Manhattan Roadshow Transportation

A roadshow coordinator from a major investment bank once told me: "The car is the only place our executives can actually think between meetings." She wasn't being dramatic. During a 6-meeting day in Manhattan, the back seat becomes a prep room, a phone booth, a decompression space, and occasionally a dining room.

I've coordinated ground transportation for over 200 roadshows in New York City—IPO tours, debt offerings, private equity fundraises, M&A meetings. The logistics sound simple on paper: get executives from Point A to Point B, repeat five times. In practice, it's about anticipating problems before they happen and having solutions ready when they do.

This guide covers everything you need to know about planning roadshow transportation in Manhattan. Not theory. Practical tactics from someone who's seen what works and what fails.

Why Hourly Charter, Not Point-to-Point

The first decision: booking model. You have two options:

Point-to-Point: Book each leg separately. Pay per transfer.

Hourly Charter: Book the vehicle and driver for a block of time. They stay with you all day.

For roadshows, hourly charter is the only sensible choice. Here's why:

Meetings run long or short. That 45-minute pitch might end in 30 minutes or stretch to 90. With point-to-point, you're scrambling to rebook. With hourly, the driver waits.

Schedules change. An investor cancels. Another wants to add a breakfast meeting. You need flexibility to pivot. A dedicated driver accommodates; a new Uber driver each leg can't.

The car is your mobile office. Materials stay in the trunk. Laptops stay charging. You don't pack and unpack six times. The driver knows your preferences after the first hour.

Typical hourly charter pricing:

• Sedan: $85-100/hour
• SUV: $110-130/hour
• For a 10-hour roadshow day: $850-1,300

Compare to booking 6 separate black car rides at $75-100 each: $450-600, but with no continuity, no waiting time included, and driver roulette every leg.

Building the Day: Timing That Works

Manhattan meeting schedules look efficient on paper. Reality is messier. Here's how to build a roadshow day that actually works:

Meeting Length: Plan for 45-60 minutes

Even if the meeting is scheduled for 30 minutes, assume 45. Pleasantries, tech setup, Q&A overruns—they add up.

Travel Time: 20-30 minutes minimum, 45 during rush hour

Midtown to FiDi can be 15 minutes at 10am or 50 minutes at 8:30am. Never schedule back-to-back meetings across neighborhoods without padding.

Buffer Time: 15-20 minutes between meetings

This is for the unexpected: a meeting runs long, the next building's security takes 10 minutes, someone needs a restroom. Without buffer, one delayed meeting cascades into a ruined afternoon.

Sample Manhattan Roadshow Schedule:

Time	Location	Notes
7:00am	Hotel pickup (Midtown)	Load materials, review schedule
7:30am	Breakfast meeting (Midtown East)	Private dining room
9:00am	Depart for Meeting #2	30-min travel to FiDi
9:45am	Meeting #2 (FiDi)	45-minute presentation
10:45am	Meeting #3 (FiDi)	Same building, different firm
11:45am	Depart for Midtown	Use travel time for calls
12:30pm	Working lunch in car	Driver picks up order
1:00pm	Meeting #4 (Midtown)	60-minute deep dive
2:15pm	Meeting #5 (Midtown)	3 blocks walk, no car needed
3:30pm	Depart for UES	25-min travel
4:15pm	Meeting #6 (Upper East Side)	Family office, home visit
5:30pm	Return to hotel	Debrief, prep for tomorrow
6:30pm	Release car	~11.5 hours total

Notice the structure: morning downtown cluster, afternoon Midtown cluster. Minimize cross-town travel during peak hours.

What Your Driver Needs to Know (In Advance)

A good roadshow driver isn't just a chauffeur—they're part of the team. Here's what to communicate before Day 1:

The full schedule

Every address, every contact name, every meeting time. The driver should have this printed and in their nav system before pickup.

Building entry points

Some buildings have VIP drop-off zones. Others require pulling around back. If you've done roadshows at these locations before, share what you know.

Passenger preferences

Temperature preference? Music or silence? Specific water brand? These details matter over a 10-hour day.

Communication protocol

Does the EA text the driver? Does the executive call directly? Who gets notified if there's a schedule change?

Emergency contacts

Who to call if something goes wrong. The investor relations coordinator, the roadshow logistics lead, whoever can make decisions.

