One Ames entrepreneur is doing what he loves, which for him means spending most of his time behind the wheel.

Whether driving a CIT Signature Bus or for his own shuttle business, Sam Nac said he enjoys meeting new people and bringing them to places old and new.

“I just like to work [for] myself,” Nac said. “To me, this is not a job, it’s just having fun … I can [make] my own hours.”

Nac said he moved to Ames from Storm Lake because he found out Uber was here. He used to work in restaurants but realized he could be making more as an Uber driver. Then he discovered he would make more through his own business, and Sam Ames Shuttle Service came about.

Nac drives a Toyota Highlander that he adds his own personality to with stickers saying,“Watch out for the idiot behind me” and “If you can read this, then back the hell up.” He also has his an LED-sign displaying messages.

This is his second car since starting the business, the first one being even more decked out than the new one. The inside has added lights, six screens and two security cameras, all controlled through his phone.

Nac doesn’t have an app and mostly communicates with customers through call or text. His shuttle business has become an Uber/Taxi service hybrid, as he has a network of drivers he can call when he is unable to take a customer somewhere.

With his own business, he moved from seeing new people every day to having loyal customers who ask him for rides at least once or twice a month. His phone has more than 1,000 saved numbers made up of mostly past customers. He includes the street name of each contact, so he knows exactly where to go with each repeat call. He says he meets people from around the world and becomes a tour guide for the city they go to.

Sometimes, people have him come along for their plans, recently going to a 5 Seconds of Summer concert with passengers who had an extra ticket. These loyal customers sometimes become friends, Nac said.

When he isn’t working for his business, he is still driving, but instead of his Highlander, he drives a CIT bus. Nac can be seen driving 21 Cardinal during the week, though when he is there, the repetitive route makes him wish he was back at Ames Shuttle.

“This is all you do, go back and forth,” Sam said, who drives about 10 laps over five or six hours each shift.

Nac said he prefers to drive long trips and has taken people as far as Chicago. He plans to make his longest trip since starting his business when the Cyclones go to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl. He doesn’t take road trips unless it’s for his business, but he sees these as mini-vacations that he’s getting paid to do.

Originally from Thailand, Nac has lived all over the U.S. He grew up in Alaska and eventually moved to the continental U.S. He said he doesn’t miss Alaska since, like Hawaii, you are limited in places you are able to drive to.

“Every time you go to Alaska, you cannot go anywhere, just like an island. That’s why I moved down here,” Nac said. “Alaska and Hawaii are the same … every time you go somewhere you have to fly.”

Nac took several career routes before finding his love of driving. He didn’t enjoy school, so he joined the yearbook club and school newspaper, so he could skip class to take pictures. He said he struggled learning English right away because he just wasn’t interested in the classes.

Nac said when he first came to the U.S. in high school, he only knew a few phrases including “How are you?” and “Where is the bathroom?”

“You know how you say, ‘Can you turn off the light?’ I would say, ‘Can you open the light,’” Nac said. “To me, you open it … English was so mean to me so many times.”

When in Alaska, he helped out with his family’s restaurant.

“I don’t like to work [in restaurants],” Nac said “I worked all day everyday, seven days a week. Well, not seven days because of Sunday … After school, I had to go straight to the restaurant.”

Now, Nac can appreciate making his own schedule. At a restaurant, it is difficult to take off. You have to drive out there, stay several hours and then drive back.

“This way I can turn off a phone. Somebody make a call, I don’t want to answer, let them go,” Nac said.

If you are looking for a ride, whether in Ames or somewhere further, Sam Ames Shuttle LLC can be reached at 515-291-1324.