SUNDAY DISPATCH

SMOOTHING OUT THE EDGES

Started with a 6-cab fleet, 1-reservation and a very nervous owner. It was another high $$ value weekend for everybody. I am not a gambler by nature but I am a very adept tactician. I triage good runs from the bad and try to utilize and maximize each driver's capability. I know that some drive faster than others, thus making it easy to anticipate when they will become available for another call. My goal, when dispatching (mobile on Friday / fixed on Sunday), is to earn the most that I can for the company. I give the hotels honest answers as to time estimate for pickup and am seldom wrong. Yes, I do pad it a bit to allow for unexpected contingencies, but when we show up early, it makes me and the company look good. Never panic and never let the bastards see you sweat. Good street rules that translate well to business.

I also don't accept fares that I know that I cannot cover in a reasonable amount of time. Had to turn down a Four Seasons to OGG, couldn't get a cab there in 15 minutes and I also had other conflicting requests. Likewise with a Speedi-Shuttle hand-off.

Speedi-Shuttle has a major problem with their dispatch procedures. Their vehicles are tracked by GPS, so they know where each one is at any given moment yet they always call in a panic because one of their nit-wit operators can't figure out in advance that they don't have a van to pick up that flight crew. My analogy is watching a butcher with missing fingers. Yeah, they do the job but they don't do it well.

When I do screw up, and I do at times, I don't fret about it. Thats just a waste of time and energy. Its the proverbial "spilt milk". Correct the problem and move on. As any General will tell you, the first casualty of war is the "battle plan". Its what you do to adapt to the fluid events that determines the winner.

90 phone calls / 247 radio calls

I was glad when it was over though. I was wearing down rapidly. Calls diminish rapidly on Sunday night and there are quiet periods. The bar close is the final death rattle of the shift.

Dinner with Judy tonight.

See you tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Upcountry Mau'i

Halloween - 2006
Front Street
Lahaina

Keawakapu Beach
Kihei

Haleakala

Ka'anapali

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"Let's all be careful out there!"