A taxi service is up and running in Niverville. Varinder Ghuman finalized the necessary paperwork and began operations on Monday, May 27.

Ghuman began the service for two reasons, one of them based on the personal experience of his family, especially in winter.

“I work out of town a lot, and sometimes my wife is at work as well,” Ghuman explains. “And sometimes in winter it was hard for kids to get home from school… for those reasons it can be easier with something available where you don’t have to depend on anyone else.”

Ghuman also thought that others in Niverville would appreciate the service, and so far he has been pleased with the public response.

“I’ve been getting positive feedback about it,” he says. “I posted it on Facebook and got a very good response.”

While Ghuman is confident there is a need for a taxi service in a growing community, he is aware of the uncertainty surrounding whether Niverville will be able to support its first venture into public transport.

“It’s challenging with the population we have… and whether they will use it. We’ll see how it goes,” he says.

Ghuman is starting the service small with just one minivan, but he knows there is room to grow as needed.

“It’s only one vehicle… and I’m starting it myself with a couple drivers on the side,” Ghuman says. “I’m trying to accommodate 24-hour service and try to keep that up.”

Rates for using his taxi will be comparable to similar services in Winnipeg and Steinbach.

“I did my research on rates with other towns and I was surprised with how much some out-of-town companies were charging. I don’t know how people can afford that kind of pricing. My rates are a little bit off the city rates, but it’s pretty much the same. It’s very reasonable rates.”

While Ghuman expects there will be demand for service locally, Niverville Taxi will also drive longer distances if requested.

“I’m hoping it will be a mix of everything,” he says, “but it’s hard to say right now.”

His decision to start Niverville Taxi comes only seven months after Ghuman and his family moved to Niverville from Winnipeg back in November 2018. The welcoming community was another consideration for starting the new business.

“I love this community,” he says. “There has been nothing negative about living here.”