(TMZ) Bill Murray took a chauffeur on one helluva ride at the Sundance Film Festival last month when he didn’t have enough cash to pay his fare — but this story has a happy ending … it just took a few days to develop.

It all went down on January 23rd, when Murray racked up a $200 tab for several hours of car service. When the driver tried to collect — Murray handed over a credit card … unfortunately, the driver only took cash.

Murray pulled out his wallet and forked over what he had — $73 bucks — and promised to send the rest in the mail … hold your breath, right!?

But according to the driver, Bill delivered — ’cause the producers of Murray’s new movie sent a check to the guy for the remainder of the fare … plus a $23 tip!

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A federal judge has given class action status to a group of Nevada limousine drivers who are suing the state’s largest limo company.

The drivers claim Bell Trans didn’t pay drivers for time spent on the job while they weren’t transporting passengers.

In an order Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones says that although limo drivers aren’t entitled to minimum wage under state law, they can pursue a claim that their employer violated the law by not paying drivers at all for time worked.

Jones says a class action involving more than 1,000 Bell Trans drivers is the most efficient way to dispose of the case.

Jones had dismissed some of the drivers’ claims in June after Bell Trans argued they don’t have the right to sue for minimum wages.

The Associated Press left a message with Bell Trans seeking comment Thursday.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) — Vehicles used to transport U.S. Vice President Joe Biden were involved in a fatal accident Wednesday, a federal official said.

Two Secret Service employees were driving the armored sports utility vehicle and limousine in Temple Hill, Md., when they struck and killed a man at an intersection, Sgt. David Schlosser of the U.S. Park Police said.

Biden wasn’t in either vehicle when the crash occurred, The Hill reported.

Following Secret Service policy, the vehicles had been flown to Fort Lewis, Wash., on a military aircraft for Biden’s trip there Tuesday and were being returned to a secure storage facility at an Air Force base in Maryland Wednesday.

Circumstances surrounding the accident, such as the color of the traffic light and the vehicles’ speed, were unclear but the Park Police was investigating, Schlosser said.

Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said the employees involved stayed at the accident scene and administered first aid to the victim until emergency medical personnel arrived.

An English limo company has been ordered to remove “Hanna Montana” stickers from one of its pink limos.  John Cook, 62, who runs a Westhill-based firm with his wife Veronica, 67, spent three days removing lettering and a picture of the successful Disney franchise star.

A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council who regulates limo operators said: “All limousines must have permission to display lettering on their vehicles.”  Mr Cook didn’t have permission and will now seek approval from the council.

Comments

If you put aside the trademark infringement and silly regulations, the following comments by Mr. Cook are the most interesting part of the story:

There are a lot of disappointed lassies. I’ve had five phone calls this afternoon from people asking if we are going to have the stickers again.  The kids loved standing beside the photo of Hannah. It’s like it’s one of their pals.

No Kidding.  Teenagers are the ultimate consumers of pop culture.  That’s why marketing through Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and other social networks is so effective.

When I used to drive the boy bands and other pop stars, the teenage girls were so obsessed, they would jump on the limos.  I once had a girl jump on my car off a moving motorcycle.  The craziest thing about the experience was the security guy sitting next to me screaming “shake her, shake her!”  Give me a break.

Mr Cook has a good gimmick.  I hope he gets everything worked out.  Afterall, I would hate to see him “disappoint the lassies.”

According to MotorTrend, the upcoming Cadillac flagship is back on track after a one year hold.  The new sedan will replace the STS and DTS and will likely ride on a stretched Sigma platform.  The Cadillac CTS currently uses this platform and a stretched version underpins the Chinese Cadillac SLS.  Contradicting earlier reports, the upcoming flagship will not use the AWD Epsilon platform.

With GM emerging from bankruptcy, upcoming product details are slowly emerging.  The STS/DTS replacement was originally named the DT7 and was to be built on the rear-drive Zeta platform.  It was set to premier next year as a MY 2011 model.  With the switch to Sigma, the new flagship may be pushed back to MY 2012.  It really depends on how much engineering can be translated to the new platform.

As with everything GM, all plans are in flux.  Stay tuned.

In an effort to collect back wages and overtime, chauffeurs have lost a key ruling in their class action lawsuit against Las Vegas based Bell Trans.

From the Las Vegas Sun:

A federal judge last month issued a ruling in a landmark class action lawsuit filed by drivers.   Not only can drivers not sue for minimum wages under state law, but the constitutional amendment to raise the state’s minimum wage, approved by voters in 2006, wasn’t intended to remove preexisting minimum wage exemptions, built into state law, for drivers like them.

The order, signed by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones, states that voters likely didn’t intend to remove the exemption when they voted for the amendment, which aimed to increase the minimum wage rate and doesn’t mention exemptions or how to handle them.

Although the judge has stated the chauffeurs don’t qualify under state law to collect minimum wage, Judge Jones has allowed the Bell Trans drivers to pursue federal minimum wage and overtime claims.  The chauffeurs are appealing the decision.

My Take

This is sad.  At one time, Las Vegas was the most lucrative limo market in America.  If a chauffeur hustled, he could make 75k a year without breaking a sweat.  It was the wild west of limo driving.

Coming out of LA, I was always amazed at how crazy these guys were.  Compared to Vegas, limo drivers in New York and LA were a bunch of conservative squares.  These guys were serious hustlers.  I once did a job with a driver who not only drove, but sold show tickets out of the trunk of his limo!

