More advertorial, but you can tell it's a smaller start-up with a handful of cars rather than the professional and corporate 'comms' style of Veezu and Uber.
But it's more 'dropping off business cards in local pubs and bars' than downloading the app, or 'partnering' with drivers or 'reaching out' to customers
Meet the female-led independent taxi firm hoping to bring a 'reliable service' to rival bigger companieshttps://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... i-24625744Louise Ingoe set up Coast 2 Coast in January and hopes to compete against the larger taxi firms in Teesside
Image: Teesside LiveA taxi company run by a Guisborough based mum is hoping to find its feel in the travel world and set itself apart from the larger firms.
Coast 2 Coast is owned by Louise Ingoe, who started her business back in January after working for various taxi companies for the past nine years. Louise hopes her firm can be reliable transport for the people of Guisborough and beyond, teaming up with local businesses for support and relying on word of mouth to spread her business further afield.
Teesside Live spoke to Louise about owning an independent business, competing against bigger companies and being one of the only women in a male dominated environment.
Louise, 40, said: "I've been a taxi driver for nine years now on and off, the main reason I opened my own firm was that my circumstances changed and Guisborough lacked choice and reliability, and the demand for taxis in the town is certainly there. I lost my dad in 2021 and one of his last wishes was for me to set up my own taxi firm, I put my inheritance towards that and started the business, we currently have three cars including me."
"I want Coast 2 Coast to be a reliable firm, a lot of small independent firms in the area have sold out to the bigger companies and I don't want to do that at all. So there's definitely a gap in the market to get our business out there and get a good customer base. We've already had a lot of support and good reviews since we opened so it can only get better."
Image: Teesside LiveLouise is certainly in a male dominated environment, with female taxi drivers being a rarity. She added: "We have a lot of requests for female drivers from young girls coming home on nights out or ladies going to the airport on girls holidays, it's nice to have a female environment at times and people are even shocked that the owner of the firm actually drives - of course I do!
"I always get asked 'are you not scared being out in the dark as a woman' and usually nine times out of ten they expect a man to pick them up. I've managed to team up with local businesses like Gisborough Hall, The Cross Keys pub and Tomahawk in Saltburn, who all refer their customers to me which is really good for business, we want to provide a reliable service to people and be completely honest to them if we're late or struggling to get their on time. It's important to be honest."
Coast 2 Coast rely on word of mouth and Facebook, as well as dropping off business cards in local pubs and bars; with the hopes that the positive reviews they have received increases their popularity with the people of Guisborough and elsewhere in Teesside. Louise joked that she would 'be a millionaire' if she got £1 she was asked the typical taxi driver questions:
"Have you been busy?"
"Have you been on long?"
"What time are you on 'til?"
But Louise said she loves meeting new people in her job, explaining that no two customers are the same and all have great stories, especially the older generation. She said: "The absolute best thing about being a taxi driver is meeting different people, the older generation always have brilliant stories from over the years and sometimes we're the only interaction they have with the outside world, especially through the pandemic.
"I've gone from being on minimum wage in a call centre to being the owner of my own business and I genuinely love it, if my car could talk it would certainly have some stories to tell!"
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