Rural deliveries

[Packmule]

I've been noticing over the years how often people in extreme rural locations, that cost exorbitant amounts of money to deliver, have us running out to their place 3 to 4 times a week. Yet they pay no more for our service than the family living in the suburbs.
In winter these places are even more time consuming and dangerous to access, and exasperating at Christmas time.
I was wondering how many billions UPS could save if we took an agriculture/non agriculture approach to pricing. True farmers and ranchers continue to pay the same rate as now. We need them out there growing the nation's food.
But all those who just choose to live out there start paying what it really costs to service them. See how fast they start having that stuff left with Aunt Betty in town!

 

[BUCN85]

That would be nice. There are some locations that aren't t even safe in the summer! I know some drivers in those areas have already made arrangements with those type of customers. Like leaving it at the post office or their job. But for the cover drivers that does us no good...I practice the " don't know don't go" policy. So if I don't like it I sheet it as EC and then get with a driver who might know the next day

 

[barnyard]

I believe there are 3 levels of rural surcharge: rural and super rural are 2 that I know about for sure in my state; but there would be the level of rural for out west.

 

[upschuck]

We do have a "delivery area surcharge", which is done according to stop or package density, not sure which. That can be as much as $3.50 per package, I believe.

 

[Packmule]

My state is always operating in the red, counting on more profitable states to keep us afloat. Don't mind doing my best do real farmers and ranchers, but getting a bit thin with all those retirees and professionals and business owners, etc. guessing 80% of my extreme rurals are non ag stops and cost probably $50 to $70 each in fuel and wages.

 

[scooby0048]

My state is always operating in the red, counting on more profitable states to keep us afloat. Don't mind doing my best do real farmers and ranchers, but getting a bit thin with all those retirees and professionals and business owners, etc. guessing 80% of my extreme rurals are non ag stops and cost probably $50 to $70 each in fuel and wages.

Here in Wyoming, they are constantly telling us how it costs the company so much money to operate and they lose so much on us. I don't doubt it, we have routes that can take 10-14 hours just to get off 25 stops. What do you suppose is on the truck? Nope not big ole heavy farm equipment, but Zappos, Wayfair, Zuma, and those envelopes from the retirement firms.

 

[upschuck]

Here in Wyoming, they are constantly telling us how it costs the company so much money to operate and they lose so much on us. I don't doubt it, we have routes that can take 10-14 hours just to get off 25 stops. What do you suppose is on the truck? Nope not big ole heavy farm equipment, but Zappos, Wayfair, Zuma, and those envelopes from the retirement firms.

Customers saving a lot of money in travel time and costs.

 

[Brownslave688]

My state is always operating in the red, counting on more profitable states to keep us afloat. Don't mind doing my best do real farmers and ranchers, but getting a bit thin with all those retirees and professionals and business owners, etc. guessing 80% of my extreme rurals are non ag stops and cost probably $50 to $70 each in fuel and wages.

The cost of being a nationwide delivery business.


Seriously what do you care? Sounds like a gravy route.

 

[AllOnTheHorses]

Those are tough routes for cover drivers.. especially at night with no house numbers, bad GPS, or addresses out of order.. I see that all over out here where big farms get subdivided and so addresses don't run in numerical order. So many times if I sheet as NSN.. I get a msg later from OMS, "hey I found that house.. go back" (waste more time on some prick ordering a Wayfair desk but doesn't have a visible house number).
If I knew of a good bridge around here, there would be a ton of Wayfair crap at the bottom. Deduct it from my pension.

 

[Brownslave688]

Those are tough routes for cover drivers.. especially at night with no house numbers, bad GPS, or addresses out of order.. I see that all over out here where big farms get subdivided and so addresses don't run in numerical order. So many times if I sheet as NSN.. I get a msg later from OMS, "hey I found that house.. go back" (waste more time on some prick ordering a Wayfair desk but doesn't have a visible house number).
If I knew of a good bridge around here, there would be a ton of Wayfair crap at the bottom. Deduct it from my pension.

I see it all of the time. People move 1/4 mile down the road other side of the street but still their property so they keep the same address.

 

[AllOnTheHorses]

There is an area here where houses have two addresses.. the old system and then the new system enacted for the benefit of 911 responders. Talk about confusion. Many of these people still have the old numbers up.. ugh.

 

[Packmule]

The cost of being a nationwide delivery business.


Seriously what do you care? Sounds like a gravy route.

It would be if UPS respected those miles and wasn't cramming so much back here in town crap on me too.

 

[scooby0048]

Customers saving a lot of money in travel time and costs.

Doesn't bother me, easy money, would rather do 30 stops and 400+ miles than 400 stops and 30 miles.

 

[Cementups]

I get paid by the hour. I will be more than happy to run out to the country to make some deliveries.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I believe there are 3 levels of rural surcharge: rural and super rural are 2 that I know about for sure in my state; but there would be the level of rural for out west.

There is a residential surcharge and additional surcharges depending upon how deep in the sticks you live.

 

[Mugarolla]

I've been noticing over the years how often people in extreme rural locations, that cost exorbitant amounts of money to deliver, have us running out to their place 3 to 4 times a week. Yet they pay no more for our service than the family living in the suburbs.
In winter these places are even more time consuming and dangerous to access, and exasperating at Christmas time.
I was wondering how many billions UPS could save if we took an agriculture/non agriculture approach to pricing. True farmers and ranchers continue to pay the same rate as now. We need them out there growing the nation's food.
But all those who just choose to live out there start paying what it really costs to service them. See how fast they start having that stuff left with Aunt Betty in town!

It costs the same amount of money to send that Christmas card through the USPS to your next door neighbor as it does to send it to your uncle 3000 miles away.

 

[Tiny Panda]

We do have a "delivery area surcharge", which is done according to stop or package density, not sure which. That can be as much as $3.50 per package, I believe.

We have similar in the UK for extreme rural areas. Highlands and Islands is a big surcharge in Scotland, up to double the normal shipping price i believe. It's not just though, every delivery company charges it

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

It costs the same amount of money to send that Christmas card through the USPS to your next door neighbor as it does to send it to your uncle 3000 miles away.

Not true.

While we may pay the same the costs involved are not nearly the same.

 

[Mugarolla]

Not true.

While we may pay the same the costs involved are not nearly the same.

Sorry. Not worded very well.

We pay the same amount to send a Christmas card 300 feet or 3000 miles.

 

[AKCoverMan]

My state is always operating in the red, counting on more profitable states to keep us afloat.

They say that but keep in mind your center only gets any revenue credit for volume that it picks up. Delivery is all cost to a center no credit whatsoever. It's stupid because you can't have pickups without deliveries it would make sense that a centered P and L statement should reflect some revenue credit for competing delivery.