Things have certainly changed.  The questionable pay schemes that were once tolerated are now the basis of a class action lawsuit.  The chauffeurs are struggling and they want to be fairly compensated.  As a former chauffeur, I can empathize.   I dealt with a lot of illegal paychecks.

In Vegas, the limo companies say the drivers should be paid like sales reps and receive compensation based on their productivity.  That’s a bunch of B.S.  Unlike a sale rep, a chauffeur doesn’t operate independently.  Every second of his day is directed by a dispatcher.  Employees who are under the complete control of the company should be paid by the hour.

In the case of Bell Trans, the company pays for the fuel, carries the insurance, and owns the car.  These chauffeurs are employees, not independent operators.  Under federal law, a chauffeur should be paid from the time he gets to work to the time he leaves.  This includes gap time and setup.  In order to comply with federal statutes, Bell Trans needs to treat their chauffeurs like employees, not IO’s.

The Future

The chauffeurs are now requesting permission to take the case to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.  If their appeal fails, they’ll take it to the Nevada Supreme court.  This is a good move.  The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals is the most liberal court in America.  If any court is going to rule favorably in a labor dispute, this is the one.

In terms of the industry, this case may have a limited impact.  Despite the fact that CLS, Carey, Avalon, and Music Express have either lost or settled major class action lawsuits, little has changed outside these respective entities.  The industry still operates in a vacuum under a myriad of questionable pay schemes. It will certainly affect Nevada’s chauffeurs, but Prince v. CLS Transportation set the industry precedent.

A class action lawsuit is very nasty stuff.  Considering the transitory nature of chauffeurs, very few are willing to take up the fight.  My hat goes off to the guys in Nevada.  They may have lost the first battle, but they’re going to win the war.

Find Out More

Las Vegas Sun

Limo drivers’ suit seeks safety net: Minimum wage pay

Judge detours cabbies’ drive for minimum wage

LimoCentric

JIM LUFF Reports: For Whom The Bell Tolls

JIM LUFF: Bells Are Tolling For Illegal Pay Methods

Plantiffs Legal Defense

Thierman Law Firm

After months of turmoil, GM’s future product plans are coming into focus.   By 2010, production of the Cadillac DTS will wind down at GM’s Hamtramck assembly plant and be replaced with the Chevy Volt.

In its place, a new model named the XTS will take the flagship position in the Cadillac lineup.  The National Post is reporting the new model will be built at the Oshawa assembly plant alongside the new Camaro, an updated Impala, and the Buick Regal.

Rumors have surrounded this vehicle for years.  It was originally slated to use the RWD Zeta platform, but as new CAFE standards were enacted, GM’s large sedan RWD future was scrapped.  Instead, the green light was given to an extended AWD Epsilon II platform.   This platform currently underpins the Chinese Buick Regal, the upcoming Buick Lacrosse, and the all-new Saab 9-5.  The XTS will likely supplant both the STS and DTS.

Details remain sketchy, but the XTS is projected to be a direct competitor to the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series.  If Cadillac pricing trends stay true, the XTS will cost thousands less than its foreign competitors.  The XTS is scheduled to debut in December 2011.

What does this mean for the chauffeured transportation industry?  Considering the Lincoln Town Car is the king of the airport transfer, not much.  Although the Town Car is long in the tooth, it’s reliable and cost efficient.

The new Cadillac may not replace the Town Car, but it will be an affordable option for operators who need a large AWD premium luxury vehicle.

I read a beautiful story today about a limo driver who helped a stranded and helpless woman in need.  While stopped at a Los Angeles service station, this off-duty chauffeur heard loud weeping coming from the side of the gas station.  When he investigated, he discovered an apparently abandoned woman, approximately 30 years old, crying in a motorized wheelchair.  As he drew closer, he realized she had been sitting there so long, she had soiled herself.  It was a truly humiliating situation.

With the help of a friend, he got the helpless woman out of the wheelchair and helped her into his car.  He then loaded the heavy motorized wheelchair into his vehicle and traveled 15 miles to the convalescent home where she lived.

Simply Amazing

LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — A limousine driver hired to take a group of high school students to the prom has been arrested after the students suspected he had been drinking.

Lowell police say 45-year-old Brian Harrison of Tewksbury, Mass., was charged late Friday with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence.

Police say two female students that Harrison picked up suspected he may have been drunk. One called a parent, who called police.

The students, from Lowell Catholic High School, refused to get into the limo, and the driver left. Police say he returned later, told the students he was sorry and tried to persuade them to get into the vehicle.

Harrison was released on bail and will be arraigned Monday in Lowell District Court.

And The Rest of The Story

The most amazing thing about this story is that Harrison is the third driver employed by Lynette’s Limousine Service to be arrested for drunk driving.

According to WCTV Boston, in 2004, a driver taking a group of women home from a Madonna concert was charged with driving under the influence after he got lost and began swerving across the road. Four years earlier, Lynette’s driver John Gilbert was arrested and charged with DUI while driving a group of teenagers to an N-SYNC concert. It was Gilbert’s third DUI since 1986.

Another passenger won a $42,000 settlement in 1999 after a Lynette’s driver was arrested for driving without a license and possession of cocaine. The court found Lynette’s negligent in its hiring and supervision of drivers.

With this track record, I’m surprised these guys are still in business.