Does The DIAD Have GPS Capability?

[MrFedEx]

Once on our DIAD copy device (PowerPad), I made a delivery of jewelry to a mall retailer. I dutifully entered the POD and proceeded to my next stop in the mall. That night when I returned to the station my manager summoned me to his office and said I had a missing POD for the jewelry store and that the item was worth in excess of $100,000. For the next 2 days I sweated it out until a friend who is also a manager retrieved my electronic delivery records. My PowerPad had deleted the original signature from the jewelry store and replaced it with the information from the next stop....2 stops with exactly the same information, including a duplicate electronic signature. I still had to contact the jewelry store to have them call FedEx and verify that they had indeed received the package.
When I called our IT Department after turning-in the PowerPad for repair they said "this has never happened before" and that they would "check into it". I never heard back from anyone, but I have heard similar stories from other FedEx drivers about the same thing happening to their device. The technology is far from perfect and one could easily be fired or disciplined for something they did not do. Scary...

 

[rod]

The latest version of ODS called ODSe will show you on a map the location of all completed and pending stops, the drivers last known location, and the location of all unassigned ODS orders. Using the map it is really easy to determine if the ODS order is located near or at a pending stop so that order can be dispatched to the correct driver. Most of the information used for plotting the completed stops and drivers last known position is based on the GPS in the DIAD. It will also plot on the map the location of all breaks and lunch.[/quote
I hope it is more accurate than Map Quest or Yahoo maps or Msn maps. None of them can even get close to my house

 

[brownmonster]

The black Crown Victoria with 2 guys in it out front of your house didn't seem to have a problem.

 

[rod]

The black Crown Victoria with 2 guys in it out front of your house didn't seem to have a problem.

You mean the "Men in Black" guys? I've got my tin foil hat on so they can't read my mind.

 

[satellitedriver]

The latest version of ODS called ODSe will show you on a map the location of all completed and pending stops, the drivers last known location, and the location of all unassigned ODS orders. Using the map it is really easy to determine if the ODS order is located near or at a pending stop so that order can be dispatched to the correct driver. Most of the information used for plotting the completed stops and drivers last known position is based on the GPS in the DIAD. It will also plot on the map the location of all breaks and lunch.[/quote
I hope it is more accurate than Map Quest or Yahoo maps or Msn maps. None of them can even get close to my house

Cool system,
if preload can load the correct pkgs into the correct cars and the PAS/EDD/ DOL are correct, then maybe the GPS technology might be a great tool.
At least the drivers will be able to pinpoint the flaws to the dispatcher of the programed planned day when they are confronted for being off trace.
Mud roads, trees that have fallen across the road or a convoy of oil drilling rigs that are blocking the road ect....,.GPS will make it easier for a driver to prove why their miles are are way up, or why they could not deliver.
This sword cuts two ways.

 

[MrFedEx]

Does the DIAD make you take a "real time" break like we do? All breaks on ours must be punched-in and then the countdown starts. If you don't watch it closely, you'll go over because the device will keep right on going. A lot of people set their watch alarm to alert them, but for most it means taking the damn thing inside with you when you eat lunch. We also have a 5-minute rule that states you have to start your lunch within 5 minutes of your last delivery or pick-up activity. If you're more than 5 minutes from your lunch destination it's on you. Another falsification issue if they want to go exactly by the book, and many locations do.
I've also heard that you can block the GPS function by covering it over with anything metallic. A lot of truckers will put something over their satellite dome on their cabs to avoid detection....would probably work on a portable device too.
My real issue is that it will be used by dispatchers to make the hard workers work even harder. Let's say the driver on the route next to you is a total slug and you have to constantly bail them out late in the day while they chat-up the receptionists. Now they know exactly where you are when you try and avoid helping-out and will just assign the on-call based on your location. You're faced with having to slow down yourself or pretty soon his regulars (house stops) will be yours.

 

[satellitedriver]

Does the DIAD make you take a "real time" break like we do? All breaks on ours must be punched-in and then the countdown starts. If you don't watch it closely, you'll go over because the device will keep right on going. A lot of people set their watch alarm to alert them, but for most it means taking the damn thing inside with you when you eat lunch. We also have a 5-minute rule that states you have to start your lunch within 5 minutes of your last delivery or pick-up activity. If you're more than 5 minutes from your lunch destination it's on you. Another falsification issue if they want to go exactly by the book, and many locations do.
I've also heard that you can block the GPS function by covering it over with anything metallic. A lot of truckers will put something over their satellite dome on their cabs to avoid detection....would probably work on a portable device too.
My real issue is that it will be used by dispatchers to make the hard workers work even harder. Let's say the driver on the route next to you is a total slug and you have to constantly bail them out late in the day while they chat-up the receptionists. Now they know exactly where you are when you try and avoid helping-out and will just assign the on-call based on your location. You're faced with having to slow down yourself or pretty soon his regulars (house stops) will be yours.

