EA
Operating
Manual

Everything you need to book, manage, and never think about ground transportation again.

VERSION 1.0 Last updated: May 2026
01

The 60-Second Version

How to Book in 60 Seconds
Everything you need to open a booking. That's it.
Email
bookings@meridian-transport.com
Phone (24/7)
+1 (212) 610-4800
STEP 1 — Send one email
Principal name + flight number
That's the minimum viable booking. Everything else is nice-to-have.
STEP 2 — Add pickup + drop
Addresses with gate/door detail
Include terminal/meeting room if relevant. We handle the rest.
STEP 3 — We confirm
Reply within 15 min
You'll get a booking number and our initial acknowledgement. We're live.
STEP 4 — Driver at T-2h
Name, plate, and photo
Driver info hits your inbox two hours before pickup. No surprises.

What we need from you:

  • → Principal's full name or company account ID
  • → Flight number (commercial) or tail number (private)
  • → Pickup address with door/gate detail
  • → Drop address with door/gate detail

What we confirm back:

Booking acknowledged → Driver assigned → Driver details (T-2h) → Arrival at pickup → Drop confirmation. You get five emails. You don't get a phone call unless something goes wrong.

02

The Booking Channels

Three ways to reach us. One is always right.

✉
Email
Use for: all standard bookings
Send to bookings@meridian-transport.com. This is our primary ops channel — monitored 24/7, response within 15 minutes during business hours. Include as much detail as you have. We don't need you to be perfect.
bookings@meridian-transport.com
☎
Phone
Use for: urgent same-day, complex changes
Call +1 (212) 610-4800. 24/7 ops line. For when you need a live voice — a last-minute flight change, an airport diversion, a multi-leg same-day run. Don't email a crisis. Call it.
+1 (212) 610-4800 — 24/7
◈
Web Form
Use for: new retainer setup only
Visit meridian-transport.com/inquiry. This is for opening a new corporate account — not for day-to-day bookings. If you're already a client, use email or phone. The form starts a briefing process, not a booking.
meridian-transport.com/inquiry
Quick Decision Guide
Standard booking, future date →
Email — bookings@meridian-transport.com
Last-minute, today, or complex →
Phone — +1 (212) 610-4800
Opening a new corporate account →
Web — /inquiry
Escalation, incident, or complaint →
See Escalation Ladder (Section 07)
03

What to Send Us

Think of this as a checklist. If you have it, include it. If you don't, send what you have — we'll fill in the gaps.

  • ✓
    Flight number (commercial) or tail number (private)
    Required. This is how we track your principal's real arrival time. Don't guess — if you're unsure, ask. We can work with a flight window, but the number is the anchor.
  • ✓
    Pickup address with door/gate detail
    Required. Include the specific door or gate number if it's an airport. "JFK Terminal 4" isn't enough — we need "JFK Terminal 4, Door 4, JetBlue arrivals." For private FBO arrivals, give the FBO name and hangar or suite number.
  • ✓
    Drop address with door/gate detail
    Required. Same logic as pickup. If it's a hotel, include the lobby entrance your principal prefers. If it's an office building, include the garage or street-level entrance.
  • ✓
    Principal's preferred temperature / water / silence
    Optional but appreciated. A one-word note — "cold," "still water," "quiet" — goes into the driver's briefing. We can't guarantee every vehicle has every amenity, but we try.
  • ✓
    Companion riders
    Optional. Let us know if there are additional passengers. This affects vehicle sizing (we sometimes upgrade at no charge) and billing (additional passengers are billed per your account terms).
  • ✓
    Return-trip context if known
    Optional but valuable. If you know the return leg exists, tell us. We can pre-position the return driver and avoid a scramble later. "Return TBD, will advise" is fine — just mention it.
  • ✓
    Billing code or cost centre
    Required for retainer clients with multiple cost centres. If your account has a single billing setup, we already have it. If you have multiple codes, include it in every booking email to avoid reconciliation headaches.
04

What We Send Back and When

This is the cadence. Every client gets the same sequence.

