A couple of weeks ago I was with our esteemed editor in chief in Orlando for the site visit for next year’s ASLRRA Connections, and we got started talking about the things that business travelers do differently than the average traveler, and at some point in the conversation she said “you know, maybe it’s time for a blog on travel tips.” Not being one to ignore a suggestion by the boss, here we go:1.
Loyalty has its perks - I use basically the same airline, car rental company, and hotel brand every time I travel. Do I get the best price every single time? Probably not, but I am almost all the time, and by using the same companies I am able to accumulate perks through their frequent traveler programs like free checked bags and car upgrades that save more money in the long term.2.
Think about Pre Check – While being an elite traveler on an airline generally entitles you to use the first class security line, you still have to go through the regular security screening procedure of removing your shoes, pulling your computer out of your bag, etc. If you have travelled recently, you probably have seen a third line at the security checkpoint, and this is for those who are considered “known travelers”. These people have been through a prescreening, including registering their passport, being fingerprinted, and paying an $85 fee for five years of registration. You can then use the known traveler security line, and can forgo having to disrobe and show your computer and iPad to the world. And chances are, you won’t have the family with the double stroller and car seats in front of you on line.3.
In ain’t perfect yet, but close – The advent of the iPad has made my life much easier. You see, I am a reader when I fly, and it used to be that before a trip I would load up my briefcase with anywhere from three to a dozen magazines. The weight alone was one issue, not to mention the expense of loading up on reading material. There is an electronic version of just about everything that I read regularly, and the cost is a fraction of what I would pay for the print versions. Unfortunately, I still need my laptop for business reasons, but it doesn’t come out of the briefcase as much as it used to.4.
Learn the jargon – Recently, I checked in at a hotel in the late evening, and I was informed that I was upgraded to a parlor suite. To the average traveler, you hear the word “suite” and you think this is a good thing. In fact, it actually meant that the hotel was sold out of regular rooms, and to make sure that it could accommodate me without having to resort to moving me to another hotel (known as “walking a customer”), they took the living room portion of a regular suite, opened up the murphy bed, and turned the living room into a hotel room. Is this as comfortable as a regular bed in the hotel? Not quite, but you do get a little more space. As it was, I was only staying one night at the hotel, and it didn’t make a difference in this case.So as the summer draws to a close and the fall meeting season starts, keep the above in mind and it might make your next adventure a little easier.
---By Steve Friedland
Steve Friedland is a child of the railroad industry. Following summers and vacations working on the track gang for the family-owned Morristown & Erie Railway, a 42-mile New Jersey short line, he started full-time in 1994. He has worked in all areas of the railroad, including track, mechanical, signals, and operations, and currently is a member of the management team for the company as director of operations in Morristown, N.J. In 1999, he founded Short Line Data Systems, a provider of railroad EDI and dispatching software, AEI hardware, and management consulting to the short line industry. He currently serves as the ASLRRA representative to the AAR's Wireless Communications Committee and is chairman of the joint AAR-ASLRRA Short Line Information Improvement Committee. He also is a member of the ASLRRA's board of directors.
Steve Friedland is a child of the railroad industry. Following summers and vacations working on the track gang for the family-owned Morristown & Erie Railway, a 42-mile New Jersey short line, he started full-time in 1994. He has worked in all areas of the railroad, including track, mechanical, signals, and operations, and currently is a member of the management team for the company as director of operations in Morristown, N.J. In 1999, he founded Short Line Data Systems, a provider of railroad EDI and dispatching software, AEI hardware, and management consulting to the short line industry. He currently serves as the ASLRRA representative to the AAR's Wireless Communications Committee and is chairman of the joint AAR-ASLRRA Short Line Information Improvement Committee. He also is a member of the ASLRRA's board of directors.