For Total Transit, contributing to the community isn’t an
afterthought. It’s just how they operate.
“It’s frankly part of our culture and part of our core
values,” says Mike Pinckard, the CEO of Total Transit. “We believe corporations
have an obligation to improve the communities who help them do what they do.”
Total Transit donated more than $173,000 to charitable
organizations last year. In total, members of the Taxicab, Limousine &
Paratransit Association (TLPA) reported to the TLPA Community Connections
program that they donated more than $1.2 million to charities in the past year.
Total Transit says it has a responsibility to weave itself
into the fabric of their communities. In fact, giving back is such a part of
the company’s culture, Total Transit even has its own foundation.
Craig Hughes, the founder and chairman of Total Transit,
created the Total Transit Foundation in 2009. The company gives 6 percent of
its net income to the foundation, which focuses on keeping families together,
as well as supporting children and victims of domestic violence. The Save the
Family Foundation of Arizona, Fisher House Foundation and a community food bank
are among the more than two dozen charities Total Transit supports.
Pinckard says by narrowing the company’s charitable focus to
a shorter and more focused list, they can help relieve some of the financial
pressures faced by local nonprofits and charities.
“Their entire lives revolve around where they’re going to
get the next dollar,” Pinckard says. “So it makes sense to give larger amounts
to really make a difference.
“It
sounds idealistic, but we truly believe the more you give, the more you get. We
believe in setting an example, and we are very, very grateful for the people
who do business with us. We certainly want to do all we can to give back to
them.”
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