My wife was scheduled to arrive at BWI from L.A. last Friday evening and needed to get to her hotel in Arlington. I called several car services, shuttles and taxis trying to find that desired combination of the most reliable, safe and affordable. I considered Uber as well but for her first time in an unfamiliar city, I wanted to keep her from having to juggle bags, laptop and backpack while using a cell phone - plus I would feel better if there was a ride already waiting as she exited the terminal.
With only a handful of YELP reviews, I was hesitant about using SAFE RIDE. I phoned other companies first. Some were cordial but not very friendly. A few that were warmer were insanely overpriced. After speaking with Bacar, he won me over with his kind demeanor and his understanding of my concern for my wife. He quoted me a fair and reasonable rate and assured me she would be well taken care of with his drivers. He wasn't pushing to sell me anything, just telling me how they work.
I got a good vibe from him so I booked the ride. Now that she's back home, I can say that my instincts were good. When she exited the terminal, the easily identified shuttle was waiting. Her driver, Ousmand was kind and helpful and got her safely to her Arlington hotel sooner than expected.
Her ride back to BWI a few days later was also good (for the most part). The plan was for a 9am hotel pickup to make a 12pm flight however a few minutes before 9, Bacar called her to advise he was going to be delayed a half hour. This was not well received by her as she likes the stress-free assurance of getting to airports early. When traveling for business, her company arranges all ground and air transportation and the limo service is always early for her pickups so this delay was a first for her.
Bacar knows the region and traffic patterns very well so once he arrived at around 9:35am, he apologized and assured her she would get to BWI in plenty of time to check in and board. They got there safely about 50 minutes later. She got to the Delta gate about an hour before departure so while she was a bit nervous about the 35 minute delay, it all worked out. She told me that Ousmand and Bacar were lovely men and they had pleasant conversations during the rides. At the end of the day, I was glad she was in good hands especially in a city she visited for the first time. There's a chance we might be headed back to D.C. this summer. If so, I will absolutely use SAFE RIDE again. Thanks Bacar! read more