Paradise Driver: WOW!!

Friday, February 09, 2007

WOW!!

A WONDERFUL NIGHT!

Last night was the way it is supposed to be. Busy.

Accomplished 16 runs, including 3 OGGs of various length, and metered what was normal for last year. BIG BUCKS.

It did start off slow but the encouraging thing was that I only had to wait an hour before my first run. Most nights it has been two hours.

1900 - 1 run
2000 - 1 run
2100 - 1 run (OGG)
2200 - 3 runs
2300 - 2 runs
0000 - 1 run
0100 - 3 runs
0200 - 2 runs (1 OGG)
0300 - 0 runs
0400 - 1 run (OGG)
0500 - 1 run

My first OGG was a guy who had ordered a towncar pickup by one of the limo companies. He was having dinner and was expecting to walk directly from the restaurant to his ride. He ran a bit late and when he came to the lobby of his hotel, the car had departed. The hotel tried calling the company back but couldn't get the driver to return. I was called and he asked me to expedite the journey as much as I could. Yes, he did use the word "expedite". I told him that the trip is normally 30 minutes at that time of night but I would do everything I could, without risking my license, to shorten the time. Since most police departments generally give a cushion of 10mph before making traffic stops, I set my "cruise control" at exactly 9mph over the posted limit. I did push a couple of the yellow traffic lights a bit tight but not dangerously. If we get traffic light cameras installed, heaven forbid, I wouldn't have done it. Cut 6 minutes off the journey and he gave me $70 on a $53.90.

We had a group of 20 that we shuttled from one of the Wailea hotels to dinner at the Seawatch and then to the "Triangle" following dinner. As the night wore on we gradually brought them all safely back "home".

Just after the last evening driver logged off for the night, I received a call from my most favorite airline. Yup, America West had another canceled flight. Luckily they had a low passenger count. I called TMR on the radio. He hadn't parked yet. When I told him what was going down, he jumped at the chance to make a few extra bucks. The airline had told me the people were going to the Renaissance but The ones that TMR picked up went to the Ritz-Carlton instead and the two that I collected went to a private condo in Makena. In fact, TMR was double lucky. He had two separate parties and thus was able to bill two different vouchers on one trip. Kewl!

My scheduled runs at the end of the shift had me worried for a while. I had reservations for a 4:30a to OGG. A 4:45a to OGG. A "special" at 5:15a. Another 5:15a for a pupu run. A 5:20a for another pupu and finally a 6a to OGG.

I could field the first one easily but the 4:45a was going to be tight. TMR drives cab #27 at night and Flor drives it in the day. I spoke with TMR and he said he thought he could make it back by 4:30a. I called Flor at 4a and told him what was going down. TMR arrived at exactly 4:30a and turned #27 over to Flor, who made the 4:45 on time, barely. These folks had actually called me at 4a and wanted to leave for the airport then but I had to tell them that I couldn't do it but we would be there for the 4:45a scheduled time.

Just as I picked up my fare, #21 logged on. The pressure lessened a bit. I knew I had the hotel 5:15a covered. At 4:45a, #09 logged on and the 5:20a was doable. I dropped at 4:53a and immediately called my 5:15a "special" and told her that I might be a couple of minutes late but that I was just leaving the airport headed her way. She appreciated the call and I was only 2 minutes late.

Finally logged off at 5:30a.

Ugh! Tonight is my dispatch night. I need it to be busy but I pray that I am not overwhelmed. The first few hours of Friday nights are normally (which is a moot word, of late) overloaded with multiple OGGs and dinner runs. I typically run out of cabs during that time, which disappoints a lot of people.

I had taken a few interesting "street" shots last night but neither "old" or "new" Blogger seem to want to upload this morning. I'll save them for tomorrow.

Mahalo for coming by and I'll with y'all tomorrow morning.

Aloha!

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