Liberty bids farewell

Liberty Cab co-owner Gianni Caponera sent word earlier this week that, after 12 years serving the community, his fleet of more than 20 vehicles will no longer be seen on the streets of Chico starting May 1.

“Support from our passengers has been great, but we are no longer able to find enough qualified applicants interested in driving taxi cabs,” Caponera said in a press release.

The company, which has won Best Cab Company in CN&R’s annual reader’s poll seven times, has long included charity fundraising as part of its mission. Earlier this month, it held a 24-hour Ride for Life event in which 17 drivers donated their fares in hour-long blocks. That event raised $1,442—with Liberty matching drivers’ contributions—to support the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life.