Vi Werchola said there are only two or three taxis on the road at any given time. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

local transportation

L.A. Family Taxi ‘trying to hang in there’ for tri-community residents

Mar 30, 2020 | 5:01 PM

Fewer residents of the tri-communities are on the move in recent weeks leading to a significant decrease in calls to L.A. Family Taxi.

“Business has slowed right down,” Owner Vi Werchola said. “We’re hardly doing anything out of town right now because a lot of people’s appointments have been cancelled unless they’re emergencies. We are trying to hang in there for people in town if they do have to go shopping or pick up medication or whatever they have to do.”

The decrease in calls has led Werchola to lower the amount of taxis on the road at any given time. While there used to be seven or eight taxis in service at once on the busiest days, now there’s only two or three drivers on the morning and evening shifts.

Werchola mentioned drivers are also working hard to disinfect the cabs the best they can, adding they’ve also been wearing gloves and masks.

“Most of them have been very good about it,” she said. “Of course, they depend on their earnings to pay their bills. They are trying their best too. We’re listening to the news all the time. If there was a complete outbreak up here we would have no choice but to shutdown for their protection. We’re just going day-by-day.”

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With the many years of experience Werchola has in the taxi business, she said she’s never experienced anything like the pandemic currently underway around the world. It does give her flashbacks, however, of the 2015 fires which led to the evacuation of all residents from Air Ronge, La Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. During that time, her business remained open to transport firefighters.

Werchola also expects to do some research into the federal government’s financial relief program for small and medium-sized businesses soon. Currently, the Liberals are offering a worker wage subsidy of 75 per cent and an interest-free loan of $40,000 for one year.

“I don’t sleep too good these days,” she said. “It is a worry, that’s for sure, but everyone is in the same boat and we just have to pray and hope things will be OK up here. I’m just hoping we all pull through together. If everyone does their part and stays home as much as possible, I’m sure we’ll be OK.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno