New business in Redfield: R & A Taxi Company

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New business in Redfield: R & A Taxi Company
By Shiloh Appel
A new means of transportation has come to Spink County in the form of R & A Taxi Company. Using their 1997 GMC Yukon, Reuben and Angelina Olson, of Redfield, have started offering rides to all Spink County residents. They are nearly two weeks into this new venture.
"I want to get this going here in Redfield," said Angelina Olson. "We are hoping to bring some more revenue for Redfield as well as some services. It is 24 hours a day, 365 day service, so we will be available any time. If we can get enough business drummed up, we will get a second vehicle. I am hoping to get at least three or four more jobs to some people. I am hoping to reach that target within a couple years or so.  I know it takes a while to get started from nothing, but we are really going to work hard at it."
After being approved by the Redfield City Council on Tuesday, September 4, the Olsons have all of their paperwork in order and have business cards, punch cards, vehicle signage, and a credit card reader on the way. They are offering rides at .50 cents per block with a three block minimum and $1.50 per mile with a five mile minimum.

"We will take them anywhere they want to go, literally. So if they say 'hey, I want to go to Wyoming,' Let's go," said Angelina. "We will drop off at the airport. It doesn't matter which airport — whether it is Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis. If they need help getting somewhere, we will help them."
With roughly three years of experience driving taxi in Aberdeen, Angelina Olson has had the dream of starting her own local taxi service with her husband for some time now. Through the service, the Olsons hope to support local businesses as well.
"I just want to help everybody," said Angelina. "We don't want to take anyone's business away, but if they need a little help, they can rely on us, too. We want  to be more of a team setting with the businesses here in Redfield. We want to bring that camaraderie and not bring any tension."
The Olson's R & A Taxi Company is a pet - friendly service, but has a $10 fee for cleanup of allergens such as pet hair. Among their services offered are food delivery, shopping runs, out of town runs, hunting group runs, cross-country runs, school, wedding, sports, emergency and holiday runs, just to name a few. The Olsons will also be offering specials, such as their bar special.
"If you pay for your ride to the bar or home from the bar, you can receive a free ride home or to pick up your vehicle. You just pay one way," said Angelina."We want you home safe. I lost my cousin [from drunk driving]…he ended up taking his bosses' pickup and flipped it upside down in the creek. So the drunk driving strikes a cord with me. I don't mind helping them."
Other specials include .85 cents to pick up or deliver medicine or for doctor visits; a simple $10  charge for R & A Taxi Company to shop for and deliver groceries in Redfield ( additional charges for out-of-town shopping); and free emergency transportation. More specials and details on specials can be found on the R & A Taxi Company Facebook page.
To contact R $ A Taxi Company, call 605-450-0825.
"I am proud of my wife because she had this dream about it," said Reuben Olson. "…We believe wholeheartedly in God and I am not going to leave that out for anybody. I don't care if they get mad at me or not, but that is the center of the business and our lives. We won't be prejudiced. We are not that way. We treat everybody the same."