West Valley residents in need of a ride have a personalized option right in their backyard. ExclusiveTransportation Services is an Estrella-based private transportation company whose roots and continued growth are thanks to residents looking for a more enjoyable experience. Owner and Estrella resident Carol Prelog proudly describes the beginning of her now-booming business. “We moved here from the East Coast in 2017 and I decided to start driving for Uber and Lyft as a great way for strangers to show me Arizona. I had never seen so many people so excited to see me right in my backyard! The same 20 to 25 people kept telling me horror stories about other drivers and asked me if I would ever consider starting my own business doing this, so I did!”
While traditional ride share companies are often called upon in Estrella, Exclusive Transportation offers a unique and personalized option for residents who want to enjoy holiday celebrations without worrying about driving home, simply don’t care to drive at night, deal with heavy holiday airport traffic, or prefer the convenience and familiarity of a local drop-off/pick-up service.
What started as a small, part-time operation to give her something to do and show her the state has grown tremendously. In the company’s first six months, Carol had to hire her first driver because she had more business than she could handle on her own. She now has five full-time and two part-time drivers. In addition, Exclusive Transportation serves more than 4,000 clients and accepts between 300 and 400 reservations per month. “I absolutely love it, I truly do. And I believe Estrella has built this business. I never believed it would be a full-on business but here we are.”
Because Estrella has played such an integral part in building her business, Carol gives back, offering what she calls random acts of kindness; the thought alone nearly bringing her to tears. “Oh my gosh, you’re going to make me cry. Basically, anytime a client has an emergency we help them out for free.” Carol recounted stories that she thought would be too painful or personal for the families to share. She stated, “The last thing you ever want to worry about is ‘how am I going to get there?’ Your mind isn’t straight when there’s an emergency. You’re worried about your loved ones, your family. Since we’re here, all they need to do is text me and they know we’ll get them there. There is no amount of money I’ll ever charge someone during their time of need. Period. I’ll rearrange our whole schedule to get them there. We will make things work, and since the majority of us are transplants, it’s crucial to know you can rely on someone.”
Carol acknowledged that the company continued to be busy throughout COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic their drivers brought in family members to be with their loved ones. In addition, they helped individuals who sold their homes during COVID and also helped with pharmacy pickups and food shopping.
Most of the drivers who work for Exclusive Transportation are Estrella residents and most of their business comes from the West Valley, although during busy times they will partner with other independent private transportation companies to meet the needs of their clients.
Booking a ride with Exclusive Transportation is easy; go to the website, enter your starting and ending location, select the vehicle you’d like, and you’ll see the prices available. Carol said about 60% of her business is airport drop-offs and pick-ups and 40% is a combination of concerts, doctor’s appointments, dinners, sport events etc.
We are built on a friend foundation and the best thing you can ever do is be there. If we can’t do that, there’s no point of us being in this community.”
Find your new home at Estrella.com and discover why 8,000 families already call this diverse, welcoming West Valley master-planned community home. Located in Goodyear, Arizona amongst pristine mountains and a dramatic desert landscape, Estrella amenities include multiple Residents’ Clubs, resort-style pools and a waterpark, 72 acres of lakes, 65-plus miles of paths and trails, the Yacht Club of Estrella, the award-winning Nicklaus Design course at the Golf Club of Estrella, community welcome center, and more than 50 neighborhood parks.
