From Chaos to Control: CharterUP’s Andrew Ripani Brings Effortless Travel to Exceptional Events
Published June 30, 2024
When Andrew Ripani received the call about managing the shuttle program for Phish Festival 8 at Coachella in 2009, he was thrilled. A longtime Phish fan, he imagined enjoying the concert while overseeing a relatively straightforward transportation operation. However, what awaited him was far from a relaxing weekend. The company initially hired to manage the shuttle services had faltered, leaving festival-goers stranded and chaos in its wake. Andrew stepped in, working 20-hour days for four grueling days, ensuring that thousands of fans could travel to and from the festival with ease.
Those long days and last-minute changes didn’t scare him — instead, they enticed him to pivot his career into event transportation.
Experience & Expertise
Andrew started his career in 2002 and quickly rose through the sales ranks, eventually becoming the Director of Sales. With 20 years of experience in transportation sales, Andrew joined CharterUP in February 2024.
It was at BusBank where his passion for large-scale events took root, particularly when he launched the FestDrive division, which focused on transportation services for grand-scale live events.
“Believe it or not, I love last-minute,” Andrew said. “I’m good under pressure. I just love the energy.”
This enthusiasm and ability to remain composed in high-stress situations have become hallmarks of his approach to event transportation.
Andrew’s extensive experience includes managing transportation for some of the largest and most prestigious events in North America, including Coachella, the Olympics and the US Open.
Under Andrew’s leadership, high-profile festivals such as BottleRock Music Festival and Burning Man also saw significant improvements in transportation efficiency and attendee satisfaction. His ability to understand customer challenges and design comprehensive transportation programs has made him a sought-after expert in the industry.
One of Andrew’s notable achievements was the development of a single-seat ticket service offering transportation to major music festivals and events. This innovative solution not only provided convenience for attendees but also guaranteed revenue shares for event organizers, making it a win-win proposition. Although now working within a different platform at CharterUP, Andrew still enjoys the challenge of building shuttle contracts that can significantly boost festival revenue.
Why Andrew Joined CharterUP
Andrew’s decision to join CharterUP was driven by a strong alignment with the company’s customer-first approach. Throughout his career, he had seen other shuttle providers and brokers sell events short, often leading to subpar experiences for attendees and organizers alike. These experiences highlighted the need for a higher standard in the industry.
CharterUP also offered Andrew the opportunity to work with mid-sized events, which require 15-75 buses rather than the 500+ buses used by major events.
“These organizers are often navigating transportation needs for the first time, and I love helping them figure out their most cost effective way to do something they are unfamiliar with,” he said. “ While I love managing the mega events, CharterUP’s national reach and unrivaled customer base gives me access to more variety.”
At CharterUP, Andrew found a company that shared his commitment to excellence and transparency. CharterUP’s mission to provide reliable, high-quality transportation services without sacrificing customer satisfaction resonated deeply with him. By joining CharterUP, Andrew aims to ensure that every event transportation program not only meets but exceeds expectations, enhancing the overall experience for all stakeholders involved.
Customer-Centric, On-The-Ground Approach
Andrew’s emphasis on speed of response, professionalism and value has set him apart in an industry where competitors often sacrifice one for the other.
“I take a consultative approach to understand customer challenges,” he said. “I design programs to alleviate those pain points with short-term and big-picture goals in mind,” he said.
While Andrew is an expert in planning, his specialty is actually on-the-ground management. His hands-on approach, which ranges from driver coordination to real-time problem solving, has earned him a reputation as a reliable and trusted event partner.
“We’re not only going to get you the hundreds of buses that you need, we’re going to manage them. We’re going to make sure they show up. We’re going to make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to do,” Andrew said. “We create driver packets, we’ll do dry runs, we’ll do site visits. It’s really about being out there and seeing problems before they happen.”
Looking Ahead with CharterUP
Andrew’s deep understanding of event logistics, combined with his innovative mindset, makes him the perfect leader to drive CharterUP’s event transportation services to new heights. Backed by CharterUP’s unrivaled scale and award-winning technology, Andrew remains dedicated to delivering exceptional value and seamless experiences for CharterUP’s clients.
For more information about how Andrew and the CharterUP team can enhance your event transportation, drop us a message below.
