Career Mirror -- by Mark Sproxton

Jeff Poulin enjoys the lifestyle chauffeuring offers.

Britney Spears causes a commotion pretty much everywhere she goes these days. Even when she's riding in the back of a chauffeur-driven limousine in Calgary. Accompanied by a body guard, she hops in the back of chauffeur Jeff Poulin's car en route to the airport and another concert elsewhere.

Only minutes from the Saddledome the body guard says: "Jeff, see if anybody's following us." Sure enough, someone was. After a few minutes of switchbacks and altered routes, the body guard decided it simply best to have a police car waiting at the airport to deal with the loony in the truck. The call was made, and Spears made her flight without incident.

A typical day for the local chauffeur? Maybe not, but not totally unusual either. "Once a month we have somebody pretty major," said Poulin, who drives for Ambassador Limousine Service. "That's the thing I like best, the variety of work we do and meeting interesting people. There's always a story that goes along with the trip."

Dressing in the required ensemble of a black suit, black shoes and a conservative tie, Poulin sits behind the wheel taking people almost everywhere you can imagine in and around Calgary. Most of the trips are to drive corporate customers to and from the airport, taking tourists around town or to the mountains, or driving for pleasure trips, such as birthdays, anniversaries or dinners.

"There's not really one typical day," he said. "A lot of trips are similar to each other, but you don't get a lot of similar work from day to day. One day you may do two trips to Banff and the next drive people to dinner in a stretch (limo)." Chauffeurs are paid to provide safe and courteous driving service also have to clean the cars and any dishes used inside. They typically work on call and learn a day in advance of their duties for the following day. Sometimes that means starting early, and finishing very late.

Illustration by Kathy Lycka

"The thing I dislike most is the early mornings," said Poulin, who has been driving for four years. "(About) 75 per cent of our days you have to be in the shop by 6:30 a.m and occasionally at 3 a.m. or 4 am. And when it's busy, you're expected to put in long days. It's a hard thing because you're paid for it, but sometimes you don't have a chance to get to the bank or have your dry cleaning done."

None of that came as a surprise to the young chauffeur. Starting his driving career on part-time basis while in university, Poulin decided he liked the money and lifestyle of the work and has pursued it full-time after graduation. Even working part-time, in order to be a licensed chauffeur, he needed a Class 4 drivers licence and a limousine badge from the City of Calgary Taxi Commission. (Taxi drivers require similar licences. Taxi and limousine drivers must also take an English proficiency test and a city-knowledge test.)

After being hired and obtaining the required licences, Poulin, like all new drivers, was placed on probation for three months, had in-class sessions on customer service and was partnered with senior drivers who could give him tips and were available for him to ask questions. Proving himself to be a safe and courteous driver, Poulin eventually was given the responsibility of driving the stretch limousines, in addition to the luxury sedans often used for corporate trips.

"Usually the work isn't too stressful. It's pretty much always pleasant and fun. The customers are normally really pleasant. The corporate people are busy and the tourists are happy to be here and see the city and learn about living in Canada. You have some pretty good conversations with them. The pleasure trips are good in that people are having fun so they tend to tip more, but they are also late in the evening and the hours are broken up."

Drivers who do well are typically those with an even temperament and plenty of people skills, Poulin said. "Driving skills are a necessity as is a certain degree of intelligence because you have to be able to think on your feet all the time." A chauffeur who is available five to seven days a week can make $40,000 a year and more.

For those considering a chauffeur career, Poulin offers the following advice: "The interview process can be gruelling. They want to make sure they have the right (person) for the job. And be prepared to be flexible, you never know when you'll get a phone call." Perhaps Britney Spears will be waiting for you too.