Who said peak wasn't coming this year?

[dilligaf]

I had to laugh last nite. I was talking to my nite sup. He told me the boss was bitching at him about a 1/2 hr overtime (the sup had earlier in the week) and wanted the nite sup done early. When I was talking to him, one of the drivers called me and I found out that the driver wasn't going to get done until around 11pm. And she wasn't the only driver that was going to be very late. What I was laughing about was the boss telling the nite sup that dispatch was done well and all the drivers should be in early.

I had 158 stops and close to 300 pkgs. Had my jumper for 4 1/2 hrs (was only supposed to have him for 3 1/2 hrs.......oooops). My jumper kicked . I clocked out a 6.

The nite before we had one driver do 225 stops.

 

[dilligaf]

Speaking of jumpers..............

I rarely ever get to have a jumper, so how do you guys use your jumpers? Give me some ideas of how to use a jumper effectively. This will be my 4th peak and I can safely say that I have had a jumper less than a handful of times...............altogether.

 

[trplnkl]

One night this week I clocked out before 2200, we start at 915. I'm too old and beat up to be working that many hours anymore. Last night (2215 clock out) ended up with 100 stops, 235 pkgs, 310 miles. This will show as a 10.5 day....maybe.
Until about 3 months ago (when they put in the new time allowances)I could run scratch to 1/2 over on this route, then almost overnight it jumped to 1 1/2 hours over. I didn't slow down, I didn't change anything in how I run the route. Yeahboy, pass/edd/pal has helped me out.

 

[scratch]

Speaking of jumpers..............

I rarely ever get to have a jumper, so how do you guys use your jumpers? Give me some ideas of how to use a jumper effectively. This will be my 4th peak and I can safely say that I have had a jumper less than a handful of times...............altogether.

It depends on your area. I do mainly reisdentials, so I start my Helper as soon as I get my NDA and businesses off. I used to start her at 11:00, but I moved her start time to 10:30 the other day. You need to use them in your sections with the most stops, in my case that is mainly subdidvisions. I will get my first sections soted out, and then start. I try to get as close to the delivery point as possible. While the Helper is walking off the stop, I will be sorting, recording, filling out future Infonotices, or turning the Package Car around if need be. If I have two stops close together, I will give her a stop and I will walk the other one off myself. I will also walk stops off myself to give her a little break, and I get the heavy ones too.

 

[trplnkl]

It depends on your area. I do mainly reisdentials, so I start my Helper as soon as I get my NDA and businesses off. I used to start her at 11:00, but I moved her start time to 10:30 the other day. You need to use them in your sections with the most stops, in my case that is mainly subdidvisions. I will get my first sections soted out, and then start. I try to get as close to the delivery point as possible. While the Helper is walking off the stop, I will be sorting, recording, filling out future Infonotices, or turning the Package Car around if need be. If I have two stops close together, I will give her a stop and I will walk the other one off myself. I will also walk stops off myself to give her a little break, and I get the heavy ones too.

Here that's what they call using them as "runner" and our management frowns on it. They (management) wants the helper dropped off with a cart that holds about an hours worth of work for someone on foot. The driver then goes to deliver for that hour and then goes back to start the process again. Granted I've only had a helper during two seasons but this method never worked too well for me. Most of our drivers do it same as you do when they can get by with it.

 

[BigBrownSanta]

The first thing I try to teach the helper is that when I stop the truck, their #1 job is to get out of the truck. Some pick it quickly and some don't. It's very annoying when the helper stands inside the doorway waiting for me to hand them a package. It's also funny when I hand them a large box and they try to figure out how to turn around and get out of the truck with the package in their hands.

If I have a stop that requires a 2-wheeler, I have to train them on how to lay it down on it's back and load it without folding out the tongue. If I don't show them, it can get pretty hysterical watching them try to figure it out on their own.

I also teach them that their #1 job when they return to the truck is to put their seatbelt on. I tell them that if they fall out of the truck, I will not stop. They will have to hobble to the hospital on their own.

 

[trplnkl]

The first thing I try to teach the helper is that when I stop the truck, their #1 job is to get out of the truck. Some pick it quickly and some don't. It's very annoying when the helper stands inside the doorway waiting for me to hand them a package. It's also funny when I hand them a large box and they try to figure out how to turn around and get out of the truck with the package in their hands.

If I have a stop that requires a 2-wheeler, I have to train them on how to lay it down on it's back and load it without folding out the tongue. If I don't show them, it can get pretty hysterical watching them try to figure it out on their own.

I also teach them that their #1 job when they return to the truck is to put their seatbelt on. I tell them that if they fall out of the truck, I will not stop. They will have to hobble to the hospital on their own.

