Seventeen years ago, Michael Clarke manufactured furniture for a living. Although he made most of the furniture in his house, he felt the need to change careers, to be able to care for his family.
Today, Mr Clarke provides
transport for persons to and from the Norman Manley International Airport;
which includes a limousine service for VIPs. He is also grateful for the career
change, which has allowed him to become his ‘own boss.’
“I used to make furniture; however the work was seasonal; therefore, it was
sometimes challenging to provide for my family. I went overseas to work for a
while; and when I returned, I decided to become a driver,” he stated.
Having tried a number of
options, which included working at nights, four years ago, the father of four
purchased a minibus, started his company and registered his vehicle to
transport visitors and locals from the Norman Manley International Airport.
Since then, he has grown his operations, having acquired two additional
vehicles; and, now he employs two additional drivers. His day starts as early
as 4:30 and goes up to as late as 9:30 p.m.
“I try to rest as much as possible in between trips,” he related. “I recall
that when I just started driving, I would try to get some rest, but would be up
after five minutes because I didn’t want to be late. I still have that
approach, but now I sleep much longer.”
Mr Clarke enjoys his job and has developed a steady clientele. He stated that
he has clients from as far away as Japan, and they would be featuring him in a
documentary soon. He emphasised that he tries to make his passengers
comfortable regardless of the length of the journey.
Like every job being a transport operator has its own challenges,” he
explained. “However, I consider myself to be a success story, given all that I
have been able to accomplish in my time as a transport operator.”
“Many of my passengers now travel with me alone,” he explained. “When they are coming to Jamaica, they send me a text message, or give me a call; and I transport them around the island for the duration of their stay. Sometimes, I take them from the airport to as far as Negril, or anywhere in the country they wish to go.”
About three years ago, the
devout Christian launched his VIP service to transport high-ranking officials and
special guests for companies to and from the airport after realising there was
a need.
“Visitors who came for meetings, and companies would request to be transported
this way. I decided that this was something I could add to my fleet and that
was how it came about. It has been popular with them since,” he stated.
To grow his operations, Mr Clarke relies on JN Small Business Loans (JNSBL) for
funding.
“I remember attending the Jamaica Tourist Board and Tourism Product Development
Company (TPDCo) training for transport operators in the sector, where we were
informed about a Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Loan, for persons in the
sector; and that the repayment terms were easier than going through a bank. I
did my research, found out that it was offered through JNSBL, and I have been
client ever since,” he said.
He added: “Our relationship has been excellent. If I have any challenge meeting
my obligations, I can tell them. They are understanding, and provide me with
the support to overcome the obstacles.”
Mrs Gillian Hyde, general manager, JNSBL commended Mr Clarke for his dedication to the transport sector.
“Mr Clarke has been offering a service which benefits his clients. His dedication to his job should be commended. We are proud of his achievements,” she stated.
Mr. Clarke, who once harboured thoughts of becoming a
traveller or a comedian, plans to grow his operations even further. He also
wants to assist his son, who currently works with him, to establish his own
operations.
“I have a few dreams that I am working on to make them come through. One of
them is to assist my son to launch his own transportation service. He is a
‘people person,’ and our clients speak highly of him; therefore, I know that he
will do well. I also want to expand the VIP service, because it has great
potential; but, we will see what the future holds,” he stated.
