Bowie overcomes obstacles to run 17-year-old business

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Bowie overcomes obstacles to run 17-year-old business

Q&A | Keith L. Martin

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Tom Fedor⁄The Gazette

William Bowie has owned Bowie Transportation, a taxi and limousine service in Frederick, for 17 years.

Since obtaining his first taxicab permit 17 years ago, William ‘‘Wickie” Bowie has seen a lot.

A lifelong Frederick resident and owner of Bowie Transportation, Bowie, 68, has watched his hometown grow. More homes have brought what he calls ‘‘migrators” from area counties who in turn came with two or more cars, decreasing the need for cabs.

Another blow to the industry, he said, was a permit fee and cab fare raise by the city three years ago. The increases cut business by 50 percent at the time, he said, resulting in him passing costs onto customers.

The Gazette recently stopped by his offices on Water Street and asked for his perspective on owning a business in Frederick.

Basically, it is a challenge just to be in business today, because of the cost and obstacles you have being in business. It is a challenge because, to me, not too many African-Americans are in the transportation business.

They are very few and far between and in rural areas, you don’t find any at all. In the western part of the state, there are not too many African-American taxi operators.

It is not available for them, financially.

In Maryland, taxi [companies] can’t be just one or two vehicles.

I am still going through challenges every day. If it is not one challenge, it is another. We have a tremendous challenge now that makes it difficult for operation, with the expense of everything.

Gas is very high as is everything involved with the vehicle ... including insurance and repairs. For example, tires have gone up 40 percent. That makes it difficult for a small operator like me to exist. That affects the whole ballgame. ... The bottom line is that we need to make money to exist.

I thought of hanging it up, but ... I feel I was put here for a reason and put in business for a reason. It is not my business, it is my father’s business and that is God. ... I feel that I’m just the manager of it, because I’m not the true owner of it.

To get into this type of business, you need to be of your word. People look forward and are dependent on you.

I think what makes our business happen for as long as it has is that people that depend upon us to get from Point A to Point B and you have to be reliable.

... Whether [the customer is a] doctor or another profession, it is not important to me because they rely on my business, so it is important to be of your word and be there when you say you will be there.