HAHAHA...you crack me up Santa.
On the loading a 2-wheeler, it amazes me sometimes when I watch a seasoned driver ( I'm talking 10,20 or more years)that does not understand the physics of this. It's so obvious that the heavy packages with the widest base go on the bottom.

 

[upsgrunt]

One night this week I clocked out before 2200, we start at 915. I'm too old and beat up to be working that many hours anymore. Last night (2215 clock out) ended up with 100 stops, 235 pkgs, 310 miles. This will show as a 10.5 day....maybe.
Until about 3 months ago (when they put in the new time allowances)I could run scratch to 1/2 over on this route, then almost overnight it jumped to 1 1/2 hours over. I didn't slow down, I didn't change anything in how I run the route. Yeahboy, pass/edd/pal has helped me out.

Man Trip, your allowance is bad. Wednesday I had 152 stops, 300 pkgs, and 205 miles and it came back a 12.33. This is my first peak on this route, so I guess that is ok but now that I think about it I only need 80 for an 8 hour request.
I guess it is what it is.

Steve

 

[browniehound]

Re: Answer Who said peak wasn't coming this year?

Tiegirl,
That was a great post and I'm serious. I understand the rules are made far above in the "Ivory Tower" or from the "Man Behind The Curtain" lol. l also understand your ice-cream analogy. I can only go along to a certain with you to a point.

If UPS is serving crap in a cone are you buying? I'm not. Well, maybe if they doubled my wage, lol.

I'm still dumbfounded and maybe you can help? If my immediate superivor and the center manager think it should be a certain way but the dispatch sup runs it his way, who is right?

I'm guessing its the delivery sups. They fix his issues everyday. If he was doing the correct dispatch then work wouldn't be transferred on road.

To me it looks like he doesn't serve a purpose to a productive UPS. Why have a "dispatch sup" when our on-road sups are consistantly instructing his drivers to move work????

I'm not talking about 1 or 2 drivers. Its 1/2 of the drivers! I would love to hear a logical explination from a manager at UPS. Just to quench my thirst of curiosity of why this hemmorage of cash and labor is allowed to continue.

Senior Member? Would that describe you? You should have learned by now, UPS decides how and when things are done and we are just the ants that get the work done no matter how they give it to us.

Professional level studies of time management and productive at UPS producing stellar results.

If UPS is serving Vanilla today, I eat Vanilla. If they are serving chocolate chip tomorrow, I ear chocolate chip. Weather I like it or not.

All the complaining does not good because UPS will do it the way the deem to be the most productive. We cannot be in their mind to know how they think.

I just do my job, work on getting promoted and paid more and think where am I going on my next vacation.

It is all good. If you wanted to talk I could really tell you some employee horror stories I encountered and was not making enough to live. So, give me vanilla, strawberry or mint chocolate chip and I will try it all. Without complaint because without fail come payday, the check is there.

I hope your peak Christmas season gets a little easier for you. If it does not, so what it will be over soon.

Merry Christmas!

 

[BigBrownSanta]

HAHAHA...you crack me up Santa.
On the loading a 2-wheeler, it amazes me sometimes when I watch a seasoned driver ( I'm talking 10,20 or more years)that does not understand the physics of this. It's so obvious that the heavy packages with the widest base go on the bottom.

I had 3 different helpers this week, so it really was like watching a comedy show.

 

[Jim Kemp]

"Here that's what they call using them as "runner" and our management frowns on it. They (management) wants the helper dropped off with a cart that holds about an hours worth of work for someone on foot. The driver then goes to deliver for that hour and then goes back to start the process again. Granted I've only had a helper during two seasons but this method never worked too well for me. Most of our drivers do it same as you do when they can get by with it".

What happens when one of these runners del. a pkg to the wrong house, or better yet has some of his "boys" just drive up in a car and he just puts a few "Christmas presents" in and they drives off. You will not know anything about it until you get a visit from the boys at Loss Prevention.

Will the driver be held responsible?

 

[upsgrunt]

Re: Answer Who said peak wasn't coming this year?

Tiegirl,
That was a great post and I'm serious. I understand the rules are made far above in the "Ivory Tower" or from the "Man Behind The Curtain" lol. l also understand your ice-cream analogy. I can only go along to a certain with you to a point.

If UPS is serving crap in a cone are you buying? I'm not. Well, maybe if they doubled my wage, lol.

I'm still dumbfounded and maybe you can help? If my immediate superivor and the center manager think it should be a certain way but the dispatch sup runs it his way, who is right?

I'm guessing its the delivery sups. They fix his issues everyday. If he was doing the correct dispatch then work wouldn't be transferred on road.

To me it looks like he doesn't serve a purpose to a productive UPS. Why have a "dispatch sup" when our on-road sups are consistantly instructing his drivers to move work????

