www.atouchofclasslimos.com Prom Contract 2013 - School _______________    Day of Wk____      PROM DATE ___
114 S. Manning Blvd. Albany, NY 12203                    E-mail: atoc@nycap.rr.com                                 Tel. (518) 312-8505
Pax - abbreviation for passenger.     Gas -cash tip given on arrival before vehicle leaves pick up location. (drivers always appreciate a little extra)
BEST TO BRING CASH DEPOSIT to office to reserve.    Cash balance due 3 weeks prior to prom.   Gas/driver tip in cash on arrival.
STUDENT                                                                                                                    STUDENT                                       STUDENT
Name ___________________________________                      Cell ____________           Email _______________________________
Parent                                                                            Home                    Parent                      Parent
Name___________________________________________     Tel ____________   Cell _____________ E-Mail___________________________
All Prom Local Split Package Rates are cash discounted up to 8 hours from pick up to final drop time. (If pick up/final drop/prom locations not local,
Check w/office for Possible Extra charge). We reserve our right to lease equipment from other companies in order to fulfill this agreement.
                If - after a cancellation - we are able to rent out cancelled vehicle - processing charge will be greatly reduced.

1. Deposits Non-Refundable: deposit stated on rate sheet. deposits + ins. + sales tax, $450 minimum processing fee on any cancelled bus/SUV.
2. Reserve vehicle w/Deposit & signed contract ASAP. Minimum $300 Processing Fee on any cancelled Limo/Van Sedan - 6 pax SUV,.
3. Refund Policy - No cash refund after vehicle accepted/used for any portion of prom night or if cancelled w/less than 7 weeks advance written notice.

4. Refunds, if and when justified are offered to students in form of local service time on a Mon.-Thurs. & if available on a Fri..
5. Checks accepted 6 wks before prom. Full payment due 4 wks before prom. Rates are cash discounted.

6. No Smoking/Beverages/no Gum allowed in vehicles. Always drink water at home before leaving TO STAY COOL.

7. On occasion, AC may not work well in a vehicle - Stay calm - and you'll feel cooler during short ride to prom.

8.    A Touch of Class Limos not liable for any loss sustained as result of weather, traffic delays, mechanical failure or other conditions beyond their control.
9.    Drivers go only by contract to photo location, walk-in, to prom & to final drop location.   No unscheduled stops.
10. Carry-on bags & unopened soda/water OK in trunk.
11. Bring clothes in garment bag & place in trunk for after-prom party change of clothes.               Collect $$$ ASAP for Deposit & Balance .
12. Rates are cash discounted rates. + 4% when payment by credit card.                                    Difficult to Collect $$$ closer to prom time!
13.    We transfer students to: Walk-in @school to Prom & directly to Local After-Prom-Event or to original pick up location or other pre-arranged location.

***Pick-up Location ____________________________________      _Park  _House _ School   PICK-UP Time ________ ***
____ Time School Walk-in/Grand March/Gawking Hour    _____ Prom Start time -   _____Prom End time - Groups often picked up at parks great for photos!
           Schools request students   arrive within 10 -15 minutes of Prom start time.                          PROM LOCATION __________________________
Students saunter out within 20 minutes after prom ends.      Students usually ready to leave within 30-35 min. of Prom end time
Is After-Prom Location at School ? ___yes ___no     -                                                                             ___ OTHER After Prom event at Location ______________________________________
Prom to final drop location Travel time # minutes ___ .     Final destination Arrival usually within 25-35 min. AFTER LEAVE prom location.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

VEHICLE - CIRCLE   CHOICE:    __ Bus-coach modern/comfortable/private 2 x 2 seating - More students = less cost/student & more fun!    # pax ____   Rate/student $_____
                         __ Sedan 2-4 pax   __SUV 4-6 pax    __ VAN 4-6 pax - __ 4- 6 pax Classic '63 Bentley Princess
Limos __6__8__10 pax Classic rounded style (web site Home page pix) a prom favorite       - Late Model       __8 __ 10 __12 pax
____ 24 pax Black turtle top Limo Bus - ___ 18-20 pax white Escalade   -    ___ low-cost Yellow School Bus (call office for rate)

