Care to Ride
Aug 04, 2016 13h57 ● By Bryan ScottCare to Ride is a transportation service founded Robyn Rausher-Fellows and Deb Oldroyd. Both were recent empty nesters and were familiar with the ongoing needs of their own elderly parents. While walking together in Sugarhouse Park they talked about transportation scheduling issues they had faced with their own parents, and recognized there was gap in the market.
“Most senior centers provide some transportation options, but may not always be able to accommodate everyone. Salt Lake County offers low to no cost rides, but are sometimes hard to schedule,” Robyn and Deb said. “Even with taxis and ride-sharing services, there are still gaps and a need for personalized service.”
“We realized we couldn’t be the only ones needing help,” Deb and Robyn said in a statement. “After some market research and sleepless nights, we decided to pursue this idea.”
Since then, their hunches were confirmed. With the help of the Salt Lake Women’s Business Center and the Salt Lake Small Business Development Center, Care to Ride was up and rolling about seven months later. The phones began ringing after Care to Ride was featured in a Cottonwood Heights City Newsletter.
Care to Ride’s signature “Through the Door” service sets them apart from other ride services. They pick you up, take you where you need to go, stay with you, and get you back home. This service is billed by the hour. For those simply needing a ride, the “Pick up/Drop off” service acts like a taxi with per minute rates. Finally, the “Errand” service will allow customers to stay home and let Care to Ride do the work for you. Care to Ride is able to take customers who are mobile and are able to get in and out of a car with minimal assistance.
Robyn’s background is in graphic design and Deb worked in Information Systems for 20 years. In addition to their entrepreneurial endeavors with Care to Ride, both women also work and volunteer for Sandy Arts working on the pro team for many of their shows. Currently, Robyn does most of the driving while Deb handles the business side.
“One of the best parts of our job is establishing relationships with our clients. We love hearing their stories and always look forward to the next ride!”
Visit www.caretoride.com or call 801-447-6344 to learn more.