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Saratoga Hybrid Cab offers customers a sustainable option in transport
SARATOGA SPRINGS — When 3 a.m. hits and it comes time to call a cab to bring you home from Caroline Street, most people aren’t thinking about reducing their carbon footprint. But the only reason people didn’t think about choosing a sustainable cab company was because before now it wasn’t an option.
All of that changed on Friday, July 22, when Byron Norsworthy switched from another cab company to open his new independent business, the Saratoga Hybrid Cab company.
“What inspired me to do it was I had driven for another company since February, 2010, and I got tired of paying so much for gas,” Norsworthy said of his motivation to open a hybrid cab company. “I’ve always been a fan of sustainability, since my college days.”
Norsworthy operates his single-car company from a 2008 Toyota Prius and said once he gets enough business he would like to hire a second car and second driver.
“It’s kind of an experiment, but so far I’ve had a lot of positive feedback and a lot of people saying it’s a great idea and it was about time someone did this here,” Norsworthy said of his first week in business.
Norsworthy is on top of a nationwide trend — green cab companies have been sprouting up across the country. In cities like New York and San Francisco, taxi businesses are working to slowly convert their fleets to hybrid and sustainable vehicles.
Here in Saratoga Springs, Norsworthy hopes to promote his business through word of mouth especially with local organizations that emphasize eco-friendly.
“I know some people involved in sustainable movements in Saratoga and they’re helping to get the word out — I’m also hoping to establish connections at Skidmore (College),” Norsworthy said of his promotion strategy.
Saratoga Hybrid Cab’s rates are essentially the same as other local taxi cab businesses, but Norsworthy mentioned rates could be lower for longer trips out of town given the increased gas mileage.
Norsworthy, 27, originally from Reading, Pennsylvania, moved to Saratoga Springs two years ago with his wife, Rachel, who grew up in the area. After getting involved in environmental studies in college, Norsworthy continued to educate himself about sustainability and is a green enthusiast who practices what he preaches. Before moving to Saratoga, Norsworthy and his wife traveled around working on organic farms in places such as central New York and New Hampshire.
“I was just really impressed and realized the seriousness about some of the problems we have about air and water quality and running out of resources and the possibility of a really ugly world if we keep going the way we’re going,” Norsworthy said about his passion for sustainability.
After working as a full-time cab driver for nearly two years at another Saratoga cab business, Norsworthy realized it was time to follow his instinct and work toward making Saratoga Springs a slightly greener environment.
“It felt like a waste to be driving a big car for just one or two passengers when I could get three times the gas mileage with a different car,” Norsworthy said. “It seemed like a no-brainer.”
Next Saturday morning when you’re looking for a ride home, consider treading lightly on the environment by calling Saratoga Hybrid Cab.
Saratoga Hybrid Cab
Byron Norsworthy/Owner-Operator
Phone: (518) 698-4122
E-mail: info@saratogahybridcab.com
Website: www.saratogahybridcab.com and click here to find SHC on Facebook.
All of that changed on Friday, July 22, when Byron Norsworthy switched from another cab company to open his new independent business, the Saratoga Hybrid Cab company.
“What inspired me to do it was I had driven for another company since February, 2010, and I got tired of paying so much for gas,” Norsworthy said of his motivation to open a hybrid cab company. “I’ve always been a fan of sustainability, since my college days.”
Norsworthy operates his single-car company from a 2008 Toyota Prius and said once he gets enough business he would like to hire a second car and second driver.
“It’s kind of an experiment, but so far I’ve had a lot of positive feedback and a lot of people saying it’s a great idea and it was about time someone did this here,” Norsworthy said of his first week in business.
Norsworthy is on top of a nationwide trend — green cab companies have been sprouting up across the country. In cities like New York and San Francisco, taxi businesses are working to slowly convert their fleets to hybrid and sustainable vehicles.
Here in Saratoga Springs, Norsworthy hopes to promote his business through word of mouth especially with local organizations that emphasize eco-friendly.
“I know some people involved in sustainable movements in Saratoga and they’re helping to get the word out — I’m also hoping to establish connections at Skidmore (College),” Norsworthy said of his promotion strategy.
Saratoga Hybrid Cab’s rates are essentially the same as other local taxi cab businesses, but Norsworthy mentioned rates could be lower for longer trips out of town given the increased gas mileage.
Norsworthy, 27, originally from Reading, Pennsylvania, moved to Saratoga Springs two years ago with his wife, Rachel, who grew up in the area. After getting involved in environmental studies in college, Norsworthy continued to educate himself about sustainability and is a green enthusiast who practices what he preaches. Before moving to Saratoga, Norsworthy and his wife traveled around working on organic farms in places such as central New York and New Hampshire.
“I was just really impressed and realized the seriousness about some of the problems we have about air and water quality and running out of resources and the possibility of a really ugly world if we keep going the way we’re going,” Norsworthy said about his passion for sustainability.
After working as a full-time cab driver for nearly two years at another Saratoga cab business, Norsworthy realized it was time to follow his instinct and work toward making Saratoga Springs a slightly greener environment.
“It felt like a waste to be driving a big car for just one or two passengers when I could get three times the gas mileage with a different car,” Norsworthy said. “It seemed like a no-brainer.”
Next Saturday morning when you’re looking for a ride home, consider treading lightly on the environment by calling Saratoga Hybrid Cab.
Saratoga Hybrid Cab
Byron Norsworthy/Owner-Operator
Phone: (518) 698-4122
E-mail: info@saratogahybridcab.com
Website: www.saratogahybridcab.com and click here to find SHC on Facebook.
posted by Suzanna K. Lourie at
12:30 PM
1 Comments:
While a worthy endeavor, realize that if everyone drove a hybrid yes we wouldn't use as much gas. However, there are a lot of rare earth elements in the electric motors and magnets used for 'sustainable' technologies, which requires energy to mine and also is a monopoly of China, especially certain heavy rare earths. Not to mention if we go the plug in route, we'd need to upgrade the electrical grid and provide more non-coal sources of electricity. Wind and Solar would not be able to supply this gap completely. We have periods without wind, night and those energy forms aren't as dense. Nuclear power would also be needed.
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