Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog: Car-Free in Arlington: First by Choice and Now by Necessity

February 12, 2008

Car-Free in Arlington: First by Choice and Now by Necessity

I live and work in Arlington and have always tried to live a car-free/car-lite lifestyle. With two small kids and unforgiving deadlines for drop-offs and pick-ups, however, I must admit that I have not always been able to live up to my car-free standards. Then I had foot surgery in early January. While the surgery took only two hours, recovery requires two months in a cast and on crutches, plus one month in one of those stylish walking boots. Oh, and NO DRIVING for the three-month duration.

I'm at the halfway point and the transition has been remarkably easy. Why? One word: options...

1. I live just two houses down from a street served by three bus lines and just four blocks from the closest Metro train station. These transit options get me almost everywhere I need to go.

2. My employer offers transit benefits so buses and Metro rides are no extra expense.

3. I've been carpooling with my family and hitching rides with friends and neighbors when needed, particularly for school and extracurricular activities.

4. I've taken the occasional cab, though only when absolutely necessary.

Just yesterday, my choices in this final category multiplied with the addition of EnviroCab to the Arlington scene.

Billed as the first carbon-negative taxi operator in the country, EnviroCab uses only hybrid vehicles that conserve gas by running on electric motors at certain speeds. Since these cars still emit carbons, EnviroCab plans to buy carbon offsets from carbonfund.org to achieve its carbon-negative goal.

EnviroCab hit Arlington streets on February 11, with 15 taxis. Another 25 will be added to the fleet by the end of February. All are Ford Escape or Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles.

As luck would have it, I had an opportunity to try this new green Arlington cab service yesterday when I found myself without any other way to pick up my kids from the extended day program at school. Minutes after calling 703-920-3333, I was met by a friendly cab driver in his brightly painted green and white Toyota Prius, threw my crutches in the pristine back seat, and fastened my seatbelt.

In the short round-trip to my kids' school , we attracted a lot of attention from fellow commuters as well as from the elementary school kids who saw us pull up alongside the playground. Once inside the cab, my 8-year-old son marvelled at the high-tech mapping and tracking devices that helped us navigate the 1.5-mile trip home. My daughter liked the colorful paint job and knowing that we weren't polluting.

Minutes later, we were back home. The fare was no more than a traditional cab ride, and the emissions were far less. The trip was also educational, as I learned that Arlington-based Red Top cab purchased five hybrid Escapes last year, providing yet another green cab option here in Arlington.

While I would have preferred not to undergo foot surgery or the subsequent marathon recovery, I sure am glad I could recover in Arlington. Whether bus or metro, car-pooling or green cabs, Arlington has a car-free or car-lite option for everyone -- and you don't even have to be on crutches to try them all!

Lauren Hassel, Arlington, Virginia