PDA

View Full Version : Should No-Show shuttlers be tracked?



anneandbenhike
10-24-2005, 23:06
While emergencies sometimes do occur, our planned shuttle was a no-show 350 miles from home, choosing to volunteer at the Luray, VA Chamber of Commerce instead. A running list of UNRELIABLES might save someone else a hassle, and yes we both had cell-phones with coverage. Thoughts?

Sly
10-24-2005, 23:14
That soaps, yeah it's probably a good idea. I'd let the people where you got the contact info know.

MedicineMan
10-24-2005, 23:49
it would save much aggravation and FUEL!

Frolicking Dinosaurs
10-25-2005, 08:12
Perhaps the poll-making portion of this BB could be used to add a poll for individual shuttle providers and people could vote 'yes, he / she showed up' or 'no-show shuttle'. This would give us info regarding reliablity before we find ourselves stranded 40 miles from the nearest town and with the minimal gear most carry when slackpacking.

I think the shuttle providers should be able to share info about no-show hikers as well. Several shuttle providers have told me they have this problem on a regular basis. Knowing which hikers are reliable would help them as well.

fiddlehead
10-25-2005, 08:44
sounds like somebody forgot. I remember a (casual) friend (ex-thru-hiker) of mine slack-packed some hikers once and found their packs in his trunk 2 days later. Imagine that feeling?

Peaks
10-25-2005, 08:58
Assuming that you are doing a section hike and not a thru-hike, I'd recommend that you do the shuttle at the start of your hike rather than at the end. That way, no matter when you get out of the woods, your car should be there.

CynJ
10-25-2005, 09:01
Assuming that you are doing a section hike and not a thru-hike, I'd recommend that you do the shuttle at the start of your hike rather than at the end. That way, no matter when you get out of the woods, your car should be there.
that's a really good idea!

orangebug
10-25-2005, 09:15
I always prefer to walk back to my car. Of course, that isn't always possible if slackpacking on a longer walk.

orangebug
10-25-2005, 09:16
... I remember a (casual) friend (ex-thru-hiker) of mine slack-packed some hikers once and found their packs in his trunk 2 days later. Imagine that feeling?Aren't those substance induced black-outs the pits? :eek:

Was he slacking the Donner party?

neo
10-25-2005, 09:41
i have always used shuttles that are in the guides,sorry to hear you had a no show,were did you find this shuttle:cool: neo

SGT Rock
10-25-2005, 10:10
Hacksaw got me hooked on that system - get the shuttle to your start location and hike back to your car. It works great.

Sly
10-25-2005, 11:00
Hacksaw got me hooked on that system - get the shuttle to your start location and hike back to your car. It works great.

As a shuttle provider there really is no other way. It's much too hard to judge when someone will be finishing their hike.

Spirit Walker
10-25-2005, 11:56
Many years ago, the year after our thruhike, we wanted to do some trail magic, so we slacked a group of hikers from Del. Water Gap to Brinks Road. Only one of them had actually spoken to us the previous day. We told him we were willing to shuttle the packs, and if anyone was interested they should leave their pack at a certain spot. The next morning there were a dozen or so packs lined up. We loaded them in the truck and took off for the trail.

When people started arriving at Brinks road we had cold soda, beer and fruit waiting. Most important were the packs. A few had had the sudden realization as they were hiking that maybe giving their pack to a total stranger was not such a good idea. Of the group at the hostel, only one person had not been willing to trust that we would be waiting with the packs. Everyone else heard 'former thruhiker' and 'slack' and that was quite enough. I was amazed at how trusting they were ;-) But then, when I was thruhiking, I was just as trusting.

In 1997 we wanted to hike a section of the CDT in southern Colorado. Public transportation was really hard to manage (it would take two days to get to the trailhead) and hitching would have taken almost as long. We couldn't find a shuttle, and it probably would have cost a couple of hundred dollars, given the mileage. So we met someone we knew from the internet and arranged that we would rent a car, she would drive with us to the trailhead, use the car for a couple of days prior to her hike with the CT foundation, and she would return the car to the airport for us. For the next two weeks I was wondering, "Did she really return the car or did it find its way to Mexico?" We were lucky.

Skyline
10-25-2005, 12:39
While emergencies sometimes do occur, our planned shuttle was a no-show 350 miles from home, choosing to volunteer at the Luray, VA Chamber of Commerce instead. A running list of UNRELIABLES might save someone else a hassle, and yes we both had cell-phones with coverage. Thoughts?


The only shuttler I know in Luray who works at the Chamber of Commerce is Bobby Jenkins. If he indeed was a no-show and it wasn't simply a crossed-signal, I agree you should be mighty pissed. Have you called HIM to find out what happened?

In Bobby's defense, he is still recovering from a 5-way heart bypass a few months ago and is suffering with kidney stones--which they won't resolve at the hospital 'til he's stronger (due to the bypass). A bit much for a guy in his 70s. I had heard he recently returned to an abbreviated schedule at the Chamber and also resumed doing shuttles. I've wished him well many times, but if this was really a blow-off and there's no other plausible explanation it's inexcusable.

