Category: Daily Living
Ok, this might get long so please stick with me and I'll get to the point as quickly as I can. I'll first lay out the problems, solutions I've thought of, and then question. Well, I'll try to be that organized but yall know me better than that. Ok, here goes.
Like the title says, I'm looking for suggestions and ideas on how to go about hiring drivers. Let me first start by saying, I have had success with this in the past but it was when I was working and had a very predictable schedule, Tuesdays through Thursdays from 8 to 5. I would hire a driver to provide transpo to my appointments with clients and schedule my appointments accordingly. All that to say, that I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to things like this but now my situation is quite different and I'm not sure about the best way to phrase my advertisement or even exactly what I need. That's why I'm putting this here so perhaps yall can help me think it through.
This issue has raised it's head again because yesterday, my son had to leave day camp 2 hours early because the kid who's mom who I paid to provide transpo, decided he wanted to go home in the middle of the day and if she hadn't brought my son home then, I wouldn't have had a way to get him home.
There's no public transpo here and taxis won't come down this far into the suburbs for trips like the ones I need to take. Usually, I just need to go 10 miles or less. I'd walk but as I've stated in other posts, there is no safe way to walk anywhere outside of the 5 blocks of our neighborhood because it's all farm-to-market highway once you get off the road that leads to our development. There's no safe sholder and the speed limit on the highway is 55. But, I digress.
For now, what I'm doing is when I know enough in advance where I want to go, I'm advertising on facebook. For example, I just offered $50 for a trip to and from 6 Flags for me and the kidlet which will be about 30 miles total for someone. In DFW, gas is running about $3.40 per gallon so I think that's reasonable. Sadly, all the retired folks and college students, and pretty much everyone else on my facebook friends list don't seem to be interested.
I want to sign my son up to play Fall Ball (baseball in the fall) but am afraid to do so because of transportation. For his karate classes, I've hooked up with the mom I previously mentioned but there are no guarantees I'll find a baseball parent who wants $20 per week for going about 3 miles out of his or her way to provide transpo. Right now, that's what I'm paying my friend for Karate transpo. She literally passes by my house and goes less than a mile out of her way when taking her son to the same class. I don't mind though because other than when her kid throws a hissy fit at camp, she's pretty darned dependable.
I'm going to have to branch out to Craigslist, local churches, senior centers, etc but I'm not sure how to go about it. Kids' practice and game schedules can often times be unpredictable so I'm not sure how to set my hours when advertising.
Plus, the hubs and I would love to be able to go out to dinner every now and then, maybe once a month or so for a despirately needed date night and sometimes take the kidlet out too. Just anything to get the frick out of this house!
If I were financially able, I'd just pay someone a salary to be on standby from time a to time b but that's not realistic.
I know allot of yall on here are young and unencumbered by things like kids, mortgages, etc so I don't expect you to understand why we're in this situation. When I was young and before I had a child, there was nothing in the world that would have convinced me to live somewhere like this. I'm not though and I do, so all that is really pointless at this point and I've already had that discussion on another topic. Now I am looking for suggestions or ideas that perhaps I haven't thought of yet. I feel like I'm missing the forest from the trees.
Try places like Craig's List. You might end up having to work with someone you don't know but you've got to get done what you have to. Just make sure you make it a point to meet up with them beforehand to make sure nothing seems sketchy about them. I'm sure you know this being a mother but I couldn't say the previous without bringing that up.
Okay. Lets talk it through. If we do that I bet we can come up with a better solution over Craigs List.
That is an okay suggestion, but here is my fear.
Everyone doesn't drive well! Yes, people can drive, but they just aren't good at it.
You'll want someone that might be better, or at least responsible when driving you and family.
What about talking to the taxi company, or drivers to see if one would take on your side trips?
Next, do you have a local church, boy or girl scout troop, Lion's Club, or Red Cross?
Call them all, and see what you can come up with.
