De-car-ing week: green taxis

This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.

Honestly, I don't use cabs that often. I just don't need to, between the walking and biking and riding the bus. The one exception: when I come home from a bar or party -- usually one I took a bus to -- late at night.

Even then, usually a friend is going my way and can drop me off. That's how I got home from Hal's Bar and Grill last weekend. But if I know I'm going to be out past 11 p.m., I carry cab fare.

And honestly again -- In a cabbing situation, I've always been near a major street where I can flag down a taxi. I figure it's more eco to hail a cab that's already there than to call a faraway cab to drive over and pick me up.

That said, for the time when I need to call a cab, I have Euro Taxi of Santa Monica's number in my cellphone. The company has four biodiesel and four compressed natural gas-fueled cabs out of 24 cabs in the fleet, said Don Alexander, owner and general manager of Euro Taxi, whom I had a little chat with at the AltCarExpo.

Don urged me to specifically request an eco-friendly taxi when I call, noted that EuroTaxi offers a $28 flat rate to LAX, and said he hopes to build up his eco-friendly fleet.

No, I haven't tried Euro Taxi's service yet, but my friend Summer has. Her take: "It was the cleanest and most pleasant taxi I’d ever been in."

Got more money and want to travel in style? Ecolimo offers everything from Priuses and other hybrids to biodiesel and CNG cars. From what I can tell, though, the rates are quite a bit more expensive, with the lowest Santa Monica-to-LAX rate pegged at $85. Perhaps an option to consider if you're going to the Oscars?

Relatedly: For a brief moment in downtown L.A., we had a pedicab service called Green Machine run by one Eric Green. Unfortunately, the operation got shut down by the Transportation Department -- hopefully just temporarily -- before I got a chance to try it. Anyone know the latest about the service?

Euro Taxi. 310.828.4200; Eco Limo. 800.432.6546

Top photo by Summer Bowen

Comments

[James]

Wow! Good news on the eco taxis.

Santa Monica always seems to be a leader with this type of stuff.

I read about the ped cab getting axed downtown. Too bad. I hope LADOT reconsiders or comes up with some doable regulations. I was thinking of investing in a Rhoades Car myself and make a few extra bucks ferrying people around dowtown.

http://www.rhoadescar.com/

One encouraging thing I saw downtown the other day, was a small tanker truck from a biodesil company, (sorry I didn't get the name), picking up the used cooking oil from the Carl's Jr. at 6th and Grand. I think used cooking oil is a resource that we're not exploiting enough.