Hotdoggers relish driving Wienermobile
By Susan M. Selasky
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Published: September 29, 2009
Ever see the Wienermobile on the road and wish you could get a ride?
Dozens of lucky folks recently got the chance when the 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels rolled up to the
Woodhaven,
Mich., home of
Oscar Mayer contest winner June Ford.
We struck up a frank conversation with the drivers — Alison of
Dallas and Mary Kate of
Pittsburgh, both 22 (the company requires that they not use last names).
Q: What’s your official title?
A: Alison and Mary Kate: Hotdoggers (pointing to the title on their ketchup-colored polo shirts).
Q: What does it take to be a hotdogger?
A: Alison: It’s a very coveted position … about 1,500 apply for one of 12 spots.
Mary Kate: If you’re chosen, you spend two weeks at Hot Dog High learning to drive the Wienermobile. (Hot Dog High is at the Oscar Mayer company headquarters in
Madison, Wis.)
Q: Where and when did you start your tour with the Wienermobile?
A: Alison: We’ve been living out of suitcases since June 21.
Mary Kate: We’re assigned to the West Coast area, but they flew us in from
Portland, Ore., to do this because the Wienermobile for your area had another assignment. (There are six on active duty.)
Q: So this isn’t our Wienermobile?
A
: Mary Kate: No, we drove this one in from Madison.
Alison: But this one is brand new! This is its first event.
Q: Good to know. I thought we were being cheated. Do you relish the thought of driving this every day?
A: Alison: It’s a great travel and personal growth experience.
Mary Kate: We both have degrees in public relations, and it’s a great steppingstone.
Q: How long is this driving gig?
A:
Mary Kate: One year.
Alison: After six months, we change partners and regions.
Q: It looks pretty roomy. Do you two sleep in it?
A:
Alison: There are six seats. And, no, it’s not a "wienerbago”; we stay in hotels.
Q: What do your parents think?
A:
Mary Kate: "We put you through college and you’re doing what?”
Alison: Both our parents were sort of hesitant because they were not sure what the job entailed. But they realized it’s a very coveted position. … They love telling their peers and friends what their daughters do.
Q: What does the Wienermobile run on and how fast does it go?
A:
Alison: Premium. But sometimes we tell kids it runs on mustard. We never speed and don’t go over 65 mph.
Q: What kind of gas mileage does the Wienermobile average?
A:
Alison: We like to say we get miles of smiles per gallon.
Mary Kate: Seriously. It’s on a
Chevy truck chassis, so whatever that mileage gets.
Q: Do you ever get lost?
A:
Alison: No. We have a GPS.
Q: Do you need an HDL (hot dog license), er, I mean a CDL (commercial driver’s license) to drive this?
A:
Alison: No. A regular driver’s license is all it takes.
Q: What’s one of the biggest challenges?
A:
Mary Kate: Anytime we pull in to get gas or lunch, it takes an hour or more because people come up to us and ask questions.
Q: Has anyone ever offered you money for a ride? Do you rent it for parties?
A:
Alison: A guy offered us $500 to bring the Wienermobile to his son’s daycare. No, it doesn’t get rented out for parties. It’s not a "cocktail wiener.”
Q: Is eating a lot of hot dogs one of the perks of the job?
A:
Alison: We probably eat one a week.
Q: C’mon, seriously? Just one?
A:
Alison: We need to pace ourselves.
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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