding Car Services, Wine Tours, Birthday Parties, Corporate Rewards Days, Airport Transfers, End of financial year parties, Christmas Lights Tour, City Tours.
Some limousine hire services are required all year round, however some events are seasonal. The school ball services are a seasonal service operating in Perth, Western Australia normally between 27th January and 30th April. There are the occasional school balls outside of these dates however the demand is for Friday and Saturday nights in these months.
Omnibus Licenses, Small Charter Vehicles and Insurance
You will need to apply for an Omnibus Licence from the Department of Transport in Perth (Brown Street Passenger Services) to be licences to operate a charter vehicle service. Then all vehicles will need to be registered as Small Charter Vehicles (SCV) or depending on the type of charter vehicle a relevant registration category. All drivers are required to undergo a medical fitness test and apply for a F Endorsement or T Endorsement as an addition to their regular license to enable them to carry paying passengers. If the stretch limousine is a larger capacity vehicle such as a Hummer limousine, Charter Bus or seating more than 12 passengers the drivers licence will need to be upgraded to an LR – Light Rigid.
Insurance for the limousine and showroom as well as public liability insurance for the company will also be required. In Australia there are limited insurance underwriters for the insurance of Stretch Limousines so the comparison of charges is very restrictive.
Capital Purchase and Limousine Livery Vehicles
Of course the stretch limousine or charter vehicle will be an important and large capital purchase. The price for the purchase of a limo for hire varies greatly depending on the vehicle chosen. The model of the vehicle can also affect the possible hire income as well as the hire opportunities. Passenger Capacity is determined depending on the make and model of the vehicle as well as the stretch length.
The Chrysler stretch limousines commenced in 2007 and can carry between 10 – 12 passengers in the passenger transport section. The Hummer Stretch Limousines commenced in Australia from 2008 and can accommodate between 10 – 24 passengers.
The Hummer limos have many different lengths of stretches as all limousines are custom designed, there is no standard Hummer Limo design, size or style. More modern and exotic stretch limousines have evolved to satisfy the discerning clients wishing to hire a stretch limousine such as the Grande Jeep Limousine, the Audi Q7 Limousine, the Dreamtech SUV limousine, the BMW X5 limousine, Porsche limo and the Ferrari limo.
Local Knowledge of Australian Cities
A sound local knowledge of your local city, transport systems and local culture are critical for success as a ground transport company. Drivers will need to understand the arterial road system in the city including freeways, highways and local streets.
There will be times to avoid certain roads which may delay the arrival of the charter vehicle to its destination. GPS units are crucial to allow the driver to easily navigate to addresses and locations whilst concentrating on providing a safe driving service.
Driver Demeanor and Personal Characteristics
A sound local knowledge of your local city, transport systems and local culture are critical for success as a ground transport company. Drivers will need to understand the arterial road system in the city including freeways, highways and local streets.
There will be times to avoid certain roads which may delay the arrival of the charter vehicle to its destination. GPS units are crucial to allow the driver to easily navigate to addresses and locations whilst concentrating on providing a safe driving service.
Administration and Marketing
You will require a reservation system, electronic book keeping system as well as a website and marketing plan. Clients seeking ground transport utilize digital and print media as well as trusted referrals, word of mouth and promoted lists. However, in Perth and the Australia capital cities with the evolution of smart phones and internet accessibility, clients use the internet to locate a limousine service, so being found on the internet should be a priority. Therefore, a website showing the stretch limousine and its features as well as the option to book online and receive a reservation confirmation by email is the ideal scenario. Marketing and Advertising can be done at a local level or online and local trusted online vendors.
A limousine hire website will allow clients to find your business and book their limo hire services online.
Wicked Limousines Hire Perth are a respected Limousine service located in Malaga, Perth Western Australia who have a valuable insight and experience into the Limo Hire industry in Australia.