NEWBERG, Ore. — In late 2024, the city of Newberg formed a Wine Industry Ad Hoc Committee to hear from area wineries on how to better support the industry. With tasting room visitation declining, the city sought ways to counter the trend.
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Mayor Bill Rosacker said he quickly learned one major obstacle was a lack of easy, affordable transportation to and from tasting rooms. Rideshare enterprises Uber and Lyft aren’t reliable in the area, and while wine tour companies offer strong experiences, not every visitor wants or can afford a full tour.
So Rosacker started his own. Last week, he launched Wine Country Taxi in Newberg. The service is now accepting rides, transporting locals around town and beyond.
“The need is there,” he said. “It was clear to me before, but I don’t think [driving for a rideshare company] was the answer. It needs to be a local thing.”
Wine Country Taxi operates as a traditional taxi service with a modern approach. Rosacker said he and future employees will be Newberg-based, serving primarily the Newberg-Dundee area. Fares are charged per eighth of a mile at a rate of $4 per mile.
Riders can book through the Wine Country Taxi website, where an app called Taxi Caller dispatches rides to drivers. Passengers can also hail cabs, though Rosacker noted that with a limited fleet, availability may be less consistent.
The app prompts riders to select a pickup and drop-off location, number of passengers, and payment method. Cash and card are accepted, and Rosacker said he hopes to add payment apps such as Venmo and Cash App soon.
The company is starting with two vehicles — a red SUV and a red sedan — with plans to expand. The sedan will carry Wine Country Taxi branding for easy identification. Rosacker said he will begin by driving on call during peak hours, though he encourages advance bookings to ensure coverage.
While he expects the service to meet local needs such as downtown trips or airport runs, Rosacker also sees opportunities to partner with area wineries and hotels, which could request rides for their guests.
From Rideshare Driver to Taxi Owner
On New Year’s Eve 2024 and New Year’s Day 2025, Rosacker tried driving for Uber to see how rideshare worked. He quickly ran into the problem: rides often took him to Portland International Airport, where drivers had little incentive to return to Newberg.
“The profit from the ride is essentially going to filling up with gas and covering expenses,” he told Newsberg in an earlier story. “The real payment is going to be tax season when you can write off all of those miles.”
He stopped driving for Uber because the economics didn’t make sense but saw a clear local need for reliable service.
“The problem with rideshare companies for smaller towns is the incentive,” Rosacker said. “Drivers need to be in populated areas to make money. That leaves communities like ours underserved.”
He added that his service isn’t meant to push Uber or Lyft out.
“They operate on different business models,” he said. “Uber doesn’t have to be unsuccessful for me to be a success.”
Starting a Business While Mayor
Oregon ethics laws do not bar elected officials from starting a business. ORS 244.040 prohibits officials from using their position for financial gain or to avoid financial loss and requires them to disclose and abstain from votes that could directly affect their business.
Rosacker already owns BQC LLC, a general contracting company, in addition to serving as mayor through at least 2026, and is a board member of housing project SPARK Newberg. Adding another venture, he acknowledged, will require balance.
“I’ll need to make other things go away,” Rosacker said. “My first priority is serving the Newberg community as its mayor. The second is serving them by providing a service that’s needed in this town.”
Learn more about Wine Country Taxi at the company’s website.
