Need some perspective

[StuffItFred]

On delivering the pkg, Yep. Now as to jumping off bridges, last I checked, it isn't part of the job description. What the h@$& does it matter if he delivers to an empty house? If that's the address that the dispatcher sent him, his backside is covered.

BS, if I code a pkg dex 3 and then the stupid dispatcher 300+ miles away responds with good address reattempt believe me that pkg is going back to the STA. I don't code pkgs for the fun. There is a reason and some idiot hundreds of miles away looking at mapquest won't tell me different. God I hate our dispatchers nd their superioty complex!

 

[Fourputt]

No worries UpstateUPSer. Unfortunately, the story is true. I wish it wasn't. I don't want to deliver anything else there ever again. I even saw a county electrical meter reader in the area so out of curiosity I pulled over and asked him and he confirmed somebody lived there. I work in an extremely rural area. In fact, there are many houses like that, obviously most are in better repair... but it's common to houses in extreme disrepair out in the boonies.

Anyway... thanks for the advice. The rest of the week was better. And yes, I am a ground driver. I work for a wealthy guy who owns many many routes. He does a good job from what I've seen so far and I enjoy working for him. I am having a a bit of trouble distinguishing who is the real boss. I work for and get paid by and was hired by the contractor, but the terminal manager calls many of the shots. Their roles blur together.

So .. FedEx Express are actual employees? What does express deliver? I assume that they do overnight or something fast based on the "express" part.
Also, I've quickly discovered that many of the rural houses, especially the mobile homes and shacks have no numbers, or markings of any sort. Some of them are very far off the road and its hard to tell if a house is part of one street or another.

Will I get in trouble if I take a permanent marker and mark the house number on the mailbox? It's definitely not going to hurt anything. Some of these mailboxes are in worse condition than the houses. They look like they'd give me tetanus just from touching them. I just don't want to do it and have the terminal manager or whoever accuse me of defacing someone's property.

Also, can I jump over a fence? I'm obviously not going to scale an eight foot brick wall. Many homes had a fence that was only two feet tall, with a locked gate. I could easily step over it and set it by the door. I don't know the protocol so I punched in the code for a locked gate. I'm trying to find ways to expedite my route, but I don't want to get in trouble or do anything wrong, especially since these terminal managers seem so volatile. Thanks everyone.

 

[whenIgetthere]

No worries UpstateUPSer. Unfortunately, the story is true. I wish it wasn't. I don't want to deliver anything else there ever again. I even saw a county electrical meter reader in the area so out of curiosity I pulled over and asked him and he confirmed somebody lived there. I work in an extremely rural area. In fact, there are many houses like that, obviously most are in better repair... but it's common to houses in extreme disrepair out in the boonies.

Anyway... thanks for the advice. The rest of the week was better. And yes, I am a ground driver. I work for a wealthy guy who owns many many routes. He does a good job from what I've seen so far and I enjoy working for him. I am having a a bit of trouble distinguishing who is the real boss. I work for and get paid by and was hired by the contractor, but the terminal manager calls many of the shots. Their roles blur together.

So .. FedEx Express are actual employees? What does express deliver? I assume that they do overnight or something fast based on the "express" part.
Also, I've quickly discovered that many of the rural houses, especially the mobile homes and shacks have no numbers, or markings of any sort. Some of them are very far off the road and its hard to tell if a house is part of one street or another.

Will I get in trouble if I take a permanent marker and mark the house number on the mailbox? It's definitely not going to hurt anything. Some of these mailboxes are in worse condition than the houses. They look like they'd give me tetanus just from touching them. I just don't want to do it and have the terminal manager or whoever accuse me of defacing someone's property.

Also, can I jump over a fence? I'm obviously not going to scale an eight foot brick wall. Many homes had a fence that was only two feet tall, with a locked gate. I could easily step over it and set it by the door. I don't know the protocol so I punched in the code for a locked gate. I'm trying to find ways to expedite my route, but I don't want to get in trouble or do anything wrong, especially since these terminal managers seem so volatile. Thanks everyone.

