This article first appeared in CityView Magazine’s “The Military Issue” July 2026 edition.
If you don’t want to pay airport parking prices and want affordable, safe, and reliable transportation between Fayetteville and the Raleigh airport, Shuttle Buddy is the solution for you.
Owned and operated by U.S. Army veteran Tauheed “Ty” Wood, Shuttle Buddy has been in operation for nearly two years. Wood took the skills he learned in the Army and used them to build Shuttle Buddy from the ground up.
He also received inspiration from his grandfather, Reginald E. Wood Sr., who spent 28 years as a sergeant major in the Army. Wood said that his grandfather, who passed away in December, was his biggest support system.
“Everything I touched, everything that I ever put my mind to, he was always so surprised,” Wood said. “Every time he turned around, I’m overcoming, I’m conquering something new.”
Army Career
Wood joined the Army in March 2009 at the age of 19. He spent the first five years of his military career as a signal operations support specialist before attending flight school and earning his wings as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot and Army warrant officer.
After one year serving as a Black Hawk pilot, he completed a highly competitive selection and interview process, and his chain of command selected him to transition to the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
During his military career, Wood completed two deployments to Afghanistan. His first was from 2011 to 2012 during which he served as an enlisted soldier. His second deployment took place in 2021 during the final stages of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.
As a member of the 1st Attack Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, Wood and his unit played a critical role in the closure of Bagram Airfield, 25 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan, in July 2021 when it was handed back over to the Afghan National Security and Defense Force. The unit later supported evacuation operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul in August 2021 during the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
For his actions during these operations, Wood was awarded the Air Medal with a “V” device for Valor, an honor recognizing acts of heroism during combat operations.
After 14 years, he concluded his military career in May 2023 and was honorably discharged as a chief warrant officer three.
The Beginning of Shuttle Buddy
One day, when Wood and his son were at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), they decided to park in premier parking, which offers hourly or daily ground-level, covered parking close to the terminals. Upon returning from their trip, not only were they tired and didn’t want to drive home, but they also had a $250 parking bill.
“‘There must be a better way,’” Wood recalled thinking.
When Wood got home, he locked himself in his house for three days and began planning. He thought about new transportation infrastructure possibilities and started laying the groundwork for Shuttle Buddy. He considered the business structure and how to make it accessible and reliable for potential customers.
“After those three days, I came out of my cocoon and I had a company,” Wood said. “I took my military training, the way we used to mission plan in the Army, and I just put my head down, and went to work.”
The First Year
During the first year of business, Wood focused on building a reputation in the community. He made connections with different organizations, including the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) office at Fort Bragg, Fayetteville State University, and the Fayetteville Liberty basketball team. He also spoke with Fayetteville City Councilmember Derrick Thompson, who directed him to the Greater Fayetteville Chamber.
Shuttle Buddy started in 2024 with a single bus. Quickly, Wood realized he needed another to accommodate the demand. After buying the second bus, the first one’s engine failed, and Wood and his son rebuilt the engine themselves.
Rhonda Quador, a community education director at Psychiatric Medical Care, took her first trip with Shuttle Buddy in August 2024 after she was stranded at the airport when the ride she planned fell through at the last minute. Since then, she has been utilizing Shuttle Buddy every time she travels for work, up to three times a month.
“If I’m going to RDU, I will never use a rideshare service or even personally drive,” Quador said. “It makes my job so much easier. I can not say enough great things about Shuttle Buddy.”
Current Expansions
As Shuttle Buddy approaches its two-year anniversary on July 28, it now has 11 vehicles, including buses, transit vans, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, a large international bus, and fuel trucks. There are plans to expand to 16 vehicles by late August.
The staff will expand later this year. At first, Wood did nearly all of the booking, driving, and mechanic work himself. He now has a full office staff, including his mother and son, and 10 drivers who work for him. He is planning on doubling the number of drivers employed by Shuttle Buddy by September.
“There were tough times when we were pulling change out of the cupholders to fuel the vehicles,” Wood said. “It’s a huge blessing to be able to say that we are understaffed and overbooked at the moment. I am eternally grateful for the support of the community.”
Cost, Booking Information
Unlike standard ride-share services, Shuttle Buddy doesn’t pick up customers from their residences; instead, rides departing from Fayetteville leave from the office at 5419 Raeford Road.
Shuttle Buddy allows one carryon and one checked bag. Any extra bags require a $10 fee. Shuttle Buddy allows pets to ride for a $25 fee. Service animals ride for free. The standard adult rate for a one-way ride is $60, the military and student rate is $49.50, and the rate for children ages 3 through 14 is $30.
“I’m saving my company 40% by booking with Shuttle Buddy,” Quador said. “I love that I can sleep, listen to a podcast, or watch TV on the way to the airport. And when I return, I don’t have to worry about having a dead car battery or if I lost my credit card and can’t get out of the garage. I think of this as almost like an insurance policy in making sure my trip is good.”
For customers planning on booking with Shuttle Buddy, there are three ways to plan your ride. The easiest and most recommended way is to visit goshuttlebuddy.com and navigate to the “Buy Tickets” tab. The other ways to book are by calling 910-936-3784 or visiting the office during business hours. For more information, email info@goshuttlebuddy.com.
