July 13, 2010
Have you ever gone to a ballgame, taken a trip down to the Keys or enjoyed a night on the town with your crew house mates? If you have, you'll probably agree with the phrase, "the more the merrier."
Rai de Sousa, founder and owner of Yachty Rentals, has launched De Yachty Bus in Ft. Lauderdale that now enables yacht crew to do such trips in style, whilst getting the party started on wheels.
"If you can round up a minimum of five friends, De Yachty Bus is ready to show you a good time, starting at $70 an hour for the entire bus," de Sousa said.
De Sousa tries to meet all transportation needs and some of the most popular itineraries include trips to the Friday night Rybovich crew parties, tailgate party expeditions and weekend trips to places such as Orlando.
He's the kind of guy who likes to have fun and he runs De Yachty Bus in the same way, advocating it as a jol bus, the popular South African term for party.
"My clientele consists predominantly of yachties and, from previous experiences, I find that they are the most reliable customers around,” he said.
His passengers range from groups of 19 rowdy women to crew members needing a ride to the immigration offices.
“When I get South African customers, I like to surprise them with a few pieces of biltong,” he said of a favorite South African snack, similar to beef jerky.
De Sousa started off as a yacht chef, but after 11 years at sea, a marriage and a child, he decided to become land-based. De Yachty Bus is the latest addition to his transportation fleet that consists of more than 30 scooters and a range of motor vehicles, all available for rent.
“I once was a dayworker, too, so I understand just how important transportation is to a yachty, who needs to get to interviews,” he said in his South African accent.
He also understands the unpredictable nature of the industry and he knows that a yacht crew member may be in Ft. Lauderdale one day and gone the next. He therefore offers pro-rated returns and flexible rental deals.
De Yachty Bus was another way to fulfill the transportation needs of yacht crew. A year ago, de Sousa purchased a worn-out bus from an old-age home.
“It needed a lot of repair, so I got to work straight away,” he said.
During last year's low season he spent two months painting, revamping and transforming the bus into a modern-looking ride ideal for as many as 21 passengers. By October it was ready to roll.
“When I launched De Yachty Bus, Maritime Professional Training (MPT), Dockwise and Waxy's were the first businesses to give me a break," he said. “They bought advertising from me, which is displayed on the bus, and they advertise my services at their business premises.”
Heather Cartier of MPT describes De Yachty Bus service, which the company discovered in May, as an asset to the organization.
"Our students are ecstatic about the bus, as it cuts down their costs while offering a clean, punctual and well-maintained service," she said. "We regularly use De Yachty Bus service to transport students to the pool for training and for after-school pick-ups."
The dual advertising system is paying off. De Sousa orchestrates pick-ups for the new arrivals on Dockwise and, for customers at Waxy's, he organizes transportation to places such as concerts and beach parties.
"De Sousa is a customer at Waxy's and well known in the industry, which is part of the reason we decided to support him with getting the bus on the road," said Eddie McNerney, manager of Waxy O'Conner. "We joined forces after De Yachty Bus successfully transported crew members from the Sunrise Harbor party on April 10 back to Waxy's. It's a win-win situation."
Despite De Sousa's partnerships, he said, "the best advertising is simply driving around the streets of Fort Lauderdale and talking to the everyday person."
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