Taking Your Business on the Road

Are you contemplating on buying a new vehicle? Will you use it for your family or for your business? Have you considered getting a vehicle that can do both and eventually pay for itself? Is there such a vehicle? If there was, is there such a scheme?

Universal Motors Corporation (UMC), the country’s distributor of Nissan light commercial vehicles such as the Frontier pickup trucks, Patrol luxury SUVs and Urvan passenger vans recently held a business presentation cum press conference to launch their "Ur Van, Ur Business" program. UMC EVP Elizabeth H. Lee presented this innovative program that UMC hopes will help the Filipino become a self-sufficient entrepreneur.

According to Ms. Lee, the Nissan Urvan Escapade Shuttle is one of the most versatile vans available in the country today. Its 18-seater capacity provides spacious passenger accommodations while a powerful 2.7-liter diesel engine gives extra oomph for high-speed cruising and acceleration. UMC also claims that the Urvan Escapade is built to last with its independent double wishbone torsion bar-style front suspension, and semi-elliptic leaf spring rear suspension.

The Urvan Escapade pampers all 18 passengers to travel in comfort with its complete non-CFC dual air-conditioning system. Comfort cooling in the Urvan Escapade reaches all the way to the rear seats, as opposed to aircon systems in other vans that only reach the area nearest the front of vehicle. Reclining front and rear seats with adjustable headrests are designed for the most comfortable riding posture for both driver and passengers while foldable back seats also provide additional space when carrying cargo. The Urvan Escapade also includes comfort and convenience features such as power-steering with steering lock, rear door auto lock, 4-speaker AM/FM stereo system, cup holders, rear assist grips and accessories pouch.

Using the Nissan Urvan Escapade Shuttle as a platform to build your transportation business around is a sound investment, according to Ms. Lee. She cited several customer testimonials, especially in the Nueva Ecija area where UMC recently held a motorcade participated in by around 70 Nissan Urvan owners. Many of the owners have expressed their satisfaction in using their Nissan Urvan in their businesses as well as for their family trips due to its reliability, comfort and economy.

So how does one go about in building a business with a Nissan Urvan Escapade Shuttle?

Ms. Lee gave an example that not only makes good business sense, but also helps in conserving fuel and helps in cleaning the environment. She proposed that if you live in a subdivision, say in Alabang or Carmona, and you and about 10 or 15 of your neighbors all work in Makati, you could pool your resources together and come up with the downpayment for a Nissan Urvan Escapade Shuttle. Your Urvan can then take you and your neighbors to work and back, as in a car pool, which minimizes your individual fuel and maintenance costs if you were to bring each of your cars to work. This effectively lessens the number of cars lining up for fuel at the gas pumps and minimizes air and noise pollution as well. And if you think about it, a single Urvan carrying you and 17 others minimizes the number of cars on the road, effectively helping decongest our traffic-snarled roads.

Your Urvan can also be a self-liquidating asset because once you and your neighbors are at work, a driver can ferry passengers from Makati to Alabang (or Carmona) and back with the Urvan until it’s time to ferry you and your neighbors back home. Thus, your Urvan can earn money from passenger fares and pay for its monthly amortization as well as its fuel and maintenance costs and the salary of your driver, whom you generated employment for. And at the end of the financing term, you and your neighbors can opt to get another Urvan (or two) to expand your transport business.

The Nissan Urvan Escapade Shuttle’s versatility also allows it to be used as an airport shuttle, a hotel limousine service, a tourist shuttle, a school bus, a delivery van, a TV van or even an ambulance. In whatever function or form, UMC can tailor fit the Urvan Escapade to your business needs.

To emphasize UMC’s drive at becoming a responsible patriot and partner promoting special programs aimed at uplifting lives and to enact the company’s goal to empower the average Filipino and encourage entrepreneurship, Ms. Lee added that Universal Motors is committed to donate P1,000 to the Center for Community Transformation Credit Cooperative for every Nissan Urvan sold under the "Ur Van, Ur Business" program. This is in line with Ms. Lee’s favorite slogan "…teach them how to fish and they will learn to fend for themselves."

So, if you would like to bring out the entrepreneur, as well as the Filipino patriot in you, drop by a Nissan dealer nearest you and ask about their "Ur Van, Ur Business" program. Not only are you starting your own business, but you are helping the environment, the economy and the underprivileged as well.