I tried to put together a trip where I did four shops for a shipping service. It looked good on paper. However, my sense of direction is horrible and I was relying on google maps to get me where I needed to go. The trip was 260 miles round trip. I was up late doing two reports (which still seem to take me a long time). So I got a late start, but still had time to get to all four shops.

I got to the first shop fine. But to get to the second shop from the first shop I had to go through some somewhat back roads. I typed in the location of the shop on my Google Maps, as I figured that would be easier for me to follow than my pre-printed sheet of paper. I spent some time behind tractors and other slow moving vehicles, but was still getting there in plenty of time. I kept watching the miles tick down on the Google Maps showing I was almost at my location. Then the voice on Google Maps told me I was at my location. But I was in a residential area. There was no shipping service at that location. I drove up and down the street and did not find it. So I stopped the gas station (the only one in this town) and asked where the location was. They gave me directions. They were rural type directions.

I know the guidelines ask if the shipping service is at the location listed on the form. I figured as this is a somewhat remote location, this must be a time when it was not correct. I found the shipping service and entered the location. Shipping my package took quite a long time as the scale was not working at that location. The employee kept pushing buttons, unplugging the machine, plugging it back in, trying to get it to work. At one point she got out a chart of some type and said she would try that -- but then she started messing with the machine again. She kept telling me it said it was dialing but it wasn't working.

Meanwhile, my time was ticking away, and I still had two more locations to get to. The employee finally got the scale to work and I was able to ship the package. I noticed the receipt said a different name than the town I was supposed to ship from, but I still wasn't sure if it was a combined location or what. After all, Google Maps told me I had reached my destination. I went to take a picture of the address on the outside of the building to include in my report (and answer the question as to whether the location was at the address listed on the form) when a woman came up the sidewalk. I asked her why the location said XXX and asked if it was the shipping service for XXX (the town I was supposed to be in). She told me the town I was supposed to be in was 6 miles down the road.

Well great! I just spent forever shipping my package from the wrong location. Aside from that, I just paid to ship a package I won't get reimbursed for, got rid of one package that I needed (to be able to ship it from the correct location) and now I was cutting it VERY close on time to complete the other shops.

I briefly considered asking for the package back, but I figured that would look suspicious and take forever for the lady to process. But now I had three locations to go and only two packages to do them.

I started heading to the correct location, but I was cutting it close to time for the closing time of that location. And since I knew I couldn't complete all the locations that day (due to my lack of packages to ship) I decided I had a better chance to get to my next location within the appropriate time-frame (since it was open later). Since these shops require a hefty out of pocket expense, I didn't want to complete a shop and get it rejected due to the time I got in line.

I headed for the next shop, but again, I was cutting it too close for comfort. I had ten minutes left to get in line and I was still five minutes away. I wasn't sure I would make it, so I just headed straight for the location that was open the latest, where I knew I would make it in time. I successfully completed that shop.

But that left two out of my four shops undone. I guess that makes me a "flake." As soon as I got the last shop done, I drove to a gas station and sent a message to the scheduler offering to redo the two shops today.

I checked my email and shop log repeatedly last night and got up early this morning to do the shops. I considered going ahead and doing the shops today but I was not sure whether I should do them until I hear back from the scheduler. I would be driving a five hour round trip and paying $80 out of pocket for $50 shop fees and reimbursement. But if I did them today and the scheduler would not reschedule them for me, I would be driving a five hour round trip and paying $80 out of pocket without being reimbursed or paid. These are not packages I would be shipping anyway.

I sent the scheduler another message this morning offering to re-do the two shops this week. I won't really make any money because of the cost of gas for the 260 mile trip. But I am trying to not be a "flake."

I sure messed this one up.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2014 02:06PM by jatufu1.

Sorry you had a bummer route. I have not found Google maps to be inaccurate unless I mess up my input. And when I use it for a new to me destination, I do take a look at the further information such as the 'street view' or query for the business, select the matching address and go from there.

There is not a whole lot I can suggest to you as you seem to recognize that time was your major issue and only you can allocate an appropriate amount of time for shops. But I can be sympathetic because I know the frustration you must feel over a day gone into the trash.

Were these shops well bonused for you? I agree with Flash, when you have a long route, it is a good idea to try to confirm your addresses through more than one source. I would not re-do the shops until you hear from the scheduler. You are probably already in the hole for the first two. It is early in the month, I would guess they would go ahead and let you reattempt the shops. Give yourself a day or two to try to find some other shops near your destinations, maybe you can turn a loser route into a positive.

