SANDPOINT — A new Spokane-based shuttle service is catering to customers who are traveling to and from the airport throughout the North Idaho and Spokane area, extending to Sandpoint, Priest River and Priest Lake.

Inland Rides owner Scott Sloan recently moved to the area from Colorado, and said he got the idea after flying into Spokane's GEG airport to visit a friend and attend a wedding in Sandpoint.

"Over the course of the weekend, it was a bit of a hassle peeling people away to do that three- or four-hour round trip," Sloan said. "There were not a ton of local options there, so I kind of saw a need for getting people to and from the airport."

In Colorado, Sloan said, there are services for people traveling to weddings for greater distances than people typically use ride-sharing services for. One shuttle, for example, transports people to and from Colorado ski resorts, Sloan said.

"I was inspired by these smaller companies that fill that void for people who are on vacation or attending events," Sloan said.

After moving to the area from Denver, Sloan worked toward obtaining all the licenses needed for the business, a task he completed at the end of May.

The company is fully insured and licensed for professional transportation services in Washington and Idaho, as well as an approved business that can pick up and deliver at the Spokane Airport. Drivers undergo extensive background checks and are National Safety Council certified, and insured for business, liability, and interstate travel.

Inland Rides’ luxury suburban is available for private event rental transportation, such as weddings, and is also convenient for homeowners in North Idaho who will be gone for an extended amount of time, or are coming to the area for the summer. The suburbans are equipped with 4-wheel drive, so winter transport, to Schweitzer for example, is available as well.

A ride from the Spokane airport to Sandpoint, or vice versa, is priced at $150. To Priest Lake, or from Priest Lake to the airport, is $200. Rates include transport for up to seven people, and movies and snacks are provided.

Service can be booked up to a year in advance, and last minute requests may be available as well. Twelve-hour notice is suggested.

Customers can book a shuttle time online from a computer or mobile device at inlandrides.com or call the 24-hour line at 208-549-9208.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.