so how should performance issues be handled?

[EAT MY OVERALLOWED]

I'm not sure that your analysis of the statistics are necessarily accurate.

I agree with you that if three rides are given with high variability; lets say 20.2 SPORH, 9.7 SPORH, and 12.2 SPORH. The average of the three is 14 SPORH. The high standard deviation of these samples makes determing a true average to variable. If the driver begins performing at 12 SPORH without supervision that is certainly within the error range and therefore inconclusive.

On the other hand, I do three rides with 14.1 SPORH, 13.9 SPORH, and 14.0 SPORH. I now have a low variability. If the driver without supervision delivers at 12 SPORH, we now have a large difference. I have seen the above example many times.

Again, why is this not a fair way to evaluate performance?

P-Man

Because this isn't scientific, no matter how much you claim it is or try to make it out to be. There are many, many variables in a day on the road besides X, Y and Z. Driving a truck and driving a desk are two worlds apart, it all looks so easy on paper. The reality of doing it everyday, not for 3 days but for thousands of days is the world we live in. Most of the time someones SPORH dipping is the dispatchers own fault, usually by add/cutting the wrong areas. I know my SPORH goes down every time the brilliant dispatch supervisor takes a section right in the middle of my route and gives it to someone else and magically I get someone elses work that is 5 miles away. The company is now full of incompetent managers and we now have a CEO that is a faux-UPSer. This company has made the shift to a culture of incompetence and greed, it's one hell of an ugly combination.

 

[stucrew]

great idea fora a thread.
There are a lot of variables that change constantly in any given area.
New pickups,places closing,new condos,oncalls etc.
I myself have improved my production by being more efficient.
I rarely drive down a street unless its because I have a delivery there.
If I have a 10:30 commit and its 10:15 I can often bang off 4 resi's on the way and still make it without freaking out like I used to.Area knowledge is everything.They don't bug me ever about production,I run 1.50 over and that is scratch in my world.In a way time studies are redundant because things change drastically over time.

Time studies are a farce. I got clobbered every day cause I was 45 minutes over on a downtown route. I bid off and a month later...new time study. Guess what route gained 45 minutes of time. So who was screwing who?!?!

 

[stucrew]

In all my years as a driver I can't remember a sup on a ojs tell me to park in an unsafe place. Why do you think the speed limit posted is unsafe. Guess what, anybody with half a brain can see that you are attempting is nothing more than what I have heard mgmt call "stealing time". It is drivers like you that give the majority of us a bad name.

I am telling someone how to get a better ride-along time. Do you want to have to be locked in to "Perfect" everyday? If you do then have at it and when you get old and can't get out of your chair please remember this conversation. UPS will have forgotten you, but PLEASE remember this conversation.

 

[stucrew]

Because this isn't scientific, no matter how much you claim it is or try to make it out to be. There are many, many variables in a day on the road besides X, Y and Z. Driving a truck and driving a desk are two worlds apart, it all looks so easy on paper. The reality of doing it everyday, not for 3 days but for thousands of days is the world we live in. Most of the time someones SPORH dipping is the dispatchers own fault, usually by add/cutting the wrong areas. I know my SPORH goes down every time the brilliant dispatch supervisor takes a section right in the middle of my route and gives it to someone else and magically I get someone elses work that is 5 miles away. The company is now full of incompetent managers and we now have a CEO that is a faux-UPSer. This company has made the shift to a culture of incompetence and greed, it's one hell of an ugly combination.

A thousand AMENS to that!! My dispatcher takes off all the ripper air and country when I have a "Ride". Wonder why the SPOHR is higher on that easy day! We had a Supervisor (who is now a center manager in a different center) take a route out one day....When he looked at the report next day his words...."You got to be kidding!!" Even he could see the farce, but alas, they have to "make it happen" everyday so they keep trying to enforce an ever tightening noose that will eventually choike the life out of this company. Anyone remember "Delivering Our Future" and all the money spent trying to get our customers back after UPS lost them in the 80's because all they cared about was the "numbers"?

 

[Richard Harrow]

The routes really do get better as you hang around from year to year...

