How DMCs and Event Agencies Partner With Transportation Companies for the US Open

For DMCs, event agencies, corporate hospitality companies, and production teams, transportation is one of the easiest parts of a US Open program to underestimate.

A transportation provider may appear to be responsible for one simple task: getting guests from one location to another.

In reality, a major US Open program can involve multiple hotels, airports, vehicles, guest groups, schedules, chauffeurs, and last-minute changes.

That makes transportation a logistics function—not simply a car service.

For agencies responsible for the guest experience, choosing the right transportation partner can make the difference between a smooth event and a day filled with calls, delays, and confused passengers.

Here's how professional event teams can build a better transportation partnership for the US Open.

Why DMCs and Event Agencies Need a Transportation Partner

A DMC or event agency may already be managing:

• Hotels

• Venues

• Catering

• Guest registration

• Hospitality

• Staffing

• Activities

• Event production

Transportation needs to fit into all of those moving pieces.

For example, a corporate guest might follow this itinerary:

JFK → Manhattan hotel → business meeting → US Open → private dinner → hotel

Another guest might arrive at LaGuardia several hours later.

A third VIP may need a dedicated SUV throughout the day.

The transportation company needs to understand how those movements connect.

That's why agencies should look for a transportation partner capable of handling the entire movement plan, rather than simply supplying vehicles.

Start With Fleet Planning

The first conversation should not be:

"How many cars do you need?"

It should be:

"What does the guest movement look like?"

Passenger numbers are important, but they aren't the only consideration.

The transportation plan should consider:

• Number of guests

• VIP requirements

• Luggage

• Number of pickup locations

• Number of destinations

• Event schedule

• Airport arrivals

• Required vehicle types

A corporate program might use:

Executive SUVs for CEOs and VIPs.

Sprinter vans for corporate groups.

Sedans for individual airport transfers.

A mixed fleet can often be more practical than putting every guest into the same vehicle.

Build the Guest Movement Plan

Once the fleet requirements are understood, the next step is mapping guest movements.

A DMC might have 40 guests staying across three Manhattan hotels.

Instead of treating every guest as a separate transportation request, the agency and transportation provider can organize them into logical groups.

For example:

Hotel A

12 guests → Sprinter

Hotel B

8 guests → Sprinter

Hotel C

VIP executive → SUV

This makes the transportation plan easier to understand and manage.

The same process can be applied to airport arrivals and post-event transportation.

Use a Detailed Guest Manifest

A guest manifest can become the central document for a large transportation program.

Useful fields include:

• Guest name

• Hotel

• Airport

• Flight number

• Arrival time

• Passenger count

• Vehicle assignment

• Pickup time

• Destination

• VIP status

• Return transportation

The exact format can vary by event.

The important thing is that the agency and transportation team are working from the same information.

This becomes especially valuable when multiple vehicles are operating simultaneously.

Coordinate Chauffeur Assignments

A luxury vehicle is only part of the guest experience. The chauffeur is often the person the guest actually interacts with.

For a major corporate event, chauffeurs need clear information about their assignments.

That can include:

• Pickup location

• Pickup time

• Guest name

• Destination

• Vehicle assignment

• Relevant itinerary instructions

For larger programs, the agency should also have a clear process for communicating updates to chauffeurs.

This prevents event staff from repeatedly calling individual drivers whenever the schedule changes.

Establish One Communication Structure

One of the biggest problems in large events is too many people giving instructions.

An agency may have:

• Event planners

• Client representatives

• Hotel staff

• Production managers

• Guest assistants

• Transportation coordinators

If everyone communicates directly with drivers, confusion can develop quickly. A better structure is to establish a primary transportation contact.

For example:

Client → Event Agency → Transportation Coordinator → Chauffeur

This creates a clear chain of communication.

If a VIP's meeting runs late, the event agency can communicate the change to the transportation coordinator, who can then update the appropriate chauffeur.

Plan for Airport Arrivals

US Open programs may include guests arriving through:

• JFK

• LaGuardia

• Newark

International guests may also have different arrival times from domestic guests.

An agency should provide the transportation partner with relevant flight information whenever appropriate.

The transportation plan can then connect:

Airport → Hotel → US Open

rather than treating the airport transfer as an unrelated booking.

This is particularly important when guests are attending the US Open on the same day they arrive.

Build Contingency Plans

No event schedule is guaranteed to remain unchanged. A flight may be delayed. A meeting may run over.

A VIP may leave the US Open early. A guest may bring another passenger. Dinner plans may change.

A vehicle may need to be reassigned. The transportation plan should therefore include a process for handling changes.

The goal isn't to predict every possible problem. It's to know who makes the decision and how that decision reaches the transportation team.

Coordinate Return Transportation Before the Event

Getting guests to the US Open is only half of the job. After the event, guests may go to:

• Hotels

• Restaurants

• Corporate dinners

• Meetings

• Airports

• Private events

A good transportation plan identifies these destinations before event day.

For example:

US Open → Hotel

for one group, while:

US Open → Restaurant → Hotel

may be the plan for another.

Planning these movements in advance reduces unnecessary confusion after the event.

What DMCs Should Ask a Transportation Company

Before choosing a transportation partner, ask practical questions.

Can you handle multiple vehicle types?

You may need SUVs, Sprinter vans, and sedans within the same program.

Can you coordinate multiple pickups?

Large groups may be staying at different hotels.

How are schedule changes communicated?

You need to know who handles changes during the event.

Can you support airport arrivals?

This matters when international guests are involved.

How are chauffeurs assigned?

There should be a clear process for matching vehicles, chauffeurs, and guests.

How are larger programs managed?

A provider should be able to explain its approach to manifests, communication, and vehicle coordination.

These questions reveal much more than simply asking about vehicle availability.

How Square Limo Works With Event Agencies and DMCs

SquareLimo provides transportation for event planners, DMCs, corporate hospitality teams, and organizations managing VIP guests in NYC.

Our approach can include:

• Fleet planning

• Executive SUVs

• Sprinter vans

• Sedans

• Airport transportation

• Hotel transfers

• Multiple vehicle coordination

• Guest manifests

• Chauffeur assignments

• Pickup scheduling

• Event-day communication

• Return transportation

The objective is to fit transportation into the agency's existing event plan.

For a DMC or event agency, the best transportation partner should feel like an extension of the operations team not another problem to manage.

Final Thoughts

US Open transportation becomes complicated when dozens of guests, multiple hotels, airports, vehicles, and schedules have to work together.

The solution isn't simply booking more cars.

It is planning the movement of people as a coordinated operation.

DMCs and event agencies should look for transportation partners that can help with fleet selection, guest grouping, chauffeur coordination, communication, airport arrivals, schedule changes, and return transportation.

When those pieces are organized before event day, transportation becomes a supporting part of the event instead of a source of last-minute problems.

Planning transportation for a US Open corporate or hospitality program in NYC? Contact SquareLimo to discuss your guest count, itinerary, fleet requirements, and transportation logistics.