time studies

brownman15 · 03-01-2008, 10:52 PM

our center was time studied last year and the new time implemented a couple of weeks ago.before the new time studies we were accused of being dishonest(stealing time). now since we have the new time studies(center gained a lot of time avg of about 45 min a driver) they want to take work off routes since we now have to much work. now that people are running scratch or bonus we are working to hard, but when when ran over with the same work we are thieves. Had one route that ran 2 hrs over every day past managers were trying to fire and constantly riding with. He gained 2 hrs and 40 minutes and now runs bonus and all of a sudden they are scrambling to take work of him. Just my thoughts of the double standard.

UPS Lifer · 03-01-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownman15

our center was time studied last year and the new time implemented a couple of weeks ago.before the new time studies we were accused of being dishonest(stealing time). now since we have the new time studies(center gained a lot of time avg of about 45 min a driver) they want to take work off routes since we now have to much work. now that people are running scratch or bonus we are working to hard, but when when ran over with the same work we are thieves. Had one route that ran 2 hrs over every day past managers were trying to fire and constantly riding with. He gained 2 hrs and 40 minutes and now runs bonus and all of a sudden they are scrambling to take work of him. Just my thoughts of the double standard.

WOW!

Not sure how to classify this post! Is your post a half empty glass, broken glass or what??? Not sure how many centers I have ever seen get a break like you guys got. Actually - I have seen two or three centers go up in 36 years with the company.

Are you at all happy with the results???? Or are you going to continue to bash management for giving you your center a round of positive time studys??

Anyway .... I am glad to see such a great result!!! Good for your center!!!

brownman15 · 03-01-2008, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPS Lifer

WOW!
Are you at all happy with the results????

Quote:

yes

Or are you going to continue to bash management for giving you your center a round of positive time studys??

not bashing for positive time study just commenting on how same amount of work can be judged different by what is on paper

trplnkl · 03-01-2008, 11:58 PM

I must admit that I'm a little confused too. Seems a bit like a dog bitting the hand that's feeding him. I do however understand the thoughts on the double standard. More than that though is the obvious, It's ALL ABOUT the numbers.

UPS Lifer · 03-02-2008, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownman15

not bashing for positive time study just commenting on how same amount of work can be judged different by what is on paper

Agree

I can't speak for your mgmt team about how they treated you before but every mgmt team fights for the most they can get out of a round of timestudies.

It can be a double edge sword for the mgmt team and the center as time goes by and the studies are implemented. When studies go up the SPORH will usually drop. When more drivers are added, the center cost goes up. Drivers tend to give a scratch performance. Over time if the driver is not held to his/her previous demonstrated SPORH, his/her performance will drop back to a scratch performance and the center will be in the same situation it was prior to the TS. This just seems to be human nature.

brownman15 · 03-02-2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trplnkl

I must admit that I'm a little confused too. Seems a bit like a dog bitting the hand that's feeding him. I do however understand the thoughts on the double standard. More than that though is the obvious, It's ALL ABOUT the numbers.

not biting the hand that feeds me just giving my thoughts comparing how the same amount of work before time studies was considered stealing by past management and now with new time study is to much work. 170 stops used to be under dispatched but now is a about a 9.5 day.

browniehound · 03-02-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownman15

our center was time studied last year and the new time implemented a couple of weeks ago.before the new time studies we were accused of being dishonest(stealing time). now since we have the new time studies(center gained a lot of time avg of about 45 min a driver) they want to take work off routes since we now have to much work. now that people are running scratch or bonus we are working to hard, but when when ran over with the same work we are thieves. Had one route that ran 2 hrs over every day past managers were trying to fire and constantly riding with. He gained 2 hrs and 40 minutes and now runs bonus and all of a sudden they are scrambling to take work of him. Just my thoughts of the double standard.

That's a nice fantasy! Do you have anymore good fairy tales?

brownman15 · 03-02-2008, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browniehound

That's a nice fantasy! Do you have anymore good fairy tales?

100% true

longlunchguy · 03-02-2008, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browniehound

That's a nice fantasy! Do you have anymore good fairy tales?

Once upon a time thee were little men in brown that would scurry acrossthe country bringing joy to all. And when the little men returned home to their little brown buildings evryone lived happily ever after

trplnkl · 03-02-2008, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownman15

not biting the hand that feeds me just giving my thoughts comparing how the same amount of work before time studies was considered stealing by past management and now with new time study is to much work. 170 stops used to be under dispatched but now is a about a 9.5 day.

As I said, I do understand about the double standard. The part about "before the new time studies we were accused of being dishonest(stealing time)." is nothing more or less than the management team locking into a phrase intended to intimidate drivers to push harder for better SPORH and more stops per route. I don't pretend to know what any member of management really thinks when they are going through their daily routine, but it sure appears that they believe that the time studies, good or bad, are a real thing to hang a hat on. Fortunately as drivers, we do not have to buy into that fantasy. We just have to make sure we do not in reality steal time or screw off while working. Further more I don't understand how a management person can look you in the eye and say with a straight face that 170 stops is less than an 8 hour day.

JustTired · 03-02-2008, 04:58 AM

I was just thinking that maybe this was the plan all along. Raise the numbers...then after a period of time, lower them back down a little. You know.......like gas prices. Keep raising them and listen to you complain about $3.14/gal. Then lower them to under $3/gal. and you think you're getting a deal.

