Local taxi service will tow your car

A Blackfoot man has come up with a novel approach to combat drunk driving.

Two months ago, Corbin McKinlay founded Taxi Tow Co., a one-man taxi service. Unlike other taxis, Taxi Tow will actually tow your car.

“I’ve got a flatbed trailer that I’ll load the cars up on,” said McKinlay. “This old ’95 van’s got a 360 engine so it pulls vehicles really well.”

After his own drunk driving arrest last year, McKinlay said he realized the need for a new type of a taxi.

“Had I had reliable transportation and a way to get my vehicle home, I might not have made that foolish choice,” McKinlay said.

When people don’t call McKinlay, he’ll usually find them.

“I will sit outside the bars on the weekends. I’ll drive around each of the bars and see if I can give people rides home,” he said.

Bar owners say they don’t miss any opportunity to promote McKinlay’s service.

“Safety of the customers is important for any bar so…we try to promote them as much as we can to get the customer home safer,” said Stinger’s owner Brent Jackson.

With seating for seven passengers, McKinlay’s taxi has almost enough room to take home the entire bar.

“It’s a great way to spend the evening. Load everyone up in here and it’s a really cheap way and safe way to get people to the bars and back,” said McKinlay.

McKinlay said he plans to expand Taxi Tow in the near future.