Rockville company moves about 3,000 people every day

by Alison Bryant, Staff Writer

A member of the wedding party forgot his dress shoes. But the group was already in the limousine on the way to the ceremony. No time to turn back.

So — in an effort to go above and beyond — the RMA Worldwide Chaueffered Transportation driver removed his own kicks and lent them to the man with the missing shoes.

“It’s doing more than the expected,” Robert M. Alexander, president and founder of RMA Worldwide, said of his buisiness model. “It’s getting people to walk through fire — not to get

them to do what you tell them to, but because they believe in what’s on the other side.”

And going the extra mile paid off for the Rockville business owner; RMA Worldwide received honors as Large Operator of the Year from Limo Digest Magazine in November, and

Alexander was named Limo Operator of the Year by Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association in October.

The company boasts a fleet of 120 cars, vans, stretch limousines and minibuses and 200 employees. The company makes $20 million in revenue annually, Alexander said.

And, like many start-ups, RMA Worldwide grew from humble beginnings. In 1988, a year before graduating from college, Alexander started driving an elderly woman from Bethesda

on errands. She told others about the service, sending more business Alexander’s way.

“That’s good,” Alexander said his dad told him about the service he ran from his parents’ basement. “But you’re not exactly running General Motors down there.”

That’s when the single-car driving service became a company called Errands Plus. And in 1992, the hobby became a career when Alexander founded RMA Chauffeur Transportation.

Alexander’s passion for the business is clear; he speaks enthusiastically about a desire to provide clients with top-notch service and seems to always look ahead.

This year, Alexander launched Orange Taxi, a Rockville-based taxi service.

“I want to grow that like there’s no tomorrow,” Alexander said.

Orange Taxi receives 10 to 15 applicants per day, said Art Miesemer, operations vice president.

Employees already working for RMA Worldwide tend to stay, too. Miesemer started as a chauffeur 17 years ago, talking his way into the job.

“It’s a very interesting business,” Miesemer said. “No two days are alike and that’s the appeal for many of us.”

The company moves about 3,000 people per day, Miesemer estimated, noting that number includes the Bethesda Circulator, a free shuttle service in downtown Bethesda the

company manages. For Rockville residents, a ride from the city to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., costs $93, including gratuity, Miesemer said.

That money covers more than just a ride; the chauffeurs arrive 15 minutes early and do their best to make clients feel both comfortable and safe, Alexander said.

One client left a suit bag in a town car and flew to Los Angeles. So, an RMA Worldwide employee hopped on a cross-country flight, too, delivering the bag on time for the client’s

meeting. “What did I bill him for that?” Alexander said. “Zero. That’s what you do. We want to be in the ‘great’ column.”

And peers in the limo business put the company in that group.

Each year, the Taxicab, Limousine, and Paratransit Association takes nominations from industry experts for Limo Operator of the Year. On average, the association receives five

nominations, said Alfred LaGasse, chief executive officer for the association. A board of directors selects a winner.

“Everyone knows you’ve got to be a star,” LaGasse said. “We’re not looking for the average operation. We’re looking for an above average operator.”

Alexander is well-known and active in the business, LaGasse said. An operator from California nominated Alexander.

“But the key here isn’t how well known or active you are,” LaGasse said. “It’s, ‘Do you run a good organization?”

Cultivating a good organization involves ensuring the happiness of your employees, Alexander said. Each chauffeur at RMA Worldwide undergoes 40 hours of training and two

interviews. But drivers are selected around what can’t be taught, Alexander said. They are picked because they are nice people.

And content employees means content clients, he said.

“It’s treating people the way you want to be treated,” Alexander said. “And then some.”

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It all began with a black 1988 900S Saab, a commitment to serving others and a senior college thesis business plan.

Today, Robert Alexander, President and CEO of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation, runs the largest chauffeured transportation fleet in the Washington, DC area, boasting more than 120 chauffeurs, 40 support staff and a fleet of over 110 cars, vans, stretch limousines and minibuses.

With a 98 percent client retention rate, less than 10 percent employee turnover rate and a 14,000 percent revenue growth since its inception, Alexander was the obvious choice for the 2011 Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association’s (TLPA) Limousine Operator of the Year Award.

This year’s 93^rd TLPA Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel in San Francisco October 27-29. Established in 1917, the TLPA is a non-profit trade association of and for the private passenger transportation industry. Annually, the association honors six exceptional members for their outstanding service focused on professionalism, customer service and safety.

“I am beyond thrilled to be receiving this award,” Alexander said. “We are the first company to win all three industry awards, which proves that if you work hard, put out a good product and believe in what you are doing, then so will others.”

RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation began in Alexander’s parents’ basement as a one-car delivery service, known as Errands Plus that was geared toward senior citizens. With a focus on investing in his employees and building client relationships, Alexander has transformed his little business into one of the largest and most respected chauffeured transportation companies in the industry.

