Cover Driver route selection

AKCoverMan

Well-Known Member
How is route selection for cover drivers handled in your center?

Some backround.. in our center cover drivers are full time drivers who do not hold a regular bid route. We put about 40ish cars on road a day including 5 from a satellite center 45 miles from the building.

Here, cover drivers are assigned routes based on who knows what route. Occasionally we are consulted but usually we have no say in what route we cover from day to day.

Curious how it works elsewhere...
 

DainGrant

Well-Known Member
In my center everymorning all the routes without a driver are placed on the board and you pick by senority order the easiest routes always go to the top senority guys and the ****ty routes go to the bottom guys. The funny thing is in my center the easy routes always have 8.hr loads...
 

barnyard

KTM rider
I am the top cover driver and get a message on Friday asking if which route I want to cover or if I want to be on the extra list and cover whoever may call in sick or have off. Sometimes, we have routes assigned because of area knowledge, but that is happening less and less.

I learned all but 3 routes blind, a couple of years ago, sending someone on a route blind became an issue. I always reply, "It was not an issue when I learned, send them out blind and I will volunteer to help them at the end of the day, but I am NOT doing that route. I will grieve it." The fact that I offer to help them if they are in trouble at the end of the day, will keep me off that route.

Really, with PAS/EDD, learning a new route is not that tough.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
Vacation bid list for the following week goes up on Thursday, anyone who doesn't bid a vacation cover gets assigned daily based on call ins, senior drivers wanting the day off, etc.
 

stoni24

Well-Known Member
I am the top cover driver and get a message on Friday asking if which route I want to cover or if I want to be on the extra list and cover whoever may call in sick or have off. Sometimes, we have routes assigned because of area knowledge, but that is happening less and less.

I learned all but 3 routes blind, a couple of years ago, sending someone on a route blind became an issue. I always reply, "It was not an issue when I learned, send them out blind and I will volunteer to help them at the end of the day, but I am NOT doing that route. I will grieve it." The fact that I offer to help them if they are in trouble at the end of the day, will keep me off that route.

Really, with PAS/EDD, learning a new route is not that tough.
I'd have to disagree. Of the 10 or so routes i know in my small Ctr over half I was sent out blind on. I or most anyone can get by on a route blind but most time is lost at the drop point. I can find any business quick, but when I don't know where to take packages when I get there, I lose a lot of time. Front door, back door, dock number and so on. None of that is ever in edd.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
I can find any business quick, but when I don't know where to take packages when I get there, I lose a lot of time. Front door, back door, dock number and so on. None of that is ever in edd.

I did not say that it would be easy, just that it could be done. If a person is doing a route blind for a week, the 1st day will be tough, the 2nd day should be a decent flow and the following days should be like any other. When I was doing routes blind, I would have the pick up list printed out so that I could ask about them while I was delivering.

If a person is going out on a route blind, it is best to go out with a 9.5 dispatch or less.

We have 40ish routes in my center, of all that I went blind on, I can only remember 1 stop that was less then cordial with me not knowing the right door to deliver. Most people recognize a driver they have never seen before and treat us accordingly.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
How is route selection for cover drivers handled in your center?

Some backround.. in our center cover drivers are full time drivers who do not hold a regular bid route. We put about 40ish cars on road a day including 5 from a satellite center 45 miles from the building.

Here, cover drivers are assigned routes based on who knows what route. Occasionally we are consulted but usually we have no say in what route we cover from day to day.

Curious how it works elsewhere...

That's how it works in my building. Sometimes driver switch with each other because one driver like one route better than another and so on.

However I've been stuck on the worst route in the building for 3 weeks. The person that bid the route has been waiting 3 months for a waiver from the government because he is a diabetic. A strip club blew up, there been a murder and a couple stabbing, and numerous robberies just since the begining of the year. I told my SUP I needed a bullet proof vest. He laughed and told me they kill me either way.
 

morgahorse

Well-Known Member
Vacation bid list for the following week goes up on Thursday, anyone who doesn't bid a vacation cover gets assigned daily based on call ins, senior drivers wanting the day off, etc.

This is how it is in the building I'm out of except the vacation picks are usually up a week in advance.
 
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