Sunshine Shuttle has acquired Trumpet Coach, of Chipley, Fla., making Sunshine a major transportation company in northwest Florida.

The recent acquisition also expands Sunshine into a more diverse transportation company in the Panhandle, offering sedans, limousines, vans, local shuttle vehicles, and now, luxury motor coaches. The new arm of Finch’s transportation business is Sunshine Coach. During peak season, the company will employ about 40 workers.

Sunshine began in 2002 by John Finch, the owner of Sunshine Shuttle and Sunshine Limousine, as a secondary business interest. When Finch’s development investments dissolved, he concentrated his entrepreneurial efforts on the transportation company. The company has seen double-digit growth three years in a row, and Finch says he expects even greater things with his latest expansion.

Finch plans to capitalize on the success of the 21-year-old Trumpet Coach and says there are 26 charters already on the books. Trumpet’s last full year showed annual sales of $5 million. “Calls to Trumpet now come into our central office where we use state of the art reservation and dispatch software and equipment. We have people available 24/7.

“It’s a tough business, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s seasonal to some degree but our bills come due every month. Adding the coach business to our already-established line of professional transportation options will allow us to provide year round travel to areas out-of-state as well provide service to our large local customers more efficiently.”

Sunshine works closely with many high-end resorts along the northwest Florida coastline to provide transportation to the three major Panhandle airports. Sunshine also provides ground transportation at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort, and is the designated transportation provider for Southwest Airlines personnel in northwest Florida. It also has been the official transportation courier for events such as the Destin (Florida) Seafood Festival and the Panama City Beach Jazz Festival.

Finch credits his tough performance standards for the company’s continued success. “I demand the best from my employees so they can provide the best service to our customers. We want to bring the limousine service to the shuttle and motor coach business.”

According to several trade journals, such customer focused business models provide more long-term success and ultimately, larger profits and has brought national attention to the hometown business.

In November 2011, for the third consecutive year, Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine Service was selected for the 2011 Best of Santa Rosa Beach Award by the U.S. Commerce Association.

John was recently selected to hold a board position for the Limousine Association for the state of Florida. Among other achievements, Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine was voted Best Transportation by the readers of Destin Magazine.

“More festivals, tournaments and sporting events are coming to the Panama City Beach area every year, and these events require additional transportation. Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine recent and continued expansion is in direct alignment with this transportation need,” says President & CEO of the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce, Beth Oltman.

President and CEO of the Walton Area Chamber Kitty Whitney said the acquisition will have a positive impact on the area’s tourism business. "Sunshine Shuttle’s services and programs have been innovative and necessary as our streets become more crowded, especially during peak tourism season. We are proud that our members take very seriously these opportunities in economic growth and development.”

New Years Eve Specials


Hourly rates:

15 passenger vans-$75/hr

Sedans (4passenger)- $75/hr

8 passenger limos- $85/hr

14 passenger limo- $125/hr

6 passenger van- $55/hr

14 passenger mini bus-$65/hr

We also do one way transfers please call 850-650-6333 for availability and pricing. Please note NYE is our busiest day of the year, book as soon as possible to insure availability.

Sunshine Shinning in Times of Need

More than 150 toys were collected for the Freeport Fire Department toy drive when John and Barbi Carroll-Hawbaker opened their home Dec. 3 to the people of Destin for their annual Christmas party and Jesus’ Birthday party. For the second year in a row, families arrived at the party in style, courtesy of Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine.



Santa arrived at the party via fire truck and set up shop to talk with those in attendance. Five-year-old Brighton Maryann Watson, daughter of Tina Watson, was one of the many children who couldn't wait to sit on Santa’s lap and give him their wish lists. Brighton also enjoyed her first limo ride.



Others contributing to the success of the party were Destin / Fire Rescue, Jessie Scott, John Wagoner, Suzy Sims, Linda Shores. Louise Fressell, Maliga Pillay, Evangeline Zamonte, Delia Simms-Holts, Terry and Ann Allen, Jeasie and Jonas Areco, Publix, photographer John Brashears, Zak productions magic show and balloons, and Destin United Methodist Church.