Milestone What happens Message you receive
T+0
Booking received		 We acknowledge your email. You get a booking reference number. We check the flight and begin driver assignment.
From: ops@meridian-transport.com Subject: Booking #MER-29384 — Confirmed Booking received. We'll have your driver assigned within the hour. Pickup: JFK T4 Door 4 Drop: 432 Park Avenue, Lobby Flight: UA 420
T-24h
Driver assigned		 Driver is assigned to your trip. You may receive this earlier for long-lead bookings. For short-notice bookings (<24h), this step may run concurrently with the next.
From: ops@meridian-transport.com Subject: Driver Assigned — Booking #MER-29384 Your driver has been assigned: Marcus T. | 2023 Mercedes S-Class | Black | NY T&LC #448291
T-2h
Driver details		 Final driver info — name, vehicle, plate, and a brief description — hits your inbox. This is your go/no-go signal. If anything looks wrong, call us immediately.
From: ops@meridian-transport.com Subject: Your Driver — T-2h | Booking #MER-29384 Marcus Thompson Plate: NYM-7291 Vehicle: 2023 Mercedes S-Class (black) Phone: +1 (917) 555-0184 En route to pickup now. ETA curbside: 2:47 PM.
T-0
At pickup		 Driver is at the specified door. Principal sees a name and plate — not a stranger with a phone. This is the moment. If your principal is delayed in arrivals, we hold. We don't leave.
To you: Marcus is curbside at Door 4, JFK T4. Principal flagged "cold water ready." Confirmed.
En route
In progress		 Silent. Driver navigates. Principal works, rests, or does whatever they do in the back of a car. We don't interrupt this unless there's a problem that affects the ETA. No message. This is good.
Drop
Confirmed		 Principal is at the drop address. You get a brief confirmation. Trip is logged. Billing is initiated if applicable.
From: ops@meridian-transport.com Subject: Drop Confirmed — Booking #MER-29384 Completed. Marcus reports smooth drop at 432 Park Avenue, lobby entrance. Total trip time: 41 min.
The golden rule

If you receive a message outside this cadence — something unexpected, a delay notice, a driver substitution — that is the only time you need to act. Otherwise, assume everything is fine. We don't send noise.

05

Day-of-Travel Choreography

This is your day. Here's what you should do — and what you shouldn't need to do.

Morning of — T-24h to T-4h
You — the EA
Confirm the booking if you haven't already. If you've had a previous trip with the same itinerary, it's fine to say "same as last time" — we'll pull it from the account history. No need to call unless it's changed.
T-4h
We handle silently
We monitor the flight. If it's on schedule, we prepare the briefing for the driver. If it's delayed, we adjust the pickup time accordingly — you don't need to tell us.
We track flight status automatically via flight APIs. No action needed from you.
T-2h — the driver email arrives
You — the EA
Driver name, plate, photo, and cell arrive in your inbox. This is your read-to-principal moment. If the details look right, you're done. Forward to your principal if that's your practice — or just keep it yourself.
T-2h to T-0
We handle silently
Driver is en route. We monitor traffic and update ETA in real time. If the driver is going to be more than 15 minutes late, we call you. If you don't hear from us, the driver will be there on time.
For a JFK example with full arrival choreography, see /anatomy-of-an-arrival.
Principal lands — your principal calls you
Your principal → You
Your principal calls to say they've landed. You already have the driver info. You tell them: "Driver is at Door 4. Black Mercedes S-Class, plate NYM-7291. Name is Marcus." No scrambling. No "let me find out."
T-0 — Driver at curbside
We handle silently
Driver is at the door. He knows the principal's name, the car, the preferred temperature, any special notes. If the principal has a preferred boarding order (bag first, principal first, etc.), it will be in the briefing.
En route to drop
You
You don't need to do anything. If your principal calls you en route asking for a stop, you can either (a) text the ops line +1 (212) 610-4800, or (b) tell the driver directly — he'll relay it. Don't call. Text is faster and we're watching the thread.
Drop confirmed
We handle silently
Drop confirmation hits your inbox. Billing is processed. Trip is logged. Return trip is pre-positioned if you told us about it.
What surfaces to you

We only contact you if one of these happens:

  • → Flight delay > 15 minutes affecting pickup time
  • → Diversion or cancellation (rare)
  • → Principal asks for something mid-trip we can't provide
  • → Driver no-show (very rare — we have backup drivers)

Everything else: we handle it. That's the model.

06

Escalation Ladder

Use the right tier. Don't under-escalate a real problem. Don't over-escalate a routine one.

