Posted by Stamper_WI on 7/5/07 9:54am
Msg #198534

Mileage on profile

I got a call to go to a small town pretty far from me. On Not Rot it said 74 miles. that didn't seem right so I mapquested it. 102 miles which seem more in line to me. How does NOT ROT determine the mileage?

Reply by Jersey_Boy on 7/5/07 10:04am
Msg #198535

I am pretty sure they use linear mileage from zip code to zip code. This will give you a good estimate on short runs, but unless you have a Helicopter to fly in a straight line, your "road mileage" will be more.

Reply by LJ on 7/5/07 11:12am
Msg #198540

I find also in rural areas like I'm in, the confirmation says the name of the town, but acutally it is in another town with the same zip. Could be a difference of 10-20 miles at times. Occasionally I will ask the actual address of the closing and do a mapquest while stil on the phone to get the correct mileage.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 7/5/07 12:10pm
Msg #198546

It's not only Notary Rotary, but somehow, many of the tools work that way. I have had calls where they got my info from other sites and I was told "It's only 2 miles" when in fact it is 50. I think that if you don't list your address, the tools take it from the zip code boundary to the address of the signing.

Reply by Lee/AR on 7/5/07 12:19pm
Msg #198547

These 'tools' are freqwuently zip to zip--wildly inaccurate. I've had a battle or 2 with a few co's because 'they say' 20 miles and it's really 48 (my addy to signing addy). It's taken a while, but I have learned to get the addy & map it on the spot. So many signing locations in my area are FAR away from the town/zip listed. It's just 'where their mail goes' before they stick it on a rural route truck to get it to their home. I've even 'mapped' it their way---my addy to 'zip'...which is the Post Office and NOT where they live. Cute lazy trick.

Reply by TRG_wy on 7/5/07 3:18pm
Msg #198570

Zip codes just don't work in rural America. My zip code alone covers over 15,000 square miles. I have a "cheat sheet" that list my most frequent traveled to towns. It lists round trip mileage and drive time. If I travel 230 miles R/T I charge mileage and windshield time as well as the standard signing fee.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/5/07 9:54pm
Msg #198661

I get lots of calls from time to time for a community that looks like a straight shot on some map programs, but there's a "small" mountain (compared to Rockies...) in between, so I have to go around it to get there. What looks like maybe a 30 minute drive one way is really 1.5 - 2.0 hrs - in traffic, usually... for the company that does this the most, it's often a last minute call, 30 - 45 minutes from appt time. (I wouldn't go that far for their fees anyway.)