Rural residents of southeast Manitoba have a new option when it comes to short distance travel. Emerson Taxi began helping customers get from A to B this past April, though many people don’t know about it yet. The taxi service is run by husband and wife team Neil and Rochelle Rawdon-Alexander and it’s available for rides 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
“Business is growing very quickly,” Rawdon says. “We started with one cab and we now have four. We started with two staff, my husband and myself, and we now hover around the eight to ten employee mark, not including ourselves. Things just continue to grow around here and we are already in discussion of purchasing a fifth cab. Currently, our cabs hold up to a maximum of six passengers plus the driver. However, we are in discussion to purchase an even bigger cab for those bigger events.”
At this stage, Emerson Taxi doesn’t restrict themselves in the area they cover. So far, they’ve taxied as far south as Minnesota and as far east as Fort Francis, Ontario. Many of their calls, though, are from rural residents wishing to get a lift into Winnipeg and back. Unfortunately, at this point they are unable to deliver people from one Winnipeg location to another due to the city’s strict regulations governing taxi services within city limits.
“We started the Emerson Taxi [service] to provide transportation in a rural area,” Rawdon says. “I grew up in Emerson and if you do not have a license or the means to purchase a vehicle, things can be very hard to access here. Employment can be next to impossible without a reliable ride. Basically, you need transportation to live out here and survive comfortably.”
She says the service has been used for a variety of reasons including medical appointments, rides to work, shopping excursions, trips to the emergency unit, and special events like weddings and socials where clients are looking for a safe, designated-driver option.
“We require no notice at all,” adds Rawdon. “We prefer it, but it’s not required. Everyone just has to understand that no matter where they are calling from, we are coming from Emerson. So, add ten minutes to the amount of time it takes to drive to [your location] from Emerson.”
Emerson Taxi uses flat rates to determine ride pricing. Quotes can be obtained in advance by calling the company. The first 25 kilometres from Emerson to the pickup location is free. After that, it’s charged out at half the regular rate. The regular rate only applies to the kilometres clocked between the pickup location and the destination.
Should the client request the taxi to wait at the destination until they are ready to leave, the first hour of wait time is free. After that, Emerson Taxi charges a pro-rated fee of $20 per hour. If the wait time will extend past three hours, the taxi service recommends that another driver in the area return for their pickup to save on costs for everyone. They provide separate, special rates for rides to events.
“Emerson Taxi is the cheapest cab in southern Manitoba,” Rawdon says. “We give the general public discounts and, of course, even better discounts for regular customers. Overall, we aim to please the client and when you have a two-way trip we often offer discounts on the total amount to be paid.”
Flexibility is key for employees of the Emerson Taxi service. Calls can come in at any time, night or day. They might have one trip in a day or ten. The trips range in length from two to twelve hours, depending on the need.
“People often tell us that it is so unusual and unheard of to have a taxi in the area that they sometimes forget that the option is available,” says Rawdon. “Over time, this has and will continue to change.”
