Telematics and production

[pretzel_man]

Last week our building management had a meeting with the stewards to explain the Telematics system and how it would be implemented.

One interesting tidbit of information that sort of got lost in all the discussion about bulkhead doors and seatbelts....is that the system will also monitor the amount of time taken at each stop and will indicate when the driver is "overallowed" for that particular stop, based upon number of pieces delivered, area allowance etc.

In other words....your sup will be able to sit at his desk and view your progress throughout the day on his computer monitor, taking note of any particular stops that you were "overallowed" at, so that you can be questioned about them later.

A good mental excercise for any driver who his called into the office to explain his Telematics readout...is to assume that his management team already knows the answers to the questions that they are about to ask him. The driver should avoid the temptation to "fill in the blanks" and tell them what he thinks the right answer is. "I dont recall" is probably going to be the best and safest answer to any questions posed. Never forget that a wrong answer that can be interpreted as dishonest may result in immediate termination, since dishonesty is a "cardinal infraction" that falls outside of the progressive disciplinary system.

Telematics is being touted primarily as a tool to enhance safety and assist in automotive maintainence. I can buy the part about maintainence, but I have difficulty believing that a company that would intentionally delete 3-point seatbelts from its vehicles has any real concern for the safety and health of its employees. My opinion is that Telematics is primarily a system to enhance production and allow a "virtual supervisor" to monitor his employees in a more intensive and efficient manner.

Sober,

I'm not sure if you're just giving information and advice or if you are concerned.

It seems to me that the production concerns should be fairly irrelevent. First, the union doesn't recognize time standards. As far as someone being overallowed at a stop, unless they are doing things improperly, I would think your stance is that it took what it took.

I would also think you could use this to your advantage. For instance, if telematics shows you overallowed at a stop, you can then question the accuracy of that measurement with very precise information. I would think that your position would be "if the driver is following methods, I guess your measurement is wrong".

On the other hand, if a driver is taking advantage of the company, I would want that corrected. I think there is nothing wrong with eliminating that type of behavior.

Finally, as someone already pointed out, the company had information about time at a stop since the mid 90's. It was the SPARCS system and is still in use today. Telematics just makes this information a little more precise.

P-Man

 

[705red]

Last week our building management had a meeting with the stewards to explain the Telematics system and how it would be implemented.

One interesting tidbit of information that sort of got lost in all the discussion about bulkhead doors and seatbelts....is that the system will also monitor the amount of time taken at each stop and will indicate when the driver is "overallowed" for that particular stop, based upon number of pieces delivered, area allowance etc.

In other words....your sup will be able to sit at his desk and view your progress throughout the day on his computer monitor, taking note of any particular stops that you were "overallowed" at, so that you can be questioned about them later.

A good mental excercise for any driver who his called into the office to explain his Telematics readout...is to assume that his management team already knows the answers to the questions that they are about to ask him. The driver should avoid the temptation to "fill in the blanks" and tell them what he thinks the right answer is. "I dont recall" is probably going to be the best and safest answer to any questions posed. Never forget that a wrong answer that can be interpreted as dishonest may result in immediate termination, since dishonesty is a "cardinal infraction" that falls outside of the progressive disciplinary system.

Telematics is being touted primarily as a tool to enhance safety and assist in automotive maintainence. I can buy the part about maintainence, but I have difficulty believing that a company that would intentionally delete 3-point seatbelts from its vehicles has any real concern for the safety and health of its employees. My opinion is that Telematics is primarily a system to enhance production and allow a "virtual supervisor" to monitor his employees in a more intensive and efficient manner.

Remember they can not discipline you for technology. If you get pulled in the office and the company asks you about your day, just do not respond. They will try and trick you into admitting your guilty of something. Its always wise to let the company put on its case and see what they have so you do not convict yourself. By talking openly your only giving them the evidence they need!

They want you fired, come out and observe me! Do not answer any computer generated questions! You do not have to!

 

[backinbrown]

soberups

"In other words....your sup will be able to sit at his desk and view your progress throughout the day on his computer monitor, taking note of any particular stops that you were "overallowed" at, so that you can be questioned about them later."

Yes that is true and i think in the end it will mean less supervisors needed to do the job.

 

[browniehound]

Sober,

I'm not sure if you're just giving information and advice or if you are concerned.

It seems to me that the production concerns should be fairly irrelevent. First, the union doesn't recognize time standards. As far as someone being overallowed at a stop, unless they are doing things improperly, I would think your stance is that it took what it took.

I would also think you could use this to your advantage. For instance, if telematics shows you overallowed at a stop, you can then question the accuracy of that measurement with very precise information. I would think that your position would be "if the driver is following methods, I guess your measurement is wrong".

