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INUVIK - Inuvik finally has its handi-van taxi, and as far as Mayor Derek Lindsay is concerned it's arrived not a moment too soon.

"I'm ecstatic," he said. "It's badly needed - and not only for those in wheelchairs, but those struggling with mobility issues. The council is proud to have made this project a reality."

United Taxi owner Abdalla Mohamed, left, and Inuvik Mayor Derek Lindsay unveil the town's newest and only handi-van taxi on April 24. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

The $53,000 van, complete with a ramp, collapsible seats, adjustable floor belts to keep chairs secure and plenty of room to store crutches, arrived from Vancouver last week a few months ahead of its summer schedule.

But the process of getting it here involved team work. With support of the local chapter of the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities, United Taxi owner Abdalla Mohamed showed up to council last month with a proposal to acquire a special licence to operate the van. Council issued the license within a few weeks.

Mohamed said he was thrilled. The fleet's newest addition is as much about serving an often-neglected section of the public as it is about making money, he said.

The handi-van's normal hours of operation will be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., but the company will accommodate travel after hours with advance booking. When it's not occupied by disabled and mobility-restricted customers, it will operate as a regular taxi.

Living with a disability, Lindsay said he was particularly passionate about the project, since he is aware that some of the simplest tasks most people take for granted can be impossible for others. He said anything that makes life easier for people is a good thing.