Are the roads you travel every day safe... or prone to deadly accidents? Find out with Saferoadmaps.org. Type in your address to see where every local vehicle fatality has occurred. You'll also learn such details as whether the driver was speeding or intoxicated.
The purpose of the website, created by the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS), is to make people aware of dangerous roads and intersections. The hope is that they will take alternate routes - or, if that's not possible, will at least be more cautious when driving in high-fatality areas.
(Source: North Florida Daily News)
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, an e-zine dedicated to making money, improving your health and quality of life. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Catching Up
Here are a couple miscellaneous items I've accumulated over the past few weeks that I intended to post.
First, a Yahoo! article about some lawsuits filed against some top NYC restaurants that relate to tip-sharing. We have no tip-sharing where I work. A few years ago I used to regularly make $50-60 in tips and share $5 or so with the cooks. Lately I have been getting half of that on a good night so tipping out the cook has become pretty rare.
Next, a link to a work-in-progress book being written by a fellow pizza driver called Topless Delivery. Beware, the book is not just about pizza. Predictably, the driver / main character meets and falls in love with a stripper!
There's one more item, saferoadmaps.org, but I think I will give it it's own post.
First, a Yahoo! article about some lawsuits filed against some top NYC restaurants that relate to tip-sharing. We have no tip-sharing where I work. A few years ago I used to regularly make $50-60 in tips and share $5 or so with the cooks. Lately I have been getting half of that on a good night so tipping out the cook has become pretty rare.
Next, a link to a work-in-progress book being written by a fellow pizza driver called Topless Delivery. Beware, the book is not just about pizza. Predictably, the driver / main character meets and falls in love with a stripper!
There's one more item, saferoadmaps.org, but I think I will give it it's own post.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Solo Monday
We were pretty slow tonight so the other driver got sent home around 7 PM. We ended up being steady to the end and I took 13 deliveries in 4.5 hours.
Most of them were far away, luckily I had a triple and 2 doubles but still I drove 64 miles.
Tips were low, I only had one $3 tip. Four tips were $2.70 and everything else was under $1.50, including 2 stiffs.
Many thanks to Mona and Nick for keeping the dishes washed while I was out on the road.
Most of them were far away, luckily I had a triple and 2 doubles but still I drove 64 miles.
Tips were low, I only had one $3 tip. Four tips were $2.70 and everything else was under $1.50, including 2 stiffs.
Many thanks to Mona and Nick for keeping the dishes washed while I was out on the road.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Interesting and Profitable
I had a great night tonight. It was actually a good night plus a very generous tip on a order to a co-worker.
Several interesting things happened tonight. First the lady on my first delivery asked if it was safe to give her credit card number over the phone, if the workers were trustworthy. All I could say was that I hoped so. But really any time you use your credit card you are trusting the merchant, so ordering pizza is really no different.
Next on my 4th delivery, a girl in her early 20's came to the door and apologized, her boyfriend with the money was across the street. She was on the phone with him to return. I joked that she shouldn't have let him have the money but she said it was his money.
On my 7th delivery, I knocked on the door and stood on the porch for about 5 minutes. I called the phone # but no answer. Just as I got back to my car I saw the curtain of the door move. I went back and 4 children, all under the age of 10, answered the door. Surprisingly they had a $2.73 tip!
My 10th delivery was messed up (pizza was made wrong) so that address became my 12th delivery also as I had to go back.
My 13th delivery said they didn't know we delivered. (They only lived a mile from the shop.) They said they would order from us from now on instead of (another pizza chain). She tipped $2 and asked if that was average. I said it was (but actually it was a little below average tonight.
My 14th delivery tried to give me $22 for a $27.10 order. He said he thought I said "twenty-seventeen". He ended up giving me $30 so no harm done.
My 16th delivery only a kid (junior high) was home with no money. His dad thought it was supposed to be a pick-up. I left and took another delivery and came back, and by that time dad was home, and with a $2 tip.
All in all I took 18 runs, drove 74 miles, worked 7 hours, and made $60 in tips.
