Preload sucks...nothing further, carry on.

[dilligaf]

...........................................Hey upstate; We have cover drivers here that fear some senior driver's routes. Mind over matter, is a lesson well learned for these guys. ..........................

I was on one of these rtes yesterday, and I have not been able to get the better of it. Of course I've only done less than a dozen times in 3 yrs. This rte runs avg 120-140 stops. Yesterday was light at 110 stops. It's 80-90% business.
The first time I ever did this rte was the first time I ever did any rte and they threw me on it cold and blind. They said, " You load it, you shouldn't have any problem delivering it.". I did not know how to work the diad, I had just started doing air on sat. The rte had probably 150/160 stops on it (pre-peak). I did not get any help and at the end of the day brought back about 80 stops. Then I got chewed out for bringing stops back. This does NOT instill a lot of confidence in a new driver. To this day I HATE this rte and when put on it, it instantly puts me in a bad mood. I would sooner take a layoff for a week than bid on this rte.

Some of the things that mgt gets away with are just plain wrong!

 

[westsideworma]

the expectations definitely changed pre and post PAS. I was a preloader for a few almost 3 years before turning supe and even in that amount of time the "standards" have been raised far above what they were when even I was hired.

It is unrealistic and the only ones who believe is should be business as usual are the ones who have never done it or have done it one day (anyone can hustle all out for one day). I can still keep up with it but expecting these guys (on a boxline anyway) to get all 800-1200 pcs into 3-5 cars, perfectly sequenced with no mistakes in 3.5 hrs is just plain stupid. I don't expect my preloaders to do that. I can't do it, they definitely can't (upper management), why should expect it?

As I've said before, the threshold in my unofficial "research" has been 205-210 pph for boxline methods. When we do that or just above it, we often have no misloads on any of the cars and the load quality by and large is respectable. However we settle for 220+ and 2-4 misloads a day with a rare 0 sprinkled in here and there at that rate.

PAS doesn't make you faster, it makes picking the job up easier somewhat, but not faster (least on a boxline). It often makes you think more because the person dispatching is sometimes asleep at the wheel ("lets PAL everything to the 4000 section and see what happens"...argh or "lets PAL all the bulkstops to the top shelves and see how long it takes the preloader to notice"). Things like that occur on a pretty much daily basis.

I actually enjoyed preloading before PAS (yes you read that right). You were given somewhat realistic time to build loads. You were faster and more accurate because you didn't need to read anything other than the shipping label (no out of sync PALs or system flips to worry about). I say faster because if you made it the old way you had memorized your charts at some point (you had to, there was simply no other way). It was so ingrained in my brain that I could still load all the trucks I loaded and ones I helped with (often daily so I picked those up also after time) to this day, exactly as they were back then.

PAS left a foul taste in all of the loaders who did it both ways (myself included). I don't deny that it must help dispatchers and maybe even drivers somewhat (stop/piece count with EDD?), but I fail to see how it helps preloaders. Under PAS we give them less time to do their work and make them the fall guy if the system screws something up. It has improved from when it was first implemented, but that really isn't saying much in some areas.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Under PAS we give them less time to do their work and make them the fall guy if the system screws something up. It has improved from when it was first implemented, but that really isn't saying much in some areas.

Great post West

As drivers, the unattainable numbers that IE wants from preload, leads to me driving misloads around adding to my overtime. It still kills me how the preloads PPH number is still relevant, when drivers are making over $40 an hour cleaning up mistakes for them.
Preload doesn't care about Delivery, and Delivery doesn't care about Preload. Between AM time, bad loads, missorts, etc, These 2 factions can't get on the same page because their goals are different. Unfortunatly, the Hub gets effected when drivers can't get in the building before 8pm.

If I went into FT management, clearing these obstacles would be a huge goal of mine, but then I'd be an ex-UPS employee, so I'll just take the OT.

