Our past, our mission and our future

One of the oldest!

Chappaqua Limousine Company History

Chappaqua Limousine was established in the final quarter of the 19th century. Our founder, Wilbur Hyatt, was a respected entrepreneur and community leader from Chappaqua, as well as a member of The Greeley Memorial Committee. At that time, Mr. Hyatt operated a livery stable and provided hacking services on North Greeley Avenue, with additional stables on King Street (then known as Main Street). He formally incorporated the business in 1891 and continued to operate it until 1925.

The second owner, Earl Gedney, also a Chappaqua resident, was deeply involved in the community and organized many local events. Mr. Gedney introduced motor vehicle taxi services from Greeley Avenue before selling the business to the third owners, the McCarty family.

In 1938, the company was purchased by John and James Cotter, who operated as the Cotter Brothers. When James Cotter became Chief of Police for New Castle in 1949, the brothers sold the business in 1952 to the company’s fourth owners, the Arco family of Pleasantville.

The Arco family expanded the Cotter Brothers’ two-vehicle operation into a fleet of eight vehicles. Mr. Frank Arco replaced the small wooden shack at the Chappaqua Train Station with a larger, more substantial building. At the time, fares had risen to a $4.00 minimum charge, compared to just 50 cents in earlier years. Joseph and David Arco, sons of Mr. Arco, began assisting their father at a young age, even driving by the age of 14. The family also handled mail transport, backing their truck up to the train to rush mail to the post office and return before the train departed—sometimes even exchanging mail bags by throwing them when the train didn’t stop.

From 1949 to 1985, the business flourished, serving a distinguished clientele including President Richard Nixon, Tommie Manville, David Rockefeller and members of the Rockefeller family, Governor Averell Harriman, Werner von Braun, Henry Cabot Lodge, James Michener, Betty White, Allen Ludden, Vanessa Williams, Diane Sawyer, and many more.

After the sudden passing of Frank Arco in 1985, his sons Joseph and David Arco took over the business. In 2019, they sold Chappaqua Limousine to its fifth and current owner, Jack Aydogdu.

Upon taking ownership, Mr. Aydogdu modernized the company, bringing it into the 21st century with a new website, online reservations, digital dispatching, driver and customer mobile applications, camera systems and GPS tracking systems to enhance both safety and efficiency. The company has also updated its fleet with newer vehicles in 2020 and 2025. In addition, Chappaqua Limousine launched several social responsibility programs at the beginning of 2020.

Today, Chappaqua Limousine continues to proudly serve a diverse clientele, including respected authors, journalists, state senators past and present, local government officials, major corporate clients, and countless families throughout the region.

Chappaqua 1730-1791

In 1730's (according to some sources 1740's) some people from religious group called Quakers moved from Purchase to today's Chappaqua. Chappaqua was a part of Town of  North Castle until New York State broke North Castle into smaller towns. Chappaqua became a part of New Castle on March 18, 1791. 

Chappaqua Train Station 1846

In 1846 New York and Harlem Railroad extended railroad to Chappaqua and opened to commuters on June 1, 1947. By convenience of train, town expended and businesses moved to today's downtown area of Chappaqua.  Railroad rebuild twice after original construction (1902, 2007).  Railroad also brought some known public figures and companies from New York City to Chappaqua, such as Horace Greeley and magazine Reader's Digest from 1939 to 2004.

Chappaqua Tornado 1904

Chappaqua hit by strong tornado in 1904 and took couple of years to fully recovered from it. 

Wilbur Hyatt, Establishment of
Livery Stables & Hacking Service

Our founder Mr. Wilbur Hyatt started to operate hacking service with carriages with the name of "Livery Stables & Hacking Service". (According to Turner's New York & Harlem Railroad Directory between New York City and Brewster for the years 1891-1892 Livery Stable was running business between those years.) Stable was located on Main Street of Chappaqua. (today's King Street) Later years service turned into taxi service with cars and finally in 1989 changed it's name and became Chappaqua Taxi and Limousine Service. Mr. Hyatt was business entrepreneur and  member of Chappaqua Historical Society, Greeley Memorial Committee  along with other organizations. 

Earl Gedney 1925

Earl Gedney bought Mr. Wilbur Hyatt's Livery Stables & Hacking Service and turned in to Car Service.  He expanded the business and it to McCarty family out of Chappaqua. McCarty family carried the company through Great Depression. In 1938 John Cotter & James Cotter brothers bought the company. 

Cotter Brothers 1938-1949

Company was able to survive World War II under management of John & James Cotter brothers but business inevitably shrank to only 2 cars operation. Even after victory of the war economic hardship continued. In 1949 when James Cotter became Chief of Police of New Castle, New York they sold the business to Arco family as fourth owner of the company. 

Mr. Frank Arco 1949

Mr. Arco was able to add 6 more cars to fleet in 4 years and many more in following years.. Under his management  the company became one of the largest taxi and limousine company in the region. 

Chappaqua Train Station 1953

Newly added 6 cars belongs to Chappaqua Taxi Services lined up in front of Chappaqua Train Station. 

Mr. Frank Arco 1962

Newspaper from 1962. Mr. Arco recently purchased 2 new Cadillacs from Mr. Richard Martabano. 

Mr. Frank Arco by Chappaqua Train Station  

Towards end of 1970's. Mr. Arco with his Cadillac Limousine

Chappaqua Limousine 1985

1985. Chappaqua Limousine making pickup from private jet at Westchester Airport

Joseph & David Arco Brothers 2010's

After Mr. Frank Arco his two sons run the company from 1985 to 2019. In that 34 years they were able to accomplished to expand the company even further.

Jack Aydogdu 2019

Jack Aydogdu - long time member of Chappaqua Limousine family - took over the company in 2019 from Arco brothers. He added new website,  online reservation future, customer and driver applications to the company. His experience in Limousine and Transportation industry helped company to meet today's standards and beyond. 

Our New Logo 2019

While we were renewing our 55 years old logo, as of 2019 ending, we didn't want to have something totally new. Our talented designer who has over 35 years experience in his field work very hard to give us our new logo without disconnecting the company from it's long past. Between many options and meetings, we choose our logo to represent our company.

Upgrading Our Fleet With New Vehicles 2020

Company added new ways to stay connected with customers by end of 2019 and beginning of 2020. Community has many ways to reach Chappaqua Limousine now more than ever. While communication part is getting done by our IT team,  our fleet updated with newer vehicles. We have added large SUV's and new sedans to our fleet.

Pandemic of Covid-19

As pandemic started to hit US Cities in beginning of March 2020, Chappaqua Limousine started to operate with skeleton crew to a few selected customers' emergency needs. Starting end of March 2020 for 3 months we temporary closed down our office and adopted working from home model for office personal. Chappaqua Limousine stayed open through out the pandemic and it was one of the a few companies who sanitized their vehicles before each trip in the nation. We offer free face shields, face masks and sanitizers to all of our customers during the pandemic. While we survived our second pandemic after Spanish Flu, we share the pain of people, who lost loved ones...