Seriously....I hope this is a trend as far as time studies go. Too many drivers working like dogs with suffering personal lives, suffering bodies and suffering safety records.

Harley Rider · 03-02-2008, 06:31 AM

I wish a new time study would fix my route. When they moved us to the new satellite center they re looped the entire center. The guy that did the re loop had no idea what he was doing. I now have the main drag in town that I can run 20 stops an hour or more on in the same loop (and unit) as my rural routes that I average about 8 stops on. So I get the same time allowance for running a rural route as I do for city stops.

brownmonster · 03-02-2008, 06:35 AM

Some will take advantage of the opportunity to make money and some will slow down to what the standards reflect.

toonertoo · 03-02-2008, 07:47 AM

I thought I was dreaming when I read this post. I can only hope if?when we get a new time study, we will get the same results. And I think we will because those of us who are getting abused now, will be the ones who were the stars before all the finagaling with routes occured. I know for 2 yrs I have been working like a dog, only to be singled out as one of the latest drivers. It has taken a toll on my body, self esteem, and my health. Thank God I dont have a family to care for anymore, because after this winter, getting home at 9:00/9:30 pm, Ive had nothing left for anyone. If it doesnt change then I guess its time for me to go. But I honestly feel, when it comes in, in favour of us drivers, we all deserve and apology for being verbally beaten, for years.

Jack4343 · 03-02-2008, 07:59 AM

You, my friend have seen a rare occurance called "The Great UPS Miracle". Often talked about and rarely ever occuring, this miracle is the equivalent of the rabbit chasing the ever dangling, invisible carrot. Enjoy your miracle and speak of it only with others who have witnessed it. Speak of it to the wrong person and your lovely miracle will turn into your worst nightmare!

Seriously speaking, you and others in your center have caught an excellent break. Enjoy your bonus and your extra time. Maybe stop and smell the flowers on your route or use the extra time to bond a bit with your customers. Hopefully, others will the see the benefits of this by your center adding new routes and new drivers to take the work off of others.

pkg-king · 03-02-2008, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browniehound

That's a nice fantasy! Do you have anymore good fairy tales?

We are in a multiple center building and all the centers went up about 45 min. as well. I know what your staying, it's like you were a bad driver running over on Friday, then with the new times on Monday your a good driver making bonus. I'm just very happy they finally made it right! I imagine the times studies are more accurate due to the hand held computer the guy was using rather than the stop watch and clip board from the last study.

Bad Gas! · 03-02-2008, 08:23 AM

We gained on our time study last early fall.We have a hugh buidling in the south ( 400+ routes)...After mgt implimented the new studies for 2 days these allowances were thrown out.It would have meant adding several drivers per center which is hugh costs....Mgt re-did allowances in Jan. and we all lost time.Now more route cutting,so you are getting your neighbors deliveries and pickups...I hope they keep your improved allowances in.It does cost them...If you were down here close to corporate, your study team may have gotton fired...UPS pays these tech guys out of college alot of money to ride the routes...They are supposed to SAVE the company money .

IWorkAsDirected · 03-02-2008, 10:20 AM

Along these lines. I've always run about 15 min over and my sphor has been 13-14 for over 15 years on the same route. After we started on pas I now run at least an hour over and get called on it daily. Now how in the world can a day like this be an under eight: 146 stops 76 miles 230 packages. Divide 8 into 146 lets see that is over 18 sph.

Can anybody enlighten me, I'm sick of being criticized just because we now have pas.

browniehound · 03-02-2008, 11:35 AM

[.

Quote:

Now how in the world can a day like this be an under eight: 146 stops 76 miles 230 packages. Divide 8 into 146 lets see that is over 18 sph.

I'm on your side. How can the company say on Friday that 146 stops is 8.5 hours, but is now 7.7 hours because of the time you save from not sorting due to PAS.

We all know the time we gained from not sorting has been lost looking for packages that are not on our truck!

And I feel for people like Tooner. One day she is a good driver making her numbers every week. The next day she is paid over 2 hours and has suddenly become a "least best" driver.

What hurts me is the company actually blames her. Tooner is the constant. She does the job no differently than the day before. The variable is the job. It has changed. If the boss is not happy with the production on Tooner's route, wouldn't it make sense to address the variable in this equation, ie: PAS?

This is what has changed, not Tooner. Yet, her brilliant manager decides the constant, Tooner, is the problem and tries to fix the situation by addressing the constant (Tooner) when anybody worth their salt knows the problem lies with the variable (PAS) in this equation.

I wish you the best Tooner,

Brownie

worthlessdriver · 03-02-2008, 01:09 PM

When it all boils down, who really cares about a time study? Just do your job the best you can and nothing will happen.
The numbers are only for the management. And from my past experence you will not make them. Maybe for a little while then they will tighten them up. They use it like a carrot in front of a donkey.
Don't worry about the mgt. saying you are "stealing Time". The all say that, it must be tought to them in Supervisors basic training (remember SBTS or as we called it a**hole school. seen it ruin a many a good person) As for disipline for running over or not meeting "demonstrared performance" I have never in 30 years seen it work.
Has anyone on this board seen it stick? Not a sup saying that he "knew a driver that was fired" but actually seen it. I have seen it tried many times and all I have seen is sups get ulsers and mental breakdowns or fired(i mean quit, sups never get fired) but the drivers are still driving and the sups come and go.