Several interesting things happened tonight. First the lady on my first delivery asked if it was safe to give her credit card number over the phone, if the workers were trustworthy. All I could say was that I hoped so. But really any time you use your credit card you are trusting the merchant, so ordering pizza is really no different.
Next on my 4th delivery, a girl in her early 20's came to the door and apologized, her boyfriend with the money was across the street. She was on the phone with him to return. I joked that she shouldn't have let him have the money but she said it was his money.
On my 7th delivery, I knocked on the door and stood on the porch for about 5 minutes. I called the phone # but no answer. Just as I got back to my car I saw the curtain of the door move. I went back and 4 children, all under the age of 10, answered the door. Surprisingly they had a $2.73 tip!
My 10th delivery was messed up (pizza was made wrong) so that address became my 12th delivery also as I had to go back.
My 13th delivery said they didn't know we delivered. (They only lived a mile from the shop.) They said they would order from us from now on instead of (another pizza chain). She tipped $2 and asked if that was average. I said it was (but actually it was a little below average tonight.
My 14th delivery tried to give me $22 for a $27.10 order. He said he thought I said "twenty-seventeen". He ended up giving me $30 so no harm done.
My 16th delivery only a kid (junior high) was home with no money. His dad thought it was supposed to be a pick-up. I left and took another delivery and came back, and by that time dad was home, and with a $2 tip.
All in all I took 18 runs, drove 74 miles, worked 7 hours, and made $60 in tips.
Congratulations Kaeliegh!
For my 2nd post tonight I want to send out congratulations to ex-pizza-waitress Kaeleigh who was crowned Apple Princess today at our town's festival!
Get Well Travis Barker
OK for my first post tonight I want to send out prayers best wishes to Travis Barker, who was injured in a deadly plane crash on Friday night in South Carolina. Travis was the drummer for one of my favorite bands, Blink 182. If you never got to see them live, check out this live version of the song Reckless Abandon which features Travis in his rotating drum set.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tips and Stiffs, both up
It seems like when I get tipped, the average has gone up from $2 to $3. But the frequency of "no tip" has also gone up.
I drove for 5 hours tonight, took 9 deliveries, drove 30 miles, and made $16 in tips. And I was stiffed 4 times.
Oh and I meant to post this about Monday. I mentioned a few weeks back that we now have a credit-card swiper and all drivers have been threatened with loss of job if we come back without a credit card imprint.
So anyhow I got to the house and they didn't have the card. And nobody told them they had to show it. Their dad had it and he wasn't home, he had just called in the order. I called back to the store and the manager said to give them their food.
Well the delay obviously frustrated the customer, and they didn't tip. Now maybe they wouldn't have anyways, but this is a case where the phone person's screw up (not letting the customer know they would have to present their credit card) cost me money.
I drove for 5 hours tonight, took 9 deliveries, drove 30 miles, and made $16 in tips. And I was stiffed 4 times.
Oh and I meant to post this about Monday. I mentioned a few weeks back that we now have a credit-card swiper and all drivers have been threatened with loss of job if we come back without a credit card imprint.
So anyhow I got to the house and they didn't have the card. And nobody told them they had to show it. Their dad had it and he wasn't home, he had just called in the order. I called back to the store and the manager said to give them their food.
Well the delay obviously frustrated the customer, and they didn't tip. Now maybe they wouldn't have anyways, but this is a case where the phone person's screw up (not letting the customer know they would have to present their credit card) cost me money.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
"Keep The Coins" Is NOT a Tip!
I drove about 4 1/2 hours tonight, and took 9 deliveries. On 4 of those 9 deliveries, the customer let me keep the coin change. Two of the four were very explicit in letting me know that they were "allowing me" to keep the coins. For example, the woman whose total was $18.27 handed me a $20 saying "Just give me a dollar back, keep the rest."
News flash: 73 cents is not a tip!
I did get lucky and get a $10 tip and 2 other $4 tips. The $10 guy seemed to have trouble counting his money. I saw a $10, a $5, and at least $4 in ones to cover the $17.61 check so when he asked "Was that enough?" I said "Yeah, thanks." It was only after I drove away that I noticed he actually gave me $28! Yeah, it was enough all right!