Or you can use my strategy and stay a cover driver until feeders comes calling. This way, your numbers are only a problem if you make it a point to go out there and screw them every day.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

There are no such thing as fair time studies. Why would the company shoot itself in the foot by making something fair and honest when it can mathmatically make excuses for itself and it's performance numbers by holding the hourly responsible? That in essence is what a time study is- it's derived mathematical formula result is designed to be used against the workforce, whether or not the worker is actually underperforming or not on that particular day. It is simply a crutch that can be called upon to discipline or intimidate any employee and also used to add "proof" to ones higher up of why the performance was not satisfactory.

I agree with stucrew, aside from the speed limit thing. Up to speed quickly and up to the speed limit, never higher. Besides, you really don't make up time driving, you make it up (or lose it) with the methods. Follow the methods to a T and do the job the safest way you were taught.

 

[BrownArmy]

Besides, you really don't make up time driving, you make it up (or lose it) with the methods. Follow the methods to a T and do the job the safest way you were taught.

This is the absolute truth.

(Although it's too bad the methods don't involve a horrible pre-load, add/cuts that didn't make the cut, random splits that only look good on paper, mis-loads, etc. etc.).

It's not super-fun to have an OJS-ride, but doesn't the load look nice!

 

[sosocal]

I have read many posts such diverse topics as 3 day rides, telematics, intimidation, time studies, sporh lock in meetings etc, etc, etc... All these address the same issue - Call it methods, fair days work, honesty in employment services etc, etc - But it boils down to performance of duties in an efficient and employer prescribed manner. Notwithstanding the obvious unscientific nature of time studies , 3 days rides, telematics etc - we all know there are drivers that can do better (in a reasonable and fair days fashion) and will not do so until they are discovered or pressured or possbily threatened and even intimidated. I am not talking about the 30 year guy who is just plain slower these days - I am talking about otherwise capable drivers who consciously choose not to use methods (or performance based methods anyway) - or consciously add plan to their day or take excess personal time. In my center this is maybe 10 percent of drivers. All I hear on these posts is that these tools are unfair or misused- I don't doubt that in many cases they are....But what tool or in what manner should these drivers be addressed?

SDC

Somewhat sorry I posted this thread - kinda got off track

 

[DS]

I still think this is a great thread.Maybe the most relevant thread ever posted here in the BC.
I can see how UPS would like to have an exact standard that would would be the same for every driver,but
we in the cafe can attest to the fact that every area is different,every day is different,and every supervisor is different.
The few management people that post in here also seem to agree,that it's impossible to see the truth,and the 3 day ride
is all they got.
The IE guys have all the tools to determine how many stops can be completed realistically now that they have gps.
Like a huge operations report.Every area, stops,pkgs,miles,leave bldg time etc for 3 months,or a year.
This way they could automatically see differences in production by driver,
For example,the difference between a regular driver,and his cover driver when he's on vacation.
I personally think that the ones making decisions choose to take the same route as they do during contract negotiations
Its our company,and we wont have you tell us what to do.
If they used my idea to formulate a realistic planned day,those 3 day rides would be rare and hopefully alleviate the burden
that the slackers put on all of us.
I could go on about an exact ,universal code of ethics that should be followed by management,but thats a whole other thread.

 

[Braveheart]

The question should be why aren`t each route time studied fairly? I went from a route I had for 12 years where the time study deteriorated so much that when I got off of it last year I had to do 20 stops an hour and run and not take a full break just to run over an hour over-allowed to my current route where I work steady but not super fast, have time to converse about UPS with customers, get sales leads, stop for a full break and run 1/2 hour under-allowed! Went from a bad driver to a great driver by changing routes!!

I agree!!! I have had many fellow drivers go from good route to bad and bad to good. Time studies are imperfect. My 3 day ride did not include any splits, reduced miles, reduced airs, they dr'd load as well!!!

We have many speed bumps and road blocks that happen to us that are not and could not all be witnessed in a 3 day ride.

Work safe, work smart. SPORH is just yet another form of harassment. I have great attendance, airs on time, no missed deliveries, pick ups all done, no COD irregs, no mis-deliveries, signed up new accounts, many years of safe driving, happy customers but time study says I am 1/2 hour slow. I do the speed limit and walk at a good pace but not like I got the Texas Two Step from Taco Bell.

