What to expect on first days as a new driver?

[JL 0513]

Wanna bet?

$5?

OK, I'm sure they did. Couldn't have been pretty.

 

[rod]

I mean, you guys did it before we didnt. You drove then, and then now. So ill take your word for it. Its just funny how the vets at my HUb..and the vets on here, its like you guys work for 2 different companies.

They said back in the day, you would sometimes have to kill 3 hours till a pick up. They would all meet up and go out to lunch 2-3 times a week. Go home for break. Talk to customers.

Some ones pulling your leg.

 

[cosmo1]

Some ones pulling your leg.

Well, you must remember how us old-timers liked to BS the newbies.

 

[rod]

Well, you must remember how us old-timers liked to BS the newbies.

They are so gulible

 

[Delivery!!!]

I agree, use it.

But don't expect to learn an entire route by following maps on your phone.

I agree completely. If using a phone it needs to be done as if it's a map. To look up where something is. If your following the phone and using the turn by turn navigation you won't learn the area, you'll take too long typing in addresses, and you've created an in cab distraction.

 

[Delivery!!!]

Now days, from what I can tell with all the new tech crap, a blind monkey can deliver a package to any address. The younger gen seems to think that's the cats meow but in all reality they don't have much for bargaining power when it comes to being a needed employee because anyone could do their route. In the end it will come back to bite them.

The drivers who will be most effected are the ones that started driving within the last 10 years. Correct if I'm wrong because I'm a relatively new off the street but wasn't EDD in place before they started. The newer drivers haven't had much say in the matter of tech except for orion. And given work as directed, the only option there would be to follow it 100 percent and let the service failures occur, otherwise we'll just be helping management fix the issues with orion. And even that seems to be a gray area inviting discipline and a target on your back. It seems the best way to stay a skilled worker is to embrace the term industrial athlete and stay in great shape doing 200 plus stops everyday. There's no way that's getting done by walking at a brisk pace and following the methods.

 

[By The Book]

The drivers who will be most effected are the ones that started driving within the last 10 years. Correct if I'm wrong because I'm a relatively new off the street but wasn't EDD in place before they started. The newer drivers haven't had much say in the matter of tech except for orion. And given work as directed, the only option there would be to follow it 100 percent and let the service failures occur, otherwise we'll just be helping management fix the issues with orion. And even that seems to be a gray area inviting discipline and a target on your back. It seems the best way to stay a skilled worker is to embrace the term industrial athlete and stay in great shape doing 200 plus stops everyday. There's no way that's getting done by walking at a brisk pace and following the methods.

A few good points made!, first if you want to have one of those country routes that have 75 to 115 stops you will need to stay out of the office. When I say that I mean don't fix it, or feel you have to perfect every little thing that can be fixed. Sometimes the veteran driver will do what he's asked and fly under the radar and do all the service stuff right. Meet the minimum trace, break for service, no fixing needed. Go move this stop to that guys route or a pickup over here and pretty soon you've got them thinking what else needs to be cleaned up on that route. Pretty soon it's another 5 to 15 stops of harder work than you had.....that's real smart! What will make dispatches go up is all the drivers who want to improve the routes they cover because they can't figure out how Ned can take so long on the route. Management will praise the runners and stroke their egos and they will give all kinds of things up that make no sense to a guy who wants to get off the clock asap. Listen to the veteran drivers but don't change their routes and someday those decent routes will be yours! Session over.

 

[NonDeliverOtherMissed]

We're dealing with people that still unfold maps and say they're better.

But you need to invest more than $5. Those are low capacity. You want one that can charge a phone a few times from dead to full.

LOL.......can't wait til til your supervisor is doing an observation and see you new guys typing on your phone every stop...going to think your texting, and not going to believe u when u tell him your checking google maps......lol DQ

 

[Scottyhawk]

Of the 13 routes I know as an unassigned driver, 7 of them I learned blind. We have had two new supervisors show up in the last year so I would rather go out blind than have a sup who has no route knowledge sitting next me.

I carry this with me on days I am learning a route blind

 

[MyTripisCut]

The drivers who will be most effected are the ones that started driving within the last 10 years. Correct if I'm wrong because I'm a relatively new off the street but wasn't EDD in place before they started. The newer drivers haven't had much say in the matter of tech except for orion. And given work as directed, the only option there would be to follow it 100 percent and let the service failures occur, otherwise we'll just be helping management fix the issues with orion. And even that seems to be a gray area inviting discipline and a target on your back. It seems the best way to stay a skilled worker is to embrace the term industrial athlete and stay in great shape doing 200 plus stops everyday. There's no way that's getting done by walking at a brisk pace and following the methods.

I do over 200 stops most days and follow the methods. I walk my pace and get done when I get done.

 

[joeboodog]

To the OP. Use what you are comfortable with. I'm a 30 year plus guy. I've been on my route 20 plus years. I am more comfortable with a paper map but will use mapquest to look up misloads. What's more important is retaining area knowledge so you don't have to look at a map. Time is a commodity you don't have while qualifying. The better your area knowledge, the less time you have to waste looking things up and figuring your path to the next stop. Look at tech as a tool, not a crutch and you will do fine.

 

[billerz]

Of the 13 routes I know as an unassigned driver, 7 of them I learned blind. We have had two new supervisors show up in the last year so I would rather go out blind than have a sup who has no route knowledge sitting next me.

Of the 10 routes I know, only 2 of them I have learned blind. I would say 3 of them I had a sup with me who didn't know the route as well. He just looked up the addresses while we were finding the delivery points. Probably didn't need him there, but I just played dumb and let the stress fall on the sup, plus I got a day to learn the area with a lighter dispatch since the sup was with me.

 

[Wally]

Always have the shop's number.

 

[burrheadd]

I have a feeling that drivers weren't thrown on 5 different routes a week 30 years ago.

WRONG!!!

 

[selfcancelsignal]

LOL.......can't wait til til your supervisor is doing an observation and see you new guys typing on your phone every stop...going to think your texting, and not going to believe u when u tell him your checking google maps......lol DQ

I think your user name is the best one on here. I often say it when I feel I'm over dispatched, poorly loaded, & falling behind. I never follow through with it. I just start laughing & stay in method mode, minus walking at a brisk pace, 'cause it looks like you have to poop while approaching each stop.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I do over 200 stops most days and follow the methods. I walk my pace and get done when I get done.

The two days a week that you work?

 

[Savvy412]

the other problem with googlemaps is it cant predict the order of the addresses, itll tell you to hit the street the opposite way you really need to be going . I made that mistake plenty when first stating out.I guess we alll do.

 

[Operational needs]

No one's mentioned anything about what happens when one ends up on a route and you have no cell service and no map.... Could be interesting.

 

[Delivery!!!]

No one's mentioned anything about what happens when one ends up on a route and you have no cell service and no map.... Could be interesting.

That's why you download the state you work in so you don't need a cell connection.

 

[JL 0513]

the other problem with googlemaps is it cant predict the order of the addresses, itll tell you to hit the street the opposite way you really need to be going . I made that mistake plenty when first stating out.I guess we alll do.

Google knows 99% of actual house numbers. Paper maps know 0%. Google has the actual houses rendered on the map and when you press and hold it, the address appears. Not sure why you would have this problem. If you have the number punched in, it'll have you take the correct turn at the intersection 99% of the time. Without it, you WILL be going in the wrong direction half the time based on guess work.