Transportainment

Last updated

Transportainment (R) (sometimes misspelled transpotainment) is a tregistered trademark of Historic Tours of America, Inc. The term is a hybrid mixing of the words 'transportation' and 'entertainment'. Transportainment (R) is refers to historic sightseeing tours offered by the company through its subsidiaries, including Old Town Trolley Tours (R). It was misappropriated to describe a type of tourist entertainment in which parties ride in large open-air party buses, moving at slow speeds through the main street of a town, with music and drinking amidst a general revelry. [1] [2] [3]

From 2017 to the present, it has been prevalent on weekend nights in the American city of Nashville, Tennessee, usually lasting into the late hours, on the street called Lower Broadway. [3] Vehicles used to ferry partygoers include decommissioned troop transport trucks, buses, tractor-trailers, stretch limousines, and pickup trucks. [1] [2] One estimate from Nashville authorities was that there were forty private companies offering such services to tourists. [4] Vehicles can hold from 10 to 25 persons. [3] One service termed Hell on Wheels allows partygoers to ride through Nashville while some of the proceeds go to Homes for Troops Charity which builds residences for severely wounded veterans. [1]

The growing practice has been criticized for causing traffic congestion and slowdowns, loud noise, and accidents. According to one account, a person fell off of a moving vehicle which subsequently ran over his legs. [4] The industry was largely unregulated, [2] [5] although in fall of 2021 there were proposals to regulate the practice. [1] [6] Nashville in December 2021 banned open containers of alcohol on open-air party buses, forcing operators to enclose them to serve alcohol. In June 2022 the city restricted their hours of operation, issued permits for dozens of vehicles, and rejected applications for dozens more. Pedal taverns are regulated separately. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville, Tennessee</span> Capital city of Tennessee, United States

Nashville is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the 21st most-populous city in the United States, and the fourth most populous city in the southeastern U.S. Located on the Cumberland River, the city is the center of the Nashville metropolitan area, which is one of the fastest growing in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semi-trailer truck</span> Combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight

A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semitruck, is the combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight. A semi-trailer attaches to the tractor with a type of hitch called a fifth wheel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truck</span> Commercial or utilitarian motor vehicle

A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction, with a cabin that is independent of the payload portion of the vehicle. Smaller varieties may be mechanically similar to some automobiles. Commercial trucks can be very large and powerful and may be configured to be mounted with specialized equipment, such as in the case of refuse trucks, fire trucks, concrete mixers, and suction excavators. In American English, a commercial vehicle without a trailer or other articulation is formally a "straight truck" while one designed specifically to pull a trailer is not a truck but a "tractor".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road train</span> Type of trucking vehicle

A road train, land train or long combination vehicle (LCV) is a trucking vehicle used to move road freight more efficiently than semi-trailer trucks. It consists of two or more trailers or semi-trailers hauled by a prime mover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trackless train</span> Passenger transportation vehicle

A trackless train — or tram, road train, land train, or parking lot train is a road-going articulated vehicle used for the transport of passengers, comprising a driving vehicle pulling one or more carriages connected by drawbar couplings, in the manner of a road-going railway train. Similar vehicles may be used for transport of freight or baggage for short distances, such as at a factory or airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial driver's license</span> License to operate large or heavy vehicles

A commercial driver's license (CDL) is a driver's license required in the United States to operate large and heavy vehicles or a vehicle of any size that transports hazardous materials or more than 15 passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in New York City</span> Overview of urban transportation network

The transportation system of New York City is a network of complex infrastructural systems. New York City, being the most populous city in the United States, has a transportation system which includes one of the largest subway systems in the world; the world's first mechanically ventilated vehicular tunnel; and an aerial tramway. New York City is home to an extensive bus system in each of the five boroughs; citywide and Staten Island ferry systems; and numerous yellow taxis and boro taxis throughout the city. Private cars are less used compared to other cities in the rest of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanomag</span>

Hanomag was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles in Hanover. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering numerous steam locomotives to Finland, Romania and Bulgaria before World War I and making of first tractor Hanomag R26 in 1924 in Germany. In 1925, they added automobiles to their line, additionally moving in 1931 into the production of construction machinery. Since 1989, the company has been part of the Komatsu company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party bus</span>

A party bus is a large motor vehicle usually derived from a conventional bus or coach, but modified and designed to carry 10 or more people for recreational purposes. Party buses can often include music systems, on board bars and dancing poles. The basis for interior design of partybuses are usually lighting effects based on modern LED panels and lasers as well as specially designed, comfortable, most often leather chairs and a professional dance floor. The first vehicles of this type appeared in San Francisco and were quickly popularized in the United States and around the world. Party buses are a type of vehicle that has become increasingly popular in recent years for hosting parties and events on the go. These buses are typically modified or customized to include amenities such as sound systems, disco lights, and even dance floors, making them a popular choice for bachelor/bachelorette parties, proms, and other special occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air brake (road vehicle)</span> Type of friction brake for vehicles

An air brake or, more formally, a compressed-air-brake system, is a type of friction brake for vehicles in which compressed air pressing on a piston is used to apply the pressure to the brake pad or brake shoe needed to stop the vehicle. Air brakes are used in large heavy vehicles, particularly those having multiple trailers which must be linked into the brake system, such as trucks, buses, trailers, and semi-trailers, in addition to their use in railroad trains. George Westinghouse first developed air brakes for use in railway service. He patented a safer air brake on March 5, 1872. Westinghouse made numerous alterations to improve his air pressured brake invention, which led to various forms of the automatic brake. In the early 20th century, after its advantages were proven in railway use, it was adopted by manufacturers of trucks and heavy road vehicles.