Good points.
I think the same real time technology of GPS would uncover (sorry about the pun) who was covering their GPS unit.
The clock never stops ticking on a GPS unit. It could be easy to deduce fraud.
Every delivery is time stamped and recorded, even if the GPS is being blocked for immediate transmission of data.
A subtext map (sorry I don't know the real terminology) can be drawn up by the stop data entry and the blank spaces in the real time GPS and that would raise a red flag.
Some say this info should not be a reason for the company to take disciplinary action, but, you pose a good question.
Should the slug/slackers throwing work onto their fellow workers be able to defend themselves against the claim that their GPS info cannot be used against them?
If it is a false claim by the company, the data can defend the driver.
If the driver is goofing off, then the data will confirm the fact.
The simple thought that occurs to me about people who think they can game the system is that the system never sleeps, but they have to.
One can get away with things on the short term, but in the long run they will get caught.
JMHO

 

[trplnkl]

Trpl:

I think you and I come from different perspectives. You seem to believe that drivers are already as effective as possible, and I believe that there is room for improvement.
OF course we come from different perspectives, I deliver packages and you play with video games. JK. I didn't say drivers are as effective as possible. I said the GPS doesn't know when a given stop may be closed or when RoseMary at the insurance agency locks up for 20 minutes everyday to run to the post office and the bank so I have to get there before she locks up because if I don't I will miss my last chance for the day to get the delivery made. This could well take me out of the "closest" category. I'm not saying that the system is worthless (yet), only time will tell if it's a good thing or not.

I'm not talking about working faster or cutting corners.

You accurately described many of the factors that make the delivery job complex. I agree with you. Its a complex job and you have to always keep service the top concern.

The number of decisions you have to make is staggering and you do it very well. However, I've looked at too many routes and the decisions that have been made on road and see where technology could help.

Will a computer be programmed to account for all situations? Of course not. However, why couldn't it aid you in making better on road decisions?
I can see how technology can be a valuable tool, it can help make decisions on the run. However, I have worked at UPS long enough to know that this tool will not be used in that manner. This will be used to be the final word on any difference of opinion of how a route is delivered based on paper (computer output) vs. real life situations. The problem may actually be in implementation of the technology and the amount of time and man power that local is will to devote to the process.

Again, I understand that you think you already make perfect decisions, and I think it can be improved. That's why I mentioned that we come from two different perspectives.

I don't think I ever said I made perfect decisions, I know I don't always. I do believe that I am in the position to make more informed decisions than a computer or even a person looking at the computer. Factors change at a given moment that the computer doesn't know. Example: I am running about 45 minutes early to make my next pickup stop, all the deliveries I have left are in the country. If I go to the next logical delivery, I won't have time to clear that area and return in time to finish the PUs and make the meet point for outgoing volume without duplicating miles driven. Then I open myself up for a charge of running up miles. The computer can't help me here, I have to decide what to do. The correct, IMO, choice is to go off trace, deliver closer in stops that would normally be done on the return trip. Effectively clearing out an area in the middle of what I have left to do. This still adds a few miles but not as many as going to the next logical stop. A look at the gps map it will appear that I am not running effectively, but in reality...I am. again, I am not saying to scrap the whole system, just that we sure don't need to take it as a Bible of how things are.

I'll let you respond and give you the last word on this topic.

P-Man

 

[55andout?]

Why would an OCA be sent to someone off area when the driver who is on area will most likely be closer at a later time in the day? The reason I ask is because this happens to me quite often. When I tell the other driver I made a pickup for them, they tell me they could've made the OCA on their pickup run. I can only see this another harassment tool or maybe a way to make a driver increase their mileage to plan better.

That not the point....OCA may then be assigned to the closest driver...It may not be on his route but it may make sense if its on the border and then other driver is on the other side of his route. This could provide a savings in miles which ='s money

 

[DS]

Well this turned out to be an enlightening thread.
We had some big shots visit for a week a few years ago and they brought portable gps units and we took turns driving around with them.
They gave us a printout color coded by how much time you spent at certain places.They said they were trying to save gas.As soon as they leave,the pomp and circumstance fades away and the sup tells the driver to take the LONG way to and from his area to make his numbers look better...so go figure...
trplnkl...you covered everything I would've said,do you want to buy a vowel?

 

[trplnkl]

VOWELS? I don't need no steeenkin VOWELS.
Sincerly.
555

 

[pretzel_man]

Well this turned out to be an enlightening thread.
We had some big shots visit for a week a few years ago and they brought portable gps units and we took turns driving around with them.
They gave us a printout color coded by how much time you spent at certain places.They said they were trying to save gas.As soon as they leave,the pomp and circumstance fades away and the sup tells the driver to take the LONG way to and from his area to make his numbers look better...so go figure...
trplnkl...you covered everything I would've said,do you want to buy a vowel?

Based on what you said, that supervisor has no right being a supervisor.

I've used those GPS units they mentioned. DIAD IV has the same capabilities.

If you could save miles, and gas, and still properly service the customer, the supervisor should not have directed differently.

P-Man