Reliable transportation is crucial in Alaska. But not everyone has the luxury of owning a vehicle.
That’s why one Seward-based shuttle service offers rides between communities on the Kenai Peninsula, in addition to Girdwood and Anchorage. Red Eye Rides was founded nearly three years ago after noticing a need for transportation services from Seward to the Anchorage airport.
“We’re here for our community,” said co-owner Angel Patterson-Moe. “We’re here in the winter, we’re here in the summer, we’re here to make things easy for other people. Even if the job isn’t easy.”
The company drives to and from numerous cities three times a day in the summer, and twice a day in the winter. They can accommodate up to 10 passengers per ride.
Although their busiest month is July, the company receives about 40% of their revenue in the winter. In fact, they’re the only company on the peninsula that offers winter rides between cities.
Some of their winter business comes from customers who are uncomfortable driving to Anchorage or other cities when road conditions are uncertain. But, many of their wintertime clients are shipyard workers who need rides to and from Seward.
“We bring in scaffolding crews, we bring in welders, we bring in engineers, we bring in scientists," Patterson-Moe said. "In the winter, I feel like who we’re seeing are people coming to work, or people leaving to work.”
Red Eye Rides co-owner Natalie Norris says they’ve recently provided rides for workers of the Aurora ferry, which is currently docked in Seward. She says commercial boats like these are beneficial to the state’s economy.
“Those boats are vital to Alaska and how we all connect," Norris said. "Making sure people have options for getting to work is very important.”
In the winter, the company also transports students from Anchorage and other cities to and from the Alaska Vocational Technical Center’s main campus in Seward. They also give rides to people who live in smaller communities to and from doctor’s appointments in larger cities.
Co-owner Patterson-Moe says the company alleviates the stress of workers finding rental cars in the winter. She says it also prevents workers from driving in snowy and icy conditions – something some shipyard workers have little or no experience with.
“The only time we don’t go is if the state tells us that we need to sit tight because they need to get caught up, or conditions are unacceptable to be on the road," Patterson-Moe said. "Safety is number one.”
Between its first two years in operation, Red Eye Rides saw a 250% increase in revenue. The company says it hasn’t been impacted by fluctuating fuel costs because it's factored into the price of their rides.