On the other hand, if a driver is taking advantage of the company, I would want that corrected. I think there is nothing wrong with eliminating that type of behavior.

Finally, as someone already pointed out, the company had information about time at a stop since the mid 90's. It was the SPARCS system and is still in use today. Telematics just makes this information a little more precise.

P-Man

I have to agree with P-man here. Why do you care that you show over-allowed for one stop? What if you used the restroom at this stop? Even the best drivers are going to over-allowed at some stops.

If you are over-allowed by 2 hours for the day then I would be concerned what management had up their sleeve. I would not be concerned if they showed me a report where I took too much time a certain stops, but was less than .5 over-scratch for the day. I also believe that my supervisor would not show me this report or care about it unless I was a production problem.

To me, nothing has changed. If they wanted to know things you were doing before this new technology they would find a way to discover it. They just have easier access to it now. This will affect less than 1% of all UPS drivers.

Also, do you think your boss has the time to look at everyone of his driver's route each day? I know he doesn't because I wish he would look at mine so he could see the illogical places I'm dispacthed everyday!

Instead I'm left to drive 2 miles past a split to get to my added split and then drive 2 miles back to my route. I guess we are not concerned about fuel savings anymore?

 

[QKRSTKR]

You are in a different situation than everyone for the most part. With PAS/EDD, my stops are accurate. I'm sorry you are not on the system yet, but when you do (if you do), You are going to love it. You don't get screwed on stop counts and you know where everything is with a list on the diad. I don't miss the old-school way of things

Dude, you must not have any address's with multiple stops. My stops are still missed by 10 or so. The system counts off of history. Hell, I don't care how many stops I had 2 weeks ago with this plan, I want to know how many stops I have today. 10 stops equals about a 1/2 hr for me. A 1/2 hr. they don't see on their computer screen. And of course I'm always sent out at my Max. and end up about 10 over.

 

[BigBrownSanta]

Dude, you must not have any address's with multiple stops. My stops are still missed by 10 or so. The system counts off of history. Hell, I don't care how many stops I had 2 weeks ago with this plan, I want to know how many stops I have today. 10 stops equals about a 1/2 hr for me. A 1/2 hr. they don't see on their computer screen. And of course I'm always sent out at my Max. and end up about 10 over.

I can remember when ups was believed to be a technological wonder...

now however,

...we can't distinguish suites, apartment numbers, or trailer numbers.

...we can't distinguish split stops as commercial or residential.

...we can't make the cod screen accept numbers only.

...we can't move the signature key.

...we can't, we can't, we can't.


But, we CAN ride a driver for 3 days and nit pick how to save 5 minutes in methods violations while at the same time, the driver is delivering oversize 3 packages that have a billed weight of 1 lb.

I'm just glad the company has it's priorities straight.

(My apologies, I may have gone a little overboard in this post).

 

[BigBrownSanta]

I have to agree with P-man here. Why do you care that you show over-allowed for one stop? What if you used the restroom at this stop? Even the best drivers are going to over-allowed at some stops.

If you are over-allowed by 2 hours for the day then I would be concerned what management had up their sleeve. I would not be concerned if they showed me a report where I took too much time a certain stops, but was less than .5 over-scratch for the day. I also believe that my supervisor would not show me this report or care about it unless I was a production problem.

To me, nothing has changed. If they wanted to know things you were doing before this new technology they would find a way to discover it. They just have easier access to it now. This will affect less than 1% of all UPS drivers.

Also, do you think your boss has the time to look at everyone of his driver's route each day? I know he doesn't because I wish he would look at mine so he could see the illogical places I'm dispacthed everyday!

Instead I'm left to drive 2 miles past a split to get to my added split and then drive 2 miles back to my route. I guess we are not concerned about fuel savings anymore?

Also, to add to my previous rant and speaking of illogical places to be dispatched. Why in the **** would a split be pulled to a neighboring driver, and then take a split off their route to be put on my car?

Geniuses, they are, I swear!!!

 

[govols019]

My all-time favorite is when they gave the odd numbers of a dead end street to me and the even to the guy next to me. I swear to God if I thought they were smart enough I would think they did that just to screw with us.

 

[soberups]

Sober,

I'm not sure if you're just giving information and advice or if you are concerned.

It seems to me that the production concerns should be fairly irrelevent. First, the union doesn't recognize time standards. As far as someone being overallowed at a stop, unless they are doing things improperly, I would think your stance is that it took what it took.

I would also think you could use this to your advantage. For instance, if telematics shows you overallowed at a stop, you can then question the accuracy of that measurement with very precise information. I would think that your position would be "if the driver is following methods, I guess your measurement is wrong".

