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Montgomery, Ala., Airport Shuttle's Maiden Voyage in December

Posted on: Monday, 21 November 2005, 18:00 CST

By David Irvin, Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.

Nov. 20--A new entrepreneur will challenge the established players in the human transport business when he starts up an airport shuttle service next month in Montgomery.

But those already in the business say he'll have a tough go of it, with high gas prices and low margins all around.

Crest Harris, a longtime city employee who for the past four years has been giving tours of Montgomery, acquired a business license Nov. 9 from the city and decided to go into business for himself.

His business, Harris Air Shuttle Service, is set to open in December.

He said there is ample opportunity to make money in the market by moving people between Montgomery and Birmingham, especially air travelers.

"It came about basically because a friend of mine needed a ride to the airport," Harris said. "She was trying to get a ride to the airport and it was very expensive."

His customized Ford vans will do most of the legwork, carrying up to nine passengers at a time between cities in central Alabama. For $35 to $40, Harris said he can get travelers from Montgomery to Birmingham.

He will try to maintain a schedule once up and running, he said.

"We found a niche in the market, where we found that we could provide a reasonable and affordable service to the general traveling public," he said.

However, that business model, according to a local limousine operator, is difficult to make work.

Doug Isaacson, one of the owners of Capitol Coach in Montgomery, said several shuttle services have opened here and failed.

Even his own company has tried to penetrate that market without success, he said.

"It's been tried a million times," he said. "The only problem is people aren't willing to wait."

By that he means business travelers want to travel on their own schedule. When they get stuck in a shuttle waiting for another passenger, they become frustrated and dissatisfied. The driver who leaves right on time might alienate those who didn't quite make the scheduled departure time.

Isaacson said his "personalized" services allow travelers to continue with their business all the way down the road.

For $33.75 per person, Isaacson will send a sedan for four between the cities. That price goes down as the vehicle and the party get bigger, he said. A limousine service for 14 will cost each individual about $23 for the run between Montgomery and Birmingham.

"We pick them up from Birmingham, and by the time they make it here they have made 15 phone calls," he said.

Capitol charges a flat rate for its services. A sedan costs the same no matter if it carries one or four people. Harris' service provides an advantage for individual travelers who can't organize a party. But they still have to hit those scheduled times.

Isaacson said Harris' challenge won't affect his business, but it may hit the cab companies in the area, some of which transport travelers between the cities.

Barbara Collins, owner of Checker and Deluxe, a local cab company with six cars, said it could affect her. Cabs are having a rough go of it these days, she said.

"People sit there all day and don't even get one trip," Collins said. Gas prices, she said, are drowning all the profits, especially when the cab drivers can't get much business.

Harris admits the high price of gas made him think twice about going into business. But with gas prices falling now, Harris said he is confident in his business model.

Harris said his services are for the "savvy business traveler," who wants to fly out of Birmingham but doesn't want to spend the gas money to get there or to park a car. He remains upbeat about his business prospects and anticipates quick growth. Eventually, he wants to travel to Selma, Auburn and beyond.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Montgomery Advertiser, Ala.

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Source: Montgomery Advertiser

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