Going green with Hicksville limo service

Over the past two decades Matt Silver has transported brides, grooms, corporate executives, celebrities and even a reptile.

But now he's able to do it in a much greener way after purchasing  specially retrofitted Ford Fusion hybrid electric livery vehicles that get 41 miles to the gallon, almost triple that of a standard sedan.

Silver, president of Matt Silver's Ultimate Class Limousine and Ground Transportation Worldwide in Hicksville, added two custom-stretched Fusion hybrids last March -- the first Long Island limousine company to do so -- and has recently purchased a FlexFuel Chevy Suburban for his fleet.

He plans to add at least two more custom hybrid vehicles by the end of the year.

"They're more fuel- and energy-efficient," said Silver, who invested more than $100,000 in the green vehicles. "I want to reduce my carbon footprint."

Silver has come a long way since starting the business out of the basement of his Bethpage home in 1988.

Back then, he had to subcontract limousines until there was enough demand to warrant buying his first vehicle: a $45,000 five-door six-passenger limo.

"My first year in business I had two vehicles," said Silver, who has grown Ultimate Class from a $65,000 operation to a $3.5-million one. "I drove the limos and washed them."

Interest increasing
That would be a hard task today considering his fleet consists of 32 vehicles, including two luxury buses housed out of 12,000 square feet. Since he's added the green vehicles to his fleet, he's been getting an increasing amount of requests for them.

"The majority of clients are very happy to be riding in these vehicles," Silver said.

Edward Fred, president of CPI Aerostructures Inc. in Edgewood, is one of them.

"Whenever there's a green vehicle available, our people are to be picked up in it," said Fred, who doesn't mind trading in a Lincoln Town Car for a Fusion.

"The first time I got in, I was like, What am I sitting in?" quipped Fred, who credits Silver for being "forward thinking."

Gas prices spur sales
The vehicles are six inches longer then a regular Ford Fusion, providing more leg room, and were custom made by Royale Limousine Manufacturers in Haverhill, Mass.

"As the price of gas goes up, so do our sales of them," said Lou Saif, a national service representative for Royale, which made about 100 Fusions last year.

He hasn't sold another custom-stretched hybrid on Long Island, although some other local limo companies do use standard hybrids such as the Toyota Camry.

Silver plans to secure more custom hybrid vehicles, although you won't see him behind the wheel of them.

He no longer chauffeurs, rather focusing his energies on sales, networking and his extensive charitable work.

He's 'out there'
Silver is involved in about 25 local charities and co-founded the Long Island Community Chest.

"He's very community-oriented," said Douglas Schwartz, owner of Executive Limousine in Bellmore and president of the Long Island Limousine Association, of which Silver is second vice president. "He really puts himself out there."

Silver said he hopes to continue to do so both in his charitable efforts and business, which he said is on path to reach $5 million in sales by next year.

"I'm not going anywhere," Silver said.