Checker Cars Taxi Service Takes Delivery of The Toyota Prius

Checker Cars, the airport taxi service, has taken the first delivery from its order of 80 Toyota Prius cars. Five Toyota Prius arrived at Checker Cars' Stanstead office in early March 2010, joining a fleet of 80 MPVs and will be joined by another 10 over the next two months.

Check Cars employs 1000 drivers, and is the official taxi operator for London Stanstead, as well Gatwick, Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton airports. London Heathrow is also serviced from an off-airport office.

"We will expect to replace the cars every couple of years," said Checker Cars' Managing Director David Crouch. "We're initially using them at Stansted but we will then involve our other airports.

"Our environmental policy is to reduce emissions wherever possible, and we're also looking for greater economy in the operation of the fleet, because with fuel prices as they are that's becoming more and more important. Congestion charge is also a factor."

The Toyota Prius T4 offers CO2 emissions of 92g/km and a combined cycle fuel consumption figures of 70.6mpg.

The Toyota Prius is a "full hybrid" which means it can be powered purely by the electric motor at low speeds, resulting in zero fuel consumption and zero emissions. Standard features in Bluetooth, heads-up display, seven airbags, electric windows front and rear, 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers and cruise control.