A Fife couple who bought their first taxi five years ago now have a fleet of 10 cars and 17 drivers.
James Glen started driving a taxi in 2020 – but he and partner Linda Holt realised owning a cab would be more profitable.
The St Andrews couple then acquired Big Yellow Taxi Company, which had a single taxi operating in the East Neuk of Fife.
What began as a bold move to purchase a single taxi has since turned into a full-fledged transport enterprise.
They followed this initial purchase, by acquiring well-established firm St Andrews Taxis in 2021.
They now have plans to develop their own app and launch a new high-end service.
Getting started
“We bought our first cab during the second lockdown,” recalls James.
“Shortly afterwards, we saw an opportunity to take over a local service and suddenly we went from owning one taxi to seven.
“The workload increased by about 400 to 500%.”
James’ background in web design proved invaluable during the expansion.
The couple brought in a wave of modernisation: electronic bookings, shared staff calendars, WhatsApp group co-ordination, and a much more structured workflow.
“It made everything so much more efficient,” he said.
“Taking on a new business with existing structures and long-term staff can be tough, but luckily our team was open to change.
“We’ve kept all the original drivers and doubled the size of the team.”
Serving the community
But growth wasn’t the only priority.
Alongside expanding their business, Linda and James set their sights on improving the reputation of the local taxi industry.
Having been former political campaigners, the couple have a strong sense of social responsibility.
They say reports of drivers overcharging unsuspecting tourists had long tarnished St Andrews’ reputation.
“It just doesn’t sit right with us,” Linda said.
“There’s been a myriad of dodgy practices for years, and we’ve been putting a lot of pressure on the council to regulate better.
“We want to ensure passengers always get a fair fare and feel safe on their journey.”
St Andrews Executive Cars
Now, the pair are preparing to launch a new premium brand.
St Andrews Executive Cars will cater to high-end clients with a luxurious, confidential service that goes well beyond a typical cab ride.
The couple say the potential future arrival of Uber in the region would present a challenge, but the couple remains undeterred.
Linda said: “We do more than just take people from A to B. We offer an exceptional service.
“We’re so grateful to our staff who accepted us and grew with us.
“And we’re incredibly thankful for our loyal customers.”
Conversation