Then again, maybe it wasn't even Bobby...

Miss Janet
10-25-2005, 13:38
I have ran thousands of shuttles over the years and I have had a few bad experiences... both ways... poor communication is usually the problem. But sometimes it is just unforseen circumstances that can not be planned for.

In order to cut down on the possibility, I try to always have the person hiking BACK to thier car or to a place where they can safely wait and call if there is a problem. When I slack anyone it is always back into town.. I have only carried packs to hikers twice in the hundreds I have slacked.

Of course, some hikers are sitting at home making a hike plan using maps and guidebooks and the amount of time they have to hike and never ask anyone if the plan is logistical. I get calls every week where Jimbo and Bubba want to hike from Hurricane Gap to Ogleby Branch road. When I tell them that this is not going to work they get all upset. My biggest problems always happen when I don't follow my instincts and tell these people I can't help them.

Please call and discuss your plans with your shuttle drivers... along with "worst case scenarios" before you set your plans down in blood. And don't ecpect that you will just carry your cell phone and call when you are ready to get picked up. You might as well plan to send a smoke signal from most of the gaps.

This past week I have had a noshow at an airport and group that got mad because they were at a pick up site 3 hours early and had to wait until I arrived at the agreed upon meeting time. In the first case, should I start charging a shuttle "reservation fee" to a credit card just in case the hiker decides to go to the ballgame instead and not bother to cancel the shuttle? In the second case... well I try, but my psychic skills are a little rusty... what could I have done?

I know how horrible it is to wait for hours in the cold and wet with dark approaching. I am sorry that this happened to the people who started this thread for what ever reason that it happened. Shuttling hikers is a big responsibility and I always worry about "my" hikers.

neo
10-25-2005, 13:44
i have always been dropped off and hiked back to my car ,but one time,but i hiked to place of shuttler,i hiked from damascus va to pearisburg va in 7 days
and was shuttled back to damascus by bill gautier at the hostel in pearisburg
:cool: neo

Sly
10-25-2005, 13:52
This past week I have had a noshow at an airport and group that got mad because they were at a pick up site 3 hours early and had to wait until I arrived at the agreed upon meeting time. In the first case, should I start charging a shuttle "reservation fee" to a credit card just in case the hiker decides to go to the ballgame instead and not bother to cancel the shuttle? In the second case... well I try, but my psychic skills are a little rusty... what could I have done?

Yes, in the 1st case, I think if the hiker wasn't at the airport at the agreed time, they do owe you a trip fee if they didn't cancel in time beforehand. How to collect without charging up front is another matter.

In the 2nd case, I pity the poor, spoiled hikers. They need to get a life that doesn't solely revolve around them.

Bilko
10-25-2005, 14:00
As a career section hiker, I have had my share of shuttles. I have developed a few rules as I travel.
1. Never ask for a shuttle after you have been on the trail for any length of time. You smell too bad to have someone shuttle you. Hike towards your vehicle. When you get to your vehicle (no matter what time of day or night) you are ready to leave. You don't have to wait for the shuttle, the shuttle doesn't have to wait for you.
2. Call two weeks before the shuttle to make arrangements, call one week before shuttle to confirm, call the night before to make sure everything is OK.
3. If it is a long shuttle, provide a meal for your driver, tip your driver or tell everyone what a great experience you had with your shuttle.
4. Shuttle drivers are a part of the AT (or all trails) as much as a welcomed shelter, a hostile or trail angel. Be nice to them and we will all be better off.

Bilko
10-25-2005, 14:43
I hate to hit the post button with misspelled words. I meant to type hostel (not hostile trail angel).

peter_pan
10-25-2005, 15:23
As a section hiker and shuttle user I agree with Bilko...call early to set up, call a week out to confirm and call the night before to make sure all are on the same sheet of music.... Tip well... there are not enough of these fine folks.

The ATC list has served me well.... when looking for help where there are no shuttlers listed check with hostel or hiker friendly hotel opperators they frequently know of other reliable sources... then apply the rules above.

Pan

tiamalle
10-25-2005, 19:23
I have ran thousands of shuttles over the years and I have had a few bad experiences... both ways... poor communication is usually the problem. But sometimes it is just unforseen circumstances that can not be planned for.

In order to cut down on the possibility, I try to always have the person hiking BACK to thier car or to a place where they can safely wait and call if there is a problem. When I slack anyone it is always back into town.. I have only carried packs to hikers twice in the hundreds I have slacked.

Of course, some hikers are sitting at home making a hike plan using maps and guidebooks and the amount of time they have to hike and never ask anyone if the plan is logistical. I get calls every week where Jimbo and Bubba want to hike from Hurricane Gap to Ogleby Branch road. When I tell them that this is not going to work they get all upset. My biggest problems always happen when I don't follow my instincts and tell these people I can't help them.

