For more than 14 years, First Class Ride Scheduling has been building its business around a simple idea: transportation should be about more than getting from one place to another.
Locally owned and based in the Annapolis area, First Class began with just two drivers and has grown to a team of eight serving customers throughout Annapolis, the Eastern Shore near the Bay Bridge, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.
The company was founded after its owner saw an opportunity to bring a more personal approach to an increasingly impersonal transportation industry.
“We wanted to build relationships with clients,” the owner explains. “Return clients were important to us.”
That philosophy remains central to the business today. Approximately 80% of First Class customers are repeat clients, many of whom use the company regularly for airport transportation, business travel, medical appointments, special occasions, dinners, and family transportation.
The company’s name reflects one of its biggest differences: scheduling.
Rather than focusing primarily on people who need an immediate ride, First Class encourages customers to schedule transportation in advance. Customers can book online, receive a confirmation, receive another reminder 24 hours before their trip, and get an alert when their driver is on the way. Drivers can also be tracked through the system.
For airport and train travel, First Class takes that planning a step further. Drivers monitor flights and trains and communicate directly with passengers about their arrival, baggage, and pickup location. When the passenger is ready, the driver pulls up, assists with luggage, and provides door-to-door service.
That same attention to detail extends beyond airport transportation. First Class regularly takes customers to restaurants, weddings, special events, medical appointments, and other destinations. For dinner outings, customers can arrange hourly transportation, allowing them to enjoy their evening without worrying about driving home.
“We want the customer to feel taken care of,” says the owner. “Personal service is critical because we want repeat customers.”
The company has also expanded its fleet to include Lincoln SUVs, Suburbans, and Sprinter vans, allowing it to accommodate everything from individual passengers to larger groups.
One service that developed unexpectedly over the years is vehicle delivery. First Class has transported customers’ vehicles as far as Florida, Ithaca, New York, and Bangor, Maine, with a driver accompanying the vehicle and returning by air.
Despite its growth, First Class remains locally owned, and customers can still expect to reach a person directly when they call. The company continues to expand its service area and is looking for additional professional drivers interested in building their own business through the First Class platform.
For local residents planning their next airport trip, dinner out, special event, or simply looking for dependable transportation, First Class Ride Scheduling offers a straightforward approach: schedule your ride, and let someone else handle the driving.
