Getting to Orientation

Has anyone had difficulty getting to orientation recently?

I live in an area with no busses running through, and none of the car-car rental companies will rent out vehicles unless they're returned to the same location. Several of those also won't take corporate credit-cards, which makes it impossible for companies to reserve one for me. Some will pay for a flight, that's what my first company did, but others won't. I can always come out of pocket for a flight and get partial reimbursement later, up to the cost of a bus ticket, but I hate to fork out that amount of money upfront not knowing if orientation will work out.

While I don't mind driving my personal vehicle, I refuse to leave it at a terminal after orientation, so that presents a problem on the backend. Would it be unreasonable to tell a company that won't offer a flight that I'll drive my own car, then go home after orientation and fly myself back, at my own expense, if everything works out?

 

A lot of these companies have terminals close to my home, but they don't have orientation at them. I live in South Mississippi and most companies I've looked at will want me to do orientation in Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas or Houston. Most of the truly local companies want more experience than I have, so I had to expand my search.

I have no problem driving my own car, I actually prefer it, I just won't leave it at the terminal. These companies want you to get your truck assignment immediately and start driving, so that creates a problem.

 

I had a company book a rental for me last year, only for the rental place to cancel on them because they booked using a corporate card. I've tried booking on my own in the past, and they won't do one way. Even if they would, that still puts me in the same predicament as buying a plane ticket on my own. I would have to pay out of pocket and gamble that orientation works out just to get a partial reimbursement.

I'd prefer to just take my own car, drive it home afterwards, then pay for a plane ticket back once I know I'm actually going to drive for the company. But I don't know if that's a practical demand to make.

 

I would never ask someone to drive me that far, and then have to drive themselves back, just because a company won't pay for a flight. As far as Uhaul goes, with the rental cost and fuel combined, that's right up there with a plane ticket. Plus, both scenarios would still leave me with the full cost and having to get myself home if orientation doesn't work out.

 

Because I'll be parking the truck at my house during hometime. If I left my personal vehicle nearly 500 miles away at the terminal, how will I get it back to use when I'm off work?