Being a kiteboarder, Jason Norwood got a frequent question as a sporting event loomed at South Padre Island in 2021.
“How do we get from the airport to the Island?” he recalled being asked.
Getting from the Valley International Airport in Harlingen to South Padre can be problematic. Finding reliable ground transportation for the hour-long trip from the airport to SPI is often a challenge. This is especially true during evening hours and on weekends during slow times of the day. Norwood decided to take upon himself to be the travel connection.
“I had a truck and a flexible schedule,” he said.
After making five runs filled with incoming airport travelers, Norwood told his wife, Maria, “I think this could be a business for us.”
Filling A Need
The Norwoods had been searching for an idea that could lead to a SPI-based business to own and run together. Their shared wish became South Padre Island Surf Shuttle. It’s a service that offers door-to-door coverage, from the airport to hotel entrances at the Island. Their vans can seat up to 25 passengers at a time. The Norwoods believe their company is filling a need for a tourist destination seeking ways to improve ground service.
“It is limited and needs improvement,” said Blake Henry, the executive director of the South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau on SPI ground service. “To be competitive with other destinations, arriving passengers are not only hoping but expecting to find schedules on demand shuttle service right at the terminal.”
A busy day for SPI Surf Shuttle includes six to eight trips to and from the Harlingen airport. The Norwoods and their crews act not only as a travel conduit but also provide information for tourists who are often making their first visit to the Island.
“We love talking to our visitors and telling them what the Island has to offer,” Maria Norwood said. “People are getting out and about again and looking to get away from everything. A lot of people are finding South Padre Island.”
Serving In-Bound Travelers
What the Norwoods are seeing is that many of these first-time visitors arrive at the Harlingen airport via Southwest Airlines. They tend to have outsized expectations when they deplane.
“They come into the airport and assume there’ll be lots of Ubers and taxis waiting like in a big city,” Jason Norwood said. “That’s just not the case here.”
Those who call ahead to SPI Surf Shuttle for reservations won’t encounter any inconveniences. The Norwoods offer their customers shuttles from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. Their service will wait for customers if a flight is late in arriving. Rates are based on the number of travelers it transports per individual trip.
Over 90 percent of their business focuses on travel to and from the Harlingen airport. Flying Southwest to Harlingen is a major drawing card for incoming Island visitors. The Brownsville South Padre Island Airport tends to have more of the business travelers, especially with the emergence of SpaceX.
The Brownsville airport also has a more reliable west-to-east ground transportation via Valley Metro. It’s a public transportation system operated by Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. There are daily shuttles from the Brownsville airport to Port Isabel. From there, a visitor would need to take a connecting shuttle to SPI on Island Metro. The free public transportation system also serves PI and Laguna Heights.
The Norwoods report visitor feedback they receive indicates there is little awareness among SPI hotels regarding ground transportation options from area airports to the Island.
“They call to the hotels and ask about transportation, and they’re not being given much information,” Maria Norwood said. “There’s a lack of knowledge about it. We want people to know we’re an option.”
Seeking Options
The Norwoods hope to be part of discussions as the Island’s CVB director collaborates with Harlingen airport leaders in seeking more consistent ground travel between the two cities.
Henry, the director, said his office and Harlingen’s VIA are working to find “the best options to offer our increasing incoming visitors the most convenient option for scheduling on demand shuttle service to the Island.”
The possibilities include establishing some sort of public transportation system or paying private sector companies to augment their current services in adding more shuttles.
“We’ll wait and see,” Maria Norwood said about the CVB and Harlingen airport discussions. “We would love for there to be an improvement. The Island has so much to offer.”
