How many times, in just this past year, have you gotten a frantic call from a driver or worse yet, a client’s production manager informing you that Canadian Immigration Officers at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York, will not allow the driver into Canada because of some “indiscretion” he or she made in the past? Your next few hours or even your entire day will now consist of:
Locating a driver……
Call ECS! 607.227.1244
…..…but…….
Where are the telephone numbers? At the office? The shop?
Will they pick up the phone at 1AM on a Sunday morning?
Are they available? If so…………
Can they leave within the hour? Because load-in at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario is @ 9 AM…….. It’s 1 AM now! Only 8 hours……………….
Or you could just Call ECS! 607.227.1244
OK, You’ll make the plane reservations and/or car rental arrangements and get back to them with that info, while they’re packing a bag, or at least sometime before they get to the airport or car rental location……But, wait it might make more sense to say, “Don’t leave the house until I find out if there is even a plane available or a car rental office open at this hour and get back to you!”
Or you could have Called ECS, we’re always open! 607.227.1244
Should you just have the client/artist get out of their bunks at 2AM in the morning, gather up their belongings and get them into a 15 passenger van, so that they can drive up to Toronto, until you can get another driver there to drive the coach?
Or Call ECS to be there within a couple of hours! 607.227.1244
Then you have more questions and suggestions, “Driver, what is the closest airport to your home location? Which airlines are available? Driver, you’ll need to stop by the airline ticket counter to pick-up an E-ticket. Or, “Stop by the rental car provider and sign the rental agreement. And, don’t volunteer that another person will be driving the vehicle, because I don‘t have the drivers info. In fact you might need to take the driver to the nearest car rental office after you meet up with him, so he can sign on as an additional driver. Then have him drive you back to the coach where the client/artist is sitting. Or, better yet the relief driver needs to return the rental car before he leaves and get a cab back to the coach!”
You could just call ECS, we have vehicles! 607.227.1244
Can the relief driver even get a car or a plane immediately to get to Buffalo?
Does the relief driver have a credit card and cash on hand to cover the flight and/or rental car and travel expenses?
Does the credit card they possess, have enough available funds to cover the expenses?
Will they be able to leave the rental car with the driver to meet them in 3 days at the Detroit/Windsor crossing?
Is the rental car insured if the driver has a “mishap” while he is in possession of the vehicle, and becomes caught in a lake effect snowstorm on I-90?
Or like we said earlier ECS has safe, insured vehicles ! 607.227.1244
Where should the drivers meet? Hotel, airport, truck stop, border, where?
What time?
Who needs directions to where?
Do they have a current Passport?
Are they D.O.T. compliant?
Does the relief driver have a current medical card?
Has the relief driver been drug and alcohol tested within the last 30 days?
How much does the relief driver want to be paid and when?
Will the relief driver want a 1099 MISC or W-4? Need that paperwork done too!!
Is the relief driver familiar with a Prevost XLI/XLII/H-45, a VanHool, MCI, Eagle, etc?
Does the relief driver have experience towing a trailer behind the coach?
Can the relief driver service the Genset, keep the vehicle clean inside and out, and take care of laundering and changing the bunk linens, because every Sunday the client has requested that to be done? Or for now do you just need a driver?
The relief driver will also need to, “Remember to keep all receipts so the company, driver, or the client can reimburse you.” And then, who owes what to whom?
Or call ECS and that is all taken care of with ONE call! 607.227.1244
Oh yeah……the CLIENT/ARTIST…………You are probably going to have to inform the client that there is a problem. Explain that the relief driver will not be able to get to Buffalo until 8 AM, so load-in will have to be pushed back. Which if there are overtime charges for the local IATSE union loaders, you’ll deduct it from the lease payment. Assure the CLIENT that the relief driver is safe, not under the influence, in good health, an experienced individual that is familiar with the vehicle. And, if they would, the relief driver upon arrival has asked to be reimbursed immediately for their travel expenses and would only do this favor for you if they were paid cash in advance and guess what…………. The relief driver is really looking forward to this…….The driver isa big fan of the band and always wanted to meet them. Even brought along a couple of CDs to get autographed? Let’s party! Cool!
This is gonna be a great day, isn‘t it, Mr. Coach owner??
Or you could have called ECS hours ago! 607.227.1244
Here is what would happen for example, if you just called ECS at 1AM on a Sunday morning with an “immigration” problem at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, NY
THE SOLUTION
First, the Entertainer Coach Services telephone will be answered at 1AM.
Within minutes, not hours or days, you will know if a driver is available. If the answer is yes, ECS will only need to know the answer to 3 questions…………..
WHERE is the coach/bus & driver?
WHEN will an ECS driver need to be there?
WHAT is the contact number for your driver held up at the border?
At 2AM, an ECS driver will be in a vehicle and on their way from the Syracuse, NY area (160 miles to the Peace Bridge or 125 miles to the Flying J at exit 408A on the NYS Thruway) to meet with your driver & coach/bus. The ECS driver and the ECS office will contact your driver to confirm the meeting place. We will ask about the vehicle's condition, i.e. does it need any scheduled maintenance. Are there any issues (lighting/instrumentation/HVAC/Genset/client needs/etc.) that the ECS driver should be aware of? When the ECS driver arrives at the meeting place, a quick inspection of the vehicle will be done and a form filled out, noting any existing damage or problems with the vehicle, both drivers will sign it. Float, itinerary, etc., will be exchanged. The ECS driver will introduce themselves to the client; turn the loaner car over to your driver to meet your entertainer coach/bus when it exits Canada. By 4:30AM your vehicle is on its way to Toronto (125 miles, 3 hours). At 7:30AM the vehicle arrives at the Air Canada Center, 1 1/2 hours BEFORE load-in!! DONE!!……… And you? You, at about 1:30AM, a mere 30 minutes after your initial call to ECS should be back to sleep. We’ll call you later to confirm that all is well, at a time you specify. PROBLEM SOLVED!
Note: This is an extreme example, but I’m sure one that you have had to deal with on more than one occasion. 90% of the time you and/or the driver are aware that a problem exists days, if not weeks previous to a border crossing. When that is the case this whole procedure will be seamless and transparent. The client/artist should not even have any trepidation about the switching out of drivers. And in this “era” of the entertainment “business” you know client loyalty has pretty much become a fond memory. Now a days, a client of 10-15-20 years will just go to another vendor because the entertainer coach/bus daily rate is $5 less. So anyway, your company and ECS can make a tour, relaxed, organized and professional (even in the face of adversity) by keeping the client/artist out of the loop. Everyone is a winner financially and logistically, and productivity is not wasted. Best of all………the client is happy!