Seasonal helpers '07: The nightmare before Christmas.

[brown bomber]

I refuse to use 2 boards...less mistakes...in the past I pre-recorded about 10 stops in the "helper board"..and that was the last time it was used..if the helper doesn't have a clue how to use the DIAD..can't clarify signatures..can't complete stops...how can I trust the helper to accurately record DR stops...
this peak is gonna be a real treat...had my 1st helper yesterday (3 weeks earlier than past years)..and the management team managed to screw-up the meet time...today I told management team, that I would contact them re: a meet time...they messaged me at about 10:15 AM, requesting a time and location....I told them the location and time (13:15)

at about 13:00 I get message from the Management team stating that my helper has been waiting for 30 minutes for me....I call them and state that I'm eating lunch, and I'll meet w/ helper @ 1315...obviously nobody reads the messages from the drivers IMO

went to the meet point@ 1315...guess what..helper had left....needless to say, I finished the route myself....a few other drivers in our center experienced similar problems w/ helpers not showing up

just keep telling yourself "the plan is working"...can't wait to see how screwed up things are gonna be in about3 weeks

 

[Fozzy]

Last week one day I had my helper for 3 hours combined boards 205 stops 460 packages was a 10.73 worked....it was .07 over time study. He had 38 stops in his board....I was beat when finished!!

 

[Joopster]

I was training a seasonal last night. Which I told my sup I better get the extra .50 cents an hour, but anyways.

UPS is hiring 20 years olds without GEDs. I mean, cmon. If you don't have the ambition to finish high school, maybe UPS shouldn't hire you. This guy was blinged out and half baked.

 

[cino321]

I was training a seasonal last night. Which I told my sup I better get the extra .50 cents an hour, but anyways.

UPS is hiring 20 years olds without GEDs. I mean, cmon. If you don't have the ambition to finish high school, maybe UPS shouldn't hire you. This guy was blinged out and half baked.

$8 a hour isn't a lot of incentive to produce quality employees.

 

[Joopster]

$8 a hour isn't a lot of incentive to produce quality employees.

Isn't it 8.50?

 

[Dump and Run]

The two diad boards are pretty much useless I totaly agree, and for them to be a 3 and a 4 is also a pain. Heck I have to retrain myself on the 3. The only time I find having 2 boards is beneficial is at apt. complexes. Other than that POINTLESS, & a WASTE OF TIME! I get EDD in both boards, del whatever the "magic number" of stops the "wise" ones declaire for the day and throw that 3 board in the back.

 

[brown bomber]

exactly...my friend, just as I stated in a previous post

 

[Dump and Run]

I refuse to use 2 boards...less mistakes...in the past I pre-recorded about 10 stops in the "helper board"..and that was the last time it was used..if the helper doesn't have a clue how to use the DIAD..can't clarify signatures..can't complete stops...how can I trust the helper to accurately record DR stops...
this peak is gonna be a real treat...had my 1st helper yesterday (3 weeks earlier than past years)..and the management team managed to screw-up the meet time...today I told management team, that I would contact them re: a meet time...they messaged me at about 10:15 AM, requesting a time and location....I told them the location and time (13:15)

at about 13:00 I get message from the Management team stating that my helper has been waiting for 30 minutes for me....I call them and state that I'm eating lunch, and I'll meet w/ helper @ 1315...obviously nobody reads the messages from the drivers IMO

went to the meet point@ 1315...guess what..helper had left....needless to say, I finished the route myself....a few other drivers in our center experienced similar problems w/ helpers not showing up

just keep telling yourself "the plan is working"...can't wait to see how screwed up things are gonna be in about3 weeks

Brown I feel your pain. This year our center is overly concerned with the numbers and "what does the matrix say?" We can't do anything unless the matrix says it's okay. The matrix that some a$$hat, who has never (or not recently) ever driven created. Oh what's that November and December come at the same time every year? Hmm?

 

[textat3]

My helper Monday was a 50 year old grandma who hasn't worked in 10 years as a result of neck and back injurys from her last job.

 

[VTBrown]

Text - there are obvious cases like that where you need to smack HR right up across the face.

