Here we go again - Brown Cafe

worthlessdriver · 09-12-2009, 11:09 AM

We were told last week that we had to many "overallowed hours" so now every driver was gonna get a three day ride to show "demonstrated performance".
This has been tried many times before and it has never worked, why would they do it again? Do they know something now that that didn't know then? Between our two centers we have well over 100 drivers, are they gonna use over 300 days of sup. time to prove nothing?
Is this happening in other parts of the country?
We have been on pass for over a year now and our routes change 60-70 percent. How can a driver be held to some standard if it keeps changing?

Jones · 09-12-2009, 11:16 AM

That was the big talk around here for a while, that every driver who ran more than an hour over allowed was going to be getting extra attention. They did ride with a few guys, but nothing really came of it and now it seems to be kinda fading away. As always, just do your job and you'll be fine. I have yet to see someone get fired for doing their job.

scratch · 09-12-2009, 11:22 AM

We are supposed to have some kind of team come in for the next week or two to see how to cut down some of the overtime. How about not over dispatching and cutting routes? The CM said in the Friday PCM that the drivers who go over no matter if they were dispatched heavy or light will get the most scrutiny.

TheKid · 09-12-2009, 11:42 AM

Hi guys, The same "push" came in our building a few months ago. I tell the sups. and 'my guys" the same thing....if a sup. goes out with a driver that is normally an hr. paid over, watches him all day and does "everything'" right and he is still an hr. paid over....then we are done...it's the route...not the driver. Now, as always, if that driver is all of a sudden scratch....then we have different issues. What I try to stress to my guys (I am a steward and yes I consider them 'my guys') is that if you go out every day and do your job to the best of your ability...you have nothing to worry about.

NEFARIOUS · 09-12-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKid

Hi guys, The same "push" came in our building a few months ago. I tell the sups. and 'my guys" the same thing....if a sup. goes out with a driver that is normally an hr. paid over, watches him all day and does "everything'" right and he is still an hr. paid over....then we are done...it's the route...not the driver. Now, as always, if that driver is all of a sudden scratch....then we have different issues. What I try to stress to my guys (I am a steward and yes I consider them 'my guys') is that if you go out every day and do your job to the best of your ability...you have nothing to worry about.

Very well said this is what I try to tell drivers in our building too.

soberups · 09-12-2009, 12:05 PM

With all of the layoffs, the ratio of drivers to management is decreasing.

The supervisors are scared for their jobs and have to justify them somehow. They are paid to solve problems; so if they cant find any problems to solve, they will make have to make some up.

Its not what they accomplish that allows them to survive at UPS...it how good they look "on paper" pretending to accomplish it. Its a lot easier to manipulate statistics than it is to produce results.

I kind of feel sorry for them. It must suck to look in the mirror and know that nothing that they do will ever make any sort of a difference.

talkwith · 09-12-2009, 02:29 PM

I sympathize. We are having the same experience at our center. I have been questioned by supervisors multiple times about my over-allow hours this year. In previous years you had to be at least two hours over before they even mentioned it. My advice: Follow the methods and you will always prevail.

As for PASS, we have had it for several years and it has only gotten worse. Every driver is essentially functioning as a swing driver. You never know what areas you will have. Meanwhile, virtually all the sups have little or no area knowledge and they can't seem to read a map, either. My prediction: When the economy recovers most of these problems will go away. These "hard times" come in cycles at UPS. They always have.

rocket man · 09-12-2009, 03:03 PM

BE happy a 3 day ride 1ST day follLOW all the metods at a slow speed way over 9/5 SORRY ill do better 2AND DAY Pick up pace follow methods get done a bit earlyer then day before im getting better. 3rd day you get done at TIME you were befor the 3 day ride ahh you got better they wrote you for minor things but you add up the 3 day you did better each day. LIFES A BITCH

rocket man · 09-12-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scratch

We are supposed to have some kind of team come in for the next week or two to see how to cut down some of the overtime. How about not over dispatching and cutting routes? The CM said in the Friday PCM that the drivers who go over no matter if they were dispatched heavy or light will get the most scrutiny.

this IS A TIME STUDY COLLEGE KIDS ON TEMP JOB WRITING DOWN HOW MANY STEPS TO EACH STOP ECT IT WILL TAKE MONTHS FOR COMPANY TO ADD UP DATA THEY HAVE NO AUTHORITY THE WONDERFULL KEEPERS OF THE TIME.

overallowed · 09-12-2009, 03:22 PM

They rode with me for 3 days and certified me at 14.2 SPORH, and said from now on I WOULD hold that performance level or I would be gone. This was because I ran about and hour over every day. I ran the same overallowed everyday my POS supervisor was with me. At no point did he ever tell me I needed to move faster. It really turned out to be nothing more than the flavor of the month. My route has changed by almost 75% since then, due to economic reasons. A larger part of my route is in the country now, and I average 9-10 SPORH, with a lot more miles. I now run scratch and make bonus every day. And I'm not doing anything differently, only my route changed.
One thing has really be brought to my attention, and this is for you younger guys just starting out. Simply doing the work is not enough. You must always consider what it looks like on paper. This is the only thing that matters.

rushfan · 09-12-2009, 07:16 PM

You hand the keys to the person and tell them to drive and deliver while YOU watch. Then see what happens.

scratch · 09-12-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket man

this IS A TIME STUDY COLLEGE KIDS ON TEMP JOB WRITING DOWN HOW MANY STEPS TO EACH STOP ECT IT WILL TAKE MONTHS FOR COMPANY TO ADD UP DATA THEY HAVE NO AUTHORITY THE WONDERFULL KEEPERS OF THE TIME.

