The Transportation by Charrisse Min Alliegro The plans are nearly complete and you can hardly wait for the big day. But before you can join your guests in a congratulatory champagne toast, you have a few more details to nail down, namely, how to get your guests to the party, and how to make sure they arrive on time. This is where transportation and logistics come into play. Planes, trains and automobiles At its most basic, transportation is simply making sure your guests know how they can get themselves to the event location. This information should be relayed well in advance and is often included with the invitation. If you recommend public transportation (bus, train, commercial van shuttles, taxi services, etc.), provide phone numbers, schedules and fares. Call taxi companies ahead of time to make sure guest are met at bus and train stations with plenty of taxis. Find out the locations and rates of the closest parking garages, and call the garages in advance to reserve space for your guests. If most of your guests are driving, then you'll need to provide directions and perhaps a map. Now it may seem like a no-brainer to provide clear, unambiguous driving directions but it's not actually that simple. Websites as Yahoo! Maps and MapQuest.com has made the task slightly easier but not foolproof; even though these online tools list mileages meticulously, they often fail to give such obvious landmarks such as exit numbers or traffic lights. For this reason, when writing driving directions, it is imperative to do the following: - Drive the route yourself (or have someone else drive it) rather than relying upon memory. Jot down mileages and major signs/landmarks and count the traffic lights. (Don't overdo it on the landmarks, though; there is no need to mention every gas station along the route) - Call the town municipal building to find out if there are any festivals, sporting events or other events scheduled that may slow traffic down or even close certain streets. - Have an alternate route in case of unforeseen circumstances, i.e., weather-related problems. - Make sure you put the exact street address and a telephone number for the event site, in case guests need to call from the road (this seems so rudimentary but it is often overlooked!) Also, if you are deciding between giving guests a map versus driving directions, pick the latter. Some people are very visual and find maps easy to read while others are hopeless. However, virtually anyone can follow well-written driving directions. Charter club If you are feeling generous (and if your budget allows), consider hiring vehicles to shuttle your guests to your event in style. This is especially helpful if your event entails going from one location to another, or if a group of people are coming a long distance. Depending on the size of the group, you may want to hire sedans (car service), limousines, vans, minibuses, or full-size motorcoaches. Or, if it fits the theme of your party, you can also rent schoolbuses, vintage cars or trolleys. Make sure you ascertain the following things, though, before you sign the contract: - Are you being charged "garage to garage," meaning the time the vehicle leaves its offices until the time it returns, or does the clock start from the time the vehicle makes its first pick-up and end with the final drop-off? - Is the gratuity built into the fee, and if not, can this be paid after the event? (You don't want the driver shaking down passengers for his tip.) - Is there a minimum number of hours? If the event is long, can the driver leave at the beginning and then return, or must you pay for the entire duration? - Can the driver be reached at all times via cell phone or by the dispatcher? A less optimal but still effective solution is to ask one of the guests to carry a cell phone so that you can call them if necessary, and vice versa. - Will the driver take responsibility for checking off guests on a list, so that no one is inadvertently left behind? Make sure the driver can get authorization to leave if one of the guests is missing rather than wait indefinitely (thereby delaying everyone). - Is the vehicle air-conditioned? What other amenities does it provide, i.e., phone, bathroom facilities, TV/VCR? Final thoughts The buses and cars are arriving . but is there a place to unload? Is there ample, and safe, parking? If the location is weirdly configured or cramped, if quick unloading is an issue, and/or if your affair is a formal one, you might consider hiring a professional parking service. Insist on an advance site inspection to identify potential bottlenecks and parking problems ahead of time, and make sure the valets carry proper insurance, provide signage and umbrellas, guard the vehicles during the party, and wear appropriate uniforms. Make sure you are staffed adequately to handle the initial rush. Finally, if the event is in a shady part of town and/or if traffic is expected to be an issue, then it makes sense hire security and perhaps off-duty policemen. Actually, it's always a matter of courtesy to alert the local police department in advance if you're expecting a large group or if there will be any celebrities in attendance who may cause crowd and security issues. It is always better to have hired more than enough security than to discover, too late, that there is a problem. And that is the end of the series on planning an event. All that remains is to actually attend it and to enjoy yourself. And when you return home afterwards, have a drink on me - you deserve it, after all this hard work! back to ideas