Big Changes to UPS Basic-beginning of the end???!!!

[Ms.PacMan]

browndevil - The post office lost a Kohl's pkg. a couple weeks before peak. Kohl's could trace it as far as my delivery to the post office then it just vanished into thin air.

Had the usual conversation - do you remember it, who signed for it, etc. Then never heard about it again. If I had not obtained a signature it would have been my word against a postal supervisor. Regardless of what your center manager says on Monday, you should get a sig. to cya.

I deliver to both the main p.o. and an annex location and go to the back of both locations. They buzz me in and a supervisor signs - no customers other than bulk mail.

 

[mattwtrs]

You definitely need the P.O. to sign for the boxes. Those Basic barcodes are different from the ones we deliver. The DIAD evens asks you at the end if you are leaving the pkgs at an authorized location.

coldworld - deliver to the back. No lines there.

I learned to deliver to the back real quick too. I also would try to deliver about the same time every day(they'd leave the door unlocked). They would have all our ARS pkgs that people would put in their drop boxes right inside the door for me to pick up without making a call.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

I put the packages on the counter, say hi to the guy or gal and use MCM or MCW. They are usually assisting their patrons. I will double check on Monday with my center manager and report back

I have a few businesses that I do the same also. They are usually very busy, so I put it where they can see it, tell them out loud how many is there, and I get the wave back and I'm out.

We get stupid tracers for driver releasable areas. If we leave it at the door and they say they never got it. Your word against his. Just like Upstate's post office example, your word against his. All you have to do is make sure you STOP COMPLETE inside the building. Your GPS coordinates will be frozen and you can tell your center manager to look them up.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I have a few businesses that I do the same also. They are usually very busy, so I put it where they can see it, tell them out loud how many is there, and I get the wave back and I'm out.

We get stupid tracers for driver releasable areas. If we leave it at the door and they say they never got it. Your word against his. Just like Upstate's post office example, your word against his. All you have to do is make sure you STOP COMPLETE inside the building. Your GPS coordinates will be frozen and you can tell your center manager to look them up.

It's not so much the GPS coordinates or hitting stop complete inside the building. It's accountability, plain and simple. If you record 5 pkgs and they say they only received 4 and you DR the stop it is your word against theirs and you would most likely lose that one. Take the extra time, go to the back door and get a signature.

 

[dannyboy]

You are applying the rules for general deliveries to basic packages.

When you deliver to the post office, you do not have to get a signature. You are to go to the back dock (which is off limits for the public) and drop them off. You do not have to get a signature on that delivery. Remember, regardless of what you do with regular deliveries to a stop, basic never require signatures. Even to a regular business.

That is why the customer gets such steep discounts. They never get a signature, and as long as we follow the procedures for basic, they can not file a claim either.

You are also not to take them though the front door, only at the dock where they receive the mail trucks.

That being said, if there was someone handy, I always got one. But if there was no one there when I got there, I didnt wait either.

That was all per written instructions on basic.

d

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Danny, are you 100% positive on this? It has been a while since I have been on my rural route but I do remember that Basic pkgs had 2 barcodes, one for us to deliver to the P.O. and one for the P.O. to deliver to the consignee, and we always, always got a signature at the P.O. The Basic pkgs that I deliver now go directly to the consignee so these are DR. Simply DRing the pkgs at a business runs counter to everything that I was taught.

 

[trplnkl]

Danny, are you 100% positive on this? It has been a while since I have been on my rural route but I do remember that Basic pkgs had 2 barcodes, one for us to deliver to the P.O. and one for the P.O. to deliver to the consignee, and we always, always got a signature at the P.O. The Basic pkgs that I deliver now go directly to the consignee so these are DR. Simply DRing the pkgs at a business runs counter to everything that I was taught.

I don't know about the basic packages going to the PO, but the packages with the shipper release numbers can be delivered to business without a signature. I think the window that pops up when you scan the says so.(I'll have to look at that again)

 

[dannyboy]

Yes Upstate, I am positive. All basics in our system do not require a signature regardless of where you deliver them. You can even leave basic deliveries at stops where DR has been revoked because of claims.

That being said, this is a very large company with a large geographic area. There are also a lot of managers that love to "be in charge". Some dont read and comprehend very well, and interpret instructions very differently. The rules here might vary substantially to the rules in your area. AKA your mileage may vary?

Bottom line is that you work as instructed. Period. If you have a question on the policy, get with a shop steward and get it clarified or in writing. That way, there is no question. Here the instructions were handed out in a PCM. No room for questions or personal interpretations.

d

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

OK--thanks.

 

[barnyard]

browndevil - The post office lost a Kohl's pkg. a couple weeks before peak. Kohl's could trace it as far as my delivery to the post office then it just vanished into thin air.

Had the usual conversation - do you remember it, who signed for it, etc. Then never heard about it again. If I had not obtained a signature it would have been my word against a postal supervisor. Regardless of what your center manager says on Monday, you should get a sig. to cya.

I deliver to both the main p.o. and an annex location and go to the back of both locations. They buzz me in and a supervisor signs - no customers other than bulk mail.

It is not supposed to matter with a basic package. Part of the low rate is that the shipper agrees that they will not be paid on any claim or that they can even make a claim.

