The flavor of the month in my district is everyone must put in an hour lunch break into their DIAD. That being said the entire management staff in my center has repeatedly told drivers that if "they choose to skip their lunch to get finished earlier, and have more time with their family" then that's fine with them. "Just be sure you record an hour lunch in your board." Is this falsifying records? Sure it is but because they are saving $42.28 per hr. per driver doing this they look the other way. And they would never audit records to prove otherwise because they benefit financially from the fraud.
It's no different then in the morning before start time. Why don't they enforce the no working off the clock policy and get drivers off their cars before start time? Same answer applies here also free labor. At that dollar amount per driver that can add up to a substantial amount very quickly. And some drivers who are on their cars early also work through their lunch.
Can't you see it this is what the company wants you to think and do by telling you put in your lunch but you don't have to actually take it. They are master manipulators,they have thought of every tactic that will entice you to work for free each day. Even if they only get 10-15 min on the low end and up 60 min. or more by working before start time and skipping lunch on the high end. They save and make millions a day because they know you don't want to deliver after dark, or you want to make it to your kids game, or be out longer in the heat or cold, etc. etc. They are more effective than any cult with the psychological control games they play. If you don't believe that analyze it in the simplest of terms. What hourly paying job have you have known people to work faster and many cases for free to finish the job in less time than they are being paid for? Just know that they will always dangle the carrot (the things you want to be off for) in front of you to make you go faster. And the sad thing is many of you will continue to chase it, but you will never catch it. No one ever told you when you were hired that you would be working 8-5. Accept your responsibility to work safely and be paid for all the time you work. No matter how long or late it may be. Or if you are interested in running all day and working off the clock and being paid that way by the package, mile, and stop FEDEX Ground is always in need of "independent contractors."