Best of Destin

Sunshine Shuttle was voted Best Transportation by Destin Magazine!

http://r8t.us/sXhB9C

Testimonial

Hello John,




Please accept my thanks and appreciation for the wonderful services provided by Sunshine Shuttle during our recent Small Airports Conference in Destin between Nov. 1-5, 2011. Though our transportation logistics were complicated, from individual airport shuttles to group transfers, everyone in your company provided consistently excellent service. I would like to specifically compliment two drivers, Walter and Jane, who provided our group transfers at various times. They were punctual, knowledgeable about the area, and genuinely engaging with our attendees. During the few times I needed to call Sunshine Shuttle’s reservation line, your office staff answered promptly and professionally. Throughout the entire process, I was extremely fortunate to work most closely with Donovan. His calm demeanor to my numerous schedule changes as our conference grew was very much appreciated, thank-you Donovan!



My lasting impression, is that the entire Sunshine Shuttle staff are proud of their company and the beautiful environment in which they reside. I’m quite sure this overall team effort is a direct reflection of your management style John, therefore please feel free to use my comments for future references. All the best with your continued success!



Cheers,

Terri

Tour of Christmas Reflections!

 


This is the year to visit the Historic Defuniak Springs Lake to see Christmas Reflections. Why not make a trip of it and go to Bogey's Restaurant, right next door to the Historic Defuniak Hotel, for a glass of wine and dinner! This offer lasts through the whole month of December. Hours are 5 p.m-9 p.m. 7 days a week. Call for pricing! Make Reservations at Bogey's Restaurant at (850) 951-2233. We offer private vehicles or share rides for parties.

Finch Transportation Receives 2011 Best of Santa Rosa Beach Award


U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

NEW YORK, NY, November 29, 2011 -- For the third consecutive year, Finch Transportation has been selected for the 2011 Best of Santa Rosa Beach Award in the Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine Service category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2011 Award recipients qualified as Three-Time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

One to Watch: John Finch

By Gwen R. Break

Starting with only two vans in 2002, John Finch has built Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine into a fleet of buses, vans, limousines and sedans.Southwest Airlines at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and Vision Airlines at Northwest Florida Regional Airport have tapped Sunshine to provide the ground transportation for their flight personnel. Finch is also partnering with the travel giant Bookit.com in Panama City Beach as a component in the online agency’s local travel packages.  How he wants to add the 30-A Trolley Service to his lineup of transportation options. Although initially delayed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Finch successfully won approval of the trolley deal from local authorities in June 2011. He is working with area businesses and the Walton County Tourist Development Council to establish what he believes will be a transportation system to make travel on CR 30A safer and easier for residents and tourists alike. His plans are to be fully operational in 2012.“My company is green friendly,” says Finch. “One trolley takes as many as 30 cars off the road. That not only keeps cars from burning fuel, but it also keep drivers from behind the wheel who may be impaired.”  

Originally from Memphis, Tenn., the 40-something entrepreneur refuses to say exactly how old he is but his first success was 33 Degrees, a highly sought-after line of New York street wear. After selling the company in the 1990s, he moved to south Walton County, where he had vacationed frequently.

Reservations, prices, photos and route maps are available at sunshineshuttle.com.

Planning a Company Christmas Party?

Happy Holidays from Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine!! If you are starting to plan your company's christmas party think about Sunshine for your transportation. Keep your employees safe this holiday season and let us be your designated driver. We have sedans, buses, limos, large vans and mini vans. We have special rates for the holiday season. 850-650-6333.

Fourth of July Special

Stay safe on the Fourth of July! Get one hour free when you book a Limousine!! Hurry they are going fast! 850-650-6333

New Update on the 30-A Trolley Service.

Sunshine Shuttle, the developer of the 30-A Trolley system, continues to receive many inquiries from callers on 30-A who are asking when the Trolley service will start, where the points to get on and off the Trolley are, and also asking whichbusinesses are subscribing to the service. In response to these many inquiries, we want your readers to know that SunshineShuttle has obtained subscription commitments from the following businesses on 30-A where the “stops” will be:

• 30-A Suites • Stinky’s Fish Camp • Gulf Place• Resort Quest • Naked Grape • Smiling Fish Café• Miss Lucille’s Gossip Parlor • The Beach Bar• SOHO Beach • Artists at Gulf Place • Kindal’s Hair Studio• Furry Fanatics • Trustmark Bank • Fire at Gulf Place
• SOHO Woman • Angels Cosmetics • Jewel Toffier• Amore’ Pizzeria • Celestine’s Special Occasions• Pilates by the Sea • April Loves Grooming• The Association Offi ce • Southern Beach Bicycle & Water Sports • Ocean Elements Day Spa• Sun and Sand Photography• Fine Line Tech • Emerald Coast Compounding• Oceana Blue • Ballyhoo • For the Health of It• Big Daddy’s Bikes & Beach Sports• Johnny McTighe’s Irish Pub • Nick’s on the Beach• Blue Mountain Beach Creamery • Shorty’s • Seagrove Plaza• Garrett Realty Services • A-List Beauty Salon• Bruno’s Pizza • Subway • A Few Good Apples• Bummin in the Sun • Liz’s Fashions • Fouquet Architects• Cocoons • One Seagrove Place • Mark Bakane of Grand Isle• Salon Twist • Flip Flops Grill