Tier
When to use
Contact
Response
Routine
Standard booking requests, schedule changes, minor itinerary adjustments, billing questions, receipt requests.
ops@meridian-transport.com
Within 2 hours (business hours), same-day always
Urgent
Last-minute cancellations (<2h), flight diversion, driver hasn't arrived and principal is landing in <30 min, multi-leg same-day changes.
+1 (212) 610-4800
Ask for the ops manager
Immediate — pick up within 3 rings
Principal-affecting
Your principal has complained or is about to. A service failure is in progress or just occurred. Time-sensitive reputational situation — a delayed CEO arrival, a VIP in a bad car.
Your account executive (direct line)
Also on SMS/WhatsApp
Mobile — within 10 minutes, often faster
Incident / Reputational
Accident, injury, significant safety concern, public-facing incident, media involvement, or anything requiring immediate executive attention. This goes directly to the operations director.
+1 (212) 610-4800
24/7 — ask for the director immediately
Immediate — director responds within 15 min

You will never be wrong for escalating. If you're unsure, call. We'd rather answer a question than manage a crisis that started with hesitation.

07

The Edge Cases

The questions we actually get. Short answers — that's how EAs need them.

Flight is delayed 4 hours. Do I need to do anything?
No. We track every flight via API. If your principal's flight is delayed, we update the driver pickup time automatically. You'll get an updated ETA in your inbox. The only exception: if you want to cancel or redirect the trip during the delay, then yes — email us or call.
Principal landed early. Will Meridian be there?
Yes. We track actual time of arrival (ATA), not scheduled arrival. If the flight lands 45 minutes early, we have the driver repositioning to match. You don't need to tell us. The only time to call: if the principal clears customs and is walking toward the curb significantly earlier than the ATA we have on file.
Principal needs the car to wait while they take a meeting.
Hourly hold available. The rate is your account's hourly rate (ask your account executive for your rate card). To initiate: text +1 (212) 610-4800 with the booking number and "hold." The driver stays. The clock starts when we confirm. There's no minimum — even 20 minutes of hold is billable but typically not worth mentioning unless your account has a minimum.
Principal wants to add a stop mid-route.
Tell the driver directly, or text the ops line. The driver will confirm and relay. We're flexible — up to three stops per trip at no additional base charge (beyond mileage). If it's a significant detour (>20 minutes), we'll confirm the change and update the ETA.
Pickup is at the wrong terminal. Principal is at T4 but driver went to T2.
No charge. The driver repositions immediately. Text the ops line to let us know so we can confirm the driver is en route to the right terminal. You'll get a revised ETA. This happens — it's not a problem, it's an expected variation. We don't penalize it.
Principal left something in the car.
Lost and found protocol: email ops@meridian-transport.com with the booking number and description of the item. In NYC, recovered items are returned the same business day by 6 PM to the address you specify (hotel lobby, office, etc.) at no charge. Other markets: returned next business day. High-value items (laptops, briefcases) are photographed and confirmed with you before return.
The flight was cancelled and they rebooked on a different airline. Do I re-book the car?
Yes — send us the new flight number. We cancel the old trip and open a new one. If the new flight is within 2 hours, call us to priority-assign a driver. The old booking is on us (no charge for the original vehicle). You only pay for the new trip.
Principal needs a different vehicle class mid-trip (e.g., wants a larger car for companions).
Text the ops line. We'll dispatch an upgrade to the next stop if possible. If the new vehicle can't meet them en route, we arrange for it to meet at the next scheduled stop. Upgrade pricing applies — ask your account executive for the differential rate card.
My principal is traveling to a city Meridian doesn't cover natively.
Tell us. We have vetted partner networks in most major markets. We'll quote you a rate and provide a driver from our partner program. Quality is managed to our standard — we vet them the same way we vet our own drivers. If we can't find a partner we trust, we'll tell you and suggest an alternative.
I need a receipt formatted for a specific expense system.
Email ops@meridian-transport.com with your booking number and the required format (SAP, Concur, specific cost-centre codes, VAT number, etc.). Standard receipts are plain PDF by default. We can also provide itemised receipts with mileage breakdown. Allow 24 hours for formatted receipts; plain receipts are always sent immediately on trip completion.
08

City-by-City Quick Notes

One line per market. If you book NYC frequently, read this twice.

