Driven To Serve The Community
“With all that’s going on right now, I definitely believe there’s a need”
Darryl Easterling and Courtney Johnson are going places. The engaged couple and co-owners of Ride Cheraw have increased momentum since starting up their local taxi service in August 2018, thanks to their forward-thinking and gracious hearts.
Born and raised in Cheraw, Easterling realized the need for transportation service in the rural county for the last 20-plus years, after one private company closed its doors and public transportation lost its funding.
“The main reason and objective of coming up with Ride Cheraw was to have something that catered to the community,” he says. “Growing up here in Cheraw, I know that transportation was always super, super, super hard – especially with the elderly. So we wanted to provide a solution to the problem.”
In 2018, the two entrepreneurs turned a $1,200 investment and Facebook ad, propelled by Easterling’s local reputation in the music scene, into a growing empire today. From personal and work transportation ($1 per mile) to their Cheraw Eatz food delivery service to concierge service, like grocery pickup, to medical transportation.
“We did a lot of free rides in the beginning, and we still do free rides if someone needs it,” says Easterling. “People know we’re reliable, trustworthy, and we will fight tooth and nail for you.”
Ride Cheraw currently has a fleet of five vehicles in various sizes on the roads throughout the county. According to Johnson, because of COVID-19, face masks are required, Plexiglas protection is being installed between the front and back seat, and all drivers sanitize the car interiors in between rides. Face masks are available to purchase inside each vehicle for those who do not have access to a mask.
“With all that’s going on right now, I definitely believe there’s a need,” says Johnson. “This gives people the security of not having to go into public places to get their favorite foods. We also do concierge, pick stuff up from the store and we’ll deliver it as well. So it’s just a fact of convenience, even if we’re not in a big city.”
Johnson says future plans for Ride Cheraw include setting up a sort of transit service and pickup location along the main road in town in a bigger van for those folks who can’t afford personal transportation.
“This way, we can provide that service for people that might not have the funds to pay,” she says. “We are working on other services to broaden the chance to take in the needs of the community. We really love it.”
When the couple isn’t in the driver’s seat, they’re in the studio of their second business, MTC Empire (Music & Talent Consulting Empire) that takes musicians, artists, songwriters, and producers to the next level in their music career.
“I’ve been doing music all my life,” says Easterling. “Courtney and I do everything together … we’re a team. … We’re building our empire off of loving and leaving a legacy for our kids.”
To schedule a ride with Ride Cheraw, visit www.ridecheraw.com or call 843-253-6348.
Got a story? Share it with us at https://www.county.cool/whats-your-story/
