Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Report

The Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey has been conducted every two years since 2013. Practitioners who participated in the survey represent the corporate (37% of participants), high net worth (21%), and private security community (23%). The participants had an average of approximately 15 years of experience.

Keep in mind that the survey indicates vehicles that are most commonly used, not necessarily the best vehicles.

The survey covers all aspects of secure transportation. The goal of the survey is to examine trends and collect data that will help develop a broader perspective of the secure transportation profession.

A Summary of the 2017 Report

This year’s report consists of 36 pages of data with supplemental articles. The additional information is added to enhance and support the data.

TYPES OF VEHICLES

The sedan used most often for executive transportation is the Mercedes S-Class. This choice has not changed since 2013.

SEDAN TYPE PERCENTAGE Mercedes S-Class 28.3% Audi A8 15.7% BW7 Series 12.6% Lexus LS460 10.2% Cadillac XTS 7.9%

The most commonly used SUV is the Suburban.

The Suburban has been at the top of the list of most used SUVs since 2013, but this year there was an almost 20% decrease in its use (from 51% to 33%).

SUV TYPE PERCENTAGE Chevrolet Suburban 33.1% Cadillac Escalade 12.9% GMC Denali 12.9% GMC Yukon 6.7%

Supplemental Information

The use of armored vehicles has fluctuated, going from 15.5% in 2013 to 22.9% in 2015 and to 14.1% in 2017. The surveys indicate that the use of armored vehicles ebbs and flows from year to year, but every year a substantial number of participants are using armored vehicles. To supplement that survey data, we added the ISDA white paper “Best Practices for Purchasing Armored Vehicles.”

The survey indicates that 62% of all participants use a rental vehicle, so we added Joe Autera’s seminal article on renting vehicles, “Renting Vehicles and Secure Transportation; Best Practices for a Less-Than-Perfect Solution.”

We found that 55% of the participants did not know about the IRS ruling on secure transportation.

Support information includes articles concerning the IRS code governing secure transportation.

The supplemental information is a small percentage of that which is available to ISDA members. ISDA and its member's curate information specifically designed to increase member knowledge and marketability. The majority of the information is password protected and available to ISDA members only. The information is disseminated via blog posts, free online learning, and white papers.

The 36-page report is free to ISDA members and those who took part in the survey and requested the information.

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This is the Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What type of vehicle do you most use to transport the principal?
• SUVs; Whether You Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, They Are a Popular Choice Among Secure Transportation Providers
• Types of Vehicles
• If more than one vehicle is used, what type is mostly used for the second (backup) vehicle?
• The science of two-car scenarios
• If you drive an armored vehicle, to what level is the vehicle armored?
• Best Practices for Purchasing Armored Vehicles
• What segment of the profession are you currently working in?
• During your career, what segments of the profession have you worked in?
• EP Job Data – The Skills Gap
• On average, what are the total miles/kilometers driven per day in the principal’s vehicle? 17
• ROI of a Security Driver
• What is the driving environment you are currently working in?
• What driving environments have you worked in?
• Are any of the following important to you or the principal in selecting the vehicle?
• On average, how many passengers are riding in the vehicle?
• Do you use rental vehicles while supplying protective or secure transportation services?
• Rental Vehicles and Secure Transportation; Best Practices for a Less-Than-Perfect Solution
• If you do rent vehicles, which vehicle type is normally rented?
• EP – Liability Versus the Almighty Dollar
• When traveling, do you hire drivers?
• Perk or Prerequisite; the Security Driver from a Business Perspective
• If you do hire drivers, how do you vet the drivers?
• Security Driving Is a Statement of Skill, Not a Marketing Term
• Do you hire subcontractors to supply secure transportation?
• Are you aware/knowledgeable of the IRS code governing secure transportation?
• Secure Transportation and the IRS, exposing your client to an audit

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