We are honored to share that Slidr has been named a Best Transportation Experience in Gulf Shore Life magazine's "Best of the Gulfshore 2018" awards. This annual recognition highlights the finest places, services, and experiences across Southwest Florida, as selected by the magazine's readers and editorial team. For a company that launched its first shuttle operation in Naples just seven months ago, this recognition is both humbling and affirming.
Gulf Shore Life has been the definitive voice of Southwest Florida's lifestyle community for over 50 years. The magazine's readership includes the residents, business owners, and seasonal visitors who make Collier and Lee counties one of the most vibrant regions in the state. Being recognized alongside Naples' best restaurants, retailers, and service providers is something our team does not take lightly.
What This Recognition Means
Awards are gratifying, but what this recognition really represents is validation from the community. When we launched at the Cove Inn in May, we had a thesis: that electric guest shuttles could fill a real transportation gap in Naples while simultaneously creating an experience that people genuinely enjoy. Seven months later, the community has confirmed that thesis.
Since our launch, we have provided thousands of rides to hotel guests and Naples visitors. Our shuttles have become a familiar sight on 5th Avenue South, at Tin City, and along the bayfront. We have heard from hotel guests who say the shuttle was the highlight of their stay. We have heard from restaurant owners who say our shuttles bring them new customers. And we have heard from Naples residents who appreciate seeing electric vehicles on their streets instead of more combustion-engine traffic.
That community response is what the Gulf Shore Life recognition reflects. It is not just about having nice vehicles or friendly drivers, though we take pride in both. It is about fitting into the fabric of a community and making it measurably better.
The Naples Community
Naples is a special place to operate. The city has a deep appreciation for aesthetics, for quality, and for doing things the right way. The bar is extraordinarily high. Restaurants here compete at a national level. Retailers curate their offerings with precision. Service providers are expected to deliver excellence as a baseline, not a differentiator.
Operating in this environment has made us better. Every detail of our service, from the cleanliness of our vehicles to the knowledge our drivers have about local restaurants and attractions, has been refined through the expectations of the Naples community. When a guest asks our driver for a dinner recommendation, that driver does not shrug. They have a thoughtful answer because we have invested in making sure they know the area as well as any concierge.
This attention to detail is what separates a transportation service from a transportation experience. Anyone can move people from point A to point B. Creating a ride that guests remember, talk about, and mention in their hotel reviews requires a fundamentally different approach.
Our Commitment to Southwest Florida
This recognition reinforces our commitment to the Southwest Florida region. Naples was our first market for a reason. The combination of a walkable but spread-out downtown, a hospitality sector that values guest experience above all else, and a community that cares about environmental stewardship made it the ideal place to prove our model.
As we look ahead to 2019, we plan to expand our presence in the Naples area. We are in conversations with additional hotel properties, and we are exploring routes that would extend our service to more of the destinations that guests and residents frequent. We are also looking at how our model can serve other Southwest Florida communities, from Marco Island to Bonita Springs to Fort Myers.
By the Numbers
In our first seven months of operation, some numbers stand out:
- Over 4,200 guest rides completed
- Zero vehicle emissions produced
- Average guest rating of 4.9 out of 5.0
- Hotel partner review scores mentioning shuttle service increased by 23%
- Most popular destination: 5th Avenue South dining district
- Peak demand hours: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM for dinner service
These numbers tell a story. Guests are not just using the shuttle as a convenience. They are using it as a way to explore Naples more fully than they would otherwise. The average guest takes 2.3 rides during their stay, which means they are visiting more restaurants, more shops, and more attractions than they would if they were limited to walking distance or had to arrange their own transportation.
Thank You
To the Gulf Shore Life editorial team and readers, thank you for this recognition. To our partners at the Cove Inn, thank you for believing in this model before anyone else in the market had seen it work. To our drivers and operations team, this award belongs to you. Every ride you deliver is a reflection of the standard we have set.
And to the Naples community, thank you for welcoming us onto your streets. We are here to stay, and we are just getting started.
If you are a hotel operator, property manager, or community leader in Southwest Florida interested in learning how Slidr's electric shuttle programs work, we would love to hear from you. The model we have proven in Naples is ready to scale across the region.
