Akber Batada is not a taxi driver like the others. Driving with him is an experience that will change your day and will remain etched in your memory for life, I assure you.

I went to Toronto for an important business meeting, and that was early in morning. I am not a morning person, I admit. It takes me two cups of good espresso to start my brain engine and thereby begin my day. Here I am in Toronto the morning of the appointment. My espresso ritual being already accomplished, I phone to order a taxi and go out in the street to wait. What a surprise when I saw the car coming! I was not sure whether I was fully awake.

The car had all kinds of neon signs, lights of different colours on the outside and inside. Be it! But also inside, the cab was decorated with numerous figurines of comic book heroes and of cartoon characters like Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Betty Boop, just to name a few. That's what I noticed at first sight and I had not yet entered into the car!

"Come in," said Akber Batada in English with a huge smile and a delightful accent from the Indian subcontinent.

After having given him the address of my appointment, Mr Batada offers me a chocolate bar and chewing gum. "What kind of music would you like to listen? I have all kinds of music. Or would you rather watch a movie? What kind of movie do you want? ". Do you have Bollywood movies, I asked Mr Batada since I felt already elsewhere, in another country. Immediately, an Indian musical comedy was projected onto the two screens of the headrests of the front seats. How wonderful! I'm not in Toronto anymore, I am in India, and my cosmic journey had just begun.
My day had changed, I also start wearing a big smile on my lips and I felt in a great mood.

I take a few minutes to look around. I see neon lights, two racks of magazines, children's books, toys, and a sort of altar between the two front seats with a figurine of Elvis Presley inside. Well, an endless list of decorations. Intrigued by it all, I start asking Mr. Batada about his life and why his taxi is so exceptional.

Mr Batada came to Canada from Mumbai, India in 1981, where he used to have a seafood import-export business. Visiting Canada on business, he decided to settle in this country and accordingly brings his family in order to give them a better life. After creating a similar import-export business in Canada, he decided to open an exotic fruit and juice store. However, the latter took him a considerable time, keeping him busy seven days a week.

So 28 years ago, Akber Batada leaves his business and decides to drive a taxi to manage his time in his own way. His commitment was to improve his quality of life and to spend more time with his family. Since then, Akber begins each workday at 7 am and ends at noon to rest and take a nap. He returns to work at around 16:00 until 22:00. Akber Batada never works on Sundays. His schedule allows him to maintain a balanced life, and this is certainly a winning bet, as at the age of 60 Akber Batada seems 20 years younger.

Akber Batada is very happy since he drives his taxi. One bright day, five years ago, he decided to share his joy by making his passengers happy. He bought decorations for $ 4000 dollars and modified his taxi. Each month, he buys new magazines for his clients. There are chargers for mobile phones, electrical outlets for computers and there is even Wi-Fi in his car. For each holiday or celebration, he modifies his decorations according to the occasion. Most definitely, Santas and reindeer sleds populate his taxi at the end of the year.

"To see my passengers happy makes me happy, I want to see them smile." And if you take me as an example, Akber had succeeded unquestionably.

Once at my destination, I got off the car with some regret. So I took his business card and decided to call him for another day to write an article about him.

During my second experience, my pleasure is doubled. Our journey through the cosmic night of Toronto begins, as usual, with a Bollywood movie as background music. Akber showed me his "Toronto", and I discovered another city that the one I knew. I venture to think that nobody else knows Toronto as much as he does.

Akber Batada shows the most interesting places in Toronto, always with a smile and affable conversation. At every red light, passers by approach his taxi, attracted by the lights and the music. People are just happy. They smile to him, they congratulate him, they applaud him, ask him for business cards.

At a stoplight, a police car stops by our Cosmic Cab. The police officer gets out of the car and approaches our taxi. I think that's the end of the fun and the beginning of problems, I wonder if the decorations are legal or not. But instead of giving him a citation as I feared, the police officer smiled and asked Mr Batada whether he take a picture of him and his Cosmic Cab. Mr Batada spreads happiness all over the city of Toronto.

"With 5,000 taxis in Toronto, I have not been emulated yet. No driver wants to invest to make people happy. " Tells me Mr Batada.

Akber Batada remains the only one among 5000 taxis, and therefore, it is almost impossible to come across in the streets of Toronto. So how to do in order to live this unforgettable experience?

I asked M Batada his phone number in exclusivity for our readers Wall Street International (+1 416 807 2949). Call him. Tell him I sent you. You will not regret it...