Taxis drive into cash

By Chris Daniels

An Auckland taxi company has won the biggest fare in New Zealand history - half a million dollars around Apec and back.

Co-op Taxis has won the right to move the American Apec visitors around Auckland.

The chairman of Co-op Taxis, Robert Van Heiningen, said the job, worth about $500,000, would involve a maximum of 200 cabs and a minimum of 120. Already 60 cabs were working with the Americans.

Corporate Cabs, despite losing the bidding for the Americans' transport, has been given 10 new Holden Statesman cars by General Motors for the duration of Apec.

The president of General Motors, Jack Smith, who is speaking at the summit of world CEOs, will be driven around in a Statesman.

Ford is one of the main Apec sponsors, supplying cars for leaders, officials and police during the conference.

"GM came to us and said, 'Would you do the transport for us?' We said, 'Delighted'," said the general manager of Corporate Cabs, Ian Jost.

But Corporate Cabs drive only Ford Fairlanes, so GM needed to sort out some more suitable vehicles for its big boss.

"They have very kindly supplied our guys with brand new Statesmans for the duration," said Mr Jost.

"Unfortunately, we have to give them back. They supply the cars and we just charge for the drivers and the petrol."