New York City (JFK / EWR / LGA / TEB)
Standard meet point: terminal arrivals door, specific numbered door. Curb-to-car time: 3–7 min depending on traffic. TEB (Teterboro) drivers hold at the FBO lobby, not the terminal. Never send a commercial flight driver to TEB — they won't get past security.
Miami (MIA / FLL)
Meet point: baggage claim outer lane or specific terminal door. Curb-to-car time: 5–10 min. MIA commercial traffic is heavy at peak (12–3 PM). Early morning flights (<8 AM) have faster curb times. FLL (Fort Lauderdale) is a secondary hub — confirm airport in the booking.
Los Angeles (LAX / SNA / BUR)
LAX is active curbside at specific commercial arrival doors. Curb-to-car time: 5–12 min. Do not send drivers to the inner commercial lane — they will be ticketed. SNA (Orange County) and BUR (Burbank) are easier, faster. Always confirm airport in the booking.
Washington DC (DCA / IAD / BWI)
DCA: commercial vehicle curbside access is restricted — drivers use the second lane or designated commercial zones. Confirm pickup zone in your booking. IAD (Dulles): longer curb-to-car times (10–15 min) due to terminal configuration. BWI is a fallback — confirm before booking.
Texas (IAH / AUS / DFW / HOU)
Houston IAH and AUS: standard commercial terminal access. DFW has separate terminals — confirm which one. Curb-to-car time: 5–10 min. Texas market has heavier lead time requirements (24h preferred) for specialty vehicles. Peak pricing applies on major event days.
Medellín (MDE — José María Córdova)
International arrivals only — no domestic terminal service. Meet point: international arrivals hall, Door 3 (right side). Driver holds a name card. MDE has a fixed commercial vehicle zone — drivers will be there, not at the curb. Lead time: 36h minimum for Medellín bookings.
Cartagena (CTG — Rafael Núñez)
International arrivals. Meet point: international arrivals, main door. Driver holds a name card. CTG is a small airport — curb-to-car time is typically under 5 minutes. Hotel drop-offs in the Bocagrande zone are standard. Beach properties require advance vehicle clearance — include property name in booking.
London (LHR / LCY / FAB / STN)
Handled by our London Desk team (see /london-desk). LHR: commercial vehicle permit required — we have it. LCY: easier terminal access, faster curb time. FAB (Farnborough, private): FBO meet-and-greet. STN: secondary London airport, confirm airport in booking. UK-to-US transatlantic coverage is our specialty.

For any city not listed here, email us. We have partner coverage in most major markets and can quote within a few hours.

09

Billing & Expensing

How money moves, in plain terms.

Item How it works
Retainer clients Invoiced monthly, in arrears. Your account executive will confirm your billing cycle (end of month or calendar month). Invoices include trip-by-trip breakdowns, dates, routes, vehicle class, and cost-centre codes where provided. Payment terms: net 15.
Ad-hoc clients Payment is processed after each trip. Receipt is emailed immediately on trip completion. You can request a summary invoice at month-end for reconciliation.
Currency US clients: USD. UK clients (London Desk): GBP, invoiced at the exchange rate on the first business day of the month. Colombian market: COP, invoiced monthly in pesos. Multi-currency accounts: your account executive will confirm the billing currency per trip.
Expense receipts Standard receipt: plain PDF, sent immediately on trip completion. Formatted receipts (SAP, Concur, cost-centre coded, VAT): email ops@meridian-transport.com with the booking number and required format. Allow 24 hours. Itemised receipts with mileage breakdown available on request.
Monthly statements Retainer clients receive a monthly statement on the first business day of the following month. The statement includes all trips for the period, summarised by cost centre if you have provided cost-centre codes per trip.
Disputes / adjustments Email ops@meridian-transport.com within 5 business days of receipt with the booking number and description of the discrepancy. We resolve billing disputes within 48 hours. We do not charge for disputes arising from our operational errors.
For your principal's CFO

If your principal's finance team needs a vendor packet, our procurement page at meridian-transport.com/procurement has everything: insurance certificates, data handling policy, business continuity plan, diversity statement, and contact details for our finance team.

10

Print It

⎙
Save it for offline
This manual is designed to print cleanly. Hit Ctrl + P (Windows) or ⌘ Cmd + P (Mac) to open your print dialog. Select "Save as PDF" and you have a permanent offline reference.
On the print dialog: set orientation to Portrait, margins to Default, and disable headers/footers if your browser asks. The cover page stays dark — that's deliberate. It looks like a proper document, not a broken web page.

The navigation bar and table of contents are automatically hidden when you print. What remains is a clean, readable 11-section manual.

Sections in this manual

01 — Cover
02 — 60-Second Version
03 — Booking Channels
04 — What to Send Us
05 — What We Send Back
06 — Day-of Travel Choreography
07 — Escalation Ladder
08 — Edge Cases
09 — City-by-City Notes
10 — Billing & Expensing
11 — Print It