Split RATE:                                          4% ins                                              8% Sales Tax                                                                   Minus Deposit                    Due  3 weeks before prom
Vehicle Cost   $_______ + $ _____ = $______ + $______         = Total $________   - $_______            =    Balance $_______
Bus coaches/Escalade (Certain Areas)    + $______ 6% distance/time charge   NO Sales Tax for Bus-coaches/Escalade ___
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PAYMENT Method: ___ cash ___ Credit Card   ___                                                                                               check accepted 5 wks in advance
All Prom Rates are cash discounted.    to Pay/Process - by credit card   $ ______ + $____ 4% = Total to Process $________
NAME on     Credit Card ____________________________________________   Security Code AMEX front _____  MC/VISA /Discover back _____
Billing Address _____________________________________
City __________        Zip   ________              Credit Card # ____________________________________________     Exp. Date ______
I understand: If order cancelled without appropriate advance written notice - all charges will be processed.   If tip amount for vehicle isn't presented on arrival (tip amt. + $40)
will be processed on my credit card. Cost based on service detailed on this contract is subject to change in accordance with your actual itinerary.    If I cancel my order without
appropriate advance written notice - all charges will still be processed. A Touch of Class Limos not liable for any loss sustained as result of weather, traffic delays, mechanical
failure or other conditions beyond their control. Once vehicle accepted and used, there is no refund. All damages caused by passengers will be processed on credit card.
understand my signed contract/deposit/payment acknowledges my acceptance of this agreement.
Card Holder                                                                                 Parent                                                                                   A Touch of Class Limos Rep
Signature: _______________________________            Signature _____________________________             Signature ________________________________

call (518) 312-8505 before Faxing Contract & we'll turn machine on to accept fax. Do not copy w/Windows photo gallery - doesn't print well when emailing to us.

Deposit & signed contract required to reserve vehicle. All Final Payment due 3 weeks prior to Prom.

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Air Conditioning (Realities)

Eighteen and twenty-five years ago, - if at the last minute   AC didn't work - we would cancel vehicle and customer as well as our company suffered. Prom students were angry we cancelled.
We've learned - Vehicles are machines and as such - even though we practice preventative maintenance we can’t promise AC will always work well in vehicles. If AC doesn’t work or doesn’t work properly……. Stay calm and you will still have a wonderful Prom, Wedding, or trip to Saratoga…….

Now – experience tells us – no matter what…..get to customer and transport them as best as possible.    If there’s a problem with AC – we no longer cancel a limo - because it's still most important to get to customer and transfer them to their important event…….with or without AC working properly.

Of course we all want AC and most of the time AC works most all the time in all vehicles. AC in large vehicles (10 psg and larger) it's another story.  We've learned that by opening the front windows and opening back windows just a bit to circulate air - we can still get bride/groom to ceremony/reception or students to their prom - with minimal discomfort – with a breeze generated from the open front windows. (Don't open back window too much so breeze doesn't mess hair!)

AC always seems to work great in our Sedans, Vans and SUVs. However - in larger 10 passenger and larger vehicles - including coach/buses- AC at times present problems. Everyone’s body temperature goes up a little on prom and wedding days…so make sure you drink water before leaving home and you'll stay cooler no matter what!.

When doors open …. heat in winter rushes out and in warm months cool air rushes out. Your limo can take 5-7 minutes to cool down or heat up again.

For Weddings and Proms….On days with high humidity, If you have 8 in an eight passenger or 10 in a ten passenger – the back compartment may not feel as cool as you’d like it to feel even after 10 minutes. Stay calm. On hot days the back compartment feels warmer because peoples body temp effects coolness because of number of passengers. On hot days with high humidity 20 minutes isn't always enough time to cool back compartment if 8-10 passengers. This is indeed a reality transportation companies must state to customers. A door opens and all cool air or heat rushes out. In winter - all heat can rush out even a window is open for just a few minutes.

A fan can stop blowing the cool air or heat at any time. This is a machine part. On high humidity days, very warm days the fan over works and then stops. On Feb. 7, 2010 - with 0-5 degree weather after 1am in Saratoga our back fan froze and didn't start working again until next day. Same with new or old AC fans...they over heat and then stop working. On occasion a Limo goes over a pot hole which causes a fuse to loosen and the AC stops. Most of the time….AC will go back on a little while later. There is no cash refund when AC doesn't work properly.

On high temperature days where humidity is also high....AC system gets over worked and often completely stops working. Leaks in the system can occur at any time in new and older vehicles. When clients first enter a limo, they are anxious and click all buttons. Quite often the problem is that the heat button is pressed instead of AC. Sometimes driver can add coolant to AC and that does the trick - sometimes it doesn't.

