If you call St. Louis County & Yellow Cab Company for a taxi ride this year, you will have a small chance of getting a free ride. That’s because one of the company’s fleet of 250 cars has been designated “Lucky Lou” throughout 2014 – with a mission of surprising passengers with bow ties, beats and a trip to their destination free of charge.
It’s part of a promotion in honor of both the 250th anniversary of St. Louis and celebrating 79 years of business.
“The smiles on people’s faces when they get into the cab, and then they’re informed that their cab ride is free, is priceless,” St. Louis County Cab President Basil Rudawsky said.
Lucky Lou (named after St. Louis) is a minivan decked out with a red and white polka dot bow tie across the front bumper and eyes on its headlights. Inside there is a “premium sound system as well as casino-like lights,” Rudawsky said. At the end of the cab ride, passengers are given bow ties to match Lucky Lou.
As much as you might like to sweeten the odds in your favor and ensure a free ride, there’s no way to request Lucky Lou.
“It’s all luck of the draw,” Rudasky said. “If you contact County Cab, Lucky Lou may show up.”
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer, hosted bySteve Potter and funded in part by the the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.