Cruising Along
YOUNGSTOWN
The local limousine industry has come across some bumps in the road over the past few decades.
The Mahoning Valley once was home to many limousine companies, but three of the survivors are Park Ave. Limousine of Warren, Gold Cross Limousine of Struthers and Fab Limousines of Youngstown.
They have served the area for more than two decades.
“It’s a tough market,” said Mark Bagnoli, a co-owner of Fab.
Bagnoli’s father started the company when he acquired his first limousine in Atlantic City, N.J., before 1991. After his father retired 10 years ago, Bagnoli bought the company from the family in 2009, and now runs it with his wife, Kim. Fab operates more than 20 vehicles, and can transport up to 56 passengers comfortably.
“We’re not a big city to sustain business strategically,” he said.
On the other hand, there was a mixed response among other owners and their drivers about Youngstown’s value to the industry.
“The advantage with Youngstown is we’re between Pittsburgh and Cleveland,” said Frank D’Amico, one of the four drivers for Park Ave.
But Bill Murphy, president of both the Ohio Valley Limo Association and Park Ave., said the industry is stagnant.
The association once had 10 members, which has dropped to five, he said. Murphy said the industry thrived decades ago when the minimum liability insurance for limousine companies was $300,000 for one vehicle. It’s now $1.5 million, he said.
Murphy added that recent developments in Youngstown have slightly increased business for Park Ave., which operates three vehicles. He said the industry has seen its share of new companies emerging within the past 10 years.
Some of those companies have continued to thrive such as New Wave Limousine, which was founded in 2008 by Jermaine Roller.
The owner has been involved in the industry for more than a decade, and has worked with previous limousine companies such as Gold Cross. Roller operates three stretch limousines with nine drivers including himself.
He said his company is successful because of his business model, which is to accommodate any request from customers to improve their experience. About 70 percent of his business includes weddings and proms, he said.
Limousine companies have recognized that Youngstown is making a gradual U-turn into becoming a destination itself.
“The talent is coming here,” said David Gross, assistant general manager of Gold Cross.
Gold Cross Limousine was founded by Dan Becker of Becker Funeral Homes in 1967. The company uses more than 30 vehicles ranging from sedans to stretch limousines to buses using about 20 to 25 drivers, and can transport up to 24 passengers. It also offers transportation for funeral services.
Gross highlighted the recent economic developments within the Mahoning Valley, such as the downtown renaissance and the Hollywood Gaming at the Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown.
“We hope to be a part of that,” Gross said.
But Bagnoli said the racino has actually taken some of the business since residents used to travel to other casinos. He added that the Covelli Centre has brought life to downtown, which has increased the company’s business.
Bagnoli said trends have shifted toward the limousine buses rather than the cars.
“Groups are getting larger,” he said.
Jeff Snoke, owner of Affluent Travel in Boardman, agreed, and said it’s the biggest change for his company since it was founded in 1999. The company has six vehicles, and they can seat up to 40 people comfortably.
“We’re kind of a combination of a limo company and a bus company,” Snoke said.
He considers his company more as upscale ground transportation rather than a limousine company. The busiest time for companies is from St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving with weddings, proms and summer events taking up most of the business, Snoke said.
Company officials said the price to rent a limousine or bus varies depending on several factors, including the time and destination when the vehicle is in use.
But Gross said the larger groups make using limos more economical.
“You don’t need an event to ride in style,” he said.