INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Yellow Cab Company owner Dick Hunt bet big on bringing luxury taxi cabs to the streets of Indianapolis in 1984.
“This is one of the first in the country,” Dick Hunt said. “We’re always trying to upgrade our image in the taxi business, and this is one way to do it.”
Hunt added 50 new cars from General Motors to his fleet of 212 taxi cabs 40 years ago. But the additions weren’t just any cars, they were luxury rides like the Cadillac Deville, Buick Park Avenue, and Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight.
The move was part of a GM program in which the Indianapolis Yellow Cab Co. would test the performance of the newly downsized models.
Feedback from the company’s drivers was positive.
“I think they’re a little happier with their ride when they get in a Cadillac,” cabbie Jim Kennington said. “A lot of people never ride in a Cadillac, let alone a new one. That puts them in a better mood.”
One of those riders echoed that same sentiment to WRTV reporter Derrik Thomas.
“It’s a brand new one, real smooth driving,” the rider said.
Thomas’ report indicated that the luxury taxi cabs were distributed to cabbies based on seniority and driving records.
