Red Eye Rides, the shuttle service that since 2022 has been ferrying people up and down the Seward Highway, on Sunday will debut a new route through Kenai and Soldotna.
At 8 a.m. on Sept. 1, the first Kenai passengers will be picked up on a Red Eye Rides bus and brought to either Anchorage or Seward, Angel Patterson-Moe and Natalie Norris said Monday. Along the way, passengers will be picked up at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and at the Sterling Three Bears — Patterson-Moe said they hadn’t yet locked down a Soldotna pickup spot, but that one would be picked before the route launched.
Patterson-Moe said that after the route launches, they’ll build relationships with passengers and modify as needed to best serve them — just like they did when Red Eye Rides was started in Seward.
The new route has been in the works for much of the year. The pair purchased new rigs in March, now they’re looking to fill those seats and get people where they need to go. They’ve already found a driver in Soldotna to work full time. Norris said she’s looking forward to coming over from Seward herself to meet people.
In their existing operations, Patterson-Moe said they transport many passengers to the airport, but also lots of passengers to specialized health care. They have buses accessible to disabled people and can work with Medicaid.
They started, she said, to help their neighbors with transportation. They’re eager to reach people around a broader swath of the peninsula.
“Our goal is to provide the peninsula with transportation,” she said. “We like being part of the peninsula community.”
The need is there, Norris said. People need transportation, especially in the winter months. Red Eye Rides, she said, can provide the service.
To book a trip with Red Eye Rides, visit akredeyerides.com. Rides between Kenai, Seward and Anchorage are available every day.
A promo code, westpen15, will provide a discount on fare through Nov. 15.
For more information, find “Red Eye Rides, LLC” on Facebook or visit akredeyerides.com.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
