Do you ever feel scared when you’re driving? For some people, it’s the fear of driving over long bridges. If that sounds like you, there’s good news. There are people who can drive you across a bridge if you’re too scared to do it yourself. And guess what? Business is booming for them after the Baltimore bridge collapsed earlier this year.
On the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, there are businesses dedicated to helping scared passengers cross the four-mile bridge. One of them is Kent Island Express in Virginia, which has been doing this for over 20 years. They charge $40 per crossing or $50 if you pay with a card.
Since the Baltimore Key Bridge collapsed, more people are feeling scared about driving on bridges. Some are turning to services like Kent Island Express to get across safely. Steven Eskew, the manager of Kent Island Express, says they give about 6,000 rides a year. While the pandemic slowed down their business, they’ve been getting more calls since the Baltimore bridge collapse.
But is the fear really justified? Well, being stuck in the lanes of a long bridge can make anyone anxious. And the collapse of the Baltimore bridge was a tragedy that showed there are some problems with bridge safety in the U.S. But overall, bridges in the U.S. are getting safer. A report from 2023 found that the number of bridges in poor condition is going down, and more bridges are being rated as good.
If you’re still scared, hearing about more near misses and collapsed bridges might not help. But it’s good to know that services like Kent Island Express are there to help when you need it.