Truck classifications are typically based upon the maximum loaded weight of the truck, typically using the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and sometimes also the gross trailer weight rating (GTWR), and can vary among jurisdictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driver's licences in Canada</span> Canadian government issued driving permits

In Canada, driver's licences are issued by the government of the province or territory in which the driver is residing. Thus, specific regulations relating to driver's licences vary province to province, though overall they are quite similar. All provinces have provisions allowing non-residents to use licences issued by other provinces and territories, out-of-country licences, and International Driving Permits. Many provinces also allow non-residents to use regular licences issued by other nations and countries. Canadian driver's licences are also valid in many other countries due to various international agreements and treaties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickshaws in the United States</span>

Rickshaws are used in numerous cities in the United States, primarily for their novelty value as an entertaining form of transportation for tourists and locals. However, they also have environmental benefits and may be quicker than other forms of transport if traffic congestion is high. Various laws regulate their use in different cities.

Taxicabs and other vehicles-for-hire in Canada are regulated by local municipalities and provinces, and are owned & operated by private companies and individuals. Unlicensed cabs in some cities are referred to as bandit taxis/cabs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road signs in the Netherlands</span>

The road signs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as well as Suriname, are regulated in the Reglement verkeersregels en verkeerstekens 1990, commonly abbreviated as RVV 1990. While most previous signage, from the RVV 1966 (Dutch) remained legal and official, they have been updated / replaced. Some aren't official anymore and have lost legal validity, but most surviving old signs remained valid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waymo</span> Autonomous car technology company

Waymo LLC, formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, is an American autonomous driving technology company headquartered in Mountain View, California. It is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., owner of Google, making it a sister company of the latter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driver's license</span> Document allowing one to drive a motorized vehicle

A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public road. Such licenses are often plastic and the size of a credit card.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of road transport terms</span>

Terminology related to road transport—the transport of passengers or goods on paved routes between places—is diverse, with variation between dialects of English. There may also be regional differences within a single country, and some terms differ based on the side of the road traffic drives on. This glossary is an alphabetical listing of road transport terms.

Road signs in Latvia ensure that transport vehicles move safely and orderly, as well as to inform the participants of traffic built-in graphic icons. These icons are governed by the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The system is covered in Ceļu satiksmes noteikumi and the standards documents LVS 77–1:2016 "Ceļa zīmes. 1. daļa: Ceļa zīmes", LVS 77-2:2016 "Ceļa zīmes. 2. daļa: Uzstādīšanas noteikumi" and LVS 77-3:2016 "Ceļa zīmes. 3. daļa: Tehniskās prasības".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Alex Corradetti (May 22, 2020). "The ride to reopening for Nashville's 'transportainment' industry". News 2. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ..."Hell on Wheels utilizes five-ton, decommissioned troop transport trucks that were meant to carry troops in combat," ... partnered with Homes for Troops Charity, an organization that builds custom homes for severely wounded veterans.... Currently, the 'transportainment' industry is not regulated by the Metropolitan Transportation Licensing Commission....
  2. 1 2 3 Brinley Hineman (July 24, 2020). "Nashville party buses, larger 'transportainment' vehicles must close, city says". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ...The "transportainment" vehicles, including pedal taverns, party tractors and the like, were at first exempt from this order since they aren't under Metro's authority if they weigh over 10,000 pounds. ...
  3. 1 2 3 Laken Bowles (March 25, 2021). "As vaccinations surpass 20%, Nashville eases COVID restrictions; what you need to know". News Channel 5 Nashville. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ...Events and "transportainment" can go until 2 a.m., consistent with restaurant and bar hours. "Transportainment" can have groups up to 25, consistent with 25-person outdoor gathering limit....
  4. 1 2 Rick Rojas (September 19, 2021). "In the Heart of Nashville, Rolling Parties Rage at Every Stoplight: As Nashville's popularity has grown, so has the "transportainment" business — a motley assortment including old buses, farm tractors and a truck with a hot tub. Many think it has gotten out of hand". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ...As Nashville has cemented its reputation as a destination for getaways and bachelorette trips, party vehicles have proliferated ... City officials estimate as many as 40 companies operate vehicles on weekends. ... a 22-year-old man fell off a party bus that then ran over his legs ...
  5. Mike Reicher and Mariah Timms (October 12, 2018). "Nashville party vehicles fall into regulatory loophole, with no local oversight". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ...In Nashville, ... Tourists to Music City each day board "party buses," stretch limousines and other commercial passenger vehicles ... commercial for-hire vehicles that carry 14 or more passengers aren't subject to strict local oversight....
  6. Amanda Chin (September 12, 2021). "Bill introduced to regulate controversial transpotainment vehicles". Fox 17 WZTV Nashville. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ...Lower Broadway has probably seen party buses, tractors, hot tubs, and more, filled with visitors. ... the problems with them, ranging from noise to you know, the nuisance grade up to safety ... The bill includes limiting open containers and requiring local permits for vehicles and drivers.
  7. Gainey, Blaise (2022-06-30). "Party's over for some transportainment companies as Nashville denies dozens of party vehicle permits". WPLN. Retrieved 2023-05-30.