No Passengers- Update

[thtdon]

I believe that I stopped allowing customers to ride in my truck back on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2020, 15 months ago.  I have experienced very little pushback from people.  Most people would rather keep their distance, which is fine with me. 

 

Things seem to be getting a little more back to normal now.  Masks are no longer required in most public places, although still suggested.  Most restaurants and nightclubs are filled to full capacity.  What about us? 

 

Have you resumed carrying passengers?  I still haven't.  I really wanted to stop letting people ride in my trucks years ago.  It's not just the fear of getting Covid (I had the Corona Virus for 5 weeks last May).  I have had more of my share of trying to boost a fat lady into the cab, despite the fact that she can't lift her legs high enough to reach the bottom step.  Not to mention people that smell bad. 

 

And the occasional drunk that puked on the floor.  One of the last passengers I had before I stopped taking passengers urinated on the seat.  I had to remove the passenger seat and send it out to be professionally cleaned. 

 

And then there's liability issues.  I have had passengers that missed the top step as they tried to get out, and ended up sprawled out on the ground.  That happened to a drunk woman a few years back.  (I was not the driver for that one).  When she fell out, the bag that she was carrying spilled its contents, which included my driver's NEXTEL, the tow book, a 5 lb. fire extinguisher, and other things from the cab. 

 

A couple of years ago, I towed a car with two women passengers.  They asked if they could sit in the truck while I loaded up the car.  I said yes (big mistake).  When I finished, and when I got back into the cab, something didn't look right.  I got out again, and I walked around to the passenger side.  I noticed that the women removed two yellow safety coats, which were hanging on the backs of the middle and passenger seats, and the jump pack, which was on the passenger side floor, and ditched them in the bushes.  I politely asked them to get out of the cab for a minute, and I retrieved the coats and jump pack, and put them back in the truck.  Then I closed and locked the passenger door, and I told them to call a taxi.  They complained to me that they were uncomfortable leaning on the coats, and having their legs elevated on top of the jump pack.  I pointed out to them that they were only going to ride for a couple of miles.  Passenger comfort is not really my concern.  This is not Southwest Airlines.  I offered to drop the car, so they could call someone else.  But they wanted me to continue the tow.  They called a friend for a ride.  Later on, I got a call from the motor club.  I got yelled at for kicking them out of the truck.  And the dispatcher didn't care that the customers threw out my jackets and the jump pack.  I would do it again.

 

So for now, I will continue to decline to give rides.  But if I do go back to giving rides, there will be rules.  No drunks.  And I will only carry one person.  I considered the idea of no longer carrying passengers as a victory for us.  And I'm not ready to concede. 

[Andy]

Depends 

I towed two elderly women 80 plus years old off the highway this week 95 degree day traveling short tow to the closest shop. 
 

no one else to date has met what I’d call the necc requirements on my end to ride with me. 

[GRUMPS The Towman]

I am right there with you thtdon We have discussed this before, You and I and I am going to continue my No Riders policy Long after this Covid crap is over. 

I too have had customers puke, Piss and s#!t themselves as well as fall out of claim injury or have "sticky fingers". 

I do play each as a case by case basis but with that said, it is a rare day to see me with any passengers other than my wife or sons in my truck. 

All customers are forewarned during the call of my policy so there is no surprise when I arrive to get their vehicle

I am NOT a taxi.

[mooresbp]

We still give rides as we are small town Iowa and know a lot of customers and we don't leave anyone stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. We are very rural and LE will help out with rides when needed. I have had some of the things happen  that you mention thankfully not all! We do rides but it is on a case by case basis, I am not trying to argue with your policy, if it works for you I say GREAT, it just doesn't work in my world.

[Chuckud]

We will also continue the "no riders" policy as well.

When we recieve a call, we inform the customer of our policy, & instruct them to set up alternate transportation.

But, we also will not leave someone on the side of the road.  I've set up a cab for several customers, as well as contacted LE to facilitate transportation.

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Chuckud
Complete topic

[yoBdaBenO]

I have to agree with mooresbp, though we now prefer for them to find a ride or we'll find them one. Sometimes we need to accommodate them, but the rulez of the game have changed and nothing is the same. The Good is most are securing their own ride, those that aren't are in areas that are rural or interstate which need more than a tow. They need a rescue!

[thtdon]

Just so you know, I would never leave anybody standing on the side of the road, as I pull away with their car.  But I do what I can to encourage them to secure their own ride.  I had a couple that broke down on the side of Rt. 495 a couple of months back.  I called them right after I got the call, to inform them that they needed to secure their own ride.  When I got there, the guy told me that he couldn't get anybody to come out.  But the two of them were smiling and snickering at each other the whole time.  I have no doubt that the guy never even tried to get a ride.  He figured that in the end, I would just have to suck it up and let them ride with me.  And he was right.

 

Somebody forwarded an article to me that someone out there wants a law passed that would require all tow trucks to have back seats.  Good luck with that.

[Big Lot]

We're still only taking riders when there si no alternative. We know when their playing us that for sure.