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Tales of the delivery driver
Hazards of the job include delivering to houseboats and customers in their underpants

Katherine Hudson
Northern News Services
Published Tuesday, March 22, 2011

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - As a pizza delivery driver, Noel Taylor says when the front door opens, he never knows what to expect. Sometimes there is nice artwork hanging in the front hallway.

NNSL photo/graphic

Noel Taylor gets ready for a shift as nighttime delivery supervisor at Boston Pizza Sunday. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

Other times, men answer their doors in their underpants.

"Like guys are in just their boxers. They don't seem to be embarrassed about it at all," he said.

But Taylor said he maintains his professionalism.

"I'm able to keep my composure. There's a humor there for sure."

Taylor has worked the delivery shift at Boston Pizza since August, and since the establishment delivers more than just pizza he says it makes the deliveries less monotonous.

"Being as diverse as it can be, I don't get sick of looking at the food or smelling it. I still love pizza and food in general," said Taylor.

"When you're around food, it smells good but you have to be professional about it like any job."

The shift runs from about 4 p.m. until the car is parked after the last delivery around 11:30 p.m.

Taylor said later on in the evening, the streets are quiet, minus the odd brawl, car accident or police check-stop he might pass.

Not a night goes by without a delivery request, according to Taylor, ranging from 10 calls to more than 30 during the shift.

Taylor said his cellphone is his "bible," as he uses the installed GPS application to find his way to all corners of Yellowknife, even houseboats.

"I delivered to my very first houseboat last week," he said. "If I have a problem locating something on the GPS on my phone or I call the customer. In this case, I had to call.

"I said 'There's a lot of houseboats out there. Which one are you and how do I get to you?'"

Delivering to houseboats is a winter-only service.

"We wouldn't canoe out to the houseboats," said Taylor. "We don't own hovercrafts or anything."

On the not-so-great side of the job, he is occasionally menaced by large dogs who are ready to protect their territory and see what sumptuous items the stranger is carrying.

"That's something that is kind of bothersome for me personally … But most dogs are friendly," he said.

He said in general, the customers he visits are courteous and the shifts whiz by as call after call comes over the lines.

"You have to pay attention to details under pressure like a lot of service jobs. It can be really busy so it can be high intensity, but enjoyable."

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