Paradise Driver: MY DAY STARTS

Friday, April 27, 2007

MY DAY STARTS

AS THE SUN SETS

AND ENDS WHEN THE MOON GOES "PAU HANA"

***

Well, we now accept credit cards. This apparently took affect on Tuesday. Being the "graveyard guy", nobody remembered to tell me. There was a memo, I read another drivers copy of it last night. Somehow it didn't get to me. Its one of the consequences of not having an accessible bulletin board.

"Crazy" Brian gave me the "heads up". Then he later discovered an extra imprinter in his vehicle and passed it on to ONE-NINE, along with some charge slips.

4 hours later I had my first charge fare. We had arrived at her hotel, from the "Triangle", and she asked if we took cards. She had no cash and I would have to wait while she went to her room. I think I got a bigger tip because of taking the card.

The fare was $17.30 and most people would just hand you a $20 and "keep the change". When I was filling out the charge slip I asked her if she would like me to include the tip on the bill. Ah, moment of truth. She could say "NO". Maybe "make it $20". But most people when asked this question will state an exact dollar amount. And since they have to say it aloud, they don't want to sound chintzy. She told me to add $5. Almost double the aforementioned normal gratuity.

I process the paperwork the same way as I do a voucher. The company is going to absorb the fees and, since we have no way of getting an authorization number, will not pass charge backs down the line. Thats a sweet deal.

Overall it was a decent shift. One OGG to start the night and then a few dinner returns and the rest of the night was all bar related. Did 2 more fares than Wednesday but metered $20 less.

Some type of roadwork closed south Kihei Road, at the Kihei/Wailea boundary, about 9:30pm last night. The required detour added about $2 to any fare transiting between the two communities. That helped.

The first 2 day cabs were in Wailea by 4:00am and I was home by 4:30am. Need my beauty sleep. Its Friday and I have to !@#$&*% dispatch tonight.

Come back tomorrow and find out how brain dead I am at the end of the night.

Mahalo

Aloha

HACK

This is the cover for Melissa Plaut's (New York Hack) new book. It goes on sale on August 28th.

I plan on buying it. I hope you do too.

HAWAI'I'S "TWO-BITS" WORTH

The series of new quarters (25-cents) will end with the minting of the 50th and final State of the Union. Here is what it will look like.