A new taxi company will bring vital transportation services back to Hay River

Residents of Hay River, N.W.T. can again call for a cab. 

The Town of Hay River has been without a taxi service for over a year. Residents who rely on it for medical appointments, errands, and social outings have felt the gap. Enter NorthStar Taxi.

The previous service became intermittent and eventually disappeared, leaving residents without taxis entirely. In a town where the average winter temperatures can plunge below -20 C, reliable transportation can be a matter of necessity rather than just convenience.

Hay River resident Shari Caudron previously told CBC about the challenges of getting around town without public or private transportation companies.

"You wait six weeks to get a dental appointment and finally get it, and you can't go," said Caudron, who almost missed an appointment last winter during a cold snap when her vehicle wouldn't start.

In September, the town changed a bylaw and eliminated a rule that taxi drivers needed to be available 24 hours a day.  

That's when Okbay Hailemariam said he saw an opportunity to provide a critical service in the town. So, after 17 years in Yellowknife, where he also drove a cab, Hailemariam decided to move to the South Slave community and launched NorthStar Taxi on December 10.

So far, he said the feedback has been positive.

"The reaction was good, they gave us good feedback," he said. "They say 'thank you for coming'. So far, we are doing good."

Hailemariam said NorthStar Taxi currently has two vehicles. Although he said business has been steady over the holidays, he said demand needs to grow for the service to thrive. Hailemariam hopes to be able to expand to three vehicles.  

"We are going to do all we can to give them good business. That's our hope," he said. "If we have a busy service, we are going to stay here," he said. 

Hailemariam's hopes extend beyond the success of the business. He said he likes the people and the community and plans to move his family to Hay River too.

To book a NorthStar Taxi in Hay River, call 867-445-9122. Their hours are 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. but say they will operate up to 2 a.m. if they are busy.