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Driving for a living

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (May 08/06) - On Friday afternoons, when everyone else is winding down from a work week, Roy Burke of Hay River is ready to get busy.

That's because he's a taxi driver.

Burke says cabbies are busiest from Friday afternoon to 6 or 7 a.m. on Saturday morning.

"It's unbelievable," he says. "There are lots of parties going on and people moving about after the bars close."

The slowest day of the week is Sunday, he said, noting people seem to be recovering.

"They've shot the lights out Friday and Saturday nights."

Burke says it's also busy when it rains or snows. "That's beautiful taxi weather. We're the only ones that like bad weather."

He has driven a cab in Hay River for the last 10 years, but previously worked in Inuvik, Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Fort Smith.

"I like being out and about," he says, noting he usually works an 11 to 12-hour shift per day.

Burke drives for Reliable Cabs, which owns the cars. Fares and gas expenses are split 50/50 between the drivers and the company.

"In this business, you never know when you go to work what's going to happen," he says. "That's one thing I like about it. You meet people from all over the world up here."