I'm not talking about 1 or 2 drivers. Its 1/2 of the drivers! I would love to hear a logical explination from a manager at UPS. Just to quench my thirst of curiosity of why this hemmorage of cash and labor is allowed to continue.

Hypothetical question:
If your wages were doubled
If UPS served crap in a cone
Not only would you eat it,
But would you also enjoy it?

 

[sano]

Speaking of jumpers..............

I rarely ever get to have a jumper, so how do you guys use your jumpers? Give me some ideas of how to use a jumper effectively. This will be my 4th peak and I can safely say that I have had a jumper less than a handful of times...............altogether.

I am answering from a helpers viewpoint. I have been helping everyday except one since Nov 1. Mostly I help the same driver every day, but early on I helped 5 other drivers for a day or two each. there is a big difference in how efficiently drivers use a helper.

I am there to be used as a tool to make your work go faster. Use me. The less experienced drivers seem to think that having a helper means that they don't ever get out of the package car. I have no problem running every stop, but I feel it cuts into efficiency.

The driver I am with the most is a 25+ year driver and he and I have gotten a rhythm down that we can really get the stops off fast. Basically he delivers everything on his side and I deliver everything on my side. If it is a small package he exits through the drivers door (I know not methods, but...) as we are approaching the stop he tells me what package we need next, so whichever one of us is not delivering is locating the next package.

It may help that I am a preloader, so I understand how the truck is supposed to be loaded. An outside employee may have more diffaculty getting on to where the package may be. Also, I picked up on the diad pretty quick, so we each record our own stops.

I am really enjoying my role as a helper. I took leave from a job that paid $4. per hour more and had more hours, just to have the chance at the education being a helper is giving me. While I know being a helper is very low stress compared to sitting in the left seat (for the most part my mistakes would get charged to the driver, I am just a helper) I think the experience will really help when it comes time to go driving.

Most of all be careful out there. I heard we had a driver helper in our region that got hit by a car. didn't hear how bad it was.

 

[dilligaf]

Great! Thanks for the input. When I jumped I had 1 driver and he worked me into the ground. Based on what you said SANO I pretty much worked mine into the ground Fri. LOL I did stop to sort so it gave my jumper a break but he ran basically everything. If we had houses next door I ran one and he ran the other. Next week I will do as you suggested and get my side of the street and let the jumper get the other side. Of course I try to make all del. on passenger side.
I really don't want to kill my helpers.

 

[rod]

(for the most part my mistakes would get charged to the driver, I am just a helper) .

That's funny We always blamed the helper. Especially if they were off the street people we never saw again. ALL DFU's for peak were blamed on the helpers.

 

[sano]

That's funny We always blamed the helper. Especially if they were off the street people we never saw again. ALL DFU's for peak were blamed on the helpers.

I know what you are saying, but what are they going to do? I am just a dumb helper, don't blame me.

In another thread it was mentioned. I wonder if UPS would hold a driver in some way responsible for a helper that got hit or injured in some other way.

 

[rod]

I am just a dumb helper, don't blame me.
quote]


No way are you dumb. You are just an easy target

 

[sano]

Great! Thanks for the input. When I jumped I had 1 driver and he worked me into the ground. Based on what you said SANO I pretty much worked mine into the ground Fri. LOL I did stop to sort so it gave my jumper a break but he ran basically everything. If we had houses next door I ran one and he ran the other. Next week I will do as you suggested and get my side of the street and let the jumper get the other side. Of course I try to make all del. on passenger side.
I really don't want to kill my helpers.

I actually don't mind the workload either way, but the overall speed is better when both the driver and the helper are delivering.

The driver/ helper team is interesting. A drivers job by its nature is very habit based. You have a certain way you always do things and it works well. Then the helper is forced into the situation. All of a sudden things that you never even thought about need to be explained. Simple things, like the helper getting out of the drivers way when the driver is getting into and out of the truck.
As awkward as it is at first the driver nearly has to run a play by play commentary on everything that is happening. You can't assume they know anything at first. Our helper orientation was a joke, mostly it was signing things to cover UPS,s rear.

 

[trplnkl]

What happens when one of these runners del. a pkg to the wrong house, or better yet has some of his "boys" just drive up in a car and he just puts a few "Christmas presents" in and they drives off. You will not know anything about it until you get a visit from the boys at Loss Prevention.

Will the driver be held responsible?

The answer to that question is just like any other policy at UPS, the enforcement depends on the mood of those in charge. Common sense would dictate that if done in this fashion, it would be almost impossible to hold the driver accountable. But them UPS is not know for common sense, are they.

 

[New Englander]

So management likes to say peak is still down this year since we were running 30 routes at this time last year and only 28 right now.

Funny thing is last year we had a 10.2 center paid day dispatch and so far this year a 10.6.

Yeah! I wonder where those two route's volume went?