Donald Keough, News Editor–

It’s 3 a.m. at the beginning of a snowy 25-degree morning in Granville as Jack Fleming, 54, starts an early morning drive. He takes Route 661 10 miles north, driving over hills covered in ice to pick up a couple needing to get to the airport in Columbus. Fleming is used to mornings like this one. He’s typically up at this time three to four times a week.

“It’s like a challenge to me,” Fleming said. “I’m not a morning person, but I enjoy what I’m doing. It’s ironic that I get up and drive, but I do and do it well.”

Fleming, better known as “Uber Jack,” has been providing rideshare services for those in Licking County for the past seven and a half years. He’s provided thousands of rides, from anything like taking students on short trips to Newark to cross-country rides such as when he transported a dog from Naples, Florida to Newark, Ohio.

“I may end up at the airport six times in a day, I may end up in Indianapolis or Pittsburgh or Detroit or Cincinnati,” Fleming said. “There’s a certain level of excitement to that. I like the spontaneity of it.”

Early in life, Fleming grew up in Granville and graduated from Granville High School in 1987. When he turned 18, he left to attend the University of Evansville, where he earned a degree in advertising and graphic design. After college, Fleming moved to Los Angeles, where he worked for various film properties such as Disney and Warner Brothers while also running his own photography studio, which photographed various fashion, sports and music events. Fleming had to pause that career after his parents became ill, and he returned home from Los Angeles in 2015 to support them.

“I had no intention of leaving, but life happens,” Fleming said. “My mom had Alzheimer’s, and my dad had early onset dementia along with other complications. My parents turned into people I’d never known before, and I turned into the adult as my parents became the child. It was the worst time of my life.”

Throughout this dark period, Fleming found solace in different ways, such as rediscovering friends he had grown up with who had stayed or come back for similar reasons. Fleming also grew personally throughout the period.

“It wasn’t about me anymore, and it was very humbling,” said Fleming. “I’m stronger than I was then, and I’m a different person. I’ve learned more, and I’ve never known myself better than I do now. I have a circle of friends, and we all support each other. While they’re different stories, we all have a lot of empathy for one another and there’s a sense of community.”

Fleming took financial responsibility for his parents while they were sick and up until they passed in 2015 and 2016. By the time they were gone, Fleming had spent all of his savings on his parents, so he decided to search for ways to make money.

“I’d always had an entrepreneurial spirit, especially with my photography in California,” Fleming said. “So I thought, I’ll make some quick cash driving for Uber for six months and then go back to California. What I didn’t know was how much it would blow up.”

It was the summer of 2016 that Fleming officially started driving for Uber. He caught the attention of students in need of rides after a local bakery started handing out his business cards. Since then, his business has sprouted out of conversations and connections, from previous passengers and their referrals to other students. He’s continued to target Denison for different reasons.

“Students have places to go and places to be, whether it’s social or academic,” Fleming said. “You’re all very busy all the time and most college students don’t have cars their freshman or sophomore years, so my job fills that void.”

Since Fleming started, he’s expanded the types of ridesharing that he provides, such as moving students’ items to storage units before and after the summer. Since the COVID pandemic, Fleming has left Uber and operates independently, although his nickname has still stuck.

“I quit Uber and I didn’t tell anybody about it, I just depended on those who I gave my phone number to,” Fleming said. “I thought, if they keep calling then I’ll keep doing it, and that’s exactly what happened. I’ve worked almost every day since then and I’ve been in 36 states in the last 20 months.”

On some days, Fleming is driving for about 17 hours.

“It takes a lot of patience,” Fleming said. “Like during a school break, when I’m on my 11th or 12th round trip to the airport, I’ll be exhausted. But I still will love doing it, and I don’t get angry or frustrated. I’m always like, ‘I’ve got a job to complete,’ and then I’ll end up doing three more trips.” Even with his industrious attitude, Fleming still runs into conflicts of schedules, which can make it impossible for him to give rides to everyone who needs a ride. Luckily, there are other drivers in the area who can help Fleming when he needs it. One of these drivers is Curt Rudduck, who started working a couple months after Fleming in 2016.

“When there are busy times, like the holidays, he calls me if he can’t take someone and I come out, and if I have somebody and I can’t take them, I refer them to Jack which is beneficial to both of us,” Rudduck said. “He’s really helped me out a couple of times.”

Despite Fleming and Rudduck competing for the same service, they treat each other with respect. One instance of this was last summer, when Rudduck broke his leg.

“I wasn’t able to work for a while, and when I came back to work, [Fleming] threw a bunch of business my way,” Rudduck said. “He’s a great guy, and he’s a real sweetheart.”

Along with Rudduck’s positive experience with Fleming, students at Denison have also had similar experiences. One such student is Charles Ziegert ‘23, a senior theater major who’s had numerous drives with Fleming, especially during later hours.

“Throughout my Denison career Uber Jack has been there,” Ziegert said. “When you have those 2 a.m. moments and you need to get back from Columbus, Uber Jack is there.”

Besides driving, Fleming continues to pursue photography as he did previously, when on occasion he takes gigs around the country. Lately he’s been on a break, but in the last couple of years he’s done photography for the fashion and racing industries.

“I enjoy doing my own things, like photography and traveling,” Fleming said. “I miss the buzz of Hollywood and Los Angeles sometimes, but I also love to hear the sounds of nature, especially during the summer when you hear the wildlife.”

Contrary to the toll of early mornings and long working hours, Fleming appreciates his field of work nonetheless.

“People have been very generous,’” Fleming said. “There are days when you have very little sleep and you wonder, ‘am I really helping anybody?’ Then somebody shows up and tells you that they appreciate you. Going home at night knowing that somebody felt like you changed their whole day is a really good feeling.”