Local inventor to light up cab hubcaps in New York City

Tom Mooney

By Peter Coyle

Talk about reinventing the wheel. Tom Mooney, who grew up in Dudley and is a 1983 graduate of Shepherd Hill, has the New York Times banging on his door at his new residence in Naples, Florida.

His latest invention revolutionizing taxi cab advertising has caught the eye of the advertising world and will literally be the way to promote your product in the future. Forget the million dollar 60-second Super Bowl commercial that you think the world is seeing. Mooney’s invention will catch more attention and prove to be the way to go when you want to market a product.

Talk about a local kid who is moving his way up the Fortune 500 ladder, or better yet, the sky is the limit for this hometown kid. Mooney is on his way to the corporate advertising major leagues as his invention will be on taxi fleets in New York City and Chicago and more cities to come. Anything that has a wheel on it can make use of Mooney’s clever and practical invention. 

“We are excited about  the contracts we just signed with New York City and Chicago, it is a great way to start” said an excited Mooney. No one has more taxis than New York City and Chicago. Can’t get a better start than that. “It has been a long time coming. There were times we could have packed it in and given up, but the dream  kept me going.”

Called Billboard Wheels, the invention is a “ no-spin” lighted hubcap that will advertise a product on the wheels of a taxi cab. Can you believe it? Seriously, think about it. Mooney hit it out of the park on this one. Visualize a taxi advertising Coca-cola, Pepsi, or McDonald’s on its lighted no-spin hubcaps, and you are on the streets of New York City, where there are thousands of taxis. 

The “no spin” invention didn’t happen overnight and Mooney will tell you that there were frustrating and exhausting times, but he kept on going because of his father, Robert “Bob” Mooney, a former Nichols College professor who initiated the computer technology in the early 70’s up on Dudley Hill and made believers of the entire Nichols community regarding the new computer age that was going to take over the world.

Professor Mooney had vision when he taught computer courses at Nichols and was passionate about sharing his dream with his students. I remember Professor Mooney teaching computer courses like Mike Vendetti coached his football teams. It was serious stuff. Simply said, “you paid attention.” The Mooney apple didn’t fall far from the tree and Tom stayed inspired because of his father and created Street Media Partners.

The elder Mooney died suddenly in 2007 from a heart attack at the age of 68, in Florida. He had courageously battled leukemia for three years with his son Tom at his side every breath of the way. “Once my dad found out about his illness, he became determined to beat it and make the best of it. He became a warrior in the quest for having a positive attitude despite the bleak outlook,” Tom Mooney said.

Bob Mooney sent a message to his son during the time he was sick. The message was crystal clear. Never give up on your dreams. If it is not a dream, then it isn’t a goal. Persevere and handle life on life’s terms, was the advice from father to son.

Timing is everything in life and with the help of the Mooney’s close friend Ted Murray, the three communicated and encouraged each other during this exciting yet unfair time in their lives. “My dad knew I was on the cusp of something good. He felt it. But at the same time, he was handicapped with his illness. This is where Ted came in and became the emotional rock for both my father and me. Teddy was the one who kept us upbeat and positive on a day-to-day basis. We love Ted and my dad trusted Ted tremendously,” said Tom Mooney.

If you are lucky enough to know Ted Murray, then you are already ahead of this game they call life. The guy is a true inspiration to everybody he sees everyday. “ I have seen the Mooneys handle all kinds of life over the years and I know the father–son bond Bob had with Tom,” said Murray. “Both of them had a deep vision on getting out of the box and they exhausted themselves with their work, which was getting an idea to a new level. Tom really worked hard on this new concept and I know his father is smiling from above right now,” said Murray.

Tom Mooney’s companies are Street Media, LLC and Billboard Wheels, LLC, based in Naples. He is board chairman, founder, and president of both. He has dedicated his efforts since 2000 towards the development of automotive parts and accessories. He invented “Autogram” personalized messages and “Hitch Plate” personalized hitch covers for vehicles.

Both those inventions led to the founding of Billboard Wheels in 2007 and five years of hard work that eventually created the genesis of the “no-spin” technology. The kid from Shepherd Hill has persevered and his dad, Bob, was his inspiration through the hard times.

As we celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday,Tom’s gift to his father is the finished product, and a big Thanks to Bob Mooney for giving his son the love and friendship only a father could give. Good Luck to Tom. You are on your way to bigger and great things. You deserve the best. Remember the days when you cleared land and refurbished three-deckers for a living in Dudley. Keep using those memories as your motivation. Your father would simply tell you now, “Tom, you are terrific.”

Please go to www.streetmediapartners.com to see Tom Mooney’s invention.