The luxury vehicle, which was once a symbol of wealth and social status, has seen a decline in recent years. Aftermarket conversion companies began to emerge in the late 1970s, and the custom limousine business really took off in the 1980s. These companies were often run out of motels, and the operators were not members of the National Limousine Association. Furthermore, they didn't even have a website.
This made it possible for people to get to and from airports without having to schedule in advance by booking with limousine companies. Unfortunately, this is the reality that some limousine tenants face with the loosely regulated stretch limousine industry. Cadillac and Lincoln used to produce limousine versions of their large cars for decades, but they stopped doing so in 1983 and opted for outsourcing instead. When my family visited the United States, my father bought us limousines to get around (there were 10 of us, 4 were my family and the rest were friends of the family). He soon realized that taking taxis everywhere would be too expensive, so he stumbled upon a limousine service that was much more affordable. The economic downturn after the September 11 terrorist attacks once again slowed down the industry.
Although it has recovered somewhat since then, it's very different these days. The recent tragic limousine accident in upstate New York claimed the lives of 20 people, including 17 people who were not wearing seat belts in the back of the 2001 Ford Excursion section. When I asked him about this lack of seat belts in the backs of limousines, he said that he had seen cars in which operators had cut them completely or put them in the cushions.
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