Party Engines Idle: A Milford Limo Company Rides Out Coronavirus

MILFORD, MA — The stretch limousine won't be carrying any prom dates. The party bus is empty. And that bachelor party ride to the Celtics game may have to wait until next season.

So many businesses have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, a fact that Accent Limousine owner Rick Nashawaty knows very well. The Milford-based company has been hit on all sides by the crisis. This time of year, the company should be giving up to 60 rides per day, but now it's down to just a handful per week.

But it's not all bad for Nashawaty and his fleet of vehicles, including stretch limos, a party bus, vans, and big SUVs. His drivers are giving rides, and some are pretty heartwarming. He also recently got a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program — although it did take a few weeks and many tries.

"This is definitely going to change things for a while," he said this week. "People don't need to go to the office, and they definitely won't be going to weddings."

Nashawaty's father founded the business in the mid-1980s after buying a limo to drive as a side job. It started with taking local kids to prom, and then blossomed into a full-time business with corporate clients across the region. Nashawaty started in the business as a kid washing the cars. He took over seven years ago when his parents retired.

Since the pandemic began, Nashawaty has been coming into the office every day to answer the phone. Once the PPP loan came through, he was able to bring back four office employees. He relies on a core group of about six drivers to handle calls that come in.

Nashawaty may have seen the downturn coming a little earlier than everyone else, allowing him time to prepare. His corporate clients began canceling travel early in 2020 as coronavirus was spreading across China. He was able to take a majority of his fleet off the road, and he's expecting a rise in business once the pandemic eases. People have postponed weddings and other events, but haven't fully canceled them yet, he said.

Most rides now are to pick snowbirds up at the airport. There's also been some out-of-state rides for people who have business in New York City. Accent may even do farther-flung runs to Philadelphia and Washington — perhaps safer than flying in a jet with other people.

Recently, a man rented a limo for his wedding anniversary, taking his wife to see where they exchanged vows and other marital landmarks. There was also a family who took their son on a ride for his 21st birthday. They drove around the Ipswich area drinking champagne. There was also a funeral in Mattapan.

Accent sanitizes its limos before and after each run, Nashawaty said. There's also a divider between the driver and the passengers, which means a ride in a limo can be done contact-free. He's heard of some companies using vehicles to deliver food and other goods. He hasn't done that yet.

It is possible for someone to rent a limo to take them to Stop & Shop.

"If people are willing to pay for the service, we're willing to do it," he said.

This week, Gov. Charlie Baker extended his order closing non-essential businesses to May 18. Nashawaty is looking forward to that date, but he realizes it might get pushed back even further.

For now, he and his drivers are at least enjoying low gas prices and much less traffic.

"I think people are starting to get a little cabin fever," he said. "This business as a whole is not going to go away."

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