Valley Transporter Marks 30 Years in Business

AMHERST — Known from its tagline as “the easy way to the airport” for people all over Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, Valley Transporter is celebrating three decades in business in the Pioneer Valley.

The livery business began when Gary Bosselait and his sister Valerie bought a van and a telephone answering machine in 1986 and started taking reservations for and delivering passengers to area train depots and airports, including Bradley, Logan, and JFK.

Now, Valley Transporter employs more than 40 staff members, including reservationists, round-the-clock dispatchers, and drivers, and maintains a commitment to diversity.

“Our fleet is clean and well-maintained. It has achieved an economy of scale that allows it to provide affordable, 24-hour local transport on demand, and charters are a growing part of the business,” Bosselait said. “Valley Transporter has taken its place in the local economy by making airports readily accessible. We not only provide a service, but we help stimulate commerce by being a trusted part of the regional transit network.”

Passengers who travel with Valley Transporter include college students, vacationers, business travelers, groups and individuals coming to the region for events and conferences, and people in need of a ride to and from medical appointments.

Valley Transporter provides hourly shared rides from Northampton, Amherst, Springfield, Greenfield, and other towns and cities along the I-91 corridor to Bradley, most for under $60, including tip. With 10 fuel-efficient minivans and 10 larger vans, the Amherst-based company takes reservations by phone, e-mail, and online at www.valleytransporter.com.

Bosselait said Valley Transporter has weathered setbacks that included the virtual standstill in travel in the months after 9/11, which would have put it out of business without the help of its bankers. “We are proud that slow and steady growth has made us a stable and reliable part of the expanding livery sector in Western Massachusetts.”