How about a military base? I'm thinking some of the wives that are at home might do this sort of thing, or even off duty service people?
What do you think?
I did use Craigslist when I hired a driver for a couple days a week once.
Whatever method you choose though, you should be able to find someone who has a less predictable schedule, maybe look for a writer or someone who works for themselves but at home, and needs an excuse to get out of the house. One of my most successful drivers when I was a food service operator, was a writer by profession. It just requires a bit of forethought but I'm betting you can find a match.
Yep, good suggestions. If I hired someone I didn't know, I'd definitely pull his or her driving record and I'm not so sure I wouldn't run a criminal background check as well.
The military bass is a good idea. We've got one but it's about 30 miles away.
I hadn't thought about the Lion's club. I've not had tood luck with church folks being willing to help but that doesn't mean I can't try again.
I'm gunna work up an idea and post it here later for an advertizement so yall can let me know what you think.
Yeah I would be careful with the church folk also, I've done this on rare occasion with the Chick's church but many will want to turn you into some kind of a project, to convert you to their way of thinking.
I understand quid pro quo and they want something out of the deal, but I am loath to get drafted into such things, as I imagine are you, being a liberty lover, if I have read your posts correctly.
30 miles is nothing in a car, so the base could work just fine.
Maybe the service persons spouse lives off base, so near you and has time on their hands.
Even the service person might help you when they have leave and such things.
Might be the base will provide some people. It can't hurt.
I would call the taxi company that is by you and talk to a dispatcher. She or he may know a driver who needs extra cash and would love doing extra driving for you.
Yep, Leo, you're sure right about that. I'm one liberty lovin chick! lmao
I've got a few iorns in the fire.
Oh, and yall won't believe this! I actually got responses from several friends and now have at least 3 trips to 6 Flags lined up! Woohoo! Good thing we have season passes. lol
I also did some additional researching and found a couple of cab drivers who listed their info on the web. I contacted one yesterday and will likely give him a try. He says he services our area and doesn't mind short trips. Hal-a-fricken-luah!
We shall see as his rates sounded a bit higher than what I'm used to paying but if it means being able to go out to dinner every now and then and being able to work out something for the kidlet regarding baseball, it'll be work it.
I also got the contact infro from the baseball program, which apparently, is quite a big deal in our little town. I'm going to contact the commissioner of what would be my son's league to find out about networking with other parents and/or coaches via their facebook page or if they have email news letters or something. I think my biggest challenge with that is feeling like I come off looking pathetic or like I can't handle my own crap in the eyes of my fellow team parents. Ahh, gotta love shaking off years of indoctrination because let's face it, in this case, I do need to ask for help. I just have to keep reminding myself, true independence is knowing when to ask for help and that true patheticness would be not allowing my son the opportunity because my Texas sized pride was in the way. Hmm, is patheticness even a word? Wel it should be.
Thanks yall!
I really think you need to learn to drive. What's wrong with you already anyhow? You've got to be independent even if it kills you and yours. Lol
Good job! You'll get it done.
Yes yes, DG, what a horrible blind person you are for not having mastered driving yet. Shame on you.
I know, right? I'll get right on that. lmao
Shame on you, domestic Goddess. Why aren't you a superBlindy like me. I take my kidlet everywhere all by myself, in my SuperBlindy talking car. I can even make it fly over other, less Super cars if it's about to crash. My superBlindy CarCopter. Why dont' you have one. Horrible, horrible, horrible blind mommy. bad blindy. lol
Seriously though, I am glad you posted this board, because I'm in a similar situation, only difference is my boy is much younger than yours, since he's only seventeen months. My partner and I would love to go out once in a while...We're lucky that my mom will babysit and drive us places if we need to go somewhere, but we feel somewhat inhibited and burdensome by relying on her. I can't really afford it right now, but i'm looking into hiring a driver for the same purposes. In my area, there seem to be actual drivers for hire that advertise their services on craigslist. Taxi drivers, retirees, and the like. I'd pull their driving recor too, especially since we might be driving with our babyonce in a while. I learned that if you are going to hire a stranger, interview them like you'd interview an employee. After all, it's the same thing, they're doing you a service, and you're paying them. I have somewhere a list of questions you should as a driver during an interview. I was given it by a blind professional years ago. I have to find it though. When I do, I'll pst it.