Total tips for my 9 deliveries was $27. I had 2 doubles and a triple so I only had 5 actual trips which kept my mileage to a very low 26 miles. I always say when you have more tips than miles you know it had to be a good night!
I closed with manager Nick and as we finished up and walked out to our cars we had a somewhat serious discussion about his future. Nick is a great kid I have known for almost 5 years now and I really enjoy working with him. I told him tonight I think he can do better for himself but selfishly I like having him around.
News flash: 73 cents is not a tip!
I did get lucky and get a $10 tip and 2 other $4 tips. The $10 guy seemed to have trouble counting his money. I saw a $10, a $5, and at least $4 in ones to cover the $17.61 check so when he asked "Was that enough?" I said "Yeah, thanks." It was only after I drove away that I noticed he actually gave me $28! Yeah, it was enough all right!
Total tips for my 9 deliveries was $27. I had 2 doubles and a triple so I only had 5 actual trips which kept my mileage to a very low 26 miles. I always say when you have more tips than miles you know it had to be a good night!
I closed with manager Nick and as we finished up and walked out to our cars we had a somewhat serious discussion about his future. Nick is a great kid I have known for almost 5 years now and I really enjoy working with him. I told him tonight I think he can do better for himself but selfishly I like having him around.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Slow Start, Fast Finish
Saturday night was an interesting night. From 6PM until 9PM I made barely $10 in tips on 6 deliveries. I was stiffed (exact change) twice and had to take a delivery out of the area on a road where the numbering was very confusing. There ended up being 3 different sections of the road.
One of the stiffs was after I asked for the credit card and the customer said their dad had it at their other house. We've been warned that we'll be fired if we don't get an imprint, but I called back and got permission to leave the food anyways. By this time the customer was frustrated and put a big ZERO on the tip line.
About that time a few other drivers started going home and at least I started getting a few more runs. Still after 9 deliveries I only had $15 in tips.
I took a double (my 10th & 11th runs) and made $9 in tips combined and my night turned around almost instantly. I did get stiffed 4 times in all but by the end of the night I had taken 17 deliveries, made $38 in tips, and drove 60 miles. I worked 7 hours all together.
One of the stiffs was after I asked for the credit card and the customer said their dad had it at their other house. We've been warned that we'll be fired if we don't get an imprint, but I called back and got permission to leave the food anyways. By this time the customer was frustrated and put a big ZERO on the tip line.
About that time a few other drivers started going home and at least I started getting a few more runs. Still after 9 deliveries I only had $15 in tips.
I took a double (my 10th & 11th runs) and made $9 in tips combined and my night turned around almost instantly. I did get stiffed 4 times in all but by the end of the night I had taken 17 deliveries, made $38 in tips, and drove 60 miles. I worked 7 hours all together.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day
I drove for 3 1/2 hours tonight and took 4 uneventful deliveries. I drove 20 miles and made $15 in tips. My first run was a double that I was lucky to get, as I pulled into the parking lot just a few seconds ahead of driver Chris. And it was fortunate, as I made $6 on the first delivery and $5 on the second.
The other amusing thing that happened tonight was that we had a local radio personality and his family come in and dine-in. Catherine, our waitress, asked me which radio station he worked for and I let her know it was 95.5 The Fish.
This sparked a discussion about Christian radio and I remarked that I used to listen to 103.3 but not as much any more as the shows I listened to are either not on or have been moved to a different time.
"I listen to 103.3", Catherine said, just as the radio guy's wife stepped to the counter to pay the check.
"You lost your tip there, huh" I joked. Catherine looked at the woman and said "I listen to the fish too" and the woman smiled.
The other amusing thing that happened tonight was that we had a local radio personality and his family come in and dine-in. Catherine, our waitress, asked me which radio station he worked for and I let her know it was 95.5 The Fish.
This sparked a discussion about Christian radio and I remarked that I used to listen to 103.3 but not as much any more as the shows I listened to are either not on or have been moved to a different time.
"I listen to 103.3", Catherine said, just as the radio guy's wife stepped to the counter to pay the check.
"You lost your tip there, huh" I joked. Catherine looked at the woman and said "I listen to the fish too" and the woman smiled.
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