Students in need of a lift should hail the Absolute Cab Company, a Santa Barbara-based taxi service, for its recent move to Isla Vista.

Josh Klein and Thomas Rhyne, both former UCSB students and owners of Absolute Cab Company, moved their business to I.V. two months ago from their previous location in downtown Santa Barbara, where it had been for the past two and half years. The company’s new location is at 6533 Trigo Rd. at the rear of their building, situated behind a business that leases and restores cars.

“We found a great location, and we’re really happy,” Klein said. “We’d love to take care of more students.”

Catherine Boyer, Isla Vista and UCSB liaison, said the cab company’s move to I.V. is a welcome change for students living both on campus and in I.V.

“Taxi cabs are now more accessible to I.V. residents,” Boyer said.

Klein said a ride in one of Absolute Cab’s taxis has a $1.75 initial fee and costs $2.50 per mile.

“We offer one of the lowest rates in town,” Klein said. “And we offer the best service.”

Klein said, with six cabs running at the peak times Thursday to Sunday evenings and two to three cabs running 24 hours a day the rest of the week, customers can be assured there will be a cab available when they need it.

“We get your name beforehand and make sure that when we show up, we are picking up the right person,” Klein said.

Klein said safety is a primary goal for the cab company, particularly on weekends when there is a higher number of drunk driving accidents.

Klein said students – especially those without a vehicle of their own – will find the company useful for last-minute transportation needs.

“Not everyone has a car, and people have to get around,” Klein said.

Although there are no restrictions on where the cab company will pick up patrons, Klein said they hesitate to pick up students on Del Playa Drive on weekend nights due to the danger involved when driving through a large crowd. However, Klein said they will gladly pick up students at nearby, less crowded areas.

Students can call Absolute Cab Co. at (805)898-1669 to request a cab 24 hours a day, seven days a week.