| Author |
Message |
R. TERRY (207.230.144.240)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 3:43 am: | |
Since the Phoenix Police is not interested in this information, I will share it with you. I only wish one of you had a badge.
Randy Fulkerson related to me, anecdotally, this account of one incident in his dealings with Randy Ford. (My apologizes to Mr. Fulkerson if he did not wish for me to divulge what he may consider to be confidential information.)
It was in March, I believe, that Phoenix Transit made an agreement with Randy Fulkerson to buy certain parts from his scrap buses for a certain price. Because Randy had already left Arizona, the arrangement was for Phoenix Transit to dispatch their own mechanics to the lot on Grand Avenue, remove the parts, and give the check made payable to Randy Fulkerson to Randy Ford who would then forward it to Missouri. Well, Randy Fulkerson never received his check.
I decided to find out what happened to it.
For approximately the past twelve years, the photo lab I owned held the contract for photofinishing services for the Safety Department of Phoenix Transit. For every bus that was involved in an incident that required documentation on 35mm film, we provided the pictures: accidents, mirrors smacked off, rampant vandalism, street signs munched, screwdrivers protruding from tires, rearenders, sideswipes, personal injuries, and you name it. Then, for the last three years my sons and I have been judges at the annual Phoenix Transit Bus Roadeo, where the winner of this obstacle-course nightmare goes on to the National Bus Roadeo event. Everybody has such a good time, even operators who say they will NEVER do that again, come back the next year for another try. In other words, fun for all!
Most of the personnel in the safety-admin office knew I had purchased one of their old throwaways. First, they wanted to know why on earth I would do such a thing! Recently when I told them it had been STOLEN, they were flabbergasted! So far, that is the only reaction I get from anyone: “WHAT? You’re KIDDING!!”
Phoenix Transit was only too happy to help me. A very fine gentleman in charge of training walked me over to the shop where he rounded up two of the mechanics that pulled the parts off of Fulkerson’s buses. It was exactly as Randy had said: they handed Randy Fulkerson’s check to a guy named Randy Ford and hauled off the parts.
Both of the mechanics had a lot more to say about this Ford guy. Of course, anything they told me would be hearsay, but the picture they verbally painted of Randy Ford was not pretty. What caught my attention was the word “Honduras” Ford had used, according to one mechanic, in conjunction with one of the buses. There was also mention of a particular bus that supposedly had been “repossessed”. This is most likely the same bus Randy Ford told Grant Mann had been “repossessed” and was now his. (Grant Mann bought three buses off that storage lot.) It was that specific bus that Grant identified as fitting the description I gave him of MY bus, the one with the missing battery compartment cover. There’s more, but as yet it doesn’t prove anything; it does add fuel to the fire, though.
Having discussed all that with the mechanics, we went into the maintenance office where an administrative assistant searched the computer for the check in question. She found record of it, gave the info to a maintenance chief who called Valley Metro Accounts Payable. Within a few minutes, a call came back from the bank saying they would send a copy of the check to the maintenance office on the following business day. Three days later we found out the check had not cleared the bank. Phoenix Transit agreed to stop payment on the old check and issue a new one.
At this time, I don’t know the final disposition of that transaction, nor is it relevant to this stolen bus drama, nor any of my further business. But, out of this situation, it becomes increasingly obvious that someone is not to be trusted.
The fire is getting hotter.
To be continued…
R. TERRY |
esthergater (63.187.241.94)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 3:57 am: | |
phew! |
charles seaton (205.183.220.250)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 8:40 am: | |
Don't stop now. Obviously, whoever stole your bus (Randy?)thought you'd give up after getting the brush off from the cops. Maybe picking up a few hundred easy bucks won't be so easy after all. |
Bill Gerrie (216.185.72.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 12:16 pm: | |
I have never heard of so many people with the same first name, Randy, and all being involved in one incident. I sure hope you get your bus back. As Charles says you sure are making it hard for one of the Randys to make a few bucks. Good luck and keep all of us posted. Bill |
jmaxwell (66.42.92.19)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 1:06 am: | |
Appears that u have narrowed all this down to Randy Ford as the culprit; now the trick is to find him. With a little luck, he may still have your bus, since he had not cashed the check in all this time. Even if he doesn't have it, he may know its whereabouts. Now, only two ?s remain: where is the ------- hiding out, and how do you get the info from him should you find him. A gun is too messy, and illegal unles u catch him in Texas, so I suggest a red ant hill and molasses! |
|