Don't jump the fence, you don't know if they have dangerous dogs there. Most of the homes on my extended area have guard dogs or just unfriendly dogs. If there is a gate, I never enter unless I am asked to enter or know the gate code for these with security systems, and can stay in the vehicle till I know if there are dangerous dogs. What I do is blow the horn on arrival, wait two minutes, and hit it again. If no reply, and package isn't signature required, I put it in a release bag and place it over the fence to the side of the driveway (or dirt trail in many cases). If it signature required, I may call the customer if I'm not rushed, if I am, I tag the gate and leave.

 

[CJinx]

I wouldn't jump a fence. If the gate is locked, one should probably assume it is locked for a reason.

 

[LTFedExer]

It is possible the customer wanted it delivered to an empty suite.

while this may be true, I will NEVER release it at an office without something in writing......either from the dispatcher or the customer (note on door).

You're really reaching on this one. If it's empty it's either a 8 or a 03, no way if I just leave a package there.

Me too neither....uh!!!


My manager wanted me to release a DSR at one of our Boards ranch house. I told her, without a control release number in writing.....I will not.

 

[hypo hanna]

BS, if I code a pkg dex 3 and then the stupid dispatcher 300+ miles away responds with good address reattempt believe me that pkg is going back to the STA. I don't code pkgs for the fun. There is a reason and some idiot hundreds of miles away looking at mapquest won't tell me different. God I hate our dispatchers nd their superioty complex!

Your are making the assumption that the dispatchers only sourced mapquest or google for the correction. I am talking about times I actually SPOKE with the customer. He wants it delivered to the empty house. If the dispatcher tells you that, there is no reason not to deliver it there other then you want to make some point because you have some beef with dispatch. Hey if you don't deliver that's still your call but with the way they are focusing on this indice, don't b surprised if it gets you a letter for refusing to deliver a corrected address. The dispatcher really doesn't care since he is covered.

 

[HuckToohey]

Dave,
Bad post.

Fourputt,
Are you an Express CRR? If so, that scenario doesn't seem right.

Aside from that re: bad addresses or houses with no number... Just today I del. a computer to a guy who's house has no # on it. I happen to be at this house about a month ago with another del. and I told the guy "Hey, I wasn't sure if this was the right address b'c I don't think there's a number on your house?" He was like "oh?"

I say to him today as he's signing for the HP computer "I think I mentioned that your house has no number on it last time I was here, any thoughts?" He was like "Yeah, I think I like it better that way" I said "Well, it makes it tough on us in the dark, during Christmas, tying to identify your house".

He was like "meh"

Guess what? Next time I have a pkg. going to that house, at 1629 I'll put a "can't find house #xxx" scan on it until he smartens up.

I had a customer tell me "we don't want people to know where we live" when I mentioned why he had no address/numbers on his house. Any packages after that conversation were delayed with a "bad address" scan. He put numbers on his house after two different shipments were delayed.

 

[HomeDelivery]

Four, you really a ground driver? ps: how much is the contractor paying you? (PM me)

i thought "dex 3" was an Express term...

 

[STFXG]

Code 03 is probably the same. Unable to locate. It counts against our service. Where a code 02 for incorrect address does not effect service. 03 counts the same as a 27 DNA...

 

[HomeDelivery]

ah, no wonder why the temps are instructed to use code 02...

 

[CJinx]

Huh? Both 02 and 03 go against service. More people use 02(incorrect address) instead of 03(unable to locate) because people are more likely to claim it is wrong than to admit they couldn't find it. Either way, the code gets absolved if QA performs an address correction.

 

[Mr. 7]

Your are making the assumption that the dispatchers only sourced mapquest or google for the correction. I am talking about times I actually SPOKE with the customer. He wants it delivered to the empty house. If the dispatcher tells you that, there is no reason not to deliver it there other then you want to make some point because you have some beef with dispatch. Hey if you don't deliver that's still your call but with the way they are focusing on this indice, don't b surprised if it gets you a letter for refusing to deliver a corrected address. The dispatcher really doesn't care since he is covered.

