‘Pulling up behind a lady at traffic lights, music was playing of the next teen pop princess and all I could hear was her singing along! Keep my composure, keep my cool; “I’m a luxury chauffeur – DO NOT start singing along too”, I told myself. Luckily, my passenger in the back was impressed, she was loving this moment, it was her song after all – HER song! The car in front moved away and now the song was acapella and live, in my car.’ Rehan Jamil, founder of The Summit Chauffeurs.
It’s not every day you get a unique experience like that as a luxury chauffeur, most days although not routined follow a strict process protocol. This is a day in the life of… Rehan Jamil.
When does a luxury chauffeur’s day start?
As you can imagine, days and nights often run together. Whereas someone else may begin their day with the alarm at 05:30, my alarm can be set for any time… So, my day begins when my alarm goes off, regardless of when that is – 0230/0330 is no issue.
I begin my day with a stretch, and some breakfast at my kitchen table before changing into my chauffeur uniform, then a kiss from my why; my wife and son (if they’re awake), followed by confirming the journey plan. Are there any last minute detours to make; road closures, accidents and so on? Are flights/trains running on time?
Next, I make the safety and comfort checks on my vehicle. It is standard protocol to check fluids, tyres, mirrors, lights, seatbelts etc, but my cars are different – they need the clients’ requested technology access, refreshments, entertainment and items of comfort such as pillows, blankets, umbrellas – all of which are checked before I press the start button.
My next job is to recheck that I have all the necessary security access for my destinations. Are my team in position to assist with a coordinated fleet of chauffeurs? Are other team players ready to protect the clients’ security, safety and reputation? I may need to coordinate with private security staff, event managers, agents and so on.
And then I can commence the drive… With a stop at the nearest coffee takeaway shop so I can welcome my client with their choice of hot or cold beverage.
Fast forward and the journey has gone to plan, the job is over, and I have another happy client.
Then the final phase of my day can begin
A luxury chauffeur’s job is of course to drive principals and their guests in the perfect vehicle with precision timing and excellence at every turn. However, the real work is carried out between the time on the road.
Valeting is essential: Throughout a journey I can take discrete opportunities to refresh the car’s environment and appearance, but at the end of every job my professional car valeter takes control.
Planning is paramount: Much of my between-driving time is spent coordinating with other chauffeurs, event managers, EA and PAs to ensure plans are made and executed perfectly.
Route planning is crucial: Days before a collection, I can plan the route, stops, multiple destinations, additional guest pickups and wait periods. The night before I do it all again. Things change, sometimes everything changes, and I have to adapt to it to make sure the client is never impacted. Sometimes the chauffeur even changes, but they will have the full brief and be able to seamlessly step in.
Ending the day with a story
When my son was younger I used to relish the time spent reading bedtime stories. He’s older now, so I’ll tell my stories to you instead (no names, of course)…
I found myself at RAF Northolt, awaiting an international would-be Premier League player and their agent. The brief was simple, yet complex: a car for the day. Destinations? Unknown…
With meetings scattered across the country; two medicals, a lunch with one club, coffee with another, and a decision to be made by nightfall, the plan was as dynamic as it was uncertain.
Our Mercedes V Class became a mobile office: spacious conference seating for face-to-face talks, complimentary Wi-Fi for constant updates, refreshments to keep energy high, and a calm, focused luxury chauffeur ready to adapt at every turn.
How did we pull it off?
Stayed calm, stayed focused: We broke the day into manageable segments, taking each moment as it came.
Constant communication: Staying in touch with the agent ensured we were always ahead of the next move.
Efficient planning: A quick, thoughtful route check before each leg saved valuable time and kept everything seamless.
By the day’s end, we had driven 270 miles, made multiple stops, and ensured everyone stayed on schedule, finishing at another private jet centre in the Midlands.
It’s professionalism and duty of care like that which means The Summit is the trusted luxury chauffeur for:
- Sharing the journey with Oxford United to Wembley
- Acting as decoy driver at Taylor Swift events
- Transporting key players for Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix, and Royal Ascot
- Working with Viking and River Cruises to ensure their guests experience luxury on every leg of their holiday
- Working with some of the top scientists and life scientists in their field
I’m proud that my business is chosen by venue finders, event managers, PAs and EAs as their event & corporate travel partner. If you’d like to engage with The Summit Chauffeurs, please contact us and we’d be delighted to offer a free, no obligation, quote or assessment of your current needs.
‘Your reputation is invaluable, your journey protected, and your time respected.’