Charlottetown taxi company to stay in family hands following owner’s death
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Helen Corrigan and her brother, Joey, say the easiest way they will honour their father is to maintain the taxi enterprise he had a ardour for in household palms.
Joe Corrigan, who drove for and owned Metropolis Taxi in Charlottetown since 1976, died of most cancers March 22 on the age of 80. Six days after his loss of life, members of the family talked about what the enterprise meant to Joe, what he meant to so many individuals in P.E.I.’s capital metropolis and what is going to occur to the enterprise with out him on the wheel.
“Hopefully, me and Joey can keep it up the household custom,” Helen mentioned March 28 in an interview with SaltWire Community. “And, hopefully, we are able to do it for a very long time to come back.”
‘An enormous coronary heart’
Driving taxis runs on this household.
Not solely did Joe drive one however his three brothers did as effectively. Joe’s widow, Rita, drove as did his two youngsters, Helen and Joey.
Edwin, one among Joe’s brothers who drove for 43 years, mentioned driving a taxi was merely one thing each member of the household loved doing.
“It’s in everybody’s blood,” Edwin mentioned.
Joey mentioned his father’s ardour was on a distinct stage.
“Dad liked serving to individuals,” Joey mentioned, whether or not it meant choosing one thing up or ensuring a fellow driver had sufficient cash to begin a shift.
“He had an enormous coronary heart. If anybody wanted a pint or a pack of cigarettes dropped off or had no cash for a float, he’d give them a float,” mentioned Joey. “For those who had no cash to purchase your taxi licence, he’d purchase it for you and also you’d pay him again.’’
“Or, when you wanted a fill-up, he’d maintain your gasoline tank,” Helen added. “He by no means favored to see individuals caught for cash, whether or not he may afford it or not,’’ Edwin mentioned.
Individuals particular person
Rita mentioned her husband additionally liked to work together with the general public and had a particular smooth spot for kids.
“He liked driving children to high school,” Rita mentioned. “He drove numerous youngsters to and from college. That was an enormous factor for him.”
Rita mentioned Joe had been battling most cancers for the previous few years however drove a taxi proper up till November 2021 when well being points caught as much as him.
Joey shortly interjects that his father didn’t wish to cease.
“He would have pushed till the day he died if he may have,” Joey mentioned.
“It was his life,” Edwin added, noting that it turned a household ardour as effectively.
The household mentioned Joe’s ardour was such that he took challenges in stride, whether or not or not it’s competitors from T3 Transit or rising gasoline costs.
“If it meant he needed to work extra hours, he would work extra hours,” Joey mentioned.
The taxi business in Charlottetown is asking the town for a price improve to handle these rising gasoline costs, however the Corrigan household mentioned Joe was at all times involved about climbing charges.
“A whole lot of our shoppers had been individuals on fastened incomes and aged or engaged on minimal wage,” Joey mentioned. “They had been individuals who couldn’t afford to purchase a automobile. He would spot individuals in the event that they wanted to get their children to high school or get to work.”
Helen mentioned their household’s legacy is one thing they’re very conscious of.
“Our hope is to maintain the enterprise within the Corrigan household,” she mentioned.
Do you know?
Following is details about how Joe Corrigan got here to take over as proprietor of Metropolis Taxi in Charlottetown:
- In 1976, Metropolis Taxi was struggling to pay its telephone invoice. Corrigan was instructed if he paid it, he may take over the enterprise.
- Corrigan went to the financial institution and withdrew $2,100, paid off the telephone invoice and took over as proprietor.
Dave Stewart is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island.
