Uber is uber easy!

So one of the things I have learned this week is Uber is uber easy and cheap! Instead for walking miles or even trying to navigate the Metro, just call an Uber.  The Uber drivers are very nice and most of them, this is their main job.

While Taxi service is plentiful in the D.C. Metro area, the Metro rails are not well covered yet, and the price difference between them are huge. Riding the Metro during the day cost on average of just a few dollars.  However the taxi service is ridiculous in price and is very expensive. There is another option, and that is the Super Shuttle, prices are cheaper than taxi and can be higher than Uber, depending on trip.  The Super Shuttle will only pick up or drop off at an airport.

I was staying in DC a mile away from a conference that I was attending. I was advised by the hotel staff that walking was not a good idea due to the location of the hotel (which I soon found out later that night).  So my options were Taxi, Uber, or Metro which included a ¼ mile walk in the opposite direction and then an additional ¼ at the other end.  Metro would have been the cheapest at just $1, but with the walk and my bag, it was not suitable for my needs.  A taxi was almost $10 to go just a mile away.  The taxis are plentiful as they are sitting on literally every corner waiting for passengers.  I decided to go with Uber for the first time and it was a choice that I would not regret.  The ride cost $5.40, this broke out into fees and other charges.  Base Fare of $1.15 (this is the charge you pay just ordering an uber. Distance of 1.24 miles equates to a $1.32 charge. They do also charge for time, so if there are delays or rush hour traffic you will get charged more.  I was charged $1.43 for eight and a half minutes of travel time.  There is also a $1.35 booking fee, also charged when ordering an Uber as well as a percentage tax for the D.C. Taxi Tax, I paid 5¢.

Some things to look out for with Uber are the different types of service they offer.  They get more and more expensive as you go up in options.  If there are shortages of Uber driver in your area or there is a surge of people requesting Uber in your area, then Uber may charge you a “Uber Surge” charge.  This can be 1.3 times to 2.1 times the normal rate. You can either wait a few minutes to see the surge rate go down or pay the fee. Also you do NOT need to tip, Uber actually says that tips are not required and drivers are getting a great fare rate.  Uber keeps 20% of the fare and the driver keeps 80% of the fare. You can end up waiting a few minutes while the driver in on their way to pick you up.  There are times where the driver my be dropping off a passenger near by so the wait may be a extra minute.  You are able to cancel the ride within the first 2 minutes for free,  after that you be charged the booking fee if you cancel.i

Some of the types of Uber service are: Uber Pool is the cheapest by sharing the ride with an other person that is going to the same direction you are.  The base rate and calculated rates are about have the rate of the next level up called UberX.  UberX is usually an economy or mid-sized car and usually can carry 3 people. You are the only riders during your fare. The next level up is UberXL, this is usually a Mid-sized SUV or a minivan. Thy offer more room and can carry up to 6 people generally. They do cost a bit more than an UberX, but generally not that much more.  If you want luxury, then UberBLack or UberSUV are the options for you.  The service can run 2-4 times more than an UberX, so just be mindful.

Just as a friendly reminder, these Uber drivers are using their own vehicles, so don’t drink or eat food in their vehicles.  Please be kind and remember to rate the driver in the app after the trip.

Mobile Home Tie-Down Straps!!!

For those living in Mobile Homes or manufactured homes, it's vitally important to check the tie-down straps every year!  Just think of these straps as seat belts for your home.

Oklahoma law requires that all manufactured homes have tie-downs. These tie-downs serve as a necessary part of a a mobile home's foundation system, without which the structure is extremely vulnerable to strong wind. 

The problem is that many mobile homeowners don't check tie-downs and anchors on a regular basis after an initial move-in inspection and they're hidden from view by skirting. If someone has been in a mobile home 10 years, the chances are great that the tie-downs are either rusted, or have been loosened due to the constaint Oklahoma wind. 

Consumers should check the condition of the straps, making sure they're tight and not corroded or rusted. They also should check the anchors that secure the home to the ground.  

The anchor should be driven completely into the ground so the head is just above the surface.  The straps should be taught and not have any play.  The straps should go 

Anchors should not be paved over or buried completely in dirt because the weight of the cement could cause straps to snap, and fertilizers used on gardens surrounding anchors could cause corrosion.

In large part, the safety of Oklahoma's mobile-home residents depends on getting the word out that tie-downs need to be tightenend regularly after years of wear and tear, they may even required to be replaced.  

Mobile home owners should call a mobile home moving company for inspection and possible replacement of the bricks, straps, or anchors.

Fort Sill's New Fitness Center

Fort Sill opens a new Fitness Center today! The Fires Fitness Center, offers hourly child care so you can bring your children while you work out. Children must be registered with CYSS to be eligible for child care. The center provides a huge weight room area with cardio equipment, an indoor track, racquetball courts, 3 basketball courts, volleyball courts and a climbing wall for adults and youth.

http://sill.armymwr.com/us/sill/programs/fires-fitness-center

Commercial: (580)442-2445

RACH Gone, As We Know It

Fort Sill is losing a lot of services soon in just one building!  Reynolds Army Community Hospital will soon be transformed into Reynolds Army Health Clinic.  later this year, RACH will no longer offer in house surgeries, in-patient services, maternal child care and deliveries, These services will be outsourced to the greater TRICARE network.  This network includes Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Southwestern Medical Center, and Duncan Regional Hospital. The Urgent Care Clinic will also see limited hours, as they will be open from 0700-2300. The dining facility in RACH will also close down. 

All of these changes are expected to take place on or before 30 SEPT 2016.  These changes are mainly due to the draw down of the Army and sequestration. 

www.tricareonline.com

LT. Dan Band Concert

Gary Sinise & the LT. Dan Band Concert

Date: Apr. 23, 2016, 6 - 9 p.m.

Fort Sill Polo Club

Gary Sinise and the LT. Dan Band will perform a FREE concert on Saturday, April 23 at the Fort Sill Polo Field. There’s something for everyone to enjoy as the band covers hits throughout all genres from classic rock to pop hits and everything in-between. The LT. Dan Band is named after the character Lieutenant Dan Taylor, who Gary Sinise portrayed in the film Forrest Gump, and has performed hundreds of shows for over half-a-million troops and their families. The LT. Dan Band is one of the many programs Sinise offers through his Gary Sinise Foundation. Concert gates open at 6 p.m., opening act Stolen Silver begins at 6:30 p.m. and Gary Sinise and the LT. Dan Band take the stage at 7 p.m. 

Patrons should enter through Gate 2, off of Rogers Lane, for special event entry and parking. Gate 2 will be open at 4 p.m. A Fort Sill pass will not be needed for Gate 2 for the concert, but those who want to enter though a different gate need a Fort Sill pass. Those entering through Gate 2 will need a valid drivers license or military ID. Parking will be in Conklin Field and a shuttle service will be provided to and from the concert.