KENT ISLAND, MD - Hesitant drivers are increasingly turning to a drive-over service on Kent Island to navigate the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, especially following the collapse of the Key Bridge. This holiday weekend is expected to be particularly busy for the service.
Steven Eskew, owner and operator of the Bay Bridge drive-over service, noted a significant uptick in business. Before the Key Bridge collapse, he says they were doing 30 to 40 trips a day. Since then, he says calls have almost doubled.
Eskew says, "We absolutely increased in calls almost doubled and we have increased quite a few in drive-overs. We found that people who can drive the bridge, they didn't like the bridge but they could drive the bridge. And now they have called and started using our service."
Eskew emphasized that the service caters to a diverse clientele. "We have 2 or 3 tractor-trailer drivers who won't drive the bridge," he said. "Our customers include men and women, young and old, black and white. The bridge does not discriminate; if you don’t like the bridge, you don’t like the bridge." He goes on to say, "I think absolutely peoples anxiety- I'm not going to use the word fear, but issues with the bridge has increased."
The service involves one driver operating the customer's vehicle and another following in a follow car. Lisa Okes, one of the drivers, described the approach to helping anxious passengers. "We try to keep them talking as much as possible. There are very few but there are some that would just prefer to just be silent so they can just breath."
D.C. local Julia Taylor appreciates the service for its convenience and peace of mind. "I even considered going all the way around through I-95 to Wilmington and then down," Taylor said. "The Key Bridge collapse was definitely on my mind. Knowing someone could drive me over made a huge difference."
Okes also mentioned the therapeutic aspect of their job. "We are definitely therapists in a way. We hear a lot of stories about why people are afraid of the bridge," she said.
Eskew anticipates that Tuesday will be their busiest day, as many passengers avoid traveling on Monday to make their trip over the Chesapeake Bay easier.