On the other hand, if a driver is taking advantage of the company, I would want that corrected. I think there is nothing wrong with eliminating that type of behavior.

Finally, as someone already pointed out, the company had information about time at a stop since the mid 90's. It was the SPARCS system and is still in use today. Telematics just makes this information a little more precise.

P-Man

The official company line that we have all been given is that Telematics is primarily about vehicle maintainence and safety.

I was merely trying to point out that this is not really the truth.

The fact that the union has never recognized time standards as a basis for disciplinary action has never stopped the company from taking drivers into the office and beating them over the head with the WOR when they are overallowed.

As far as questioning the accuracy of the time standards, it has always been the company's default position that the allowance is never wrong, and that any "overallowed" time can only be as a result of faulty methods or lack of a "sense of urgency" on the part of the driver. The allowance is perfect; it is flawless; it cannot be disputed, challenged or questioned. It is chiseled in stone and will never be changed.

In the "old days" you got called into the office and chewed out over a number on a WOR printout. Now, with Telematics, you will get called into the office and chewed out over a clipboard full of maps and charts with colored lines and dots showing how far "overallowed" you were at each stop.

I dont have a problem with any of this; I have always said that the vehicle and the DIAD are the property of UPS and that UPS is free to put whatever sensors it chooses into them. I am merely pointing out the fact that the company's real reason for investing millions of dollars in this system is to give it the ability to more closely and intensely monitor its employees every move. It is not logical for UPS to spend money on this system unless it expects that investment to be offset by an increase in productivity. And if UPS expects an increase in productivity, it will demand that its operations supervisors produce that increase, by any means necessary.

 

[pretzel_man]

The official company line that we have all been given is that Telematics is primarily about vehicle maintainence and safety.

I was merely trying to point out that this is not really the truth.

The fact that the union has never recognized time standards as a basis for disciplinary action has never stopped the company from taking drivers into the office and beating them over the head with the WOR when they are overallowed.

As far as questioning the accuracy of the time standards, it has always been the company's default position that the allowance is never wrong, and that any "overallowed" time can only be as a result of faulty methods or lack of a "sense of urgency" on the part of the driver. The allowance is perfect; it is flawless; it cannot be disputed, challenged or questioned. It is chiseled in stone and will never be changed.

In the "old days" you got called into the office and chewed out over a number on a WOR printout. Now, with Telematics, you will get called into the office and chewed out over a clipboard full of maps and charts with colored lines and dots showing how far "overallowed" you were at each stop.

I dont have a problem with any of this; I have always said that the vehicle and the DIAD are the property of UPS and that UPS is free to put whatever sensors it chooses into them. I am merely pointing out the fact that the company's real reason for investing millions of dollars in this system is to give it the ability to more closely and intensely monitor its employees every move. It is not logical for UPS to spend money on this system unless it expects that investment to be offset by an increase in productivity. And if UPS expects an increase in productivity, it will demand that its operations supervisors produce that increase, by any means necessary.

I guess my position is different than yours. We will have to just disagree on this one.

Telematics is about a lot of things. Safety is one, Automotive is one, Idle time is one, and identifying performance concerns is another one.

The majority of our drivers do the job right. Some take advantage of their situation however. I've seen it.

I have not been taught to use telematics to knit pick small deviations. I don't teach people to do that either.

A supervisor somewhere will use this tool improperly. There is no perfect tool. This is a good one however.

P-Man

 

[No such person]

After 3 weeks on telematics, we had the guy in charge of it in our pcm yesterday. He explained the goals. Seatbelt use and bulkhead door closed the goal is 100%. That I can understand. For idling time, the goal is 44 minutes. I understand they want us to shut off the truck at deliveries, but he admitted the system counts sitting at stop lights or behind a school bus as idling time. Then he gave us the one that made everyone laugh. We were told the goal for backing up is to average 9 backups per driver every day. I asked if that included the 2 times I back up at night when I park and he said yes. I also have 12 loading docks on the route I'm on now. I guess I'll have to call and get permission after I go over my limit.

 

[PASinterference]

After 3 weeks on telematics, we had the guy in charge of it in our pcm yesterday. He explained the goals. Seatbelt use and bulkhead door closed the goal is 100%. That I can understand. For idling time, the goal is 44 minutes. I understand they want us to shut off the truck at deliveries, but he admitted the system counts sitting at stop lights or behind a school bus as idling time. Then he gave us the one that made everyone laugh. We were told the goal for backing up is to average 9 backups per driver every day. I asked if that included the 2 times I back up at night when I park and he said yes. I also have 12 loading docks on the route I'm on now. I guess I'll have to call and get permission after I go over my limit.