Though if she is in shape and has the desire - so be it.

Everyone else....Keep fighting the fight! Rock on! I'm sure you will prevail!

 

[brownracer]

Helpers receive approximately 2.5 hours worth of DIAD training. During this time the receive hands-on training on package fundamentals, Signature, Left-At and DR Stops. The DIAD software program is identical between a DIAD 3 and 4, the only difference is the keys. Helpers are to do non-COD deliveries, and no pickups. Another reason helpers use DIAD 3s is that there is not enough DIAD 4s. Do you think the company should buy DIAD 4s at $2000 a pop just to sit to be used for a couple of weeks a year, or use the surplus DIAD 3s that work fine for the simple needs of helpers?

 

[Brownnblue]

You don't have time to be human and talk to this helper and show him the board?

Quite frankly, no. The first day with a helper you are faced with two scenarios. 1) You are dispatched with a peak day like stop count while all the other drivers have a normal dispatch. You have to completely switch gears in order to get your load off. So much time is consumed excavating the load, loading up your helper, explaining where the streets are, and then trying to find him after he gets lost that training time on the diad is minimal at best. 2) You are dispatched with your normal day + X for the helper, but you only have your helper for X amount of hours. Again, you have to point him in the right direction and hope for the best. No time for training.

Old Brown Shoe hit the nail on the head, we should get more pay for training & thinking for these guys.

 

[toonertoo]

I have never had a route tight enough to use a helper. The few times I did, it was great. I usually had good people or made them good quickly.
But since the wonderful new numbers I now run every day what I used to have a jumper with at Christmas.
Now I have what used to be a 12 hr day, and the numbers say its only 10...........but I make 42$$an hour on overtime. So bring it on, dream your dreams, it still takes the same amount of time, whip me, beat me pay me 42......Ill stay alone thinking how much fun I will have spending it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME.
AMEN

 

[FromBluetoBrown]

I was a helper last peak and it was a mostly rural route with a industrial office park right in the middle of it. I would run to the house while the driver get the next stops ready and I would help her with her business deliveries and pick ups each day. I would start at 930 and we would get done around 8ish.

 

[amicold]

I'll agree, 3/4 of the people in my group of hires were crackheads, winos, or low level gangbanger's. The other 1/4 were kids.

FWIW, no one was given any training, we were told the driver would assist us.

 

[itsmetigress]

Helpers receive approximately 2.5 hours worth of DIAD training. During this time the receive hands-on training on package fundamentals, Signature, Left-At and DR Stops.

For the record I JUST got home from my 45 minute orientation not only did we not even SEE a DIAD we totally skipped over anything about it in our training manuals.....I really feel for the drivers this year..because once they throw us out there we are completly clueless...at least they could have gone over it in the book so that when we were on a route we could stop and think "oh yea..thats what they were talking about in orientation"

 

[Griff]

For the record I JUST got home from my 45 minute orientation not only did we not even SEE a DIAD we totally skipped over anything about it in our training manuals.....I really feel for the drivers this year..because once they throw us out there we are completly clueless...at least they could have gone over it in the book so that when we were on a route we could stop and think "oh yea..thats what they were talking about in orientation"

Don't feel bad, everyone is used to it. This year is no different from any other year, Christmas comes at the same time every year and UPS management still can't perform. I have complained about 3 times a week for nearly 10 months about my 5000-6000 shelves having nothing spa'd to them on 2 different routes (noone has the bid) and nothing gets fixed. The overall attitude at day-shift UPS is, "screw it, just let the driver deal with it". Meanwhile, they are in the HR conference room, stuffing their faces, patting each other on the back for another peak season managed flawlessly and counting their stock bonus. Must be nice to be so delusional and incompetent at the same time, only in America.

 

[VTBrown]

I don't know Griff.....

Perhaps it's your attitude that gets them in that mood?

 

[Griff]

I don't know Griff.....

Perhaps it's your attitude that gets them in that mood?

Yeah, it's my fault. You're right.

 

[Covemastah]

hope i get a helper soon,i had an extra set of doubles today and had to put down all the landing geer by myself!!! hope that didn't kill my spore!!!!!