Cutest ride ever: Pup Park Shuttle for Raleigh's dog owners delivers big smiles

While driving through Raleigh, it’s possible you might pass a school bus full of smiling dog faces. It’s the cutest thing you’ll ever see – but it’s also a lot of work!

It only took a few months for founder Baden Jaxen to get Pup Park Shuttle off the ground.

Jaxen was scrolling through social media in October when he saw a video from Canada showing a shuttle-based dog-sitting service where pets were picked up on a bus.

Jaxen reached out to the company, but they politely declined his request to franchise and create something similar in North Carolina.

Jaxen said that turned out to be a blessing.

“As soon as they said 'no,' I jumped on Facebook Marketplace and typed in ‘short school bus,’” Jaxen said. He found the perfect bus, and Pup Park Shuttle was created.

In less than two months, Jaxen got the school bus in top shape, decorating it with turf grass and a sky on the ceiling.

“To be honest with you, I couldn't sleep,” Jaxen said. “Once I fixated on this idea, I knew this market was going to appreciate it. I was just moving and energetic off the idea that this could actually be beneficial to a society like this.”

Jaxen played basketball for UNC between 2009 and 2013 under Coach Roy Williams. Basketball fans may know him as Dexter Strickland, his former name.

Jaxen said he has played basketball since childhood but began to take it seriously when he joined his high school’s team in New Jersey.

“I started to see it as an opportunity to just better my situation, the area that I grew up in, because I'm an inner-city kid,” Jaxen said.

In high school, he played alongside NBA stars Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. During his junior year, he committed to UNC.

“I think the reason why I'm still out here in North Carolina is because I went to Chapel Hill,” said Jaxen, who, after UNC, played professional basketball overseas before returning home to the Triangle.

After suffering a sports injury, Jaxen started thinking about life after basketball. He was interested in entrepreneurship and doing something he loved, and that’s where Pup Park Shuttle comes in.

The Pup Park Shuttle visits over 20 parks in Raleigh and Cary. Some popular stops are Jordan Lake, where the dogs can get in the water and walk on a trail, and the sprawling Carolina Pines Dog Park.

The Pup Park Shuttle can fit around 20 medium-to-large dogs, but small dogs also enjoy riding along for the fun. Jaxen uses straps and harnesses to “buckle” the dogs in their seats for safety.

He calls the dogs “his pack” and credits his personality as a “pack leader” as the secret to keeping everyone safe and behaved.

“Some dogs have anxiety, some dogs are antsy, and some dogs are just chill,” Jaxen said. “It really depends on the type of pack we have as far as how many dogs we plan having on the bus that day. With this kind of business, it's not about quantity, it's about quality.”

There are two staff members assigned to each bus ride. That’s especially helpful when it’s time to unload the dogs at each destination.

On a typical day, the Pup Park Shuttle will visit three to four parks in a six-hour window. The dogs are returned home to their owners at the end of the day exhausted and content.

“My favorite part of this is the service that we provide,” Jaxen said. “I knew it was going to help a lot of people.”

Pup Park Shuttle’s service is customized for owners. Dogs within a 10-mile radius of the bus can be picked up at their homes, while other dogs are dropped off by their owners at Jaycee Dog Park on Wade Avenue.

Erika Hutton and her dog Hazel are regular customers. Hutton had also seen similar concepts on social media and was thrilled to discover Pup Park Shuttle in Raleigh.

“Hazel is living her best life,” Hutton said. “She goes and has the best time and meets all these other dogs, and she is so social. She has a lot of energy, so she burns a lot of energy off. When she comes off the bus, she has the biggest smile on her face.”

Jaxen considers dogs to be family members and remembers the strain of being a pet owner, balancing quality time with your dog with work, school and other responsibilities.

“What brings me joy is people finding this service to be helpful and less stressful,” Jaxen said. “They can give their dog an opportunity to go out, go to lakes, go on hikes and have an adventure throughout their whole day while their owner is at work.”

Dog owners must show proof of vaccination before their pet can board the Pup Park Shuttle. It’s also up to owners to understand and know their dog’s personality and if they can handle a bus ride with a bunch of new dogs.

Jaxen tries to make the service personal for owners and their pets.

“If there is a situation where a dog is by himself standing by the gate, I'll go over there,” Jaxen said. “I'll put a leash on and we'll just walk around the park, get him to socialize a bit, because usually they're just shy.”

The service runs on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. by reservation. A day adventure starts at $53 for one dog, with specials offered for multiple dogs.