DNC facing limousine shortage

DENVER - Thousands of delegates, politicians, supporters and protesters are expected to descend upon Denver for the Democratic National Convention in two weeks. One thing they may not find is a ride around town due to a lack of limousines.

"Everyone wants a limo, but you can only supply so many," said Gene Cookenboo, president of the Limousine Association of Colorado and owner of Presidential Limousine, the largest limo service in Denver.

According to records, 271 limo companies are registered at DIA. However, Cookenboo says the majority of those companies only have one to three cars. It comes at a time when limo companies are expected to make 125 runs a day during the DNC compared to 80 during a normal week.

"We're simply running out of cars," said Cookenboo.

Cookenboo says many of those cars are reserved for 12 to 24 hours a day by a particular person or group of people to get around town during the four-day convention.

To help with the shortage, limo companies are renting cars from other companies and turning to other states to help bring in more cars. The Public Utilities Commission has issued a waiver system to allow companies to add to their current fleet according to Cookenboo.

Cookenboo says the DNC is expected to pump an additional half million dollars into the local limo industry. He says some people attending the DNC from other states are expected to also bring their own cars and drivers.

"We're about as ready as we're going to get,"said Cookenboo.

Cookenboo says 35 to 40 of the 271 limo companies are registered with the Limousine Association of Colorado.