We hope to get many more of the businesses on 30-A involved in the next few days so that the service will cover all of 30-A and will be able to start as close to June 15th as possible.
30A.com has a poll running right now regarding the 30-ATrolley system:
“80% of 30A fans said that they would use a public tram service here at the beach,” said Mike Ragsdale of 30A.com,which has over 52,000 Facebook fans. Ragsdale said that the Facebook poll was viewed 29,231 times. (POLL:www.facebook.com/Scenic30A/posts/10150167472742393)

An update on the 30-A Tram Service

The 30-A Tram service being developed by Sunshine Shuttle will not yet be operational for the Memorial Day week, but we are hoping to have it up and running by the following week. While we are in the final lap of getting to our goal of becoming operational, we want to thank the business leaders who are supporting the 30-A Tram service. Our service plan is based on having drop-off and pick-up stops only at the subscribing communities and businesses on 30-A.
We will have two resort style Trolleys that will provide safe and fun experiences for the riders. Since each Trolley has 30 passenger seats, the two Trolleys have the potential to reduce up to 60 vehicles being on 30-A every hour. The Trolleys will make two stops at every stop each hour. They will run from noon until 2:00 AM (approximately).
We continue to have many inquiries about the service, and if you are interested in having the Trolleys stop at your businesses, you should call Sunshine Shuttle at 850-974-9911 to learn more. Our website is www.30atram.com.
The project’s information and a map will be linked to all the subscribing businesses and on the following websites: Walton County Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Development Council, SoWal.com, 30A.com, and 30atram.com.
Join Sunshine Shuttle online bybecoming a fan on Facebook

Spring Break Shuttle

Sunshine Shuttle launched a new service for Panama City Beach Spring Break 2011! You can get off the plane at the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and quickly hop on a shuttle that takes you straight to the beaches of Panama City Beach, Destin, Scenic 30a, Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola!

Sunshine Shuttle Teams Up With Delta Airlines

Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine

Is the official transportation provider for Southwest Airlines. We are proud to announce
a new partnership with Delta Airlines in providing ground transportation.


Thank you for your support.

~ John Finch

30a Big Night Out Promo

Consortium brings proven technologies to Gulf clean up

This article provided by Rick Thomason, author of thirdcupofcoffee.wordpress.com

They are scientists and engineers with one focus: They want to put to use the technologies they have developed, or have permission to distribute, to help clean up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

They are the Gulf Recovery Team, LLC.

Friday night representatives from three of the companies in the consortium presented their products and services to a crowd of people at the Walton County Library in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

The meeting was organized by local resident and businessman John Finch, owner of Sunshine Shuttle and its affiliated businesses. Finch flew to Miami, FL, to get the consortium to come to south Walton for the presentation.

Prior to the public meeting the group also made a pitch to Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson who got high marks from the businessmen for his proactive approach and tough questions.

Tom Roberts, president and CEO of Atlas-Transoil, Inc., said the goal of the consortium is to “try to develop a plan for the specific issues this area might encounter with the oil spill.” Walton County’s issues would be different than those in, say, Baldwin County, AL.

Roberts added that each company represented at the meeting and in the consortium has “superior technology” to clean up the environment.

Dr. Barry Liss, who leads the alliance, said GRT would focus on:

- Oil spill clean up expeditors

- Oil recover from the ocean

- Shoreline protection

- Contamination control

- Recovery and disposal

Each of the eight companies in the group brings a different expertise and technology to the table. And not all of what they bring might be applicable to a specific area.

“We will need a local survey of needs to identify needs and costs,” said Liss.

Make no mistake. These are businessmen who hold fiduciary responsibilities to their companies. So they were in Walton County touting their goods and services with the hopes that those in attendance would further their story to local decision makers.

But one also got the feeling that these men also were highly concerned with the future of the Gulf of Mexico and wanted to assist in its recovery.

