WARWICK — Last Wednesday, John Knowles hit “post” on a Facebook announcement county airport taxi letting people know. His new Warwick taxi service was up and running. Then he waited for calls to roll in.
Business was slow at first. Thursday went by without anything. On Friday, he got his first few requests for rides. By Saturday, he was grooving.
Knowles’ one-man, one-car show — simply named white plains taxi Warwick Taxi — took on 10 rides Saturday, mostly tourists visiting area breweries and wineries.
“For just opening up on Wednesday, I thought that was pretty good,” Knowles said.
Since Warwick Taxi focuses its service within the town of. Warwick and surrounding towns, Knowles and his wife rely mostly on word of mouth to gain customers. For now, the business only employs the Knowlses; Laurie is the bookkeeper and John picks up. Riders in a seven-passenger Toyota Sienna.
Warwick Taxi is a taxi in name only, Knowles explain. It’s technically a car service. So, customers have to call him to pick them up (he can’t be hailed down) and .The fares are pre-determine instead of meter base on the miles or length of time.
Knowles, a 54-year-old former information technology professional and commercial driver, started this business in part because he enjoys driving and wanted to be his own boss. But he also saw a greater need for his services.
People who don’t own cars or can’t drive don’t have many options for getting around this part of Orange County. The area is rather rural. Major roads like the Thruway or state. Route 17 will only take drivers so far before they’ll have to navigate a. Network of back roads that snake through small towns and villages.
Despite how difficult it may be to reach, the Warwick area has been getting busier. It has been described as one of the Hudson Valley’s hidden. Treasures in national publications, attracting artists, week tourists and permanent. New York City transplants in recent years. Within the 100-square-mile town are other rural destinations, like Pine Island, Sterling Forest and the villages of Florida and Greenwood Lake (and the village of Warwick.) Tourists come for weekend trips to breweries, wineries and orchards or to just enjoy a quiet getaway in a bed-and-breakfast with a picturesque view.
About 32,000 people live in the town of Warwick, according to the 2020 Census. Of those residents, about 5 percent do not own cars, according to census data.
Dial-A-Bus, a public transportation service that offers fixed, low rates and discounts for seniors, is a popular option for some people who need to get around, Knowles said. It takes riders to Goshen, Monroe and the shopping centers in the Middletown area or Goshen. But unless a rider lives along the bus route, they have to make an appointment to be picked up at least 24 hours in advance, and services stop in the late afternoon.
Knowles uses a sliding scale bas on distances for his rates. A person can be pick up within the village of Warwick and taken to ShopRite or Price county airport. Taxi Chopper for , the village of Florida for , Greenwood Lake for or. The Tuxedo Metro-North train station for . He said he could work with a customer to determine rates for a round-trip, pick-up by appointment or. Rides to destinations not listed on the business’ website.
All things considered, what Knowles wants tuxedo to achieve with his company is a service that is easy to find online (Google search “Warwick” and “taxi” and he’s at the top) with reasonably priced, professional services to local destinations. It’s only been county airport taxi a week, but Knowles said he’s having fun meeting new people and sharing his love. For Warwick while he takes them around town.
