Should No-Show shuttlers be tracked?

[anneandbenhike]

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]

That soaps, yeah it's probably a good idea. I'd let the people where you got the contact info know.

[MedicineMan]

it would save much aggravation and FUEL!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I always prefer to walk back to my car. Of course, that isn't always possible if slackpacking on a longer walk.

[orangebug]

... 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?

Was he slacking the Donner party?

[neo]

i have always used shuttles that are in the guides,sorry to hear you had a no show,were did you find this shuttle neo

[SGT Rock]

Hacksaw got me hooked on that system - get the shuttle to your start location and hike back to your car. It works great.

[Sly]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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
neo

[Sly]

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]

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]

I hate to hit the post button with misspelled words. I meant to type hostel (not hostile trail angel).

[peter_pan]

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