Rankin Inlet taxi service shuts down after nearly 6 years

After nearly six years of driving residents around Rankin Inlet, Silu’s Taxi has closed.

Owner Silu Autut announced the closure Nov. 5 on Facebook, saying the cost of keeping vehicles on the road had become too much to justify continuing the service.

“The breakdowns and the cost of maintenance kept adding up, especially with what the cost of living is nowadays, and the long hours do catch up at the end,” Autut said to Nunatsiaq News in an interview conducted over Facebook Messenger.

Silu’s Taxi opened in February 2021, after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I started it for the town, to make sure the town is taken care of, not just to make money,” Autut said. 

The taxi operated daily, starting at 8 a.m. and usually running until at least 10 p.m.

On Fridays and Saturdays, service often continued until midnight.

“Sometimes, in the cold winter months or in the rain, we would pick up people walking by with an amauti carrying their infants, just to get them out of the cold and home safe,” Autut said.

The business partnered with the Northern store and Kissarvik Co-op to deliver groceries to residents in isolation during the pandemic. During this time, the Kivalliq Inuit Association hired the company to deliver gift cards door-to-door.

The taxi company has also partnered with Slap Shot Canteen to donate pizza to students and staff at Leo Ussak Elementary School to celebrate their last day of classes.

By January 2022, the business had grown to seven drivers and a mechanic, Autut said. 

But operating a vehicle for more than 12 hours a day came with considerable expenses, he said, including fuel, insurance, maintenance and repairs.

“Especially in winter, the vehicle had to stay running throughout the days, and gas consumption was a lot too,” Autut said. 

The company went through several vehicles over the years and experienced multiple breakdowns in the past year alone, he said. Not having a hoist in the garage for certain repairs also made major rebuilds more expensive.

Finding reliable drivers was another challenge, as the long hours took a toll on employees, Autut said.

Rankin Inlet still has another taxi company, Rankin Taxi. Autut said he hopes it continues to serve the community and that he will offer help when needed.

He said the response to the closure announcement on Facebook has been kind. 

“It is very hard to see some of the comments, as they relied heavily on the service we provided,” Autut said. “I hope someone steps up soon, so there can be more reliable service out there all day and night.”

He now plans to focus on his other businesses in the community: Silu’s Shop, a small-engine repair business, and Angijut Ltd., an overland hauling company.

“We are so grateful for every person who called us, rode with us, and trusted us over the years,” Autut said. “We will miss all of you, and we will miss being out there for you, day and night.”