The Car as Mobile Office

Equip the vehicle properly:

Power: Multiple USB and USB-C charging ports, ideally an inverter for laptop charging. Dead phone = dead executive.

Wi-Fi: Most premium vehicles have built-in hotspots. Confirm it works before the first meeting.

Materials storage: The trunk becomes the supply closet. Extra pitch books, bound presentations, business cards, backup tech.

Refreshments: Water (still and sparkling), coffee thermos, light snacks. You'd be surprised how many roadshow mornings start without breakfast.

Privacy: If confidential calls happen in the car (they will), ensure the driver understands discretion. Some executives prefer the partition up; others don't. Ask.

When Things Go Wrong (And They Will)

Even the best-planned roadshow hits turbulence. Here's how to handle common problems:

A meeting cancels 30 minutes before

Upside: time for the car to detour to a coffee shop or for the executive to make calls. Downside: you're now early for the next meeting. Tell the driver to find a quiet street nearby rather than circling the block.

A meeting runs an hour over

Push the next meeting if possible. If not, the driver should have the car pulled up and ready for a fast exit. The executive walks straight from elevator to vehicle.

Traffic disaster (accident, protest, presidential motorcade)

A good driver reroutes before you ask. A great driver has already told dispatch, and they've notified your next meeting of the delay. Communication chain matters.

Tech failure mid-day

Laptop dies, presentation file corrupts, printer needed urgently. Know where the FedEx Office locations are in your meeting zones. Drivers often know solutions executives don't.

Weather emergency

NYC flash floods and snowstorms can shut down streets. Have a backup plan: which meetings can be done virtually if travel becomes impossible?

Multi-Day Roadshows: Keeping Momentum

NYC is often one stop on a five-city, two-week roadshow. A few tips for multi-day runs:

Request the same driver each day. Continuity matters. By Day 3, the driver knows the routine, the preferences, the quirks. Starting fresh with a new driver each day resets the learning curve.

End each day with a schedule review. What's confirmed for tomorrow? Any changes needed? Any feedback on today's logistics?

Debrief transportation after the roadshow. What worked? What didn't? Document it for the next roadshow. The best IR teams have institutional memory.

Special Considerations for NYC

The Midtown gridlock zone: 42nd to 59th Street, Park to Sixth Avenue is a nightmare 8-10am and 4-7pm. Avoid crossing through during these hours.

FiDi's narrow streets: Some blocks near Wall Street don't allow through traffic. Know your drop-off points.

Building security: Major Midtown office buildings (especially those housing financial firms) may require pre-registration for visitors. Arrive 10 minutes early for security processing.

Lunchtime elevator hell: Between 11:30am and 1pm, elevator banks in commercial buildings are packed. Schedule meetings to avoid arrivals during this window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should we use the same car service for every roadshow city?

There are pros and cons. A single vendor provides consistency and consolidated billing, but local knowledge matters. Some companies use a national network; others choose best-in-class local providers for each city. For NYC specifically, use someone who knows NYC—not a national company's local affiliate.

Is an SUV necessary, or is a sedan fine?

Sedan is usually fine for 1-2 executives. SUV if you have 3+ people, lots of materials, or the executive prefers the extra space. Don't pay for an SUV if a sedan works.

What if we need the car for 14+ hours?

Discuss with your service upfront. Some charge overtime after 10-12 hours. Others have 24-hour pricing. For extremely long days, some services can swap drivers mid-day to keep everyone fresh.

Can the driver help with non-driving tasks?

Within reason. Picking up lunch, holding materials, making a quick copy run—most drivers will help. But remember they need rest too, especially on long days.

How far in advance should we book?

As soon as dates are confirmed. For roadshows in peak seasons (September/October, January/February), popular services book up 2-3 weeks out for full-day charters.

The Bottom Line

Roadshow transportation isn't about impressing investors with a fancy car. It's about removing variables from an already high-pressure day. The right car, driver, and logistics plan let executives focus on what matters: the pitch.

When the car works, no one notices. When it doesn't, it's the story of the roadshow.

If you're planning a roadshow in NYC, contact our corporate team. We'll assign a dedicated coordinator to map out your multi-meeting day and make sure transportation is the last thing anyone worries about.