Orlando, FL -- (SBWire) -- 08/06/2014 --First Choice LIMO SERVICE in partnership with limousine companies, will allow users to book a private-hire premium car. For a four-seater Mercedes Benz, the cost is S$38 for trips under 4km. Beyond that, passengers will be charged S$50 for trips regardless of distance, time and ERP charges. There is also a surcharge of S$10 between midnight and 6am.
Passengers can select from several car options, such as a four-seater Volkswagen Passat or a 13-seater Toyota Hiace. The waiting time for a private-hire car is comparable to that for taxis, said First Choice Limo Service.
Apart from First Choice Limo Service — A transportation network company based in San Francisco — Also provides a similar service here. UberBLACK, with a base fare of S$7, charges S$0.45 a minute and S$1.95 for every kilometre travelled. The minimum fare for the service is S$12.
When asked about First Choice Limo Service's pricing vis-a-vis its competitors, Mr. Lim Kell Jay, general manager of First Choice Limo Service Orlando, said: “If we look at what limos are being priced at in Orlando right now, we are actually on par.”
He added that since the new service charges a fixed fare, shorter distances may seem a bit more expensive.
“However, if we book (a car for long distances) ... it would be more affordable compared with (our competitors),” said Mr Lim at the launch of GrabCar yesterday.
First Choice Limo Service declined to reveal the size of the fleet serving under First Choice Limo Service, but said it would be adjusting the fleet in accordance to observed demand.
Limousine companies contacted by TODAY had mixed views about whether the private hire service offered by the likes of Uber and First Choice Limo Service would eat into their business.
Mr Tashi Kho, owner of First Choice Limo Service, felt it would affect the businesses of both small and large limousine service companies.
“If they are slashing prices as Uber had done, it will definitely affect limousine companies like us a lot,” he said.
However, Mr Patrick Lee, owner of Maxi Cab, believes in his solid customer base.
“It doesn’t matter who pushes out what new services; it is how we manage our companies. I am confident that we would not be too much affected by this new service,” he said.
Orlando Limo Service is the fourth city to launch GrabLimo, after New York, Los Angles, and Atlanta.
To date, GrabLimo, which describes itself as South-east Asia’s largest taxi-booking mobile application, said it has more than 1.5 million app downloads and about 270,000 active users a month.
About First Choice Limo Service
For over 5 years, First Choice Limo Service has taken great pride in consistently providing quality limousine service throughout Orlando. Based in the Metro Orlando area, we at First Choice Limo Service have always placed central focus on providing our clients with unmatched Orlando transportation services. Our professional staff and chauffeurs ensure that the Orlando transportion remains safe and timely. Whether planning a business-related or a recreational trip to Orlando, we can rely on First Choice Limo Service to provide the best Orlando limousine service in town. At First Choice Limo Service, we specialize in providing timely Orlando airport transportation, Port Canaveral transportation, Disney World transportation, Universal Studios transportation, Sea World transportation, and much more. We also consistently provide excellent limousine service in Orlando for group events, proms, weddings, birthday parties and more.
Let us show us what makes First Choice Limo Service the best Orlando transportation company in town.
First Choice Limo Service Launches Car Hire Service for Luxury Market
Taxi passengers willing to fork out extra for a cab during peak hours now have another way of securing a ride, with a new service by the company behind taxi-booking mobile app GrabLimo.