Jaime has been providing Drivania services in Miami since 2018. With his affable character, he quickly gained the trust of corporate travelers arriving in the city. He was kind enough to visit us at the Drivania offices in Coral Gables.
How did you come to work as a chauffeur in Miami?
It was a bit by chance. I have traveled all over the world, and before coming to America I had already worked in different sectors in Spain, where I was born, and in Holland. When I settled in the United States, I worked as an executive in a private chauffeured transportation company, one of the most important at that time. There, I learned a lot about business and corporate travel, until I finally decided to set up on my own.
What differences do you see between working as a chauffeur in Europe and America?
All my professional activity as a chauffeur has been in the United States. But although I have not been a chauffeur in Europe, I have worked as an affiliate for European companies. And from what I see, there are very good professionals on both continents. I think it’s a matter of finding the right person.
What is your usual schedule? How does a transfer differ from an hourly service?
I don’t have a fixed work schedule. In this job it is important to be available 24 hours a day because you’re dealing with many VIP clients who may need your services at any time. The fact that they call you and want you to be their chauffeur shows that the client has placed their trust in you.
I feel more comfortable covering hourly services rather than transfers, but that’s a matter of preference. A good chauffeur needs to adapt to be able to cover both types of services at any time.
Do you prepare your services in advance? How?
Yes, always. It is very important to be well prepared. You must know the route perfectly, as well as having a plan B in case you run into a traffic jam. It is also essential to know the usual traffic conditions in the areas you cover, to know what the rush hours are, if there’s road work along the route, etc.
In hourly services, for example, it is necessary to know the optimal route between stops, and to be familiar with the area where you’ll park while the passenger is in a meeting. Many corporate travelers are on a tight schedule and need you to be close by once they are finished so they can get to the next stop as quickly as possible.
What is the best part of working as a chauffeur?
There are many. You meet different people: artists, sportsmen, business executives, and many normal people who trust the professionalism of a private chauffeur. For me, all clients are VIPs.
Dedicating yourself to this job with heart and joy can be very rewarding, as it leads you to meet different places and people from the most diverse cultures.
