NEWTON, Mass. — The Yellow Cab Company, a staple in West Newton, is out of business.
After nearly 45 years, the West Newton cab company is out of business. Dick Johnson bought the company in 1973 when he was 34 years old. He says he noticed things starting to go downhill about two years ago.
“Seriously downhill? About two years ago. And last year it really took a nosedive,” said Johnson.
At its peak, Yellow Cab had 25 cars on the road. When it closed this week, it had 10. Johnson says he had been operating at a loss for more than two years and is in personal debt.
“You know what happened to the dinosaurs. They did not adapt to a new environment and became extinct. That’s kind of what happened to me and most of the old-fashioned folk in my business,” said Johnson. “I could have been, if I were a younger man and less stubborn, I could have adapted to the point of having apps and been online more. And it certainly would have lasted longer if I had done that.”
Charles Frost of Patriot Taxi has been in the business for almost 20 years. He estimates he’s down 30 to 40 percent in the last couple of years.
“Uber and Lyft are killing this industry. They have none of the regulations that we have. They have none of the expenses we have,” said Frost.
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