You say you communicated with her handler.  But at the end of your post you say you want to switch from independent ladies to agencies.  I assume if the provider had a handler, she's an agency girl?

Or did you mix up agency/independent in your post?

This was something that I use to experience just 1 time a year. I have had it happen to me 2 times in less than 30 days. Seems like areas where there are lot of providers it is common. Sounds like she double booked on you. Make sure you have a back up plan.

3 times in less than 30 days. 1 with a provider I had seen before. The other 2 with providers I had not seen. The appointment times were across the spectrum (6:00 am, 11:30 am, and 10:30 pm). I pre-program my phone with backups, just in case. The one that I have seen before is planning to give me some extra time next time I see her.

Well, I just got stood up again in DC. Evidently some of the ladies here seem to go with a better deal at the last minute. Has never happened to me in other cities, just seems to happen here.

But tonight took the prize. Granted, she was visiting (did not post on TER, so don't look for her here), but request through another board last week, confirming emails last week and today and even confirming texts within 4 hours of the appointment. Then, I arrive at her hotel in downtown DC, and end up in a bizarre texting exchange with her handler. Absolutely a no-show. But she is not the first to cancel on me at the last minute in DC. There have been others, but at least they have offered an excuse. Not this one tonight, just canceled.

So, I would like some advice - is it time to switch from independent ladies to agencies that value the return business?

Traveling lady with handler, did not post on TER doesn't sound like a local indy to me.  Hard to assist with your question except to say DC has plenty of quality local indys to select from.  Suggest you might want to change your MO.

with the ladies who were being stood up. Looks like it cuts both ways: Choosing the chief justice over the brown-shoed clerk.

Good advice - will look less to the top of the heap and try to look for the brown shod clerk....

Sorry for the confusion. Had a problem with a local lady a month prior. Well reviewed, but she canceled on me the day of our appointment three times. Will not schedule again with her. So this seems to be a pattern in DC, visiting and native...

Might help if you posted reviews and I suggest you stick with highly reviewed TER ladies.

Indeed...

Many independent providers use schedulers and screeners.

Canceling at the last minute sucks but, from what I understand, she did cancel.

For me, as long as they cancel before I leave my house, it's not too bad and I don't need a reason, or excuse, from them. I don't need to know that she's on the rag and often the reason is not true anyway.

I can sympathsize. I've had almost no cancellations in years. One of the only ones occurred a year or so ago and was quite wierd. I called a well-known and reviewed local provider in a city I was visiting. Tons of positive reviews.  Had to get a cab across town and called her when the cab did not show as expected. She was quite nice about it, assured me it was no problem and told me to come along when I could. Just keep her informed. We spoke two more times over the course of the next hour. Finally I arrived about an hour late in the vicinity of her place. I had spoken with her not 20 minutes earlier. When I let the cab go I called as usual. No answer. I walked around to kill a bit of time. I ended up calling her three more times before I finally gave up and found a way back across town 45 minutes later. I was quite disappointed, frustrated, confused and even a bit angry. I tried to post a review to comment on this, but it was refused since I had not actually seen the lady in question.

Apparently she did see the review even though it wasnt posted and sent me an explanation. Apparently she had some trouble with Uncle Leo in my area. And when she saw my distant phone number became concerned that for some reason her relative had decided to pay her another visit from across the country. Hence she chose not to continue answering my calls.

Strange, crazy, unexpected but understandable. I'm sure most cancellations happen for more benign reasons, but this was completely unexpected and of course understandable.