Pal Paranamana has spent his whole career in the hospitality industry. When he noticed that Bedford lacked transit to help visitors and residents get around town and had only limited transportation options for guests attending weddings and other events, he started his own business to meet those needs.
“I’m originally from Sri Lanka and worked in hospitality and transportation there, and I was also a vehicle importer,” Paranamana said. “I come to the United States in 1996 and operated a limousine business in Washington, DC, until electronically dispatched ride services in every big city.”
Bedford Shuttle Operated by Pal Car Service offers pre-arranged rides and operates a 14-seat seasonal 24/7 shuttle bus under all weather conditions and hopes to start a shuttle route that begins and ends at Omni Bedford Springs Resort, providing access to popular destinations that include Bedford Plaza, Bedford Square Plaza, UPMC Bedford, Mile Level, the businesses on Weber Lane and Country Ridge Road, and the fairgrounds.
“My car service frequently accommodates people who have booked three to four months in advance in the summer, especially for weddings and the prom, because there are only limited resources here,” Paranamana said.
His fleet includes the bus, two Suburban SUVs, and a temporary vehicle during busier periods. Although the bulk of his transportation runs are limited to Bedford and Blair Counties, Paranamana’s service can transport customers anywhere in the continental United States.
Correct choice
Paranamana first came to Bedford in 2019, following a brief return to his native Sri Lanka after his business in the District of Columbia folded.
“I had to start from scratch and spoke to the chief priest at the Pennsylvania Meditation Center in Crystal Spring,” he said, a Buddhist retreat that he visited at least once a month. “He immensely helped me at a very humble start and told me Bedford was a nice town.”
Knowing that his wife wanted to live near a Buddhist temple, he recorded videos of the town and shared them with her while she was still in Sri Lanka.
“She said, ‘Oh, that looks like a nice town, we’ll settle down there,’” he recalled. “It was a risk, but today we are experiencing that we made the correct choice.”
Paranamana found employment as a front office agent at Bedford Springs for nearly four years before opening his transportation business. Today the Pal Car Service is listed as a Preferred Transportation Provider on the resort’s website.
“Their management and staff is so much friendlier than any other institution I’ve worked with,” Paranamana said.
He and his wife also briefly operated Melani’s Cuisine inside Founders Crossing on Juliana Street, which added to Bedford’s blend of unique dining options.
“We had a very good response and offered special rates for first responders, because I saw how much these men and women sacrifice while I was transporting amputees and their families to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,” he said. “We had to close, though, because my wife wasn’t able to handle everything on her own and it was hard to find help to run it.”
Driven by challenge
Getting established in Bedford wasn’t easy, Paranamana admits, “but I like challenges,” he said. “Any challenge keeps me going.”
He and his wife also found Bedford County’s residents welcoming and accepting.
“I’m thankful for Mary Alice, Vince and Betty, who booked the first rental,” Paranamana said. “My wife and I love Bedford and the people of Bedford. Sometimes I wake up to find my neighbor removing ice in front of my house for me in the winter.”
And when his daughter’s 18th birthday celebration extended into the wee hours of the morning to accommodate colleagues whose shift at Bedford Springs ended at 11 p.m., “I didn’t have to worry about noise complaints,” he said. “All of my neighbors were at the party.”
Paranamana became a U.S. citizen in 2009, something he’s very proud of, and said he feels “lucky and blessed” to live in Bedford.
“When people come to visit us, I always take them to something scenic or educational, and I like to point out Gravity Hill, the Springs resort, and the Flight 93 Memorial,” he said.
“Recently I learned about the fish hatchery during a visit with the Chamber of Commerce, there’s so much to learn from a visit there.”
Life also moves at a different pace in Bedford County, he observed.
“I can’t say I’m doing better than I was in the District of Columbia momentarily, but I’m much happier here,” he said. “And if you get enough, that is all you need.”