Livermore Valley 2nd Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend!

Everyone wants to participate in unique events!  Such an event is “brewing” this weekend … Saturday and Sunday, March 20-21, from 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM … in Livermore Valley’s beautiful wine country.  It’s the 2^nd Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend!

You will definitely want to be one of the lucky participants who purchase limited advance tickets by noon on Friday, March 19, and enjoy this thrilling experience for $10 off regular ticket prices.

Over 25 of the Valley’s most prestigious wineries are hosting:

• Advance purchases of wines before they are even bottled (futures)
• Wine tasting straight from the barrel at each participating winery
• Meet the winemakers and learn all you ever wanted to know about wine
• Unique events at each winery including food/wine pairings, music, and more
• Bottle your own wine

In addition, you’ll receive a “take home glass” PLUS exclusive discounts on purchases!

With so many wineries to visit, wines to taste, foods to sample, winemakers to talk to, and excitement to soak in … the last thing you need is:

• To get lost and miss exciting wines and tastings
• Being delayed by your car breaking down or having a flat
• Running out of gas
• Wasting precious minutes at each winery trying to find a parking space
• Losing your car keys
• Arriving for the event late

That’s why AAA Transportation is your BEST choice for truly enjoying this exciting event!  We have served the Livermore Valley and Bay area since 2001, providing the most EXCELLENT service for individuals and businesses alike.  We know the exact location of each winery, the quickest way to get to each one, and you will travel in worry-free style and luxury!

We guarantee you will not lose one precious minute of the weekend as you and your group relax, laugh, enjoy our complimentary soda and beverages, and soak in the unbelievable beauty of wine country.

1. Our 8-passenger sleek limousines will whisk you like celebrities between wineries for only $ .
2. Choose our sleek Town cars filled with comfort for a group of three for just $          .
3. Our hybrid Prius’ easily escorts a group of three while eco-embracing the lush Valley itself for just $           .

It’s YOUR timetable that’s important to us.  We promise to:

• Pick you up promptly to begin your adventure
• Drop you off at the entrance of each winery
• Wait for your group so that as soon as you’re ready to visit the next stop, all you have to do is step in and go
• Deliver you SAFE and SATISFIED to your doorstep when the day has ended

With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

A World of Adventure at Your Doorstep!

What were your 2010 New Year resolutions?  Did you vow to … lose weight … exercise more … improve relationships … eat healthier … return to school?  How many of these resolutions have you actually begun?  How many have you started and already “fallen off the wagon” so to speak?  We begin a new year with great intentions, but like almost everyone, we soon lose interest and zeal for those changes that require more of us than we are really willing to give.  BUT …

AAA Transportation has a New Year’s resolution that EVERYONE can keep and enjoy!  We call it “A World of Adventure at Your Doorstep”. Why not resolve to learn more about California and the Tri-Valley, Bay Areas?  Whether this is your home or a vacation area you plan to visit, we can insure you will learn about new and exciting places and events, visit those special “hidden treasures” known mostly to locals, enjoy the best concerts and shows California has to offer, and take supreme pleasure in those memorable events like weddings, proms, graduations, business meetings, etc.

We also provide the most luxurious, enjoyable transportation for every location and event … and we supply specials and discounts throughout the year! Let’s look at some of the premier tours and events you won’t want to miss in 2010:

Wine Tour Special – Did you know the lush green hills of California’s wine country contain 400 wineries?  Each new year heralds winery tours with exciting tasting rooms and wine/food pairings.  AAA Transportation knows every gentle curve in the many roads that will have your group engulfed in this “fairy land” for six hours for only $299 (plus gratuity).

Concerts and Theatre – Have you ever experienced a concert at the lush Wente Vineyards?  Eight people can experience the excitement for only $260 (plus gratuity).  Our other low rates will whisk you to any of the historic theatres in the area – The Curran, The Osage, The Orpheum, The Paramount, and The Bankhead.  Sense the music and beauty of Broadway productions, operas, staged plays, and more!

Fine Dining and Live Entertainment – Have you ever tasted the ultimate prime rib at Tommy T’s and then laughed until “your sides split”?  What about “Hot Sizzling Thursday Nights” at the Pleasanton Hilton?  Then there’s Pleasanton’s Main Street Brewery, the annual Harvest Wine Celebration, … and any place your heart desires!

Fun for the Whole Family – Spend quality time together at the Renaissance Faire dressed in your favorite costume, enjoy the little known sport of bocce at Campo di Bocci, experience the annual Dry Bean Festival, the Labor Day Harvest Wine Celebration, and other family fun spots.

Business and Leisure – Who wouldn’t enjoy a day of golf and relaxing spa treatments at The Purple Orchid Inn, The Claremont Club and Spa, or the sublime and refreshing Vintage Estates? Treat your clients and employees to the elegant Palm Event Center, and thrill to world-class golf at Crow Canyon Country Club.  Your clients will thank you!