John DiBella of Enviro Voraxial Technology, or EVTN, spoke about his company’s machinery which, for what it purports to do, is amazingly simple. The machines provide a continuous flow of liquid through a tube fitted with a patented low-shear rotary assembly. That assembly creates a vortex inside the tube. The rest of the process is described on the company’s website: By this action, heavier materials (such as solids) are forced to the outside of the vortex while lighter materials (such as oil) are drawn to form the central core of the vortex, thereby creating separated flow streams. A specially designed manifold is utilized at the exit of the separation chamber to collect the separated streams.

The machines are not designed to deal with deep-water oil, such as plumes. Instead, they work on the top one or two inches of the surface where most of the oil eventually floats up to. Booms are used to corral the oil and funnel it into skimmers which then feed it to the intake.

“We think this is a good fit for local needs,” DiBella said.

If the concept seems familiar, it’s because it sounds similar to the layman to the technology actor Kevin Costner trotted out several weeks ago. But DiBella quickly point out three distinguishing differences.

“First, Mr. Costner’s equipment is a centrifuge,” DiBella noted. “It’s a completely different technology. Second, his equipment maxes out at less than half the capacity of our separator with the two-inch pipe, which is the smallest of the three unit sizes available from the company. Third, our equipment is about half the price.

“Every technology that helps clean up this mess has a place,” DiBella quickly noted. “But we believe on the scale that’s needed here, our machinery is superior.”

The company makes three versions of the Voraxial Separator, as the machinery is known. A two-inch intake pipe allows one of the separators to process 70,000 gallons in a 24-hour period. Jump to a four-inch intake pipe and the process volume increases exponentially to 700,000 gal/day. Double the intake pipe again? Yes, and the capacity escalates to a whopping 7,000,000 gal/day.

“No other product out there can handle the volume that we can, except for tankers,” DiBella noted. And even that isn’t a direct comparison because unless the tankers are outfitted with additional, specialized equipment they can only collect water and oil, not separate the two.

Because of the compact size of the separators, all but the largest model can be deployed on almost any shallow-draft boat considered a “vessel of opportunity” in the current oil spill crisis.

Dr. Brad Droy, recently a south Walton County resident, brought a decidedly more low-tech product to the table. At least outwardly it appeared low tech. But looks can be deceiving.

Droy is president and CEO of ASAT (Applied Science & Advanced Technologies) Inc., which is the exclusive U.S. provider of an absorbent product called PowderSorb.

PowderSorb is a light and airy powder. Droy passed around a gallon bag, about half full, of the stuff and everyone marveled at the almost weightlessness of it.

Working as an absorbent, PowderSorb pulls the crude oil into capillary spaces and prevents it from contacting the surrounding environment. By converting it into a solid, floating phase (i.e., PowderSorb retains the crude internally), Droy says skimming efficiently is greatly enhanced.

How effective is the product? “PowderSorb will absorb nine-tenths of a gallon of crude oil for every gallon of the product,” Droy said.

And there’s more good news for local officials who might be considering the use of PowderSorb. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency as a ‘sorbent’ under the National Contingency Plan, and has been used on oil spills around the world.

For a small demonstration of PowderSorb (which, by the way, was developed in Finland):

A couple more notes about PowderSorb:

- The product can be used as a cleaning agent for oil-contaminated birds and mammals. PowderSorb, when placed on the animal, wicks away the oil from feathers and fur. ASAT’s company brochure says, “This is a much less traumatic way of cleaning these animals as compared to the traditional scrubbing with soap and water, which requires excessive handling.”

- PowderSorb can also be packed into a sock to form a sock boom – you may have seen some of that type of boom on CNN – that will contain and absorb. Additional granulate can be deployed on the surface of the contained oil to facilitate skimming and collection because it forms a heavier mass of floating, thicker product than just floating oil.

- TEA, Inc., the licensee for PowderSorb, now has offices in Miramar Beach. That office is staffed by Les Porterfield, who has been a practicing engineer in the area for a number of years. Porterfield is a Senior Remediation Engineer with the company.

- The product can be deployed to capture sub-surface, suspended dispersed oil. When used at depth, Droy said PowderSorb will absorb the dispersed crude and float it up to the surface at the same time.

DiBella’s machinery pulls oil out of the water. In the case of the Gulf oil spill, British Petroleum has allegedly laid claim to all reclaimed oil. We’ll see how that works out for them.

But Droy’s product and many others used in the recovery, while cleaning up the mess, also create byproducts that must eventually be dealt with.

Re-enter Tom Roberts from the beginning of this piece.

Roberts’ company uses conventional gasification techniques to thermally treat hydrocarbon-soaked soils so those soils can be fully recycled back into the environment.

