By Jim Hunt for the News and Journal
One of the things I enjoy most when traveling for work is taking Uber rides. Each one is like a miniature story—brief, but often unforgettable. Over the past few years, I’ve been driven by a former bank president, a documentary filmmaker, a young teacher, and many other fascinating individuals. I also seem to run into a surprising number of people with ties to West Virginia. They’re always happy to talk with someone from the Mountain State.
On a recent trip to Champaign, Illinois, for the Illinois City/County Management Conference, I had several Uber rides—two of which stood out.
As the conference wrapped up, I made plans to visit a good friend in Normal, Illinois. That meant an hour-long drive through a steady rain. Long Uber trips give you pause—you hope the driver is experienced and not channeling their inner Mario Andretti. I was a little concerned when the app said my ride would be in a Kia Soul. I couldn’t help but wonder how stable those things are on wet roads.
My driver, Jerry, pulled up outside the hotel, and I loaded my luggage into the small hatchback before sliding into the back seat. Jerry had a good bit of gray hair, which was oddly reassuring.
As we headed toward Normal, I struck up a conversation.
It turned out Jerry’s father had been a coal miner in Beckley, West Virginia, and Jerry himself had lived in Martinsburg while commuting to an IT job in Washington, D.C. His wife, originally from Ukraine, worked at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and now Jerry took on local IT jobs while picking up Uber rides. He told me he’d move back to West Virginia in a minute—except his wife insisted she didn’t want to live in “the jungle.” The time passed quickly, and before I knew it, we were pulling up to City Hall in Normal.
After breakfast with my friend Sonja Reece, a former City Councilmember in Normal, she gave me a tour and filled me in on some fascinating local facts. One I hadn’t known: Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer, employs over 8,000 workers at its plant in Normal. Sonja used to joke at National League of Cities meetings that she was the only “Normal” person in the room. But truth be told, her city is anything but normal—it boasts a high quality of life, excellent healthcare, and impressive recreational opportunities.
Later that day, I summoned another Uber for the ride to the Champaign Airport. This time, I was picked up in a brand-new Kia Sorento by a young man named Mohammad. He was an impressive young man, working in online marketing, helping with his family’s popular restaurant in Champaign, and already well-traveled from previous jobs abroad. He also knew of West Virginia and said he loved the John Denver song “Country Roads,” which, as he pointed out, is a global favorite.
We had a rich conversation, touching on travel experiences and current events here and abroad.
As we pulled up to the airport, I thanked him for the thoughtful discussion. He smiled and told me I reminded him of Sean Connery—probably the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in an Uber.
We shook hands, and I headed off to catch my flight home.
Not every Uber ride is this memorable, of course. But these short trips expose you to a diverse slice of humanity—people driving for different reasons, from earning a little extra money, to filling time in retirement. Based on my experience, Uber has tapped into something deeper than just getting from Point A to Point B. It’s a front seat to people’s stories—and sometimes, a mirror to your own.
