FAQ
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Frequently asked questions:
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Why can't I just book the cheapest limo I can find?
A limousine rental is a luxury experience for most people and as with most things in life the old saying holds true for luxury goods - you get what you pay for. Selecting a nice restaurant for the anniversary dinner or a luxury hotel for that special occasions based on price alone usually results in serious disappointment and the ruined event. If your priority is to find the "best deal and the cheapest limo in town", you best bet is not to hire a limo at all and find alternative transportation to your event. Every week we hear very similar stories from our customers:
- The limo company called and canceled an hour before our wedding - (they found somebody who was willing to pay $25 more at the last minute).
- The car was really old and smelled like it - (1989 limousine obviously cost less than 2009 limousine, hence cheaper hourly price).
- The driver didn't look or act professional - (professional drivers usually don't work for the cheapest limo company in town).
- A/C didn't work.- (About 3 years ago certified limousine builders started adding second A/C compressors to handle those hot Texas days. Prior to 2005 build year A/C problems with the limousines were very common).
Why are some companies priced cheaper than the other? The way we look at it - each limousine company in town knows what they are worth and they charge accordingly!
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What to look for when you hire a limousine?
The Limousines:
What type of limousine do you require? Stretch limousines come in many different styles and colors. If you want a specific vehicle and the latest design make sure the limousine operator can provide it. Also, watch out for older vehicles. Many older limousines are likely to have a higher mileage which will show wear both in interior and exterior, unlike new Trinity Transportation. Also, many older limousines don't have the amenities that modern coach builders provide (i.e... flat screen TVs, MP3 players, dual A/C units and more).
The Limousine manufacturer:
If you are planning to rent a limousine, the National Limousine Association (NLA), the QVM-CMC Vehicle Manufacturers Association and Ford Motor Company/GMC strongly recommend that you only ride in limousines that are built by manufacturer certified Coach builders. Ford Motor Company's certification program is called, "QVM" which stands for Qualified Vehicle Modifier. The rules governing the QVM program are stringent and are designed with the vehicle capabilities in mind. All of Trinity Transportation vehicles are certified QVM cars and have a long list of safety and comfort features present not available on the cars that were not built professionally. Some of the features are: upgraded suspension, brakes and transmission, heavy duty springs and steering, wider opening door hinges and much more. Also, don't forget that we have seat belts installed for every passenger in our car.
The Insurance:
Insurance is an expensive overhead for any limousine business and therefore some companies may cut corners when insuring their vehicles and occupants. All limousine hire companies are required by law to have proper private hire insurance. It is advisable to enquire about a companies insurance policy before you book a limo and, if you are in doubt, the company should provide you with a print out of their insurance details on request.
The Permits:
Please make sure your limousine company has valid City of Dallas permits. All of our vehicles are inspected and permitted to operate in Dallas and DFW Airport by the City Transportation Administration and DFW Ground Transportation Administration. Don't risk being pulled over by Dallas Transportation Enforcement and having the limousine impounded in the middle of your bachelor party.
The Drivers:
The driver of your limousine is not necessarily something you would immediately consider when hiring a limousine. Drivers are however an important factor to consider: a professional driver, dressed in suit attire, who will open your doors, take your luggage and ensure you have everything you require throughout your journey can greatly enhance your limousine experience. Make sure that your limousine company employs experienced drivers who are very familiar with the areas to and from which they transport their customers. Responsible limousine company and professional drivers will always require their customers to provide addresses for all of the destinations clients are planning to go to in order to make sure that driver is ready for the trip.
The Contract:
Always make sure to ask for a limousine contract. Your contract should state all of the charges and will also serve as guarantee that the exact vehicle you've ordered will show up for your event. Some limousine operators overbook their vehicles (just like the airlines do) and end up canceling customers with the lowest quoted rate at the last minute or farming the job out to other companies. A signed contract will protect you from this to happen.
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Is it possible to "build" a profile so it would be faster to create an on-line reservation in the future?
Yes. Trinity Transportation e-Reservation service lets you quickly manage profiles for you and the people whom you book travel for. You can store the addresses of locations frequently visited, billing and contact information, and service preferences for each person who is traveling.
Why do you need my credit card information if will pay in cash?
Valid Credit Card is required for all the limousine reservations. Just like the airlines and hotels do, we collect credit card information ahead of time to eliminate customer no shows and make sure we are not holding a vehicle for somebody who doesn't actually intend to rent a limousine. A credit card is only used to hold a reservation; payment is always collected at the time of the trip.
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Why do I have to pay for a limo while we are not in it?
Even though, you may not be in the car physically at all times (such as while attending Cowboy games, dinners or concerts), you will still have to pay for it. Also, since the limo is not being used anywhere else during this time, we enforce a minimum rental limit of 3 to 4 hours. When Trinity Transportation rents a limo for 3 hours for example, the 3 hours belong to you and nobody else. The car will not leave the immediate area and the driver will be on standby to pick you up as soon as you need your car. Some limousine operators will drop-off passengers and leave to do another job, but you are risking your car being late to pick you up or not coming back at all (stuck in traffic on Greenville, broken or busy with people who are paying $10 more per hour). At all major sporting events in Dallas, limousines are not even allowed to come back to pick up their passengers until an hour after the game is over if the car left the stadium parking after the drop-off.
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Can I just rent a limo for an hour?
According to the latest research 95% of the limousine industry doesn't offer 1 hour rentals. To maintain a high quality of service, we spent 2 to 3 hours on average preparing the car both before and after the rental. Preparations include a thorough detail job both on the inside and the outside of the vehicle, wet bar refills with ice and water, mechanical check up, destination planning and much more. It is simply not efficient for us to rent a limousine for short periods of time.
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Can I we drink alcohol in a limo?
As a limousine company we are not allowed to provide alcohol to our customer under any circumstances, however Texas open container law doesn't apply to the limousine industry and we do allow passengers to bring their own beverages provided:
- There is no underage drinking in the vehicle.
- All of the damage to the vehicle (i.e... spills, sickness, broken pieces of interior, etc.) will be charged for in full according to our policies.
For complete details please visit Our Fleet section of our website.
Addison, Allen, Bedford, Carrollton, Collin, Corinth, Dallas, Denton, Ennis, Euless and surrounding cities, Garland, Highland Park, Lancaster, Lewisville, McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, Rockwall, Rowlett, Terrell Arlington, University Park, Waxahachie
