[Whitewater Worthy Equip]

My mind is constantly blown by the trailers I see. Nowhere near road worthy, let alone Idaho backroad worthy. Can’t imagine towing stacked rafts and gear on a single axel pizza cutter tired contraption that looks like it came from a Red Green yard sale.

A buddy who tried to pass off a POS as a road ready raft trailer was greeted, at the takeout, with a bill for a properly sized spare, two new wheel bearings, welding repairs, labor, and a service charge. He was pissed at the cost. I told him he was lucky they towed it out of Corn to begin with.

I’m surprised more Idaho rafters don’t get double axels. Especially the ones guys spend a ton to have custom made.

Yep, Nice things cost money and require maintenance to keep them working correctly. If it turns it will ware out. It's best to start with something that is designed for the job and inspect the moving parts frequently enough to spot a problem before they grenade your gear and possible your trip.

But what do I know, I'm just a trailer manufacture and there are a lot of people out there that claim to be much smarter and believe that I charge too much. How many times has your, broke ass trailer, been towed out on someone else's and it caused a hazard for the rest of the people on the river????

Ours can be built with tandem axles, but it does make them even more expensive.

 

[melmorr]

As a shuttle driver - if we drove 5 miles an hour we literally would be driving for 15 hours going from Salmon to Boundary and back to Salmon. Add in to some moron from California that had a shit tire that went flat because THEY hit something and then find out he had a chain lock on his spare underneath the truck? That we spent an hour and a half trying to find tools to cut it off?? Don't get me started on the home made trailers that go into Boundary with a raft on that keeps the trailer somewhat secure but bringing it out empty? Literally the screws came out of where screws already looked to have failed. I then drove the same trailer down to Cache Bar and barely got it back there in one piece. With the help of people loaning me come-alongs and bungies - literally the sides were falling off. My crew had to come back and find me because I was driving 2 miles an hour to get there. So don't always blame the shuttle driver. Part blame goes to the vehicle owners with sub-par trailers and vehicles. Also - a friendly reminder - ALWAYS fill your windshield fluid, oil and gas tanks before going into Boundary. And if you state you are leaving your key in say - the wheel well - and then leave it under a rock behind the back tire for us to try and find in a torrential downpour? Not cool. And then don't wonder why your vehicle didn't make it out of Boundary. And when you put in at Corn Creek? Don't leave a 1/2 gallon of milk in a hot car that explodes. Or dirty diapers or vomit in car seats. Or other rotten food. Thanks - from a very good shuttle driver.

Anyone who has driven shuttles for any length of time can attest to the problems that owners present to a driver when leaving a vehicle,

with or without a trailer. This is just an example of what not to leave. The owner drove into Lodore with a fully loaded trailer and then left the trailer strapped to the truck. The trailer hitch's latch was broken so they used cam straps to attach the trailer. Lodore's shuttle isn't bad because it's over pavement, but the road coming out of Lodore has several hundred yards of deep wash boards that throws a vehicle and trailer sideways even at a crawl. This trailer was very dangerous.

 

[Dangerfield]

I guess one could say, they “left their troubles behind” as they headed down the road. Could have killed someone.

Nice "safety" chain (singular) held on with head of smallish looking bolt. (probably cable tied to frame).

 

[Idahomountainmissy]

Yep, Nice things cost money and require maintenance to keep them working correctly. If it turns it will ware out. It's best to start with something that is designed for the job and inspect the moving parts frequently enough to spot a problem before they grenade your gear and possible your trip.

But what do I know, I'm just a trailer manufacture and there are a lot of people out there that claim to be much smarter and believe that I charge too much. How many times has your, broke ass trailer, been towed out on someone else's and it caused a hazard for the rest of the people on the river????

Ours can be built with tandem axles, but it does make them even more expensive.

What makes it expensive is when a shuttle driver chooses not to bring the trailer out because of a tire that is shredded and left for us to fix and not mine/our fault. Or no spares, no jack and no anything. No air conditioning, no wiper fluid, 1/2 tank of gas to get back to Salmon and no gas money. No oil and bald tires. Just imagine coming out of Boundary when you have to leave a shuttled vehicle on the side of the road? Or coming out of Corn Creek where the owner had to pay for a tow back to Salmon because she already knew that her serpentine belt went out and you have to drive it out and it won't move? Or people that park so close to the vehicle in front of them and they have a trailer and you have a trailer and literally we have to as a team physically take the trailer off, lift it over and down hill so that we can get the vehicle out, reposition the trailer and hook it back up? Give yourself room!!!!! 4 foot would be nice. And when you bring a vehicle in with specific instruction where we have to reconnect battery terminals and then there is a dial to turn down to connect? And you are the one that left the 1/2 gallon of milk and some deli broccoli salad in a hot car and no tip? Pretty sure shuttle drivers are underrated and not appreciated. After a 15 hour day? Just be kind and appreciate them

 

[lizardcanswim]

Because I just can't get enough of this saga.... are they having reviews removed from Google? Last night someone took a screenshot of their Google reviews. They had 85 reviews with a 3.0 rating. Today (exactly 12 hours later haha), I took a screenshot and they had 71 reviews with a 3.4 rating. As of this posting they now have 72 reviews and still with the 3.4 rating.

