From selling cars to driving them: Rockford man builds limousine company from ground up

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – Josh Beitel was selling cars while moonlighting as an Uber driver seven years ago when he realized it wasn’t what he wanted to do long term.

“I noticed that Rockford didn’t have black-car service,” Beitel said. “So, I sat down and wrote a business plan, and in 2018, launched Rockford Rides, Rockford’s first black-car service—just one guy with one car.”

Today, 46-year-old Beitel has 11 employees and a fleet of nine luxury SUVs and shuttles, vehicles they use to transport customers to places all over the region—airports, concert venues, hotels.

“Or anywhere they want to go in the Rockford community, whether it’s the BMO [Center] for an IceHogs game, Rockford City Market, or maybe they want to do a night of bar hopping,” he said.

Rockford Rides has also just started a shuttle service to and from the Hard Rock Casino that complements a growing corporate client base.

Beitel said his business training, customer service skills and love for cars all play a role in keeping Rockford Rides a successful, local operation.

“I loved helping people,” he said of selling cars at Anderson Automotive’s Rock River Block for nearly two years. “I loved seeing people smile and enjoy new cars. So, I took that experience, bought new cars and now I’m the driver.”

For Beitel, alongside the satisfaction of transporting customers to various venues is the joy of running Rockford Rides with his wife, Amy, who left her full-time job early on to join him in the venture.

“We run this business together, getting people to places,” he said.

Two of Beitel’s recent customers were Ann and Rick Gehrke, who were in Rockford from California visiting family. The couple were stranded Tuesday at the Downtown Embassy Suites while waiting for a ride to the Van Galder bus terminal.

“We just called Uber, and we were just standing here waiting,” Ann Gehrke said. “And they’re not showing up.”

Rick and Ann missed the bus to O’Hare but Beitel continued on to the airport and got them on their fight home with time to spare.

Beitel said he encounters new customers like the Gehrkes every day and looks forward to expanding his services.

“We just keep growing every year.”

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