Put the truck in neutral,kill the engine and push it backwards!Pay a kid 2 bucks to run around wildly with your diad then enter a sales lead.

 

[brownmonster]

It takes 9 backs each to get 50 trucks out of a building with only 4 doors.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Dude, you must not have any address's with multiple stops. My stops are still missed by 10 or so. The system counts off of history. Hell, I don't care how many stops I had 2 weeks ago with this plan, I want to know how many stops I have today. 10 stops equals about a 1/2 hr for me. A 1/2 hr. they don't see on their computer screen. And of course I'm always sent out at my Max. and end up about 10 over.

I had the same issue with my morning business areas. Many multiple consignees and they were treated on the board like an apartment building. I DOCUMENTED the discrepancies for 2 weeks and then handed it to dispatch. I put the ball in their court. It has for the most part been fixed.

I guess this would only work with a dispatch supervisor that cares. Im sure they are few and far between in the company.

Also, my center manager started talking to me about my blips on my seat belt report. Apparently the wheels can not move without putting the belt on first. I told him I was not a robot and my belt is on 100% at all times. We will see what will happen with that.

 

[brownrodster]

I asked if that included the 2 times I back up at night when I park and he said yes. .

You can do what I do which is not park my vehicle on the building at the end of the day. I just ditch it in front of the center and leave it for a fueler to find and take care of. No backing necessary.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

It takes 9 backs each to get 50 trucks out of a building with only 4 doors.

LOL - 9 backs to get turned around on a dead end without backing into a driveway. More without power steering.

C'mon - this is really designed to get mgmt to retire early, right?

 

[No such person]

This guy also said something else interesting. He said our district was the only one 100% on telematics and UPS wasn't going to release any more money for it until they evaluated how it went with us.

 

[scratch]

This guy also said something else interesting. He said our district was the only one 100% on telematics and UPS wasn't going to release any more money for it until they evaluated how it went with us.

Well, if this is true, then ya'll need to quit being 100% and screw it up big time. It would be for the good of the company, no sense wasting so much money in these tough economic times.

 

[sexyupsman]

I really can't wait till we get it, because you know as soon as they install it the SPORH will drop and the over/under will jump up for all drivers.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I can remember when ups was believed to be a technological wonder...

now however,

...we can't distinguish suites, apartment numbers, or trailer numbers.

...we can't distinguish split stops as commercial or residential.

...we can't make the cod screen accept numbers only.

...we can't move the signature key.

...we can't, we can't, we can't.


But, we CAN ride a driver for 3 days and nit pick how to save 5 minutes in methods violations while at the same time, the driver is delivering oversize 3 packages that have a billed weight of 1 lb.

I'm just glad the company has it's priorities straight.

(My apologies, I may have gone a little overboard in this post).

Also, to add to my previous rant and speaking of illogical places to be dispatched. Why in the **** would a split be pulled to a neighboring driver, and then take a split off their route to be put on my car?

Geniuses, they are, I swear!!!

Nice Rant!

After 3 weeks on telematics, we had the guy in charge of it in our pcm yesterday. He explained the goals. Seatbelt use and bulkhead door closed the goal is 100%. That I can understand. For idling time, the goal is 44 minutes. I understand they want us to shut off the truck at deliveries, but he admitted the system counts sitting at stop lights or behind a school bus as idling time. Then he gave us the one that made everyone laugh. We were told the goal for backing up is to average 9 backups per driver every day. I asked if that included the 2 times I back up at night when I park and he said yes. I also have 12 loading docks on the route I'm on now. I guess I'll have to call and get permission after I go over my limit.

Don't send the message via ODS, you'll grow a beard waiting for the reply, even if you're a woman.

I had the same issue with my morning business areas. Many multiple consignees and they were treated on the board like an apartment building. I DOCUMENTED the discrepancies for 2 weeks and then handed it to dispatch. I put the ball in their court. It has for the most part been fixed.

I guess this would only work with a dispatch supervisor that cares. Im sure they are few and far between in the company.

Also, my center manager started talking to me about my blips on my seat belt report. Apparently the wheels can not move without putting the belt on first. I told him I was not a robot and my belt is on 100% at all times. We will see what will happen with that.

Face it Heff, you're a blip.

You can do what I do which is not park my vehicle on the building at the end of the day. I just ditch it in front of the center and leave it for a fueler to find and take care of. No backing necessary.

I used to, as well. They just removed our fuel pumps.

I really can't wait till we get it, because you know as soon as they install it the SPORH will drop and the over/under will jump up for all drivers.

I guess this is the driver in the sexyupsman? Um, maybe I worded that a little poorly.