49!!!!! So close…49!!! About halfway through the year, I was thinking I might be able to make it to 50 trips this year. So Close!! A slow December prevented me from hitting the magic number.
I actually had more trips canceled (literally at the last moment) than made. But it was a busy year, highlighted by three vehicle deliveries of over 1,000 miles each. A fourth delivery came in at 995 miles. My previous yearly high for trips was last year at 42.
December was a strange month indeed. The two trips that I performed were with the same vehicle, delivered only once. How did that happen you ask? Let me explain….
In the early part of the month, I booked a vehicle delivery that was going from Lenexa KS (just south of Kansas City KS) to Tulsa OK. 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was a short notice booking so the trip was going to be a little costly for the company requesting the service, but they needed it done so it was happening.
On the morning of 12 December, I hopped on a plane out of Atlanta, heading toward Charlotte NC. From Charlotte, I caught a connecting flight over to the new airport in Kansas City KS. From the KC airport, I ubered to Lenexa KS. Total travel time, uber included, was about five hours. With the “subtraction” of one hour because of the time zone change, I got to the vehicle around 11:30 in the morning. By 11:45, I realized this routine trip was not going to be routine after all.
I completed my usual walk around the vehicle inspection; checked all the lights; checked for the spare/jack assembly; oil; windshield. I fired up the vehicle with no problem. Put it in drive to do a quick check of the brakes but that is where I ran into my problem. STEERING WOULD NOT WORK! Okay, technically it worked, but the power assist was not functioning. It took everything I could muster just to steer the vehicle out of its parked spot, towards a more open area of the parking lot. Not good. And yes an alarm was flashing on the dash panel. UUGH
I broke out the owners manual to review the alarm and like most manuals nowadays, it really didn’t tell me much. I turned off the motor and restarted hoping maybe it was just a glitch. Nope, not a glitch. Checked the power steering fluid making sure it was not empty. Fluid level was fine. Located the fuse for the power steering. Good fuse, not a problem there. I asked my point of contact if he knew of any issues reported on the steering. He had nothing for me. Last thing I could think of was to call the local Jeep dealership and see if they could suggest anything. That accomplished nothing. After about an hour of phone calls, I finally got approval from the company I was working for and the leasing agency (in charge of the maintenance of the vehicle) to set up a mobile mechanic visit from the Jeep dealership. Because the delivery destination for this vehicle was not far (about five hours away), I figured I would wait it out with hopes to still make the trip, if the steering was a simple fix. Two hours later, the mobile mechanic showed up.
The mechanic basically did all the things I had done. We even disconnected the battery and reconnected it to see if this would somehow clear the problem and it didn’t. A quick smart phone check showed us that the Grand Cherokees from 2021-2023 did have a recall on the power steering systems.
Well this trip is not likely to happen as now the vehicle would have to be towed into the dealership and who knows how long the fix would take.
After a couple of more calls were made and upon approval from the big bosses, I called for an Uber and headed back to the KC airport. I had already checked on possible return flights to Atlanta, so during the uber ride, I booked a trip and could relax now. But not for long! No sooner did I arrive at the airport, I found out my flight back home was going to be delayed for approximately two hours!!!!! UUGH. A long day was about to be that much longer.
I scrambled for an alternative plan and actually found, via google.com/flights, that Southwest had a 737 that was taking off in mere minutes. I rushed and made it!!!!! Canceled my other ticket and now I could relax, which I did! I finally made it home around 9:30pm.
(Of all the vehicle delivery trips I have made in the eight years of business, this was only the second time I ever had a trip canceled without a drive. I did have one other cancellation of a delivery, but I was already half way through the drive!!! Don’t worry, I am still paid!)
Back home in Atlanta, while I waited to find out if and when the aforementioned aborted delivery would occur, I booked two more trips for December, so yes, getting to 50 looked promising. Both of those trips were starting out of Texas (Houston and Flower Mound/Dallas area). The Houston trip was to San Antonio. The Flower Mound trip was to end in Lenexa KS oddly enough. Those two trips were going to happen back to back. The scheduled timeframe for the trips, 20-23 December.
On 16 December, I got the word that my aborted trip was back on. Turns out the problem for the steering failure was not related to the recall but caused by some vermins!! Chewed through the wiring harness! (Most of us have been in similar situations one time or another). The car was slated to be fixed by the 19th
Back to the scheduling board!!!!
After a little juggling, the plan was to fly back to Lenexa KS (KC airport) airport on the 19th (with hopes the vehicle would be repaired by end of the day). Drive it to Tulsa. Mid day on the 20th, fly to Houston to pick up the vehicle there and take it to San Antonio. Morning of the 21st, fly to DFW to pick up the Flower Mound vehicle and drive it up to Lenexa KS, completing the 48 hour whirlwind, round trip.
Map of planned “triple trip”:
I called my contacts for the trips only to solidify my plans only to find out the two Texas based trips were canceled. Back to the scheduling board.
Map of actual trip:
Erasing everything I had just scheduled. I was down to just one trip, Go get the repaired vehicle and take it to Tulsa and that is it. Not so simple. While doing all the rescheduling and planning, I was informed that the jeep may not be ready until the 20th, vice the 19th. Again, back to the board. Finally I booked a flight on the 20th to the KC airport and planned an Uber ride to the dealership to pick up the Jeep towards the end of the day. This would give them two full days to have it fixed and ready for me to drive away!. That plan worked well except for one major issue.
During my Uber ride from the airport to the dealership repair shop, I tried but was unsuccessful in reaching my point of contact at the repair shop. Played phone tag. Also during the ride, I learned, via text messages, my original point of contact was off that day and now I had a new point of contact. Oh well. After everything else, how could this impact anything? It did.
The first contact handling the repair paperwork, authorized the repairs but never obtained a repair order payment from the leasing company!! So, when I arrived and went to get the keys, the second contact for this repair said they could not release the vehicle until it was paid for!!
Scrambling again, I made some phone calls and nearly 90 minutes later (10 minutes before the dealership was to close for the night), the payment came in and finally I’m on the road!!!
My intended stop for the night was about three hours away and minus a required detour through country fields (literally, dirt roads) I made it to the Independence KS area. I pulled over to gas up and started to make my reservations only to find out that one of the hotels I was looking at was now booked solid and the other option was temporarily closed for renovations. UUUGH.
I headed to the next town of Coffeyville KS and found a very nice TRAVELODGE. By now it was nearly 9pm. Next door was 24 hour diner and on the other side was a Mexican restaurant,
El Pueblito. I opted for the Mexican place. A little steep in price but nice.
The following morning, I completed my drive into Tulsa.
Another successful delivery in the books. That is how I have two trips to move one car! I hope it wasn’t too confusing.
Unless something changes dramatically, that should put a wrap on the 2023 vehicle deliveries.
I am looking forward to a “busy 2024!!!” Thanks for reading my blogs. Always feel free to comment and any suggestions are always appreciated. Don’t forget to share with others and as important, don’t forget, I AM FOR HIRE!!!!
Cheers and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!