Credit where credit is due

[soberups]

I have been highly critical of the concept of independent helpers on bikes....and I still am...but I have to say I was pretty impressed with the manner in which my independent helper is being trained. His first day on the bike was last week, and my 52 yr old on-car supervisor showed up with his own bike and actually rode around with the guy for his entire shift to make sure he was properly set up to do the job.

The cynical part of me had assumed that the bike concept was dreamed up by someone behind a desk, and that the "training" would be limited to a sup following the poor guy around in a car for a few hours and yelling at him out the window to pedal faster. I'm glad I was wrong about that.

Its still a bad idea though, and this next week will be even more of a challenge. The current temp outside is 24 degrees, with 35MPH wind. By the middle of next week, we wont even get above freezing and there is a possibility of snow. I am trying to figure out how the guy will be productive pedalling into a 35MPH headwind while hauling a trailer full of packages and scraping frozen tears and snot off of his face.

 

[BLACKBOX]

showed up with his own bike and actually rode around with the guy for his entire shift [/I]to make sure he was properly set up to do the job.
The current temp outside is 24 degrees, with 35MPH wind. By the middle of next week, we wont even get above freezing and there is a possibility of snow. I am trying to figure out how the guy will be productive pedalling into a 35MPH headwind while hauling a trailer full of packages and scraping frozen tears and snot off of his face.

You gotta post a a pic of this. Never had a bike helper program here, never heard of one. Have to see how this is actually done in not-so-friendly Northwest weather.

 

[barnyard]

Boggles the mind, eh.

I lucked out this year. My helper is a former dairy farmer. Very strong work ethic and he picked up the board very quickly.

Peak will still be tough, but even if my helper slows down some, I am still getting him a 15 lb ham for a bonus (good ham from a local butcher.)

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

If I were a driver in that center that supervisor would have earned my respect for walking the walk (or, in this case, pedaling the policy).

 

[Dis-organized Labor]

You gotta post a a pic of this. Never had a bike helper program here, never heard of one. Have to see how this is actually done in not-so-friendly Northwest weather.

Well there's no bike involved, but this is generally what it looks like

 

[rod]

Jethro Tull- Aqualung snot is running down his nose

 

[soberups]

YouTube- Jethro Tull- Aqualung snot is running down his nose

Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes....

Do you still remember December's foggy freeze?
When the ice that clings on to your beard is screaming agony....

 

[dcdriver]

you must post pics of helper on bike

 

[DS]

Aww thats so cute,what happens when he completes those 6 stops?

 

[bad company]

Aww thats so cute,what happens when he completes those 6 stops?

He is harrassed for being over-allowed and not using turn signals when making turns.

 

[DS]

Now THIS is a bit more of a challenge...
cmon stug you can do it....

 

[soberups]

Aww thats so cute,what happens when he completes those 6 stops?

He rides back to the pup trailer...loads up 6 more...and keeps on delivering.

This guy spent about 3 hours delivering 35 stops in a tight residential neighborhood. Most of his time is spent riding back and forth to the trailer. If he were on car with me and working as a normal helper, those 35 stops would take the two of us no more 20 or 30 minutes to bust off. There will be more stops and more stop density in the weeks to come, but he will always be limited by how much can be crammed into his little trailer.

To gain this "production"...we spent at least $400 on the bike, the bike trailer, his helmet and bike lock and flag. We are also renting a U-haul trailer at a cost of around $40 per day. Another driver gets pup pay and spends at least 20 minutes a day hooking and unhooking the trailer and breaking trace to drop it off and retrieve it. Since the trailer ball and wiring for a U-haul trailer is incompatible with a standard UPS hitch car, we had to spend another $50 on a stinger and a wiring adaptor. And I still have to spend time each day digging thru the trailer for packages that are too big or heavy for him to deliver with the bike.

They were going to use this guy on the far edge of town where we would have had to break off even further to drop the trailer, but I convinced my management team that the current location would be better due to its flat terrain and proximity to the highway. I give them credit for taking my advice. Also, we are parking the trailer behind a UPS store, so when the bike helper is done he can load the outgoing pickup volume back into the trailer which does save us some time in the PM. So it isnt all bad...and he is getting some work done...but for the life of me I cant comprehend how in the hell this can be cost-effective.

I pity this poor guy. It will be in the low 20's tomorrow morning with 35 mph wind gusts and near-zero windchill. And he will be freezing his nuts off for $9.50 an hour.

 

[soberups]

If I were a driver in that center that supervisor would have earned my respect for walking the walk (or, in this case, pedaling the policy).

He did earn my respect.

I wasnt impressed with his attire, however. If he is going to be a real UPS bike route supervisor, he needs to dress appropriately. I was thinking of some skin tight, brown Spandex bicycle shorts with the UPS logo on each butt cheek.

 

[dilligaf]

He did earn my respect.

I wasnt impressed with his attire, however. If he is going to be a real UPS bike route supervisor, he needs to dress appropriately. I was thinking of some skin tight, brown Spandex bicycle shorts with the UPS logo on each butt cheek.

I'm not sure I would agree with you on that Sober. Most mgt I have seen don't have the bodies to pull off wearing spandex. Now if he is in good physical condition then by all means............................... Make my day.

 

[OVERBOARD]

I have been highly critical of the concept of independent helpers on bikes....and I still am...but I have to say I was pretty impressed with the manner in which my independent helper is being trained. His first day on the bike was last week, and my 52 yr old on-car supervisor showed up with his own bike and actually rode around with the guy for his entire shift to make sure he was properly set up to do the job.

The cynical part of me had assumed that the bike concept was dreamed up by someone behind a desk, and that the "training" would be limited to a sup following the poor guy around in a car for a few hours and yelling at him out the window to pedal faster. I'm glad I was wrong about that.

Its still a bad idea though, and this next week will be even more of a challenge. The current temp outside is 24 degrees, with 35MPH wind. By the middle of next week, we wont even get above freezing and there is a possibility of snow. I am trying to figure out how the guy will be productive pedalling into a 35MPH headwind while hauling a trailer full of packages and scraping frozen tears and snot off of his face.

 

[OVERBOARD]

soberups with the recent bad weather, how is the snot face helper and his bike. Has the he quit yet ?

 

[OVERBOARD]

soberups with the recent bad weather, how is the snot face helper and his bike. Has the he quit yet ?

Sorry no need, I just saw the other post " frozen snot" I thought it was a play on the "Fart" post