By Dan Rudy
Sentinel writer
Wrangell’s sole taxi service announced April was to be its last month running, making its final drop-off Saturday evening.
Citing unforeseen circumstances, Northern Lights Taxi made the announcement late last week on social media site Facebook. It thanked Wrangell for its continued support over 18 years of business.
“My husband and I have been looking to get out of the taxi business for the last couple of years,” co-owner Charity Hommel explained. She and her husband, Joe, had operated the service for a decade, taking it over from his parents. Joe Hommel received an important job offer on Friday, she explained, one which needed a fast answer.
“It was just kind of a spur-of-the-moment
thing, but it was something he couldn’t pass up,” she said.
“It’s not bad. The taxi business has been great for us,” Hommel added. However, there were some challenges to it. For one thing, the work is largely seasonal, picking up primarily in the summertime. A downturn in the economy has also had an effect on ridership in recent years.
Taxiing also affected the Hommels’ life rhythm, as the hours can be eclectic and long on the weekends.
“It’s hard as far as being on call. There’s not a lot of family time,” she said. “We just needed a change in our life.”
The engine had hardly cooled on Northern Lights’ cab before another message went up on the Wrangell Community Board and Buy, Sell & Trade pages on Facebook. On Sunday afternoon, Billie and Joe Younce said they would be starting up a new transport service as soon as possible.
Billie Younce explained the decision came during a weekend camping trip near Salamander Ridge. The weekend began with a broken truck windshield, with the couple heading out to the campsite to put town behind them for a bit of fresh air. They left with some friends on Saturday, and eventually had a good talk.
“That night Joe and I were discussing together about coming up with a business of our own, especially since the price of things in town are just so darn expensive,” she recounted. “We tossed around several ideas that night, but ended up just turning in for the night. We awoke Sunday morning to a quiet house and a nice hot cup of coffee, when my husband Joe opened up the Wrangell Buy Sell and Trade application on his phone and saw that Joe and Charity had closed their doors. Saddened, we both looked at each other as if this was our sign, our sign to start our own venture and service to our community.”
The Younces spoke with the Hommels about the business, and were given advice on how to start up a cab company.
“With the overwhelming encouragement we had our business license in a matter of minutes, and started the ball rolling,” Younce said. The couple are still working on the insurance paperwork, she explained, adding service may be up and running by Friday.
The new service, called Clear Water Cab Company, will initially run with one vehicle. Fares will remain the same as Northern Lights, and hours between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, running 8 a.m. till bar closure Fridays and Saturdays. The service would not run on Sundays, and a holiday schedule is being worked out.
“We chose the name Clear Water Cab Company because it reminded us of a favorite fishing spot up the Stikine River, Clear Water,” Younce explained. “We look forward to serving our community.”
“It’s been a good, long haul for us,” Hommel remarked. She was glad to see someone take up the taxi mantle so quickly, and wished the new startup well. “We kind of left it open for anybody that wanted to take it up,” she said.
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