Braintree Best Taxi Fleet Going Green

Greg Najjar's approach to hybrid vehicles, unlike his entry into the world of taxicabs, has been forward-thinking and methodical.

Najjar, a senior in high school three decades ago, was lost on his bicycle heading for a date when he stopped into a local cab company for directions. The dispatcher insisted that Najjar was a driver and said if he wanted a job he needed to head down to the saloon, so he locked up his bike and lost the date, but gained a career.

Nearly three decades later, Najjar has built Braintree Best Taxi from a two-cab operation into a 16-vehicle fleet that he runs with his wife Maria and manager Doug Farina out of 22 Messina Dr.

A year ago, he began to look into converting his vehicles to hybrids. He spoke with people at Boston Cab, the largest majority green fleet in New England, for advice on vehicle types and performance, and decided to create the only 100 percent hybrid taxi fleet in Massachusetts.

"I see it as the future," Najjar said.

Braintree Best Taxi has purchased eight hybrids so far – pre-owned Ford Escapes that get approximately 40 miles per gallon by running on gas only a portion of the time and by electricity at low and high speeds.

Najjar will wait until the beginning of 2014 to begin converting the rest of his fleet for tax purposes. He plans to buy eight more hybrids by the end of 2014 to complete the conversion.

Purchasing the vehicles has been a serious investment – the Escapes cost between $17,000 and $25,000 pre-owned compared to $2,000 to $4,000 for a used Crown Victoria or Dodge Caravan – but Najjar said it's worth it for his drivers, who save on gas, and for customers, who appreciate the environmental benefits.

"We've gotten a lot of wonderful feedback," Najjar said. "Our drivers are beyond smiling about this."

Najjar lived in Braintree for 40 years before recently moving to Hingham with his wife and two sons. He said he is proud to be able to bring the first all-hybrid fleet to his hometown.

"It's just another reason why Braintree is a special place to live," Najjar said.