Last night at 6:35pm:
View attachment 79639

This morning at 6:35am:
View attachment 79640

Their status also went from "Permanently Closed" to "Temporarily Closed".

Am I missing something? What is their rating showing for you?

I noticed this too and some of the posts from my group are gone from Google. Today (8/1/22) it’s at 3.7 and only 62 reviews remain for wild river shuttle in salmon. Don’t be fooled, this company is not reputable and no one should consider working with them for shuttle services.

 

[melmorr]

What makes it expensive is when a shuttle driver chooses not to bring the trailer out because of a tire that is shredded and left for us to fix and not mine/our fault. Or no spares, no jack and no anything. No air conditioning, no wiper fluid, 1/2 tank of gas to get back to Salmon and no gas money. No oil and bald tires. Just imagine coming out of Boundary when you have to leave a shuttled vehicle on the side of the road? Or coming out of Corn Creek where the owner had to pay for a tow back to Salmon because she already knew that her serpentine belt went out and you have to drive it out and it won't move? Or people that park so close to the vehicle in front of them and they have a trailer and you have a trailer and literally we have to as a team physically take the trailer off, lift it over and down hill so that we can get the vehicle out, reposition the trailer and hook it back up? Give yourself room!!!!! 4 foot would be nice. And when you bring a vehicle in with specific instruction where we have to reconnect battery terminals and then there is a dial to turn down to connect? And you are the one that left the 1/2 gallon of milk and some deli broccoli salad in a hot car and no tip? Pretty sure shuttle drivers are underrated and not appreciated. After a 15 hour day? Just be kind and appreciate them

We need to start a thread that shuttle drivers can add their horror stories to. Maybe customers would appreciate the efforts that are in place to make sure their vehicles get from point A to point B safely and in one piece. Sometimes customers can be demanding and inconsiderate. Like leaving mice in the vehicle with a note to have the driver kill and remove it before they take off the river. Or I'll add to the food situation, old empty cans of sardines and kipper snacks in a hot car in July, windows rolled up and not even a note to graciously ask the driver to discard the garbage. Ok shuttle drivers you have you chance to start the thread...I'm sure everyone has horror stories to tell!

 

[kierathecutie1]

I don't even know where to start!! A big one... Some leave their vehicle without gas money and we are obviously not gonna make it there! Then what would they do if we did make it? they become mad because we ran them out of gas?or get mad because we put gas in and billed them

 

[MT4Runner]

I don't even know where to start!! A big one... Some leave their vehicle without gas money and we are obviously not gonna make it there! Then what would they do if we did make it? they become mad because we ran them out of gas?or get mad because we put gas in and billed them

Bill their credit card!

 

[BenSlaughter]

Bill their credit card!

IF you have it on file....

 

[Dangerfield]

We need to start a thread that shuttle drivers can add their horror stories to. Maybe customers would appreciate t.............................I'm sure everyone has horror stories to tell!

Roger that. Not good to mix to mix rotten eggs with bad apples.

 

[Idahomountainmissy]

Anyone who has driven shuttles for any length of time can attest to the problems that owners present to a driver when leaving a vehicle, View attachment 80077 with or without a trailer. This is just an example of what not to leave. The owner drove into Lodore with a fully loaded trailer and then left the trailer strapped to the truck. The trailer hitch's latch was broken so they used cam straps to attach the trailer. Lodore's shuttle isn't bad because it's over pavement, but the road coming out of Lodore has several hundred yards of deep wash boards that throws a vehicle and trailer sideways even at a crawl. This trailer was very dangerous. View attachment 80078

That damage was not done by any shuttle driver! That was done by neglect of the vehicle owner.

 

[Idahomountainmissy]

Yep, Nice things cost money and require maintenance to keep them working correctly. If it turns it will ware out. It's best to start with something that is designed for the job and inspect the moving parts frequently enough to spot a problem before they grenade your gear and possible your trip.

But what do I know, I'm just a trailer manufacture and there are a lot of people out there that claim to be much smarter and believe that I charge too much. How many times has your, broke ass trailer, been towed out on someone else's and it caused a hazard for the rest of the people on the river????

Ours can be built with tandem axles, but it does make them even more expensive.

When rafters bring in heavy loaded trailers they don't bounce as much. Bringing them out empty and trying to be careful - it is almost impossible to drive that slow to keep from damage on the roads that guides, outfitters and guests pay for that apparently the Forest Service gets paid to maintain but does not. Not going to be redundant on this issue but people want to come to Idaho to float the Salmon. Add in a pretty significant forest fire, road restrictions, pilot cars, structure protection, evacuations.....this is not a good season for homeowners, workers, and the devastation from the fires that will probably be out for weeks if not months.

 

[Rafter Larry]

That damage was not done by any shuttle driver! That was done by neglect of the vehicle owner.

He is not saying that it was. He rightfully places the blame on the owner.