AC should be turned off when limo is idling. Sometimes a client demands that the driver keep the AC on while idling 5 minutes. When we do this….most often the compressor dies and then we are without AC the rest of the day and night. The compressor can break on a new vehicle just as easy as on an older vehicle. AC is a never ending problem for limo and bus companies and that’s why we talk about it up front!

No matter what preventative maintenance we do, AC is unpredictable and when problems occur, we ask driver and passengers to stay calm. When AC stops working – drivers get all upset as well as passengers. Drivers will open both front windows… all the way… to allow maximum breeze to circulate through to the back to make everyone as comfortable as possible. In this situation, back windows should also be opened no more than 1 in. so that air is pulled from front windows and circulates better. We don't encourage opening back windows more than 1 inch so that hair styles can stay intact.

Very rarely does AC fail but when it does......If everyone stays calm……you’ll feel the breeze from the drivers windows. No one can predict when AC will fail. On most wedding days and prom nights, there usually isn’t a replacement limo available. If there is…..we most certainly try to exchange limos….if time and distance permits.

AC is the one aspect of the limo/bus business that is a problem every year during warm weather for all transportation companies. After 24 years of experience, we feel it is most important to address the AC problems up front. When everyone stays calm………you’ll feel the heat much less… than when you let yourself get angry and upset. Stay calm…and before you know it….you’ll be at your destination!

In the heat….drivers get uncomfortable as well and try to do everything possible to keep you comfortable. Vehicles leave garage with heat and AC working.

True story. A number of years ago, AC was not up to par in one of our limos on the way to the ceremony from a famous hotel in Saratoga.  During ceremony we found out it only needed more coolant.    The groom’s mother angrily called us and offered a few threats and a great deal more!   We explained - it was beyond our control when a part breaks and we promised to have a vehicle with AC at the church to take group to reception.   When we got back to church with another limo with AC working, we discovered groom's mother ordered another limo   - and to get back at us- they did so without letting us know! Remember, Vehicles are machines!   On the day mentioned above, the humidity was as high as temperature.   During their reception when it was time to   announce the newlyweds - just as dinner was about to be served……the hotel’s air conditioning units also stopped working   because the humidity was so high.   Groom’s mother was again upset. However, bridal party and all guests shrugged it off. They all had a great time.
I was invited to wedding but was deeply saddened by the vengeance displayed by the groom's mother when she stated family didn't want me to attend reception because AC didn't work well on way to ceremony.   I can only imagine how she reacted to the Hotel management in Saratoga.

Moral of the story is….. AC can go at any moment in any vehicle.
Drink water before leaving - it really helps you stay cool - whether you have AC or not!… if you stay calm….you'll soon be having a great time on the short trip to your event.

REFUNDS - Vehicles leave garage with AC (or heat) working. After vehicle accepted & used - Refunds, if and when justified, are given only in form of service credits.   Cash refunds are not given when something goes wrong and the AC or heat stops working.    As a courtesy to let passengers know the company understands….A Touch of Class Limos and most other companies give courtesy service credits when deemed appropriate.   If we don't show up for service - a cash refund is justified.   If something happens and we must end service - yes a partial cash refund would be justified.
Certain types of problems deserve a refund, if and when justified, refunds are only given in form of service credits.   We want our passengers happy.   We work with people, machines, traffic and weather.
We do proper maintenance but parts/machines do break and we never know when. Often we cannot repair heat or AC problem until next day.

Many Prom goers have told us they wished they had selected a lower weight gown for their Prom . Keep weight of gown (& season) in mind when shopping for gowns -especially for events May – Oct..
Don’t crowd your group in warm months!

We consider timeliness and safety in traveling - the most important issues. It is not feasible to keep an extra limo in the garage just in case something goes wrong or ceases to function in a vehicle. Sometimes – on way to a pick up or during service - AC or something else can cease to work. We are not happy when a mechanical part doesn't work properly. Vehicles are machines and machines can develop problems at any time. As stated in the beginning of this memo - "18 - 25 years ago, - when AC didn't work - we would cancel limo. Customer and our company did suffer." However, we've realized customers much happier when we show up instead of cancelling because something happened to AC.

We certainly appreciate your business, patience and understanding. Thank you.