Helal Alsubagh, 34
Title: Chauffeur
Employer: Petra Limousine Services, Oak Lawn
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Salary range: $8-$10 an hour, plus tips
Q. How did you get involved in the chauffeur business?
A. I’ve been with the company for two years. I had a job–I was a radio-frequency engineer–and got laid off. My brother is a chauffeur with Petra, and I knew that was an option for me. A lot of other jobs I was offered were short-term contract jobs. So I decided to do this. I thought I’d try it, but I like it and plan to stay with it for a while.
Q. What kind of training is necessary to become a chauffeur?
A. If you want to be licensed as a chauffeur in Chicago, the city provides training–it’s at the Harold Washington College on Lake Street off State Street. You go through training and then take the public chauffeur’s test at the city’s Department of Consumer Services at Chicago and Ashland Avenues. It’s a multiple-choice test. You have to know about city landmarks, hotels, streets, museums and hospitals. If you pass the test, you get your chauffeur’s license, which is good for one year. You have to renew it every year. If you have a driver’s license and a good driving record, you don’t have to take a driving test.
Q. What kinds of services do you and your company provide?
A. I get a lot of people going to restaurants, on shopping trips, to proms, weddings and airport trips. Sometimes I’ll get a call from a hotel from someone who wants to go to a restaurant for two or three hours. Sometimes someone wants to tour the city. I like to take them to the museum campus. It’s one of my favorite places because there’s a nice view of the skyline, and you can see the water. I also go up to all the neighborhoods. Sometimes I work with concierges, and sometimes people will reserve a car directly. One time I did an architectural tour. The group had a tour guide who was very knowledgeable of the city, the structures and the history. I’ve lived here for 16 years, and there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know.
. I’ve even taken people to Notre Dame games in South Bend, Ind. I sit and wait for them until the game is over.
Q. What is a typical day like for you?
A. I get up, go downtown and wait until somebody calls. Sometimes I have a reservation. It varies day to day. Weekends are usually busier than weekdays–especially Fridays and Saturdays. That’s when I start early and go late. When there is a convention in the city, I get more people calling for rides to the airport and stuff like that.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. I meet a lot of celebrities. I met some of the Washington Wizards players when they were in town playing the Bulls. And I gave a ride to some of the Indiana Pacers recently. I’ve also given a ride to the manager of a rock group called Korn. I was with him about two days, and he gave me an all-access pass to their concert at Allstate Arena. It was kind of fun. I get to experience more things and meet all different kinds of people.
Q. What do you like least?
A. Sometimes it’s the traffic, especially downtown. It’s hard to find a parking spot or a place to load your car, especially if you’re driving a stretch limousine. But the customers are nice; they usually don’t bother you. They just give you an address, and you drive to it.
Q. What three attributes are essential to doing your job well?
A. I think being focused on customer service is the top one. You have to deal with customers, and you’re supposed to know where you’re going and not be rude.
You have to be courteous to the other drivers working around you and to the people working at the hotels–the doormen and concierge, for example. And you need patience. If you go to a special event, something like a concert, you have to sit and wait. You need patience to deal with the traffic too.
Q. Do you have any advice for someone interested in becoming a chauffeur?
A. Talk to different limousine companies and see what they have to offer.