But definitely, lay out on the table what you expect and how you'd like to work things out regarding flexibility and whatever, and you'll surely find someone whtih the time and the will to work as yoru driver.
work something out like, I dont' know, you'll call the driver a day or two in advance and hire them for the trip. Or what I thought I'd do is: Keep a couple driver possibilities on standby, like you would with babysitters for children. Same sort of thing. If one person cant' do it, call the next willing participant. Keep two or three at your service, and you dont' have to pay them a retainer. Just make sure they're schedule is as flexible asyour own. Don't waist money trying to retain someone's eservices because I guarantee you, no one will sit at home and wait for you to call them to take an impromptu trip just because you're paying them a constant salary to do so.
That's not fair to you, moneywise.
So yeah...Keep us updated on how it goes, and when I am able to spare some extra cash for the luxury of hiring a driver, I'll do the same. We can all share tips on here. This is very useful
That's what I'm thinking about doing,, advertizing the need and then creating a database of people who are willing to do this and when they would be available. That way, I'm not paying to keep them on retainer and they're not sitting around waiting for me to need something. Hehehehe, wouldn't that be nice. lol
My mom is also willing to help out with stuff too but I feel the same way you do about constantly relying on her for stuff. As much as I love my mother, and believe me when I say she's one of my very very best friends too, but I feel like I'm 16again and having to have my parents drive me around. That's quite a fall from grace for someone who lived independently for 18 years.
Besides, the only payment she'll take for gas is my fule points on my Kroger card that give a discount. Money isn't a problem for them but still, she instilled a certain ethic in me and it drives me crazy when she won't take my gas money. I've resorted to baking loaves of zuchini bread and chocolate chip cookies. lol In her defense, I wouldn't take gas money from my son either so I understand why she does what she does. Face it, there's nobody like Mom.
Ok, so this kinda when another direction but hey, we all gotta brag on our moms some time.
my husband actually as a last effort put an add on cl for a driver since he is an RT. He has gotten tons of responses. Also, we are hoping since he had to post the link to the state application and said we do intense criminal background cheks that something works out. So glad you think you found some options. When we have kids we know we want to live in a smaller safer area but the transpo in dc is just to good.
Hey there! I don't know what part of North Texas your in, but I'm looking at moving there in the next few months, and I went out there to apartment search, and transportation search and whatnot last month... and I know that the Frisco area has a shuttle service--you just call them up and you tell them where you want to go, and they'll get you there, no matter where it is... if it's in the town itself, even better, but the good thing is, if your running into CVS or something to pick up a perscription or whatnot, it's only $15.... but they are open I believe 7 days per week, and I can't remember what hours they run, but that's another option... my friend who lives near that area suggested it to me, so I had called while I was out there, and they seemed pretty relyable. they'll even take/pick you up from the airport, too... just a suggestion. Hope this helps, and good luck with finding transport to and from where you need to go! Amber
That's cool.. One thing you'll discover is that the metroplex is a huge area. I'm about an hour and a half southwest of Frisco. lol Crazy, huh?
We got our ride to 6 Flags today and will be leaving shortly.
Yay! Nwo to just work something out for Baseball.
lol wow, I didn't see this until now. So I do appoligize for the late reply. Oh wow.. yeah it really is... it's funny the amount of people that I know in the North Texas area lol... It really is huge- I mean my friend is like oh it's only 5-10 minutes from here, and I sware when your riding in the car it feels like 25 minutes instead of ten lol... I guess that's because Texas is so big lol. Hope your able to work something out soon as far as transportation goes. :)