Once-in-a-Lifetime Events – Why not let professionals handle the intricate details (and associated stress) of your wedding, graduation, prom, special Birthday gala, promotion celebration, family reunion, and that long-awaited cruise to … ?  We know the most rewarding places anywhere around, plus luxuriously carry you there with specials and discounts galore!

Any place you desire to go … AAA Transportation takes you there in style and comfort.  Take advantage of our “Go Green” hybrid sedans and SAVE!  Our fleet of sleek, late-model vehicles economically provides luxury transportation for ALL of your personal and corporate events.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

Hybrid Prius Sedans – Elegant and “GREEN”

AAA Transportation is proud of our efforts to keep Mother Earth “GREEN” and beautiful.  For several years we have included the classy Toyota Prius hybrid (gas-electric) sedan in our fleet of modern, sleek vehicles.  We would like to help you become more familiar with one of the main operating components of the Prius – the battery – to better understand how our hybrids give you the BEST is luxury transportation while also helping the environment.

For many decades, vehicle batteries have contained lead and hydrochloric acid – both of which are highly poisonous substances.  When these batteries reach the end of their usefulness, their disposal becomes the “tricky task” of keeping these caustic materials from leaching into our drinking water, food chain, and surrounding environment.  However, new technology in vehicle batteries is producing new horizons.

The emerging hybrid-electric vehicle market is producing promising results with the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery.  The advantages of this type of battery are:

• Excellent performance
• Long life
• Reliability
• High energy
• Low cost of ownership

How are NiMH batteries made?

Like former batteries, NiMH batteries consist of two electrodes – one positive and one negative.  The positive electrode uses nickel-hydroxide for the cathode, while the negative electrode uses metal hydride for the anode.  A polymer separates the electrodes to prevent shorting.  A potassium hydroxide mixture with a small amount of water forms the electrolyte within the battery cell.  The cell is then sealed and electrically charged to form a 1.2v electrochemical couple.  Individual cells can then be joined in series to produce batteries in various voltage ranges, with 12 volts being the typical arrangement.

What is the Life Span of these “greener” batteries?

Battery life spans are evaluated in terms of complete discharge cycles.  For example, a standard all electric-vehicle battery can be charged and discharged 1,000 times.  This is equivalent to more than 100,000 miles.  However, in hybrid gas-electric vehicles, the battery is never fully charged or discharged.  Instead, these batteries are cycled in shallow discharges hundreds of thousands of times.  This partial charge/discharge operation enables the NiMH battery to last more than 200,000 miles.

What happens when the NiMH batteries eventually lose usefulness?

These environmental friendly batteries are 100-percent recyclable.  AND … because they contain no toxic materials, they are the only rechargeable battery that can be legally disposed of in a landfill.  However, we understand that simply dumping them into a landfill doesn’t make either economically or environmentally sound sense.  The obvious solution is recycling, which most hybrid vehicle manufacturers make available.

AAA Transportation is serious about keeping our planet “GREEN”.  Our eco-friendly hybrid sedans provide businesses and individuals alike with luxurious transportation while reducing our carbon footprint.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

“Green” Limousine Service – AAA Transportation

What is your favorite color?  Red … blue … yellow … orange?  AAA Transportation’s favorite color is “GREEN”.  Why?  We care about keeping our beautiful earth GREEN and life-giving!  We also care about helping you see more “GREEN” with our specials and packages on limousine services, airport pickups, pleasure excursions, business trips, and even keeping your non-emergency medical appointments.

Every time you decide to travel in a group instead of individually, the “GREEN” benefits add up:

1. Transportation expenses greatly decrease per person.  The direct costs for gas, oil, and vehicle operation become shared.
   • Remember the sudden surge in gas prices during 2008?  Even though 2009 gave us a little relief as prices lowered slightly, it seems climbing gas prices is here to stay.  Sharing this cost of transportation with a group helps keep Mother Earth “GREENER” while keeping more “GREEN” in your pocket.
   • Oil is a commodity that “drives” our lives in more ways than transportation … gas, energy, industry, beauty and household products … to name a few.  We must preserve this precious commodity.  A trip to your favorite spot uses the same number of roundtrip miles, gallons of gas, and pints of oil whether you travel alone or with friends.  Going in a group, however, not only splits the automotive costs; it multiplies the benefits gained from the same quantity of products.  The commodities that formerly benefited only one person now profit a group at no extra expense.
   • Other direct expenses of operating a vehicle are also lessened proportionately.  Costs such as batteries, brakes, various fluids, tires, etc., are reduced per person plus produce multiplied benefits as well.
2. Group transportation has another “GREEN” benefit that is normally not considered.  Hidden vehicular costs such as normal wear and tear, maintenance, repairs, parking fees, tags, licenses, and insurance practically disappear for you because these expenses are shared by all of our customers.
3. AAA Transportation keeps our fleet in tip-top condition, thus keeping our prices low:
   • Proper tire inflation consumes less gas and oil, provides the best mileage possible, reduces tire replacements, and eliminates repeated tire repairs.
   • Air filters are routinely changed to enhance vehicle performance and preserve precious energy.
   • Regular oil changes and tune-ups keep our fleet at its best while reducing carbon emissions.  We spend a little “green” in this area to save YOU big “GREEN”:

A.  Getting ultimate mileage from the resources used.

B.  Reduced repair expenses that help us keep prices low for you.

C.  Lower carbon emissions that help your earth.

Whether serving you for business or pleasure, AAA Transportation is on the leading-edge of taking responsibility for our planet and providing “GREEN” for you.  Our fleet of sleek hybrid vehicles, limousines, sedans, and vans provides eco-friendly transportation for ALL of your needs.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

Saving the Earth with “Green” Transportation

While there has been much debate about the reality of global warming, everyone agrees that we need to “take care” of this planet on which we live so that it will continue to be a clean, safe, healthy place in which to raise our families.

