American Livery Inc

Two Orange County businesses were hailed as national leaders in alternative fuels Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pickens Fuel Corp. of Seal Beach and American Livery Inc. of Santa Ana were among 10 Southland honorees recognized at an Earth Day ceremony in Los Angeles. These firms "give me hope for the future for dealing with air-quality problems, particularly in this basin," said Felicia Marcus, EPA Regional Administrator.

Two Orange County businesses were hailed as national leaders in alternative fuels Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pickens Fuel Corp. of Seal Beach and American Livery Inc. of Santa Ana were among 10 Southland honorees recognized at an Earth Day ceremony in Los Angeles. These firms "give me hope for the future for dealing with air-quality problems, particularly in this basin," said Felicia Marcus, EPA Regional Administrator.

A fleet of 50 taxicabs is expected to start service today at John Wayne Airport, replacing cabs from American Livery Inc. Larry Slagle, president of Yellow Cab of north Orange County, said a consortium of three companies, including his own, is scheduled to begin airport service at 3 p.m. and to remain for at least six months. American Livery, which operates as American Cab, was notified by Orange County officials last week that its airport contract had been terminated. Ford Motor Credit Co.

Replacement taxis began lining up at John Wayne Airport's arrival terminal Wednesday afternoon, signaling the end of service after 18 months by financially troubled American Livery Inc., which had its cabs repossessed. Because of tight security, about 50 replacement cabs assembled at a nearby parking lot before going into the airport about 2:30 p.m. "We wanted to keep the drivers separated and avoid problems, but the transition went smoothly," said Larry Slagle, president of Yellow Cab of North Orange County, one of three companies providing replacement cabs.

Despite a bankruptcy hanging over its head, the cab company that serves John Wayne Airport will continue to operate through the Thanksgiving holiday without interruption. American Livery Inc., which operates a fleet of 140 cabs powered by natural gas, filed for bankruptcy this year because it cannot pay its debts, including $3.3 million to Ford Motor Credit Co.

Replacement taxis began lining up at John Wayne Airport's arrival terminal Wednesday afternoon, signaling the end of service after 18 months by financially troubled American Livery Inc., which had its cabs repossessed. Because of tight security, about 50 replacement cabs assembled at a nearby parking lot before going into the airport about 2:30 p.m.

The owner of a taxi firm that was removed from John Wayne Airport has accused a former employee and a prominent Orange County lobbyist of improperly starting a competing company that eventually won the airport contract.

The company providing taxi service at John Wayne Airport was denied a new contract Tuesday by county supervisors after it failed to provide a DMV certificate of self-insurance. A Taxi Cab, which was the top-ranked company among competitors seeking a three-year contact, was rejected in favor of American Taxi, a Santa Ana company barely 4 months old. American Taxi recently bought 70 natural gas-powered cars.

With dozens of natural-gas-powered cars--including 70 added last week--a new Santa Ana taxi company has become the nation's first to run only on the cleaner-burning fuel. American Taxi says the move is in anticipation of proposed smog-fighting rules that would force public--and some private--fleets in the four-county area to use low-emission fuels such as natural gas.