Knowing What Transportation Services Your Convention Needs

There is not “one size fits all” model when it comes to fulfilling the transportation needs of a major industry convention or trade show. There are going to be a lot similarities, especially considering that many of these large events are hosted at similar venues in cities around the country. That being said, if you’re part of the planning process for any of these events, and you want things to run as smoothly as possible, transport and travel are huge components.

Your Options When It Comes to Transportation Services

An experienced and well-established transportation company will be able to work closely with you to determine what you need, and then be able to fulfill those requirements. The asks of any convention will depend on factors like the number of guests, where they need to travel to and from on a regular basis, if there are any number of VIPs, and a few other things that, if you don’t think about, the transport company will ask about. Here are some of the available options when it comes to vehicles and how they’re used.

Mass Transport

In cities where public transport is not available or it doesn’t provide an easy route for event attendees, you’re probably going to be utilizing shuttle service extensively. A typical shuttle bus is going to hold around 55 people. However, at events where you have over 10,000 attendees, and some where it’s even closer to 100,000, the number of shuttles being utilized is high. However, just having the shuttles on hand is only one aspect of the process. You’ll need on-premise managers to help oversee the ebb and flow of traffic, extremely knowledgeable (and preferable local) drivers, and a plan of action in terms of routing. Long before the event even starts, the transportation company should have been in touch with city officials, law enforcement, and other important parties who might have a say in the day to day traffic flow. The faster and easier it is for your shuttles to move guests back and forth, the smoother the entire event will be.

VIP Transportation

When you’re dealing with a major gathering of industry leaders, there are going to be some big players in terms of influencers. You’ll probably also need to worry about any invited guests, whether they’re keynote speakers, celebrities, or other well-known personalities. You’ll want to have exclusive transportation options for them, whether it’s luxury SUVs, minibuses for teams, limos, or other options that are just available for them. With so many influencers, you want to put on a good showing, and make sure that you take care of the people who ultimately might decide where the event will be in coming years!

Other Options To Think About

Besides the train of shuttles and fleet of VIP options, event planners should also look for ways to entice potential advertisers. This can be done in a couple of ways. Larger vehicle sponsorship opportunities include plastic wraps that go on the shuttles. These spaces can be bought by companies attending the event who are looking to promote a new product, or just to get their name out there. You can also use the spaces on electric golf-cart shuttles, since those will be traveling throughout the event floor and seen by countless eyes.