Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (July 12/02) - There's competition on the streets of Inuvik now with the opening of Town Cab -- an owner-operated cab company started by Ayman Elshafie and 10 other drivers.

Originally from Egypt, Elshafie has been in the cab business in Inuvik for almost 10 years.

"I've been driving taxi since 1993, when I worked for Inuvik Taxi," Elshafie said. "I was on the taxi commission in 1994 and part owner of United Taxi in 1995."

He's said he's seen the taxi problems evolve in Inuvik since the early days and feels his experience will provide a good service to the customers.

In 1997, he went to work as supervisor at United and later sold his interest in the company.

He said the amalgamation of Arctic Taxi, Co-op Taxi and Inuvik Taxi worked well for four years, but the service has slipped in the past two years. He started Town Cab on the request of other drivers who felt Inuvik needed another cab company.

He said obtaining the livery licence was much like obtaining any other licence, except there was a public hearing at town council.

No opposition

"(Town council was) surprised that no one opposed the livery licence, so they approved the license and gave me 10 days to open up the business," he said. "With the help of all the guys, we were open in three days."

Town Cab now has nine drivers and they hope to have 15 by month's end -- effectively splitting Inuvik's 30 licensed cab drivers between the two companies.

He said the drivers share in the investment, the work and the profits.

"You're not only a driver with this company, you are actually an owner of this company," he said. "The profit means something to you; the success of the company means something to you and the customer means something to you."

The profit-sharing details have yet to be determined, but he said it will likely take the form of a year-end dividend.

Each driver is an owner-operator and they all take turns working nights, weekends and even handling the dispatch duties.

Duties shared

"We all take a part in dispatching, driving and even doing the books," he said. "Every driver has chipped in as much as he can to make this a successful company."

Every car will take a night shift in regular rotation and if more cabs are needed, some may be called in for extra duty.

"If you are not fair, people will run away," he said. "If we need extra drivers, we just call, no one has refused -- they really want to serve and succeed in this business."

He said the response time for a cab here has gone from 45 minutes to five or six minutes since they've opened.

He said the town and other businesses have been very helpful in getting things running, but he's very surprised at the public reaction.

"The response has been beautiful," he said. "We never expected that."

The company also offers free wake-up calls. People will call the night before and say what time they'd like to be woken up and what time they will need the cab.

Elshafie said the commitment from the drivers to bring quality service will ensure that both cab companies will do their utmost to please the customers.

"Now that there is competition, everyone is doing the best that they can to serve," Elshafie said.