Brilliant vans — a new form of chauffeured transportation

(March 24, 2011) Only 13 months ago, Richard Fertig started Brilliant Transportation with a small fleet of specially-equipped Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, and now the fast-growing company operates chauffeur-driven Sprinter-based Brilliant Vans and Mini Buses up and down the East Coast as well as in the Los Angeles area.

Fertig says a large part of Brilliant's success is due to the unusual design of their Sprinter van interiors, which feature a clean aesthetic with neutral colors and include rich hardwood floors, oversize leather seats, refrigerators, stowaway desks and built-in cabinets.

The tastefully integrated technology in the Brilliant Van includes a premium eight-speaker audio system, two 32-inch flat-screen TVs with satellite-based Direct TV and wireless headphones. In particular, business travelers appreciate its 3G Wi-Fi capability, color printers and a hands-free conference call system.

Fertig, Brilliant's Founder and President, says, "Our versatile Sprinter vans appeal to corporate management, entertainers and well-to-do families who want to reclaim that dead in-transit time and who appreciate the size, height and overall comfort of a large van.  Most NBA basketball players can stand up inside with room to spare. Additionally, our drivers are impressed with the Sprinter's quality, reliability and especially the fuel economy of its proven clean-diesel power. Getting 20 miles per gallon in a vehicle of this size is phenomenal, which gives us a range of about 400 miles – our clients usually need to stop before we do."

Whether it's helping with children's homework, working out a complex business deal or eating a meal together, families and corporate travelers alike appreciate the comfort, convenience and productivity of Brilliant's Sprinter vans. They welcome the privacy and lack of interruption that's increasingly rare in today's hectic work and family life.

Fertig says, "We're introducing a new mode of travel we call Private Motoring¨ that often replaces air and rail transport. Although a number of our clients didn't realize at first that Mercedes-Benz makes large vans, they know and love Mercedes, which makes our chauffeur-driven Brilliant Vans a natural extension of the way they choose to travel. Our New York-based Sprinters offer a distinct environment for business trips to Boston and DC, social events in Manhattan such as Lincoln Center or family weekends to the Hamptons and the Vermont ski country. With a similar range of use, our just-opened L.A. operation makes frequent trips to Las Vegas, Santa Barbara and San Diego."

Clients ask specifically for the Mercedes-Benz vans, and the comfort, convenience and privacy of Brilliant Vans has helped produce 100 percent repeat business. In addition, the impressive fuel economy and reliability of their Sprinters mean relatively low operating costs for Brilliant Transportation.

In response to client requests for short, around-town transportation, Fertig added Brilliant Mini Buses based-on the 11-passenger Sprinter Passenger van. The company operates five Brilliant Vans and two Mini Buses based in New York City, with three Brilliant Vans and one Mini Bus in L.A.

Performers on tour, athletes and even royalty enjoy Brilliant's Sprinter vans. Recently the entire board of directors for one of the top 50 global corporations spent four days together, touring their regional network of sales offices and warehouses utilizing Brilliant's entire fleet of Brilliant Vans and holding a series of mobile meetings en route.

About the Sprinter

The Sprinter has been sold in the U.S. since 2001 by Freightliner, the leading manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty trucks in North America, and through select Mercedes-Benz dealers since 2010. Both Mercedes-Benz USA and Freightliner are divisions of Daimler AG, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. In the U.S., the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is targeted toward small businesses, while the Freightliner version continues to be available to its established customer base of commercial vehicle operators.