The capital outlay for a KleenSoil waste treatment facility will run $30-35 million. Once a project – such as the Gulf clean up – is complete, the plant can still be operational to dispose of all manner of waste with the energy produced being sold back to local electric providers.

And lest you believe such a waste-to-energy facility would be a space hog, Roberts said the footprint would likely be a paltry three acres.

Constructing one of these plants is an 8-month process, and that’s after the permitting process is complete. So what to do with contaminated sand/soil in the mean time? Roberts had an answer for that, too. His company loads it on a barge and stores it in an approved facility at Port Manatee in Palmetto, FL. It is a common practice to send waste to a permitted fixed base facility. Anything from one drum of used personal protective equipment from a soil/groundwater investigation to acres of excavated soil. Most companies would not want to go through the hassles of the permitting process, much less the expense.

Deployment of any of these technologies fully depends on needs assessment and contracting. Understandably, these businessmen are not going to commit vast amounts of product and resources until the ink is dry on paper.

But they came as a group, offering myriad solutions.

Dr. Liss said in closing, “We want to be Walton County’s one-stop shop for management of this mess.”

Announcing a Walton County Town Meeting - Gulf Recovery Team

Town meeting Friday June 18 5:00pm at Walton County Library, 437 Greenway
Trail Santa Rosa Beach (331 Annex).

Gulf Recovery Team will be flying in from Miami/Ft Lauderdale to present a
proposal for an Oil Recovery System to treat the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill. This is a group of scientists and engineers that have organized a
team whose principals, products and services provide the ability and basis
for a rapid deployment and execution of a multi-task plan that offers a
"cradle to grave", technically sound, environmentally safe and
economically competitive program for oil spill recovery and reclamation
from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 using mechanical extraction
and separation.

Our local officials have been invited to attend this presentation in hopes
of using some or all of these components in our area.
Please support our local officials in saving our beaches!!!!!


This notification was sent as a courtesy by Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine.
Thank you for supporting the efforts of our local community to combat this disaster.

~ John Finch

www.SunshineShuttle.com

Sunshine Shuttle has Teamed up with Southwest Airlines!

Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine is proud to announce...

We are now officially the Employee and Crew Transportation Service for
Southwest Airlines at the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport!

Help support our locally owned South Walton business by:
following our Blog, becoming a fan on Facebook or joining our E-List!

~ John Finch

Scenic 30a Trolley!!!

There have been alot of questions and thoughts about the 30a Transportation Guru and his upcoming plan for a Trolley service on Scenic 30a. We will soon be launching a website to help answer those questions. Until then please read the below article which was recently in the Walton Sun here.


Transportation guru hopes to bring trolley service to 30A
April 16, 2010 9:00 AM
By Matt Algarin

John Finch says running a trolley service on 30A would benefit the entire community.

“One trolley running on 30A can keep up to 30 cars off the road at any given time,” said Finch. “That would be huge.”

Finch, who has owned Sunshine Transportation since 2004, said this is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

The proposed trolley service would run up and down the 30A corridor on a set schedule and would offer its riders an unforgettable experience. The trolleys would be brightly painted and equipped with air-conditioning, bike and surfboard racks, flat-screen TV’s, and music.

“The trolley’s are going to be amazing,” Finch said, walking around his Santa Rosa Beach based facility. “This isn’t just a ride. It’s going to be an experience.”

One of the biggest selling points of Finch’s idea would be the ability for visitors to traverse 30A and go shopping in the various communities without having to get in and out of a car and worry about finding parking spots.

Finch also noted the trolley service could help to cut down on drunk driving.

“Since we have a lot of weddings in the area, people are out celebrating and having a good time,” Finch said. “So instead of jumping in their car, they can take the trolley back to their condo.”

Implementing a new service to this degree can be a daunting task, but Finch said the first trolley could be on the ground in a month. He added said he has received nothing but positive support from the community and local businesses.

"I have already spoken to the Friends of Scenic 30A and the Tourist Development Council," Finch said. "They both seem really excited about the idea and would like to be on board with the program."

He added that businesses which choose to be a part of the trolley program would be eligible to place their logos on the exterior of the trolley in addition to having promotional videos played on the inside.

“This is really going to allow us to get people out,” Finch said. “They are going to be able to experience the different communities that we have to showcase in our area.”

The 30A Transportation Guru

Check out Sunshine Shuttle's John Finch in VIE magazine & the Walton Sun!

http://www.sunshineshuttle.com/press.php

John is now known as Scenic 30a's "Transportation Guru".