 

[just interested]

Do any of your facilities use reg-temp drivers?? If so, what is the usual way for them to become qualified over their 30 days of driving? In other words, what does management typically want to see?

 

[Jones]

Do any of your facilities use reg-temp drivers?? If so, what is the usual way for them to become qualified over their 30 days of driving? In other words, what does management typically want to see?

No late airs, no missed pickups, and easy on the overallowed.

 

[just interested]

No late airs, no missed pickups, and easy on the overallowed.

Thanks for responding Jones. Does your hub use "reg-temp" drivers?

What would be a typical range for acceptable overallowed?? Obviously scratch would be preferred daily, but does not always happen. Especially for newbies.

 

[tourists24]

Thanks for responding Jones. Does your hub use "reg-temp" drivers?

What would be a typical range for acceptable overallowed?? Obviously scratch would be preferred daily, but does not always happen. Especially for newbies.

Around here we have temp drivers.... Obviously the closer the scratch the better but anything under .5 hrs over and you keep heat off you. Keep it to .3 or less and you are good to go....

 

[All Day]

The question is fair, and so far not an answer.....

Lets try it again. A driver is ridden with by a trained supervisor. Under supervision and following methods, the driver performs at X stops per hour. He/she performs at X overallowed. This happens over 3 days and is called a "lock in" ride.

While not under supervision, the driver performs at a reduced stops per hour and / or overallowed.

This has nothing to do with IE. Its the operator's approach.

Is this a fair measure? If not, why? (I can think of a couple of reasons, but they are easily accounted for.)

P-Man

Oh please!!!! When we have "the big bosses" coming to town, all of a sudden everything gets cleaned up, the cars get washed, extra loaders brought in to make sure everything the load runs smooth, our dispatches are light so we get in, and everyone gets warned that the head cheese to be there so be prepared....then when they leave, every thing goes back to normal.
So please don't tell me the Supervisors/management team act the exact same way when the their boss is watching every move.

 

[Catatonic]

Oh please!!!! When we have "the big bosses" coming to town, all of a sudden everything gets cleaned up, the cars get washed, extra loaders brought in to make sure everything the load runs smooth, our dispatches are light so we get in, and everyone gets warned that the head cheese to be there so be prepared....then when they leave, every thing goes back to normal.
So please don't tell me the Supervisors/management team act the exact same way when the their boss is watching every move.

I thought the Corporate IE's determined everything ... they don't know the "Big Bosses" are coming nor do they care if they were.
Sounds like the local management can make some decisions when they want to.
Never really bought into the concept of Corporate telling the local management how many drivers to dispatch ... sounds more like local management passing the blame/heat for their decisions off on someone else.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I thought the Corporate IE's determined everything ... they don't know the "Big Bosses" are coming nor do they care if they were.
Sounds like the local management can make some decisions when they want to.
Never really bought into the concept of Corporate telling the local management how many drivers to dispatch ... sounds more like local management passing the blame/heat for their decisions off on someone else.

This is exactly what happens in our center. The dispatcher is told to cut a car or more by someone that isn't even in the same building/state. At least this is what we are told.

 

[Catatonic]

This is exactly what happens in our center. The dispatcher is told to cut a car or more by someone that isn't even in the same building/state. At least this is what we are told.

Enough people are saying this so I believe there is something to it but there are other posters that are saying this is not the way it is in their centers.

I don't know exactly why routes are cut and where that decision is made but I have been around long enough to see centers run very differently within a district and/or division and some management dodge confrontation by saying the decision was made from up above.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Enough people are saying this so I believe there is something to it but there are other posters that are saying this is not the way it is in their centers.

I don't know exactly why routes are cut and where that decision is made but I have been around long enough to see centers run very differently within a district and/or division and some management dodge confrontation by saying the decision was made from up above.

I get what you're saying, but lately it seems like the mngrs themselves are being micro-managed.

 

[Catatonic]

I get what you're saying, but lately it seems like the mngrs themselves are being micro-managed.

That I can believe ... come to Corporate if you want to see micro-management.
A center manager in the district probably has more authority to make autonomous decisions than a district manager in Corporate ... that might be a good thing!