After over four decades at Arlington Blue Top Cabs, the owner of Arlington’s second-largest taxicab company is planning to pass the baton.
John Massoud, who has been involved with the company since its founding in 1984, is seeking the Arlington County Board’s permission to sell to employees Wahid Raheem and Mindy Gaber.
“It has been a great last 41 years, but all things must come to an end,” Massoud told Transportation Commission members last month. “It’s really time to pass this on.”
The commission unanimously voted to support Massoud’s request. County Board approval is required to transfer the firm’s certificate of public convenience and necessity to the new owners.
With 100 operating certificates, Blue Top is the second-largest cab company in Arlington behind Red Top Cab, based on 2024 data.
All told, six companies are authorized to operate a total of 441 vehicles in Arlington, County Manager Mark Schwartz said in a 2024 report to Board members.
Red Top and Blue Top are the only two companies operating in Arlington with wheelchair-accessible vehicles, making them particularly valuable to seniors and those with disabilities.
“We’ve tried to run the business as best we can for the Arlington community,” said Raheem, who has worked for Blue Top since 2006.
The new owners plan to increase the number of wheelchair-accessible cabs while maintaining 24/7 dispatch service. The business operates on a driver-owner model, which will continue.
The goal, Gaber said, is to “sustain transportation for those elderly residents who cannot find transportation elsewhere — hopefully not only now but for many years to come.”
Arlington’s taxi industry has weathered significant setbacks in recent years, including competition with firms like Uber and Lyft and major losses during the pandemic.
“Our business took a horrible hit,” Massoud said, noting that three drivers died of Covid-related illness.
At the Transportation Commission meeting, no opposition was raised to transferring the operating certificate to new owners.
Donald Ludlow, a member of the commission, said taxis continue to play a valuable role and the industry needs to be supported.
“Anything we can do to support local businesses is in our county’s best interest,” he said. “I’m all for it.”
In 2019, Arlington cab companies dispatched more than 600,000 trips, according to county data.
That total fell to just over 225,000 in 2021. It has slightly rebounded since then, but remains well below pre-pandemic levels.
Other cab companies licensed to serve Arlington are Friendly, Hess, Crown and Arlington Yellow.
