Cab colored pink for a cause

Beach Cities Cab Co. Inc., the front-running cab company of San Luis Obispo, recently added a pink taxi to its fleet to cruise the streets and help raise funds for the fight against breast cancer.

The company has pledged to donate $1 for every ride given by the pink cab to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.

On average, the company gives 80 rides every day. The company stated that if customers request the cab more, they will look into adding more pink ones to the fleet.

“I think this new cab is an important way to give back to the community and a worthy cause. One dollar per ride can add up,” Beach Cities Cab owner Jeff Goldenberg said.

Goldenberg originally had a pink taxi in operation in Carpenteria (in Santa Barbara County) before deciding to bring a similar concept to San Luis Obispo. Goldenberg purchased another cab and pulled out the paint to recreate his idea locally.

The bubble-gum pink taxi with the breast cancer ribbon painted on the car’s hood officially hit the streets of San Luis Obispo on March 30.

“So far, the response has been really great. I think the word is still getting out there on why exactly the car is pink, but the people who know have been really receptive to it,” Goldenberg said.

Customers can specifically request the breast cancer cab or simply donate to the American Cancer Society through the regular taxis.

San Luis Obispo has its own branch of the American Cancer Society located on 1428 Phillips Lane that is available for free cancer educational material and patient services every business day.

Breast cancer is currently the second-deadliest type of cancer among women, after lung cancer. Breastcancer.org estimated that 40,970 women in the U.S. died from breast cancer in 2006.

“I saw the pink cab driving down Foothill Boulevard this week and just being able to see it driving around town is a good reminder about a cause that everyone can support,” agribusiness junior Stephanie Lo Duca said. “It doesn’t seem like as big of a deal to spend the money on a cab when you know it will be funding something beneficial.”

Beach Cities Cab operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the pink cab will always be available.