Shuttle Shock: Redmond City Council approves rate increase for ride-share services
Tracee Tuesday
REDMOND, Ore. [KTVZ} — “I don’t like raising rates.”
That’s Enviro Shuttle owner, Bill Calidonna, responding to the Redmond City Council approving an increase in June 2025, in rates to provide ride-share services to and from Redmond Airport.
Rate increases of 200 to 300%. That’s what local shuttle services like Enviro Shuttle have now to do business at Redmond Airport . As a result, we’ve had to pass on those cost to the customer.
“You know, you’re answering to the customers. You have to explain to them, you know, what? What’s the reason for such an increase? And, when they’re tripling our rate to be here, our rates have to go up,” said Calidonna.
Enviro Shuttle says it’s frustrated after the Redmond City Council approved a new rate increase, tripling the fee from a $1 to $3 for each shuttle trip to and from the Redmond Airport. The shuttle company says this move makes it harder for small, eco-friendly operators to stay competitive.
“When I first started, it was 250 a year, and now it’s going to be 30,000. I mean, that’s a 12,000% increase, and he just basically told us we didn’t like it. He would tear out the taxi lane and put in parking spots,” said Calidonna.
Calidonna is speaking of Airport Director Zachary Bass. KTVZ was able to speak with Bass via phone, today.
Bass: “The ground transportation – fee increase is from $1 to $3 per pickup.”
Tracee: “So that’s more than half then, right?”
Zachary: “I guess you can look at it that way. The way we calculate that is, based on cost recovery. What it cost us to operate the taxi lanes; all of the operating agreements; the snow removal as part of that.”
As to how much of a cost will be passed to travelers – what you’re paying now – add any where from $3 to $5, which compared to other taxi and ride-sharing services, is still competitive, Calidonna says. Still, as a local business owner, he is unhappy with both Bend and Redmond City Councilors.
“It just seems like our city leaders are against us everywhere. From the airport to both Redmond and Bend City Councils.”
Redmond Airport says as they expand, so will be the need for ground transportation to expand, which means cost will expand. That cost may ultimately be passed down to the travelers.
Nevertheless, Enviro Shuttle says they will be there to pick you up and drop you off.