Caldwell Transportation Company operated transportation services for 21 years with Salmon and Stanley outfitters.
IDAHO, USA — Central Idaho rafting companies are scrambling to find reliable transportation ahead of the summer season, according to Middle Fork and Salmon River Outfitters Associations Vice President Colin Hughes.
The Caldwell Transportation Company busses in Salmon and Stanley have serviced roughly 30 central Idaho rafting companies for 21 years. This upcoming rafting season will be the first in decades that the company will not provide transportation needs to-and-from rafting take out spots.
“Essentially, what happened is the folks who had been doing it all these years finally gave themselves the shot to retire. With their retirement, no one else in-house has decided to take it on. Honestly up until recently we were spoiled there. We always had Caldwell [Transportation Company]. They have been a fantastic partner,” Hughes said. “We really would struggle to try and do this in-house and really would need an additional partner.”
The industry is essential for local economies, according to Hughes. During summer months, river-based communities – including Stanley and Salmon – financially depend on outdoor recreation.
Outfitters could solve the problem by providing their own transportation; however, that’s not an ideal long-term solution, according to Hughes. He considers that possibility to be a ‘monumental shift.’
“I think really there would be a big offshoot of people doing what they can to alleviate the issue short-term. Maybe van rentals. People are probably likely considering buying busses. A lot goes into these transportation companies. They’re the pros, and that’s why we want to work with them,” Hughes said. “If we could find a third party that would like to come in and fill that void left, that would be more ideal for us.”
The peak rafting season traditionally begins around the middle of May and lasts until the middle of September. The outfitters associations are encouraging a new company, or an established company looking to expand, to take over the area’s operations.
“It’s the difference between us having to figure out how to be a transportation company as well as a whitewater rafting and fly-fishing company,” Hughes said. “Most of us would prefer to stick to what we got 10,000 hours in.”
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