That being the case, it seems that getting a signature at a PO is a courtesy.

That said, I do get a sig at the PO, but always feel like it is a waste of time. No matter, though, I get paid by the hour.

TB

 

[browndevil]

It is not supposed to matter with a basic package. Part of the low rate is that the shipper agrees that they will not be paid on any claim or that they can even make a claim.

That being the case, it seems that getting a signature at a PO is a courtesy.

That said, I do get a sig at the PO, but always feel like it is a waste of time. No matter, though, I get paid by the hour.

TB

Thanks Barnyard, this is my understanding as well

 

[Ms.PacMan]

A little homework from today.

The Basic barcodes we deliver to the consignee have a service code of PP in the 1Z label and prompt us to leave the pkg, blah, blah, blah. The Basic barcodes we deliver to the USPS have a service code of PT in the 1Z label and do not prompt us to DR them. After you obtain a signature a screen pops up that says:

Basic Delivery Service Alert

This stop has at least one BASIC SERVICE pkg. designated for the USPS.
Is this delivery attempt to the designated Post Ofice or a USPS approved alternate location? (Y/N)

and you must answer before it will complete the stop.

Emphasis on basic service is theirs in the above paragraph. I copied it exactly from the delivery screen today.

Browndevil you've maybe never seen this screen if you have always dr'ed them.

 

[dannyboy]

That is to make sure you deliver them to the post office and not somewhere else.

d

 

[Ms.PacMan]

That is to make sure you deliver them to the post office and not somewhere else.

d

That screen doesn't come up when you DR a basic to the post office. Either UPS is assuming no one is driver releasing to the post office or they don't care if it's misdelivered when it's driver released?

 

[trplnkl]

That screen doesn't come up when you DR a basic to the post office. Either UPS is assuming no one is driver releasing to the post office or they don't care if it's misdelivered when it's driver released?

I have gotten that pop up when I tried to DR a basic package meant for the PO. It was on Christmas eve and I took it to the consignees house instead of the PO because they brought it out with late air and there was no way they would get it that day otherwise.

 

[dannyboy]

That screen doesn't come up when you DR a basic to the post office. Either UPS is assuming no one is driver releasing to the post office or they don't care if it's misdelivered when it's driver released?

Could it be that the diad recognizes the proper address for the post office and therefor you dont get the prompt?

And the comment I made was more in line with what T posted. Its there mostly for those drivers that have been taking it upon themselves to up their stop count by delivering basic packages meant for the post office to the consignee. Its a prompt that you have to respond to, therefor making the excuse "I didnt know" a lie when they fire you for dishonesty?

d

 

[trplnkl]

Could it be that the diad recognizes the proper address for the post office and therefor you dont get the prompt?

If that was the case it wouldn't ever give you the prompt if you are actually at the post office.

And the comment I made was more in line with what T posted. Its there mostly for those drivers that have been taking it upon themselves to up their stop count by delivering basic packages meant for the post office to the consignee. Its a prompt that you have to respond to, therefor making the excuse "I didnt know" a lie when they fire you for dishonesty?

The funny thing about the one I posted about was the PAL had the home address and not the PO address. Still got the prompt. I'm guessing you get the prompt with the PT in the bar code regardless of the address.
BTW, when I got the prompt, I typed N for no. No dishonesty involved.

d

 

[dannyboy]

BTW, when I got the prompt, I typed N for no. No dishonesty involved.

T, it was christmas. The post office was closed. You had a choice. Either have a missed business stop, or go that extra mile to deliver it to the consignee. You did the right thing per UPS tradition.

The only way dishonesty would play into the picture is if the sup came to you the next day and asked if you delivered any basic to any place besides where they were supposed to go, and you said no.

WE have had drivers here that will go out of there way to deliver basic packages to the consignee's address instead of the post office, in direct violation of instructions to the contrary. And with a smile, they say they didnt notice.

Now, with the prompt, there is no way they cant notice, so the excuse is gone. If they persist,..........

d

 

[Ms.PacMan]

Could it be that the diad recognizes the proper address for the post office and therefor you dont get the prompt?

And the comment I made was more in line with what T posted. Its there mostly for those drivers that have been taking it upon themselves to up their stop count by delivering basic packages meant for the post office to the consignee. Its a prompt that you have to respond to, therefor making the excuse "I didnt know" a lie when they fire you for dishonesty?

d

Yes to the first question and to the 2nd -I would never have thought of that in a million years but you're probably right.

The signature issue is a non-starter for me personally. The p.o. here gets multiple pkgs. almost daily (NDA, maintenance supplies, bulk mail letter trays, even brake shoes for the vehicles) and I p/u our pkgs that have gotten into their system. But at least once a week they have pkgs. with postage on it in an old UPS box that they have set aside for me and I have to point out the postage to them. They misplace pkgs I deliver and then moan that the don't want to sign because they are always in trouble for losing them! Their signature takes me out of the equation (even for the basics).

 

[dannyboy]

Please let me clarify.

You are to get signatures at all business stops for any deliveries that are not basic. If you have a basic and some others, you must get a signature on the delivery. And since there is no reason to separate the basic from the regular deliveries, that would be the proper delivery method.

The release at the post office is only if you have nothing but basic packages for them. Then and only then is the driver release proper.

d