Photograph by Paul Myers

Los Gatan George Richardson Jr. began Los Gatos SafeRide to fulfill a need for safe, personal, flat-rate service within town.

Personalized chauffeur service provides patrons peace of mind

By Shari Kaplan

In creating a happy medium between two extremes, Los Gatan George Richardson Jr. has also created a new business that he says fills a previously unfilled niche.

Richardson describes Los Gatos SafeRide as less expensive and ostentatious than a limousine, but more classy and prompt than a taxicab.

"It's your personalized Town Car for your personalized schedule in town," he says of his small fleet of year-old, shiny black Lincoln Town Cars. "The whole idea is for people to feel safe getting to where they're going."

Less than a month old, Los Gatos SafeRide had its genesis after Richardson was chatting with Pam Manes, a waitress at Gilley's on N. Santa Cruz Avenue. "I had asked her 'How come I don't see you downtown more often?' " recalls Richardson, who has lived in town for 12 years with his wife and children.

Manes replied that she and her boyfriend enjoy drinking wine when they eat out, but they don't enjoy worrying about how long they should wait before driving--especially with today's stringent limits on drivers' blood alcohol content. Richardson says Manes also cited a common Los Gatos complaint: There's not enough downtown parking.

He says he began talking with the owners of downtown eating and drinking establishments and found their concerns echoed those of Manes. They also added another: On the occasions when they need to call a cab for a patron, the cab often takes a long time to arrive. Additionally, he says, some single women are reluctant to get into a cab.

Necessity being the mother of invention, Richardson began thinking of how to solve all these problems at once. "I'm entrepreneurial; I like to try this and that," adds Richardson, who is also an electrical contractor.

And so he started Los Gatos SafeRide. "Our drivers wear white shirts and black pants and are courteous, open the door for you and call you by name," he says. "All cars and drivers are registered with the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, and all drivers must have clean DMV records. We also do random drug tests."

"We're not trying to do the stretch limo thing or the 'drunk train' thing," he adds. "We want people to enjoy themselves when they're having dinner with friends. They can stay and have an extra glass of wine. And they can go out without worrying about where to park."

Although his endeavor began as just a nighttime service, Richardson says he's already expanding into daytime hours to accommodate parents who need someone to pick up or drop off their children on short notice, as well as adult children who need someone to take their elderly parents on errands or appointments. Airport rates are also in the works.

"My whole idea is to provide a safe ride that people feel safe using," he says.

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Los Gatos SafeRide charges a flat rate of $20 for up to four passengers for transportation within a 4-mile radius. Additional miles are $5 each. There are no time-related charges. For more information, call 408.358.7599.

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