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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Joe Santalla used to manage vacation home rentals, and he noticed many families driving multiple cars up to the South Shore.
And when a group of 10 people is staying at one place in town, it takes a few vehicles to move them all around, Santalla observed.
That's what gave Santalla the idea for a shuttle service to get people from point A to point B and, at the same time, cut down on traffic and vehicle emissions and help preserve the environment.
Santalla has now teamed up with Hec Hernandez of South Shore Bikes to provide just this sort of service.
Last year Santalla approached Hernandez, owner of South Shore Bikes, to see if he was interested in starting a shuttle service.
“I asked Hec, ‘Dude, why is this van sitting in your parking lot?' This is an opportunity we can't miss out on,” Santalla said.
Hernandez didn't have time to start a shuttle because he was busy running the shop, but gave Santalla the go-ahead to pursue the idea.
The idea was put on hold until this summer. The van seats had been destroyed in the Angora fire and he needed to track down a new set.
Santalla didn't realize it would take so long to replace the seats. He said he looked for six weeks until a set popped up in Placerville, and he drove down at 6:30 the next morning to buy them.
From that point, the shuttle service began to fall into place.
Part of the shuttle service's mission is helping out the Lake Tahoe Basin, Santalla said.
“We are committed to doing our part in reducing traffic to some of Tahoe's most beautiful, sensitive and scenic sites,” according to the mission statement.
If people want to be dropped off for kayaking, biking or hiking, the shuttle service can accommodate up to 15 passengers in the van, Santalla said. Some of the popular spots include Northstar-At-Tahoe, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Echo Summit and the Flume Trail.
Another service offered is delivering supply packages to those traversing the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail, Santalla said. Hikers can't carry all of their food along with them, so Santalla can meet up and save them time from coming into town.
“They can send me the box, or I can go shopping for them,” Santalla said.
Santalla also participated in a three-day training course to become a Tahoe Rim Trail guide.
South Shore Bikes also rents bikes for every activity, from beach cruisers to front- and full-suspension mountain bikes.
The shop has bikes in different sizes for children and adults. Santalla said they also provide bike trailers for smaller children to ride in.
And when a group of 10 people is staying at one place in town, it takes a few vehicles to move them all around, Santalla observed.
That's what gave Santalla the idea for a shuttle service to get people from point A to point B and, at the same time, cut down on traffic and vehicle emissions and help preserve the environment.
Santalla has now teamed up with Hec Hernandez of South Shore Bikes to provide just this sort of service.
Last year Santalla approached Hernandez, owner of South Shore Bikes, to see if he was interested in starting a shuttle service.
“I asked Hec, ‘Dude, why is this van sitting in your parking lot?' This is an opportunity we can't miss out on,” Santalla said.
Hernandez didn't have time to start a shuttle because he was busy running the shop, but gave Santalla the go-ahead to pursue the idea.
The idea was put on hold until this summer. The van seats had been destroyed in the Angora fire and he needed to track down a new set.
Santalla didn't realize it would take so long to replace the seats. He said he looked for six weeks until a set popped up in Placerville, and he drove down at 6:30 the next morning to buy them.
From that point, the shuttle service began to fall into place.
Part of the shuttle service's mission is helping out the Lake Tahoe Basin, Santalla said.
“We are committed to doing our part in reducing traffic to some of Tahoe's most beautiful, sensitive and scenic sites,” according to the mission statement.
If people want to be dropped off for kayaking, biking or hiking, the shuttle service can accommodate up to 15 passengers in the van, Santalla said. Some of the popular spots include Northstar-At-Tahoe, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Echo Summit and the Flume Trail.
Another service offered is delivering supply packages to those traversing the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail, Santalla said. Hikers can't carry all of their food along with them, so Santalla can meet up and save them time from coming into town.
“They can send me the box, or I can go shopping for them,” Santalla said.
Santalla also participated in a three-day training course to become a Tahoe Rim Trail guide.
South Shore Bikes also rents bikes for every activity, from beach cruisers to front- and full-suspension mountain bikes.
The shop has bikes in different sizes for children and adults. Santalla said they also provide bike trailers for smaller children to ride in.
