Choking out from dust:dead:

[john346]

I'm in the new P-5700, was excited to see that it had the cargo pressurization vent. My route is rural and I drive on average 250 miles per day, with at least 50 to 60% on dirt roads. The old P-500 I used weatherstrip around the rear doors coupled with motorcycle tie-downs to reef the mothers tight, worked pretty well. On the Sprinter I had for 3 years, the tie-downs on the rear doors worked ok, but the side door was a vacuum.
BUT THIS car is AMAZING! I'm having to hose it out every night. I've sealed the gaps at the top of the forward portion to keep the pressure in the cargo area, but still not much success. The cab isn't much better, the doors don't fit to the curve of the opening, and the dirt rolls in freely on each side there too.
It appears that the flooring is individual aluminum panels that are about 8" wide and run from side to side of the car. Each joint dosen't appear to be sealed, so the plan for this am is to duct tape each joint, as they are too narrow to really get any silicone in them. I know that this is going to be a temporary fix and will require lots of repair as the boxes rub, roll up and catch the tape, but I'm at wits end with this dirt hole. I changed the filter on my shop vac last weekend, and when I popped the top off of the canister, it looked so clean and inviting compared to this car. Every night I look like I've been crawling in the borrow pit for a few hundred yards.
Has anyone else been having this problem, any other discoveries on where the holes are? Is there a "Hoover" placard located somewhere that I've missed?

[feeder53]

Has anyone reported this on the vehicle inspection report? Maybe they could use that spray on bedliner for Pickup Trucks to seal the floor. Could be a safety issue if you inhale enough of the dust.

[mattwtrs]

I feel for ya. The trip I used to run was a dust bowl too. Mostly I prayed for rain between midnight & 6:00am. I usually saved my PM break for back at the building to shower before going home. My wife usually made a comment about the muddy water in the washing machine when doing my uniforms. How many times a day do you clean up on area?

[sx2700]

UPS's never ending quest to save a nickel without regard to the drivers health. But wouldn't it save money in the long run to either buy quality equipment or at least try to find a way to seal these things up rather than have part timers shoveling dust out of them every single night?

[john346]

Originally Posted by mattwtrs

I feel for ya. The trip I used to run was a dust bowl too. Mostly I prayed for rain between midnight & 6:00am. I usually saved my PM break for back at the building to shower before going home. My wife usually made a comment about the muddy water in the washing machine when doing my uniforms. How many times a day do you clean up on area?

I go through a canister of theos Clorox wipes, about once a month (gauged by last year), but I use them everywhere after I get my face & arms, steering wheel, dash, DIAD, etc. Man! If I could get them to Rhino line the floor of that car, that would be awsome! Great idea, I'll bounce it off of them.

[rod]

Originally Posted by john346

I go through a canister of theos Clorox wipes, about once a month (gauged by last year), but I use them everywhere after I get my face & arms, steering wheel, dash, DIAD, etc. Man! If I could get them to Rhino line the floor of that car, that would be awsome! Great idea, I'll bounce it off of them.

Just make sure you tell them that the Rhino lining is for the packages. If they think it is just for you the idea won't fly.

John346,

Tell your local Safety Committee about the issue. There's always a chance they will actually get something fixed.

And use your finger to write the following Contract language in the dirt on the outside of your vehicle:

ARTICLE 18. SAFETY AND HEALTH EQUIPMENT, ACCIDENTS AND REPORTS

Section 1 - Employees' Rights - Equipment, Vehicles and Conditions
All package cars and tractors will be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition including mirrors and windows.

Section 17. Vehicle Integrity
The Employer agrees to maintain all door and engine compartment seals in order to eliminate, as much as possible, fumes, dust and moisture in the package car.

A link to the Contract (UPS NMA) is available at the left of this webpage.

[mattwtrs]

Originally Posted by rod

Just make sure you tell them that the Rhino lining is for the packages. If they think it is just for you the idea won't fly.

John, Do you dust off the pkgs before you deliver them? Maybe if the customers call in about the dusty, dirty pkgs someone will fix the problem.

[Iggyiam]

Originally Posted by feeder53

Has anyone reported this on the vehicle inspection report? Maybe they could use that spray on bedliner for Pickup Trucks to seal the floor. Could be a safety issue if you inhale enough of the dust.

silicosis sucks i still cough up clay from highschool. ( i made clay there for 4 years. easy as cake

as for the rhino lining you can buy the stuff yourself at walmart. just use a small brush and fill in the holes

if you want to tape em instead of rhino lining you can use aluminum tape used on ac's and duct work

[soberups]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

John346,

Tell your local Safety Committee about the issue. There's always a chance they will actually get something fixed.
And use your finger to write the following Contract language in the dirt on the outside of your vehicle:

The only thing the "safety commitee" will do is to invent a new acronym or maybe come up with a Seven Point Dust Commentary for you to memorize and be tested on.
A better option...one that might actually solve the problem..is to file a grievance utilizing the contract language previously posted.

[john346]

Originally Posted by mattwtrs

John, Do you dust off the pkgs before you deliver them? Maybe if the customers call in about the dusty, dirty pkgs someone will fix the problem.

Yes, I try, but I've had to warn customers wearing white, because I can only get them so clean. I blazed out today & totally forgot the duct tape, so I used the package tape, and also applied weatherstrip around the rear doors. So good that they are hard to get latched! But, great success, I did about the same day & the cargo area is immaculate!! Still going to see what hey say about the liner, because when wet it is a safety issue, wink, wink.

[trplnkl]

Don't hold your breath (pun intended) for any action mentioned above to come about.

[coldworld]

Originally Posted by john346

I'm in the new P-5700, was excited to see that it had the cargo pressurization vent. My route is rural and I drive on average 250 miles per day, with at least 50 to 60% on dirt roads. The old P-500 I used weatherstrip around the rear doors coupled with motorcycle tie-downs to reef the mothers tight, worked pretty well. On the Sprinter I had for 3 years, the tie-downs on the rear doors worked ok, but the side door was a vacuum.
BUT THIS car is AMAZING! I'm having to hose it out every night. I've sealed the gaps at the top of the forward portion to keep the pressure in the cargo area, but still not much success. The cab isn't much better, the doors don't fit to the curve of the opening, and the dirt rolls in freely on each side there too.
It appears that the flooring is individual aluminum panels that are about 8" wide and run from side to side of the car. Each joint dosen't appear to be sealed, so the plan for this am is to duct tape each joint, as they are too narrow to really get any silicone in them. I know that this is going to be a temporary fix and will require lots of repair as the boxes rub, roll up and catch the tape, but I'm at wits end with this dirt hole. I changed the filter on my shop vac last weekend, and when I popped the top off of the canister, it looked so clean and inviting compared to this car. Every night I look like I've been crawling in the borrow pit for a few hundred yards.
Has anyone else been having this problem, any other discoveries on where the holes are? Is there a "Hoover" placard located somewhere that I've missed?

john, off topic, but how many stops do you deliver having to drive 250 miles a day???

[trplnkl]

Originally Posted by coldworld

john, off topic, but how many stops do you deliver having to drive 250 miles a day???

I'm not john, but I would bet not less that 90-95 stops for an 8-8.5 day.