Need a ride? This taxi service will take you and your car home
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POCATELLO — A taxi service in Pocatello is giving people a little extra help getting where they need to go — whether that’s the grocery store, a medical appointment or a lift home from the bar.
Shudl, a transportation service in Pocatello, held a ribbon cutting on December 5 to commemorate its expansion. The business added two new vehicles to its fleet, bringing its total up to seven cars.
“We feel that (our customers) should have a right to ride in nice cars,” said Joe Redd, CEO of Shudl. “So we’re going to continue to go and try to get new cars. For us, it signifies that we’re at the next level (and are) doing more for the community.”
Shudl doesn’t operate the same way Uber or Lyft does. Because it’s a taxi service, customers book a ride through Shudl’s website and a driver is dispatched to their location.
Currently, Shudl is in the process of re-implementing its designated driver service, which it discontinued due to COVID-19. Bar patrons can once again contact Shudl and get a ride home in their own vehicle.
“We’re re-implementing the designated driver service because it was so needed,” Redd said.
Before it was discontinued, the designated driver service was most commonly used by individuals with a history of DUI. Redd explained this was likely because they understood the consequences associated with driving under the influence.
The service isn’t just for bar patrons, though. Anyone who drives their vehicle somewhere and can’t drive it back home for any reason can call Shudl for a designated driver. According to the company’s website, drivers often drop people off at the Boise and Salt Lake City airports.
For the time being, Redd and his wife, Jessie, are running designated driver routes, since they require two drivers. They are looking to hire one new driver, but if the demand increases they’ll hire more. The more people who book rides through Shudl, the more cars and drivers they’ll add to their service, Redd said.
Shudl also offers non-emergency medical transportation through a partnership with United Way. People who do not have Medicaid or other insurance can get a ride to the Portneuf Health Trust City Center Campus. There, they can visit the South East Idaho Behavioral Crisis Center, the Pocatello Free Clinic, the Center for Hope and the Healthwest City Center Clinic.
People who have medicaid can contact MTM about getting free rides to medical appointments.
Customers can go to it’s website to sign up for a Shudl pass, which is an account where they can set up a ride schedule or call for a ride. It also allows them to set up automated ride billing.
If someone doesn’t want to set up an account, they can call (208) 244-5196 for a ride.
Redd wants the community to know that they have higher goals for their business in mind, beyond just its profits.
“We want people to know that we’re focusing on the community and trying to help it rather than just making the Shudl rich,” Redd said.