“I’ve always believed that you should never say no to your client and you should always be willing to improve on what you already do,” Alexander said. “You always have to be learning.”

It’s this philosophy that sets Alexander apart and one that he lives and breathes. He gives his employees the tools to not only deliver on client expectations but to exceed them.

Alexander has developed a comprehensive in-house program and reference manual to train new RMA chauffeurs. This 40-hour program includes instructional and RMA staff guest lectures, explanation of various vehicle nuances from an operation and maintenance standpoint, and RMA’s customer service expectations. Senior management offers insights into multiple diverse topics such as company vision and future opportunities.

“These interactions demonstrate RMA’s commitment to a company-wide open door policy” Alexander said.

The course syllabus combines basic topics and advanced specialized training, with customer service philosophy at the core. Vehicle care and amenity placement is discussed along with special event protocol as well as various advanced subjects such as location orientation, client etiquette, points of interest, catering to customer requests and accident procedures. The highlight of the course is the two-day driving tour where each new chauffeur is given an opportunity to drive one of the specialty vehicles, respond in real time to Nextel assignments, enter codes, map driving routes and interact with dispatch.

“The tour is designed to familiarize new chauffeurs with local venues and different routes available,” Alexander said. “The tour ties together all the skills learned in the classroom.”

The education does not end at the conclusion of the 40-hour training program. RMA produces a monthly newsletter called “RMA Today,” offers in-house mini-courses, presents instructional videos, invites guest speakers for presentations and holds semi-annual written tests and evaluations.

“We have found that providing chauffeurs with continuing education opportunities results in a well-trained group who are vested in each other’s success,” Alexander said. “I believe in empowering employees, not just managing them,” he said.

Alexander’s dedication to his employees is apparent.  After 9/11, Alexander had to take out a large loan in order to avoid employee layoffs.

“One of the happiest days of my career was the day I paid the loan off and was able to celebrate with many of those employees who have been with me for a long time,” he said. “They were just as excited as me on that day.”

Though he believes in celebrating the past triumphs, Alexander also has an eye to the current state of the industry as well as the future.

“The tightening of the corporate purse strings is a large concern in the current economic state,” he said. “I’m worried about the corporation’s ability to value service over price.”

Regardless of the external factors, Alexander continues to look internally as RMA continues to expand.

“My goals are to keep improving the service we provide to our clients, provide opportunities for my employees and grow, grow, grow!” he said.

In his free time, Alexander enjoys working out, playing golf and spending time with his wife of 17 years and his two teenage daughters, who he mentioned make “running a transportation company seem easy.”

In recognition of exceptional dedication to professionalism, customer service, and safety, as well as for his lifelong dedication to the industry, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association is proud to honor Robert Alexander as TLPA’s 2011 Limousine and Sedan Operator of the Year.

“I’ve always believed that you should never say no to your client and you should always be willing to improve on what you already do. You always have to be learning.” ... 

                                    Robert M. Alexander

Maryland Man Named Limousine Operator of the

Year by National Transportation Association


(ROCKVILLE, Maryland)—The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) is pleased to announce it has named Robert Alexander as the 2011 Limousine Operator of the Year.

“Alexander is someone who isn’t afraid to chase down dreams and clearly is an inspiration not only to those in this business but to anyone who has ever met him,” said Alfred LaGasse, Chief Executive Officer of the TLPA. “He runs his company on the philosophy that you should always be willing to improve on what you already do. His company is a clear example of this mentality.”

In his parents’ basement, Alexander founded RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation as a one-car delivery service, known as Errands Plus that was geared toward senior citizens. With a focus on investing in employees and building client relationships, he transformed his little business into one of the most respected chauffeured transportation companies in the industry.

Today, RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation is the largest chauffeured transportation fleet in the Washington, DC area, boasting more than 120 chauffeurs, 40 support staff and a fleet of over 110 cars, vans, stretch limousines and minibuses. With a 98 percent client retention rate, less than 10 percent employee turnover rate and a 14,000 percent revenue growth since its inception, Alexander was the obvious choice for this award.

“I am beyond thrilled to be receiving this award,” said Alexander, President and CEO of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation. “We are the first company to win all three [major transportation] industry awards, which proves that if you work hard, put out a good product and believe in what you are doing, then so will others.”

In his free time, Alexander enjoys working out, playing golf and spending time with his wife of 17 years and his two teenage daughters, who he mentioned makes “running a transportation company seem easy.”

Alexander will accept the award on October 28^th in front of more than 1,000 industry leaders at the TLPA’s annual convention, held this year at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel in San Francisco. This year marks the 93rd Annual Convention & Trade Show for the TLPA, and is the world’s largest gathering of for-hire fleet executives.

Established in 1917, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) is a non-profit trade association of and for the private passenger transportation industry. Its extensive membership spans the globe to include 1,100 taxicab companies, executive sedan and limousine services, airport shuttle fleets, non-emergency medical transportation companies, and paratransit services. For more information, please visit www.tlpa.org.