Minot Taxi Services | Video

Amy Fox | 11/27/2012

Phones ring off the hook at Central Cab Company in Minot as people call for a ride.

"It`s definitely been crazy,” said manager Chris Braun. With Minot`s growing population, more people are relying on taxi cabs to get from point A to point B quickly.

"We`re trying to get them to where they need to go as quick as we can," said driver Thomas Fowler.

On average two to three hundred people call Central Cab for a ride each day. But with only 19 drivers, it can be a challenge to respond to all the calls.

"It`s a challenging job and it takes a special type of person to do it, so I think that may be part of why we`ve went through so many," said Braun.

Fowler said, "We`re dealing with what drivers we got. And, our drivers are going and going and going, but it just, hopefully, we`ll be set here shortly and have more drivers and be able to get to them faster."

One of the most popular taxi stops is the airport.

To keep up with the growing demand, Central Cab is offering cab services from the airport’s runoff parking lot to the front doors.

"It`s too cold and windy and you`ve got elderly people. So we`ve been working on that," said Braun.

In addition to the shortage of drivers, heavy traffic also slows down cabs.

Fowler said, "We try to do a lot of side streets, try to find the fastest way for the customer to get to where they need to go in a timely manner."

The next time you go to call for a cab, you may want to allow a few extra minutes. If you change your mind, let the cab company know, so they don`t send a driver out.

If you need a cab to pick you up, Braun says to call at least 30 minutes in advance.

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