Rising from the ashes of the out-of-business Save-A-Buck Taxi, Cortez Cab taxi service could be rolling up with a shiny new vehicle to a curb near you.
Cortez Cab Owners Ed Gilbert and Yvonne Valdez obtained Save-A-Bucks transportation permit and rolled out a new service in January with the goal of providing an affordable, clean, comfortable and safe taxi service for the area.
I think it was the biggest need for the community, Gilbert said.
What started out as an idea for a non-emergency medical transport service evolved into a full-blown on-demand point-to-point taxi and package delivery 24/7 to the far reaches of Montezuma County, Dolores County and beyond to La Plata and San Miguel counties.
The owners try to accommodate anyone, including children (who provide their own car seat), seniors and individuals who may have had one too many to drink.
A former patrol lieutenant with the local sheriffs office, Gilbert can tell you the average cab fare will cost $10 as opposed to the average cost of a DUI conviction of $10,000 meaning you can get 1,000 rides in a taxi cab for the cost of a single ride in a patrol car.
The current rates are $4 for the first mile, $2.50 per mile for up to five miles, and $2 per mile for trips over 35 miles. There is also a $1.50 fee for an additional person or luggage item as well as a $1.50 fee for each additional stop.
The owners encourage passengers to go in groups to save money. While the current service is on demand, the owners request passengers make reservations ahead of time for rides between 2 and 6 a.m.
Besides filling the basic need for transportation, Gilbert hopes the service will better connect the region and stimulate local commerce.
Further, Valdez said they hope to provide transportation services for tourism and to area tourist attractions.
Most people in the area need transportation for employment, health care, recreation and shopping, Gilbert said.
Our vision is to increase accessibility to everything in the area, he said.
Most trips within Cortez wind up costing between $4 and $12, Gilbert said.
Currently, the service has two vehicles and offers 24/7 service. The owners hope to expand the service in the future, possibly adding a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
Cortez Cab can be reached at 565-6911.
Reach Reid Wright at reidw@cortezjournal.com