Please call and discuss your plans with your shuttle drivers... along with "worst case scenarios" before you set your plans down in blood. And don't ecpect that you will just carry your cell phone and call when you are ready to get picked up. You might as well plan to send a smoke signal from most of the gaps.

This past week I have had a noshow at an airport and group that got mad because they were at a pick up site 3 hours early and had to wait until I arrived at the agreed upon meeting time. In the first case, should I start charging a shuttle "reservation fee" to a credit card just in case the hiker decides to go to the ballgame instead and not bother to cancel the shuttle? In the second case... well I try, but my psychic skills are a little rusty... what could I have done?

I know how horrible it is to wait for hours in the cold and wet with dark approaching. I am sorry that this happened to the people who started this thread for what ever reason that it happened. Shuttling hikers is a big responsibility and I always worry about "my" hikers.Miss J,You have
a great name on the trail for your services.I for one am real proud to have
meet you.Your right"lack of communication plays a big role" I think that leads
into at times new hikers misjudging their abilities from point A to point B and there where people with experience helps them also.But let's face it!they're always going to be a problem slip up with both sides.Cell phones does help some.

sliderule
10-25-2005, 21:00
Should I start charging a shuttle "reservation fee" to a credit card just in case the hiker decides to go to the ballgame instead and not bother to cancel the shuttle? I think that your no-show rate will drop significantly if you just ask for a credit card number. Even if you do not have the intent or ability to "charge" the card, the customer will think that you will and behave accordingly.
I was employed for several years in a situation where my compensation was directly tied to customers keeping appointments. Some days I would go to work with six hours of billable time on the schedule. At the end of the day I would go home with two hours of pay because of last-minute cancellations and no-shows. (The last-minute cancellations were particularily aggravating because people think that, because they called, no harm was done.) When I finally convinced the owner of the company to implement a cancellation fee, the no-show rate dropped to almost zero.
I have come to the conclusion that there is a percentage of the population that will not place a value on your time unless you do it for them. Insist on a credit card number!!!

Skyline
10-25-2005, 21:33
While emergencies sometimes do occur, our planned shuttle was a no-show 350 miles from home, choosing to volunteer at the Luray, VA Chamber of Commerce instead. A running list of UNRELIABLES might save someone else a hassle, and yes we both had cell-phones with coverage. Thoughts?

When--and where--did this incident occur?

MedicineMan
10-25-2005, 21:57
been doing this for many many years an in all that time I've only had one shuttler not show up when/where we agreed upon..personally i've never failed to show as promised but i'm the one wanting/needing the shuttle, even passed on a free shuttle twice because i had agreed on a shuttle with money agreement.
i'm just glad that people do find the time/inclination to shuttle and i do think the overall picture is a good one with all the shuttlers i've dealth with professionally (i.e. they charge) being people who want to support the trail even if they are making a little income at the same time.

In time WB will be the first place people turn to for shuttles and the Frapper Map (great idea and thanks) can only help that cause.

anneandbenhike
10-28-2005, 22:44
Many thanks for the comments. I didn't include a lot of info in my original post because I thought it was a bit irrelevant to the key question--"should no-show shuttlers be tracked?"--but here is the nitty-gritty:

With nearly 1000 miles of section hiking and many many pleasant and reliable shuttlers along the way, yes, I use shuttlers on the front end and walk towards my car, yes I call frequntly to be sure things are OK and that we are on the same page, and yes it was Bobby Jenkins and yes I knew that he had had some serious health problems and had asked point blank if he were sure that he felt up to the trip, and yes he had reassured me as late as 48 hours prior to our rendevous that he was OK after at least 3 previous calls getting the trip together, and yes we both had each other's cell-phone for last minute needs. His "explanation" when I called to see where he was was that his doctor felt he needed more rest--so he was on site at the Luray Chamber instead. The ATC list is a great collection of generally fine folks, but the ATC ain't got the problem, and make it very clear on the title page that the list is "caveat emptor" only, so I can't see any real point in notifying them per se.

So I'm thinking that a bum ride ought to get at least a post on this thread under Trail Towns and Services with a brief rundown of the facts. It was a LONG hitchhike and the loss of a precious day on the trail for a couple of senior citizens.

Hikerhead
10-28-2005, 23:22
Be careful, if you start slamming shuttlers by name then soon that list of shuttler providers will be a short one. Everyone has a bad day. Though it sure would have been swell if he had gave you a call.

Skyline
10-29-2005, 08:51
Given his health issues, I'm not surprised he might have been having a bad day, but he should have definitely called if he could, and going by what you've written it sounds as if he had phone access. A good signal on your end? Not so sure...cell coverage in the mountains can work in one place and not 10 feet to the right or left.

Being able to sit at a desk at the Chamber talking on the phone for a couple hours a day (which is all Bobby was doing while rucuperating) is a lot less taxing than driving all over mountains. If he had been told to take it easy by his doctor, that would explain him being there and not up in the Blue Ridge or wherever he was to meet y'all.

Sorry you had to hitch.

Do y'all recall what date this happened?

anneandbenhike
10-29-2005, 10:28
Date= September 30th