Those celebrities looking to present political correctness when they set foot on the red carpet or arriving at other high-profile events can now do so thanks to a Bronx-based limousine service.
 

Already chauffeuring the likes of Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington and Tony Award nominee, S. Epatha Merkerson, Dunn Rite Limousine Service just purchased its first hybrid Lexus sedan. By simply hiring Dunn Rite’s new vehicle, celebrities can make a statement about their personal carbon footprint before they even step out of their limo. Should the Lexus be unavailable on any given day or evening, celebs and non-celebs alike can hire another of Dunn Rite’s fleet including a Mercedes sedan and an Escalade SUV.
 

Dunn Rite is owned and operated by 54-year old, Frederick Dunn who– after an eight-year stint in the Army which included a tour in the Gulf War as a transportation/fuel specialist and for which he was decorated– returned to New York and began work as a chauffer. Within five years he struck out on his own with a used Mercedes he had purchased with a $7000 down payment he had saved. Over the next three years he built his client roster solely by word-of-mouth and the ensuing success enabled him to secure a $20,000 loan from Bank of America to further grow his business.
 

Dunn continued to expand the business by securing a $35,000 Bank of America line of credit that was guarantied by the U.S. Small Business Administration under its Patriot Express Loan Program. The Patriot Express Loan is available to military community members including veterans, service-disabled veterans, active-duty service members participating in the military’s Transition Assistance Program, Reservists and National Guard members, current spouses of any of the above, and the widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service, or of a service-connected disability.
 

Dunn also happened to use another SBA service--- SCORE. Otherwise known as Counselors to America’s Small Business, SCORE provides free business management counseling from successful active and retired business executives. New York City SCORE counselors Al Korn and Robert Moses help Dunn strategize his expansion and successfully apply for the Patriot Express loan. Dunn regularly consults with Korn and Moses as his business continues to flourish. “I didn’t know about these free services from the SBA and SCORE,” said Dunn. “Now I tell all my friends you’ve got to take advantage of them.”
 

And having come from the projects in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Dunn is committed to giving back to the community, such as making regular donations to the Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals to support its efforts in assisting farm workers; the Smile Train which assists children with cleft palate; the Bowery Mission and Project Hope. So as not to “adversely impact his community,” he and his wife, Rosa, purchased an environmentally friendly Toyo ta Prius for their personal use. “I have a definite destination in mind,” said Dunn. “But until then I’m really enjoying the journey.”