‘Why not drive it as a taxi?’: Tesla Yellow Cab hits Vancouver’s streets

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Anyone booking a ride in Shaminder Rattan’s cab won’t hear him coming. That’s because the 62-year-old Yellow Cab driver has bought a Tesla, a move he says makes him the first in Vancouver to offer rides in a zero-emission luxury sedan.

Rattan says the money he’ll save on gas and maintenance makes the $52,000 (plus tax) price tag for the Model 3 affordable.

“I said, ‘I can afford this payment,'” he tells NEWS 1130.

“I thought to myself, ‘Why not?’ Somebody has to start it, Why not drive it as a taxi?'”

He averages between 150 and 300 kilometres per shift, and a single charge from a station in his garage is enough to power the car for 400 kilometres.

Rattan thinks his industry should lead the way when it comes to reducing emissions.

“The environment’s the first thing, I feel great driving this car. We are the ones polluting — taxis, truck drivers — how much we drive in a day, people drive in a week. That’s a lot of pollution we make. This car, it’s so much friendlier. It’s so good.”

And he says customers appreciate the chance to take a ride in a car favoured by eco-conscious celebrities.

“It’s a very nice car, and I know it’s an expensive car but it’s good. The customers are feeling better and I feel better for my customers. I feel great when the customer’s happy,” Rattan says.

“I’m proud of myself for driving a Tesla. Plus, anybody who can’t afford a Tesla, they are allowed to ride in a Tesla. So that’s another thing, people can’t afford it but they can still come to me and get a ride with me.”

The option to request a Tesla isn’t yet available, but Rattan hopes that will change if more drivers following his footsteps.

Rattan has been driving a taxi for 34 years. It became his full-time job when the sawmill he worked at shut down in 2000.

But he says the decision to invest in a Tesla was made possible by a recent change to regulations.

Owner-operators used to share cars, each of them taking a 12-hour shift. Now, drivers can take their cars home at night and don’t have to turn them over to a partner.

“I have my own car, I’m my own boss. Everything is my responsibility,” he explains.

The car has been customized with a wrap in the company’s eponymous colour, and the paint remains intact underneath.

Rattan says this is a good thing because when he retires, he’ll be able to return the car to its original colour.

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