With quirky new taxi service, catching a ride can be terribly civilized
DAN HUNTLEY
Spencer and Kathy Denton have brought London-style taxis to the lake to drive people to the airport, prom and points beyond.

"We were looking for a unique business that we could base near our home at Lake Wylie, and when we saw these taxis, we just fell in love with them — they're so cute and so British," said Kathy Denton, a former Coca-Cola executive for 15 years who quit the corporate world earlier this year to spend more time with her children, Thomas, 8, and William, 6. "We feel like there is a genuine need for a taxi service in the Lake Wylie region. We will certainly venture into Charlotte, but for the time being, we're satisfied to work out of Lake Wylie."

And the Dentons are right, the sleek upright sedans are cute. They look so Brit that when you see one pulling up to the curb, you expect an English driver in a waistcoat and ascot to step out from the right side. I took a ride on S.C. Highway 49 on Tuesday, and heads turned at every intersection.

The engine is a Ford 4-cylinder diesel with a distinctive chuggachugga guttural sound. The taxi interiors are surprisingly roomy, with fold-down seats for five. The cars are handicap-accessible, and have fold-down DVD screens from the ceiling and even a GPS navigational system.

The Dentons opened The Civilized Taxi for business Wednesday. They're now open 24-7. It's not a franchise, but similar services are available in San Francisco, Chicago and Charleston.

The Dentons have put together a team of more than a dozen drivers.

"Quite frankly, we had no intention of ever starting a taxi service with traditional taxis," said Spencer Denton, who works for Bank of America in Charlotte. "But we thought that a unique and upscale taxi service with these London-style taxis with local drivers would work here."

Native Briton Alison Kingswood did a double take on the Buster Boyd Bridge when she saw one of the taxis coming in the other direction.

"I recognized it instantly; it was strange and surreal to see a London cab at Lake Wylie," said Kingswood. "It was like seeing a little piece of home. … I think the Charlotte area is just the market to do something like this, it makes perfect sense."

The Dentons are starting with three taxis that have been retrofitted for the U.S. (left-side steering wheel, and air conditioners). The fees are consistent with what Charlotte-based cabs would charge — $25 for within 5 miles of the Buster Boyd Bridge, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport $55, and uptown Charlotte $70.

The Dentons believe their taxi service will initially appeal to customers for specialty events — anniversaries, birthdays and weddings — but that it is priced reasonably enough for more frequent use.

"…I think there's a business niche for us here in the Charlotte region," Spencer Denton said. "I mean, everybody has to be somewhere sometimes when it's inconvenient for you to drive. Why not take a ride in The Civilized Taxi, and have some fun along the way?"

http://www.charlotte.com/286/story/103173.html