Flash -

Yes. I agree that timing was my major issue. I didn't leave myself enough time for any errors. And in this case, after shipping the package from the wrong location, I also would have needed enough time to purchase another specific size box from somewhere in the middle of nowhere to complete all my shops.

When I read your post, I thought, "Dang! I put the address in wrong too." But I went back and looked at my last addresses in my phone. I clearly put in the address correctly. But the location it is shows as 300 S Main Taylorville, IL is actually 300 S Main Kincaid, IL.

I can't attach a screen shot - but if this link works in this forum - It shows the address as 300 S Main Taylorville, IL - and it shows the shipping location on Dial Street (the one I shipped the package from). But it is showing a Kincaid Police Department and Kincaid Church of God. Actually, Google Earth also shows the same location as 300 S Main Taylorville, IL.

[www.google.com]

I am not familiar with the area and so I didn't have a clue that I was in the wrong town. I just thought they had the address wrong on the form. After all, they have a place on the form that asks if the location is at the correct address, and to correct the address.

I was puzzled when the receipt I received said Kincaid, but didn't even realize it was the name of the town. After all, Google Maps told me I was in Taylorville.

That is really odd that Google Maps and Google Earth are that far off. I knew it was a pretty small rural town, but now I am seeing that Taylorville has over 11,000 people and Kincaid only has 1,500 people. They are about 6 to 7 miles apart.

When I go back, I guess I just need to get to the correct town first and then ask where the shipping location is located. I know I can't rely on Google Maps to get me there.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2014 08:21PM by jatufu1.

rovergirl529,

I don't know if the shops were bonused. They aren't showing a bonus as a bonus. But they are now paying more than they previously had. They have been on the job board for quite some time. In fact, I just got an email from the scheduler asking for assistance with another scenario in the same locations. They must have trouble getting anyone to do these two locations.

I think they are down to the wire on getting these done because they are raising the fees for them and sending out assistance emails.

I have let the scheduler know what days would work best for me in redoing the two shops (which would be Wednesday - Friday). But I have also agreed to drive up there Monday or Tuesday to redo the shop if she needs me to, since it was my error.

The only way I could add any shops to the trip would be if I did them on Thursday or Friday, because I only have mornings available the rest of the week.

If I just do the two shops I will make a bit, but not much considering I will be making a 5 hour round trip and rushing to get the reports in. But since it was my mistake, I expect to pay the cost of straightening it out.

I just lost a little bit of money yesterday. The pay from the two shops will pretty well cover my gas and payment for the box I shipped. Luckily, the employee at the shipping center only weighed my package instead of measuring it. So I was not charged near as much for shipping as I could have been.

Yes, when I use maps.google.com the Taylorville address actually shows up as residential when I go to street view, but otherwise is like what your link shows. When I go to the shipper's website it shows the location on S Main between Franklin and Adams. There are a variety of tools out there. It looks to me as though the shipper is hooking into MapQuest.com which is certainly better in some parts of the country than others.

In my area Google maps is generally accurate within .1 of a mile according to my odometer for urban locations. For rural locations I find MapQuest to be more accurate, though when going into unfamiliar territory I certainly check both.

Thanks Flash!

I actually printed the directions on Map Quest. But since I was going rural roads between Greenville and Taylorville, I decided to type the address into Google Maps on my phone and follow the directions on there. I thought the voice telling me where to turn would be better than trying to figure out where to turn based on names of roads which may or may not have signs. And I like that Google Maps on my phone will redirect me if I make a wrong turn.

It never occurred to me that Google Maps would be wrong; at least not a whole town off. I didn't have access to the street view on my phone. And again, as the forms all have a place to report whether the address was correct, and to correct the address if it is a different address - My mind didn't even consider "Am I in the right town?" when Google Maps told me I had reached the destination and it was a residential area. I just thought I would need to correct the address on the form.

I was already getting nervous when the employee could't weigh my package and had to keep trying to reboot the scale. I knew I was short on time. When I finally realized I had just paid to ship a package from the wrong town, my heart sunk.

Since I will have to drive up there again to complete the shop, I guess it doesn't totally matter whether I missed one shop or two. But I still wish I would have pulled it together to complete at least three of my shops (instead of two). Actually, I wish I would have had it enough together to complete all four....

I am figuring they will probably let me reschedule the shops, since it looks like they are having trouble finding anyone to do them. But believe me, this is a pretty expensive lesson to me - mostly in regard to time. It still takes me quite awhile to complete the reports. So I already invested about 8 hours (in driving time, shop time, and report time) breaking semi-even. And I am not even "even" yet. I still have two more shops to complete to be even - and that will require an investment of about seven or more hours of time (with only earning enough money to be even).