We may not have flying cars quite yet, but the ground-bound automobile is the world’s second most popular mode of transportation (behind the bicycle). Many think Henry Ford invented the car, but that isn’t correct. While Ford certainly made the automobile affordable for the middle-class, it was actually a German engineer with a familiar name that invented the first commercially available petrol-powered motor vehicle. In 1885, Karl Benz created what he later would call the “Motorwagen.” However, this wasn’t an invention of a single man. He had help from someone else – his wife, Bertha Benz. Credited as the first person ever to take a so-called automobile “road trip,” she also discovered various issues with her husband’s invention during the drive, coming up with some very innovative ideas in the process, such as inventing the brake pad mid-trip. So that’s the story behind the husband and wife team that gave the world the first commercially available petrol automobile.
So what does Ford have in common with the Coloma Shuttle? Just like Ford not being the inventor of the car, we are not the inventor of the shuttle program. The River Store started the shuttle program with AQMD back in the early 2000’s. Dan started the program from scratch and ran it for several years. I feel that we (the American River Recreation Assoc.) has just enhanced the program to today’s service. You our customers have help mold and make it what it is today. I always love getting feedback (good or bad) it helps us to grow and become even better. So thank you for emailing me or calling me to make your comments.
Some of you have noticed that we are doing some refurb on the trailers. On Trailer #1 we have a new top deck’s and a roller to help get those hefty rafts up without straining our back. On Trailer #2 we will have the lower bin removed this week and a new door put on the back for your paddles along with the top deck getting replaced and a roller bar on it too. All of these improvements and repairs are to make not just our day easier but yours the rider.