Green ride
Joey’s Taxi makes statement visually and environmentally
By BRYAN F. YURCAN

Powered by rainbows, good vibrations and a hybrid engine, the newest addition to the fleet at Joey’s Taxi and Transportation Company is attracting attention and benefiting the environment.

The Highland company last week rolled out a 2006 Toyota Prius four-door hatchback to its customer base in the Highland-New Paltz area.

The company began talking about purchasing a hybrid vehicle for the fleet about two months ago, said Mike Ennis manager of Joey’s Taxi and Transportation Company.

“With escalating gas costs and no end in sight, even though (a hybrid) is more expensive, we felt the time was right to test one and try it out,” said Ennis “So far it’s been very successful.”

Ennis said he filled up about three-quarters of a tank of gas for the vehicle for about $14, an eye-popping figure for those with traditional autos.

According to the Web site www.hybridcars.com, hybrid sales in October were up 30 percent compared with last year at this time, with Prius sales continuing to lead the way.

New York is the third-highest state in terms of number of hybrid sales, behind California and Florida.

Though the initial cost of the vehicle is higher than a nonhybrid car, Ennis said fuel savings will more than make up for the difference.

And the car has also served as a moving advertisement for the company.

The owner of the company, Joe DiBlanca, and Ennis had the taxi painted in bright colors with peace signs, flowers and other ‘60s-era symbols by Signfxinc of Poughkeepsie.

Ennis said it has attracted an enormous amount of attention, including from Toyota, and has helped bring business to the company.

Ennis also said the environmentally friendly, brightly colored vehicle fits in well with the New Paltz area the company serves, which tends to be more politically progressive.

“It goes hand in hand with the customer base that we’re serving,” said Ennis. “Having this kind of vehicle is viewed as a positive.”

Ennis said “unless something changes radically” he expects Joey’s will phase out all of its standard vehicles and have a completely hybrid fleet in the near future.

He pointed to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to replace the city’s Ford Crown Victoria yellow cab fleet with an all-hybrid fleet within five years as proof that this is where the taxi business is headed.

Ennis said he is not aware of any other taxi company in the Hudson Valley that employs a hybrid vehicle.

“I’m kind of surprised no (taxi outfit) in the Hudson Valley has done this before,” he said.

 

 

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