Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / April 16, 1987, edition 1 / Page 5
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Yellow Cab Cleans Up Image Of Charlotte Cab Market i&ftjK By Russell Clark Post Staff Writer If you have cruised through the Queen City and noticed many •hmy yellow cars sipping back and forward, then you've proba bly caught a glance at the pride of the New Yellow Cab Company. Centered in Houston, Texas, the new transportation firm is located at 5006 Beatties Ford Rd. and is Soaring up to erase negative im age that the cab industry has created in Charlotte. "We are going to chance the negative images and misconcep tions by upgrading the cab indus try in Charlotte, and our appear ance, mentions Marvin Conley, ex ecutive vice president and general manager. "We currently have about 130 cars operating in our fleet and most of them are 1985-87 models. If a care is wrecked or has a missing hub cap, we ask the driv er to take it off the streets until it can be fixed on replaced," Conley continues. Our drivers are also asked to be clean and wear standard work clothing. This helps us build a bet ter image of the city because the first thing that a visitor to the city sees is a taxi and a driver." Their vehicles are in great con dition," confirms A1 Austin, cab in spector for the City. "Most of them, are '85 Plymouth along with some '87s. They seem to be taking a step ahead and making the cab market more competitive by adding more cars." How safe are cab drivers at night? j,V. "Since a lot of our drivers work at night, we have a new "Taxies On Patrol" (TOPS) program," en lightens A1 Wheeler, vice president Marvin Conley, executive vice president and general manager grand opening ceremony.Photo ByD.vMMonhon e. ~ ■ CD re Why settle for 5.87% when you can be eaming9.75% ThtAlltonce Bond Fund U.S. Gowmment Portfolio In addition to higher rates of return than most CDs and money market funds, the Alliance U.S. Government Portfolio also offers a high degree of safety and liquidity And, since the Portfolio limits its investments to securities backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, It is a legal investment for savings and loan associations and credit unions chartered under the laws of the United States or many individual states. Call for a Free Prospectus For more complete information about the Alliance Bond Fund U S Government Portfolio, including sales charges and expenses, return the coupon below or call to obtain a prospectus Read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money Anthony Herring ThaCnilahla OPleate tend me complete IliecijUliaUK information aoout tne P-0. BOX 34603 SSE&SSSi* Charlotte, NC 28234 (704) 365*3528 ' -—--—• —---■— Ipteaia prnti Addfnt—.———-— City--z*> But Phone__Home Phone Current yield la baaed upon an annualisation of the dividends paid by tha Portfolio during the period Mnrch l-ai.iaaL baaed on the maximum public offering price on A«ril 1. iff?. Net aeaat value during the same period - low 9%0: high: 9M. An Investor's principal is not guaranteed and will fluctuate, shares whan redeemed may be worth more on foes than their original cost. Average 6 month CD rate as of Mirth 28.1887< •onseet Bank Rate Monitor, N. Palm Beech. SJMO®. , . _• wHeeler (left) and Marvin Conley (right) are opening new doors in the CharlotteTab maTket ' V • ) • oi public affairs and cooperate sales. "We have an agreement with 7 Eleven stores to allow our driv ers to sit in their parking lots at night. This not only give our driv ers a nice light place to wait for calls, but it can also help conven ience store operators," Wheeler points out. A person will think twice about holding up a store if they see a cab sitting out front be cause all of our cars have dispatch radios and many have tele phones." The company has also inserted a Mr. Safety Program. "We allow a undercover police officer to ride in a cab to see if the driver is fol lowing the standard operations procedures," Wheeler asserts. "If the driver follows the procedures, he gets $25 from the officer and gets to keep the fare, but if he fails, he receives a sheet that is filled out by the officer telling the driver what they need to work on." xhe Special Services Depart ment at the firm is currently bid ding on a contract to transport so cial service recipients in Charlotte. "We want to provide immediate transportation for elderly and han dicapped people so they don't have to be placed on a long wait ing list," says Wheeler. In January, a new City Ordi nance called for an increase in cab l ---- fares. The rate shot-up to $1.25 from the moment you get in a cab and it charges $.10 for every one and one-tenth of a mile. The ordi nance also created a surcharge for persons coming downtown from the airport, according to Conley. "I think the new ordinance will hurt the cab industry in the long run be cause of the $2 per person sur charge," he voices. "We feel that the $10 flat rate is enough to charge passengers coming in from the airport. If seven people wanted a round trip ride from the airport to downtown, we have to charge them about $50. This will hurt us because some of them can rent vans for that much." In a continuing effort to make driving safer, the company has implemented a Don't Drive Drunk program. "The program is de signed to jeep people off the road who have had too much to drink," says Wheeler. "We give each of the major bars and hotels vouchers to give to people whom they feel can not drive home safely. To be safe, they call us and we give them a free ride home. The firm, is 85% minority owned and has a cab ownership program. With $500 down, you can purchase a new Plymouth Grand Fury and have it financed in two years. Your total weekly payments on the cnr would coat $278 per week with insurance and warranty. The firm also plans to build on it its site and offer defensive driving courses for drives at the other cab companies. We're going to be come the school of cab companies in Charlotte," Wheeler projects with enthusiasm. "By offering our defensive driving course and other services to other cab companies, we re going to do our part in be coming a viable business in the community." Many people in your area are paying too much for homeowners insurance. Find out why many homeowners are switching to Allstate. It's easy. < Let's compare. I t r f Lesge > Gooqnsir-' /instate9 A11*UU I nsuraoc* Company BRENDA WELDON Account Ape it JAMES (JIM) WHITE Account Agont 7411 Newell-Hickory Grove Road, Suite 120, East Town Market, Charlotte, N.C. 2821S • Bus. 704-568-8862 • 568-7350 The Box, Reshaped! Salem Lights 100’s new custom case. ^* **• ••*'■> *•''*•* • . • • . Sal/em LIGHTS 1QO’s CUSTOM CASE Salem LIGHTS lOO’s CUSTOM CAKSf SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. I « TM7H J MVNOiOt TOVACCOCO t2 mg. "W. 0.9 mg. mcoww *v pm cigtnttt by FTC mtthod * 0 f. , fjjjr' ', \c'v 4 < ^9%** "*i ■
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 16, 1987, edition 1
5
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