JUNE/JULY 2012 PUBLISHER'S PAGE: Taking a cue from publications such as Forbes and Fortune magazines, LCT Magazine has dedicated one issue each year to recognize, rank and profile leaders within the chauffeured transportation industry. The issue has morphed in style too, changing names to include the Black Book in 2009-2011, and as the new Leadership Issue starting this year.

Since 1999, LCT has taken this one special publication on the road and distributed hard copies to the attendees of the Global Business Travel Association trade show, providing a ready guide to chauffeured transportation companies capable of handling large corporate fleet movements. And sure enough, LCT will be circulated at the GBTA event in Boston in late July.

This issue is by far the most controversial one we produce. Operators disputing fleet sizes for all types of reasons have chewed up and spit out the rankings for years. We keep a whistleblower file just for this issue, taking notes of unreliable or dubious claims. LCT has been blamed for making it easy for regulators to target companies for audits and lawsuits. The NLA actually uses it to fact check their members’ fleet claims to verify that they are in the proper dues category. Internally, the issue temporarily consumes the editorial staff. Yet, the beat and the issue go on.

Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute, usually about a matter of opinion. In other words, it’s not a bad thing, even when it seems to pain people. We seek when we are compelled to do so. In many respects, the controversy shrouding the 100 Largest Fleets issue has spurred changes that came by way of spirited debates over differing perspectives. For better or worse, the industry wants that.

Rankings and lists are not a new concept; they are a part of life. We grow up with rankings in school by way of grades and GPAs. The world of sports revolves around rankings, and companies and employees are evaluated based on them. By name, rankings create a type of credibility that attracts business opportunities. If I were a travel manager, this issue would be an important part of my vendor auditing criteria.

In the all new Leadership version, we now can expand our coverage beyond the listings of the largest fleets. We have much wiggle room for editorial freedom and can profile who we see and observe as the most innovative, influential, fastest growing, most profitable, and well, notorious! We only touched on a few of the types of people most noteworthy for our first-ever issue dedicated to leadership. We have plenty of room to elaborate come next year, and you can count on us continuing our tradition of trying different things.

Please enjoy, keep the faith and share your comments with us. But remember, love it or hate it, this list is our industry’s Who’s Who and it is here to stay. Through this issue, we hope to continue provoking change for the better.

-- Sara@LCTmag.com