 

[dillweed]

Oh boy, what encouraging replies, thanks to all!

dilligaf, I have the same mouth problem and it probably helps keep that target on my back.

Hefferman - I used to load pkg cars, on the old system but am now on the sort aisle. It's the pkgs to top belt that kick my butt as it takes me a two-stage process to get them there. First to shoulder, then up to the belt. Lots of heavies in a row puts me way behind. They threaten constantly to put me back on the belt but I've assured them I'm not going to get any stronger or younger no matter where they put me.

Upstate, I didn't take one bit of offense from your post! You're honest and well seasoned so I knew you'd offer reasonable input. Your bod hurts, I'm sure. Wear and tear are one thing and just a fact of aging/hard physical work. It's the acute, serious injuries we need to avoid. Along with keeping our sanity, self respect and jobs. It's the self respect taking a real beating now. Not only am I not good enough for UPS (a given for all of us) but I'm not putting out what I think I should be - what I could ten years ago.

sano - you're doing fine. As for whining, I started the whine-ass post so all is fair.

steve - you're always so perceptive, love your posts. As for scanning PALs, they put me on it once for half an hour and I was a mess. Just standing in one spot trying to keep up with heavy flow isn't as easy as it looks. center manager offered to put me on PAL if I'd take the dollar an hour pay cut. Nope, old gray mare isn't going willingly to pasture. Let me keep that buck an hour and put me where you want.

westside, always the voice of reason. Come be my sup and I'll bust butt for you, knowing you'll respect me in return!

I've heard that 1500/hr is the goal for unload and 1200/hr is goal for sorters. duh Doesn't that allow for 300/hr to go on the floor? silly rabbits, silly numbers.

So back to square one and try again. Go in tomorrow, do the best we can, refuse to work unsafely and keep our heads up. This economy has put the fear in everyone, hard put in my area where manufacturing has taken a terrific blow. I'm sure management is running scared since less volume and fewer hourlies = less supervisors needed. It's just time to stand tough and stay safe. Thanks again to all - I feel renewed and refreshed but still 51...

 

[MECH-II]

God preload sucks, 9:30 still pissen around in the building ..

 

[TheBrownNote]

Holy dead thread @MECH-II

 

[no_map_needed]

This deserves a holy necro batman but I concur carry on

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

@Jkloc420

 

[Jkloc420]

yourself

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

 

[MECH-II]

Preload is a POORLY MANAGED, AND POORLY TRAINED

 

[Cowboy Mac]

View attachment 433910

Hope you didn’t find that in the back of @MECH-II’s package car.

 

[rod]

I was going to comment on this thread just to give @542thruNthru something to post about but decided-- him.

 

[eats packages]

Does make me wonder if there's some way to break into the computers and print off some old-school load charts. You know we have to have them somewhere buried in some web application.

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

God preload sucks, 9:30 still pissen around in the building ..

They're getting your DP bags

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

Does make me wonder if there's some way to break into the computers and print off some old-school load charts. You know we have to have them somewhere buried in some web application.

 

[KearsargeCoop]

We started using the RFID scanners for the preload. What a pile of burnt bear . Slow as molasses. And the scanners only identify a PAL in the wrong truck, but if the PAL is on wrong package...misloads. What a steamy up these things are.

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

We started using the RFID scanners for the preload. What a pile of burnt bear . Slow as molasses. And the scanners only identify a PAL in the wrong truck, but if the PAL is on wrong package...misloads. What a steamy up these things are.

WAVE DA WAND AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FAST, THE BLOWHARD IN PARTNERS SAID

 

[MECH-II]

We started using the RFID scanners for the preload. What a pile of burnt bear . Slow as molasses. And the scanners only identify a PAL in the wrong truck, but if the PAL is on wrong package...misloads. What a steamy up these things are.

Wait till peak and they fill up rentals , gunna be tons of misloads

 

[I have NOT been lurking]

Wait till peak and they fill up rentals , gunna be tons of misloads

They'll give you a full box of your precious DP bags