Hanna,
There is a very good reason not to del. to a vacant house even after you've talked to someone who says to leave the pkg. there.
The reason peeps want you to del. to the vacant house is b'c most likely, it's some sort of illegal shipment ie. drugs. So, the recip. doesn't live anywhere near the address but, as soon as they see the pkg. got del'd, they hustle over there and grab it.

Please tell me you've heard of this.

 

[STFXG]

You a driver or a contractor? 02 is a service failure, you're right. But it doesn't count against our service that's used to calculate CCS. 03 counts the same as an 04 or 27... That's why most use a code 02 for anything they can't find. And that's why contractors tell their drivers to 02 and not 03 a package. (The terminal has two numbers they use to show you your service). If they are including the 02s then they are just trying to trick you in to bringing up your service percentage.

 

[hypo hanna]

Hanna,
There is a very good reason not to del. to a vacant house even after you've talked to someone who says to leave the pkg. there.
The reason peeps want you to del. to the vacant house is b'c most likely, it's some sort of illegal shipment ie. drugs. So, the recip. doesn't live anywhere near the address but, as soon as they see the pkg. got del'd, they hustle over there and grab it.

Please tell me you've heard of this.

I'm well aware that this happens but that's not your call to make. Making that kind of assumption causes legitimate customers packages to be delayed. Now if you feel that it is an unsecure location, that is another matter and should be handled as such.

 

[STFXG]

We are instructed to code 07 if we are uncomfortable driver releasing anywhere. Requiring a signature on the doortag.

 

[hypo hanna]

Code 07 = problem solved.

Correct coding solves a lot of problems. The dispatcher is not required to call back code 07's. that code with comment "unsecure location" would have covered everyone and saved a lot of headaches for a lot of people.

 

[59 Dano]

As a dispatcher,former driver,and someone who has had to call an ambulance several times..I verify address with recip..not only the number but a visual description.
Are the house numbers clearly visible?..(one guy the other day..very sheepishly..I hear the front door being opened..and 'oh,yeah'..um)..the pumpkin was in front of it..!!
What distinguishing features about your house?..is there a certain car,house color,lawn/garden feature..??
Frequently,we check regional district websites..as these maps have every property outlined within every district..so often..there is a house behind a house..or 5 houses
share a driveway..and it's house A,B,C etc..we can also check with the local fire dept..as they have current,up to date maps of every street in a city,town,village,farm territory etc..
So many people do not have numbers on their house anymore..but because they go home to the same house everyday..can't figure out why someone WHO NEVER GOES THERE..can't find their house..yes..I know you know where you live..but we don't...are the sub driver doesn't etc..I tell people...in an emergency...would the ambulance be able to find your house?...a few seconds of the ambulance creeping down your street,looking for addresses(he knows it there-somewhere)..seems like an eternity and can make a life saving difference..
Hang in there..and the dispatcher needs to think outside Google maps..and the room they are sitting in..

The inevitable response from a clown who doesn't have numbers on his house is either, "The other guy knows where I live" or "Don't y'all have GPS?"

 

[CJinx]

The inevitable response from a clown who doesn't have numbers on his house is either, "The other guy knows where I live" or "Don't y'all have GPS?"

Or the crotchety old guy:
"I've lived here for 50 years, everyone knows where I live!"
"I don't..."

 

[whenIgetthere]

Or the crotchety old guy:
"I've lived here for 50 years, everyone knows where I live!"
"I don't..."

My favorite excuse I've heard for no number on the house "It's so the bill collectors can't find me"! Brilliant!

 

[Ghostwriter]

Fourputt,
All I can tell you is that it never became easier for me. After 12 years and the very day I left- The job became a meat grinder. If you help another rte, you are now expected to do your job and help. If you work reload and/ or FO routes, that too will be tacked onto your daily job expectation. Heaven help all of you with the SPH goal when you are "forced" to help. I have always been a very dedicated hard worker- yet more and more was expected. I left the company and never have been happier. GOOD LUCK and.... try to find something else if possible. Those who ever said hard work does not hurt you- I have 2 MRI's and some medical bills to prove you wrong.
Ghost.