“Global warming” refers to the increased average temperature of the air and oceans near earth’s surface that could have future dangerous results.  Our “carbon footprint” refers to the level of greenhouse gases emitted from various human activities that raise or lower our near-surface temperatures.  While many greenhouse gases are being studied, carbon dioxide emitted from vehicles using petroleum-based fuels has been named as a major cause of unsafe global warming.

The solution seems obvious – manufacture efficient, cost-effective vehicles with reduced carbon dioxide emissions.   A two-fold approach holds promise for some encouraging results.

1. Biofuels recently appeared on the market promising not only to reduce carbon emissions, but to reduce our dependence on oil.  Biofuels are derived from the sugar fermentation of plant materials such as wheat, corn, beets, sugar cane, and molasses.  Ethanol is now the most common biofuel worldwide.  Biodiesel fuel is ethanol’s “sister” so to speak, being used as an additive to diesel fuel.
2. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV’s) are one of the other options manufacturers are taking to reduce harmful emissions.  These vehicles make a gradual transition to less harmful vehicles possible.

Simply put, a hybrid electric vehicle combines the conventional internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system (power train).  Several types of HEV’s exist and provide these advantages:

• Some HEV’s use their internal combustion engine to generate electricity by spinning an electrical generator.  The generator then can either recharge the vehicle’s various batteries or directly power the electric drive motors.
• Other HEV’s reduce idle emissions by shutting down the internal combustion engine while the vehicle is idling, then restarting it when needed.
• Modern HEV’s often use smaller internal combustion engines, thereby automatically reducing carbon emissions.  The electric power train is then used to supply the additional needed power boost.
• Technologies such as “regenerative braking” slow the vehicle by converting the vehicle’s kinetic energy (extra energy present due to the vehicle’s forward motion alone) into electric energy that replenishes batteries instead of being wasted as heat energy.
• HEV’s provide the opportunity for software to be introduced that adjusts the balance between greater fuel efficiency and added power.  In the future, HEV owners may be able to partially control this balance as they wish.

AAA Transportation is on the leading-edge of taking responsibility for our planet.  We have been using hybrid vehicles to successfully serve both individuals and businesses in the Tri-Valley and Bay Areas since 2001.  Our fleet of sleek, late-model limousines, sedans, and vans provides luxury transportation for ALL of your personal and corporate events.  With excellence as our standard, you are guaranteed complete satisfaction.  Make your reservations TODAY either online or by calling 866-558-0222.

Really interested in saving the earth? Leave your choices at home- a perspective.

Choices

Have you ever wondered why someone would buy the ugly pie shaped “hybrid” car while there so many “cool” cars you can buy for so much cheaper?  It’s no doubt that America gives us the freedom to make choices- the choice of cooking at home or ordering a pizza; the choice of  taking your groceries in a plastic bag, paper bag, or no bag; the choice of biking to a store or driving your gas guzzling SUV.

All the little choices come with good or bad consequences.  We chose to drive big hefty cars to work, and we suffered the most when the gas prices surged. Some are too lazy to cook at home and exercise regularly, and they end up spending thousands on their health.  On one hand we protest to preserve the forests and on the other we carry piles of paper grocery bags home. On one hand we are baffled why the health insurance costs so much, and on the other we find it hard to adopt a healthy diet.  I believe the little choices chain up so badly that the consequences are mind boggling.

A few steps that can inevitably help save the earth and you:

1. Find a colleague or neighbor who’s willing to share a ride with you to work.  Not only do you get to meet new people, you save money and reduce carbon emissions.

2. Avoid paper and plastic bags when you buy just one or two items.  Better yet, buy a decent cloth made grocery bag and use it to bring all your groceries.

3. Cook at least three times a week at home.  Go for a 10 minute walk.

4. If it’s not far, don’t take the car.  Get a bike and take it to the movies, the gym, or other nearby places.  Bikes are cheaper than you think.

5. Shut down your monitors and computers before going to bed.  Unplug all wall chargers when not in use.

You don’t have to buy a Solar powered energy solution or a hybrid car to preserve the earth.  Quite surprisingly, it’s the simple choices that can do wonders.

AAA Transportation does its share of saving the earth by providing a fleet of fuel efficient shuttles for commuters, and hybrid cars for point to point transportation. It eliminates paper usage by relying on electronic means of communication.