Taylor Made Transportation in Druid Hill, a company that provides transportation for government employees and some private residents, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer.
The African-American owned business also provides shuttle, courier and special needs services to federal and state agencies.
Founder and Baltimore native Allen R. Taylor has steadily built a firm that’s recognized for its professionalism, attention to customer service and a commitment to specific transportation needs. Taylor says his company “prides ourselves on being a leader in the transportation industry.”
In a statement, officials at the Department of Defense noted that Taylor Made Transportation Services Inc. has demonstrated an outstanding performance level, while adding that Taylor’s company’s “performance clearly exceed the performance levels described as excellent.”
“Twenty years actually went quicker than anticipated,” Taylor said. “But, when in the midst of it all, you are not counting time.”
A graduate of Morgan State University with a master’s degree, Taylor said he decided to start his business at what appeared to be an opportune time despite the normal challenges facing a minority-owned business.
“I was working as an intern for a company in D.C. and on the Friday that I graduated from Morgan State they told me that they couldn’t pay me what I’m worth,” Taylor said. “I was at a place where I could start the business and if it failed I still had my masters to fall back on. It worked out well.”
The Taylor Made team is committed to providing cost effective transportation solutions for their clients without sacrificing quality and customer safety, according to Taylor.
They’re diversified suite of services fits any institution, he said, noting that it includes transportation solutions to some of the country’s largest institutions.
Services include wheelchair shuttles for the Department of Veteran Affairs patients, which include being the sole provider of essential pick-up and drop-off for medical appointments throughout the state. The company also provides chauffeur and shuttle service for the Social Security Administration in the Baltimore and Washington Metro area for employees and others.
Taylor Made also provides services for the Department of Defense and Treasury Department and a full range of ambulance services, wheelchair shuttles and cab service. They also offer training and consulting services to a wide range of institutional and private clients including transportation management consulting, First Aid/CPR/AED training, Q’Straint training, defensive driving training, safety training and passenger assistance training.
“My key to success always has been don’t waste time and don’t waste words,” Taylor said. “Don’t waste people’s time and if you say you will do something, you should do it.”
Taylor says it hasn’t always been easy, particularly being an African-American business owner. However, he has never lost faith or his determination.
“Decisions have to be made that affect my employees, 50-something people,” Taylor said. “The funny thing is that I didn’t have anyone to show me the pitfalls and you know you have to walk through a minefield and the wrong step could really blow up in your face.”
Taylor, who has received recognition by the Maryland Special Populations Cancer Research Network Program and was awarded the U.S. Small Business Award and the Positive People Award for Outstanding Entrepreneur by the Baltimore Times in 2006, is grateful for his deal with the federal government and to Morgan State, whom he said he wants to reward in the future.
“I’ve been with the federal government since 1999 and have been in business for 20 years. They gave me an opportunity and so did Morgan State and that means a lot,” he said. “The next 20 years I want to plan for retirement.
“But, first I want to take the company public and allow my employees to buy stock so that it can be employee-owned. Then, I’d like to start a foundation to give back to Morgan State because they afforded me an opportunity from an educational standpoint,” he said.