This is not a Time Study at all. Its something new I have never heard of. I'm glad I'm off next week. I forgot the name of the team that is coming in, I don't really pay much attention in PCMs.

whiskey · 09-12-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jones

That was the big talk around here for a while, that every driver who ran more than an hour over allowed was going to be getting extra attention. They did ride with a few guys, but nothing really came of it and now it seems to be kinda fading away. As always, just do your job and you'll be fine. I have yet to see someone get fired for doing their job.

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

ol'browneye · 09-12-2009, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

Not if it takes 10 hours to do their 9 hour dispatch!

pudg00 · 09-12-2009, 09:02 PM

I got a split from a driver the other day. He has done the same route for about 20yrs. He said the last 5 yrs. have been the worst as far as dispatch. Route did not change form day to day etc. Anyone else notice this?

soberups · 09-12-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

What UPS defines as "9 hours" worth of work will typically take somewhere between 9.5 and 11 hours for a normal human being using proper work methods to accomplish.

Unlike IE, we who actually deliver the packges do so in the real world.

brownrodster · 09-13-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

That is funny. But if that is the case then we should fire every driver incapable of running a route scratch. And not allow any new driver to pass their 30 day probation without demonstrating that they can consistently run scratch.

Bummer, then we would have no drivers left. Maybe then they would change the dispatch numbers to reflect reality.

helenofcalifornia · 09-13-2009, 02:05 PM

AGAIN, why are you all obsessed with running the route scratch?????? It's Stops per hour that you should gauge yourself by. Even then with different loads, different stops you won't be able to attain what you are supposed to. The over/under allowed numbers are tools of UPS' as an ideal. Rarely attainable unless you are the uber driver all the time.

40 and out · 09-13-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

If this is sarcasm,funny. If you are for real you are either an idiot or a management brownnose or both. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

Jones · 09-13-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey

If you are dispatched with 9 hours of work and you do it in 10, you are stealing 1 hour of time from UPS. And that one hour is overtime. That's 44 dollars, roughly. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 and out

If this is sarcasm,funny. If you are for real you are either an idiot or a management brownnose or both. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

+1

DorkHead · 09-13-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKid

Hi guys, The same "push" came in our building a few months ago. I tell the sups. and 'my guys" the same thing....if a sup. goes out with a driver that is normally an hr. paid over, watches him all day and does "everything'" right and he is still an hr. paid over....then we are done...it's the route...not the driver. Now, as always, if that driver is all of a sudden scratch....then we have different issues. What I try to stress to my guys (I am a steward and yes I consider them 'my guys') is that if you go out every day and do your job to the best of your ability...you have nothing to worry about.

Around here it has to be a 3 day ride within 1 week.

40 and out · 09-13-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DorkHead

Around here it has to be a 3 day ride within 1 week.

Where I am, It has to be 3 consecutive days. Tues.,Wed.,and Thur. They did this with about 10 drivers last year in my building. 1 driver did get a 1 day suspension for running 1 stop an hour less per hour than on his 3 day ride,but thats as far as it went. Also, I know things seem to be different everywhere,but here anything used for discipline only stays in your file for 9 months. After 9 months,they have to do another 3 day ride and start over.

Theichii · 09-13-2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 and out

Where I am, It has to be 3 consecutive days. Tues.,Wed.,and Thur. They did this with about 10 drivers last year in my building. 1 driver did get a 1 day suspension for running 1 stop an hour less per hour than on his 3 day ride,but thats as far as it went. Also, I know things seem to be different everywhere,but here anything used for discipline only stays in your file for 9 months. After 9 months,they have to do another 3 day ride and start over.

He was suspended for production issues? You must jest. lol

iamhuge · 09-13-2009, 11:10 PM

I have posted similar posts before and will prolly get the same smart ass responses(you da man)ect. But i am in the hole 2 to 3 hours a day. After a 9.5 greivance. they rode with me 8 of 10 days. Yes, i was 2 to 3 hours in the hole everyday with sup on car. I also carry a 6.60 day. If it goes higher, i come in later and file another 9.5. They will leave you alone if you do the same or better on paper when you drive alone. Always get a copy of your time card the second you punch out after a ride so they cant change numbers. Miles have been changed and they have been known to change "in building time" to approved am meeting to look better on paper on days of ride along. Anyway, nothing has changed for me since the recession. Still doing same amount of work. Never was diciplined, and still havnt been. It can be done. Despite ups tough guy approach, if you dont steal time, YOU WILL NOT BE FIRED FOR PRODUCTION.

DorkHead · 09-14-2009, 04:57 AM

yes, they have changed the A.M. time in the report many times in my center also. We leave the bldg on a average of 25 minutes after start. Whenever my overallowed is circled I always tell them to subtract time in bldg off overallowed. That is my real time. All these numbers are based on the moment you start getting paid. If you start at 8:30 that`s when SPHOR start, not at 8:55 when you leave