Sat Air Driving

dillweed · 05-20-2007, 12:50 PM

Hi, Just wondering how many minutes per stop other Sat air drivers have. I have twelve.

If I take a wrong turn, get on a street that cuts off/picks up or can't find someone to sign I'm in trouble. Driver school didn't teach us air methods.

It's a small city, mixture of industrial, hamburger row, residential and a few rurals.
Thanks, dw

jlphotog · 05-20-2007, 02:26 PM

Since my rent went up by 30% I have been working Saturdays. I think the most I ever did on any Saturday was 11 deliveries.

Around here there is no such thing as a tight area on Saturdays. Could have a 20-30 minute drive between stops. And most of the time they are in areas I am not too familiar with.

Saturdays are soooooo easy around here. I work 3-4 hours. Finished by noon. It's all time and a half and no one has ever said a word about my numbers.

big_arrow_up · 05-20-2007, 04:13 PM

Saturday Air is the best. I try and deliver in the morning and then work the pickup route in the afternoon. It's easy money at over $19.00/hr. Stops per hour isn't a factor here.

Fredless · 05-20-2007, 04:48 PM

Same here...I average around 17-18 stops in a rual area. Late commits too since its so far from the building. I love it.

Mothersday weekend, I had 53 stops. I broke bread for sure.

dillweed · 05-21-2007, 12:03 AM

Well, thanks for the replies. All I've ever heard is how easy Sat air is but either my area is a pain in the butt or I'm a snail. :confused1 dw

upsguysavannah · 05-21-2007, 07:06 AM

Our on-roads don't make a big deal of SPH on Saturdays. Never said anything to me, but then I take all the stops I can get because I want to work. I guess if you're taking 3 hours to run off 6 stops they would have a little chat with you about it, but our supes haven't addressed me directly nor all of us as a group about SPH since I started doing Sat air.

MR_Vengeance · 05-21-2007, 05:14 PM

i knew a guy who did 5 delivery in 9 hours.

outamyway · 05-21-2007, 05:33 PM

Would be nice if everyday was like saturday.

Me and 3 others do the entire strip on saturdays and we usually end up with more than half the flow. So in the mornings when we're loading our own trucks it's a bit hectic. Other than that, it's so laid back. No pressure. Four hours to get it done and noone cares about the numbers.

Also, another nice thing here is we get to drive the nice new automatics. Those elevator doors are nice for the receiving docks

hoser · 05-22-2007, 03:40 PM

they make the 12 min rule to 'motivate' you. they can't fire you for that unless its gross insubordination. don't let them scare you into believing otherwise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlphotog

Since my rent went up by 30% I have been working Saturdays. I think the most I ever did on any Saturday was 11 deliveries.

Around here there is no such thing as a tight area on Saturdays. Could have a 20-30 minute drive between stops. And most of the time they are in areas I am not too familiar with.

Saturdays are soooooo easy around here. I work 3-4 hours. Finished by noon. It's all time and a half and no one has ever said a word about my numbers.

hahahah edmonton.

air driving rules in the suburban centres. all driving no work.

EAM_Master · 05-22-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outamyway

Would be nice if everyday was like saturday.

Yeah.......It's called working for DHL

steelheader69 · 05-26-2007, 12:28 AM

I was one of the first saturday air drivers when it all started back around 91' I believe. At least in the NW that is. Man, did we have HUGE routes (since we were in a rural area). I would put a good 200 miles a day in an old converted ford van (this was actually a van with dual tanks). I don't think we ever had a stop per hour rule.

But will say, it's easy $$$. Have been asked to do it a couple times since I went full time (we cover our center only now, not half of western WA like we did at the time). Pretty easy, and virtually no bulk. Yup, truck looks like a DHL one for a day. LOL.

dillweed · 05-26-2007, 05:07 AM

Thanks for all the replies, it has given me food for thought. Also, it isn't a fair way to judge by minutes per stop since routes all differ on Saturdays so thanks for not pointing out to me how ridiculous the question was.

Getting better with my area but still have to look streets up and that eats some time. Used to be I'd have to look up eight or ten out of 15 and once spent almost half an hour making love to the damned map.

Some people just aren't drivers. I am good at many things but suck at others. Driving is something I truly stink at and don't know why because I really do try. :confused1 Size of the truck isn't an issue but checking those mirrors all the time, looking for addresses, watching for crazed drivers and worrying about time just makes me dizzy. bleh Start out strong but by the time the last hour rolls around and time is short I start freaking out and grinding gears. bleh again.

By the time I get back to the building and have to face backing that truck into a spot like a sardine in a stinkin' can I just get the sup and ask him to help me get in. To hell with it, if I scratch something he's responsible and they can make fun anytime they want. I just get the muther back in its spot and wobble out there, thankful to be alive.

Husband has been out of work and that's the reason I ever started the godforsaken driving in the first place. Think he's got a job now, had a great interview yesterday so please cross your collective fingers that he gets it and that I can go out on Saturdays when I choose to and not because I have to.

Thanks to all, I've been around here awhile and see that you are a supportive group so you've now gotten a piece of my heart. Please take it easy on the heart, it's a soft one and there's no place at my center for softies. How the heck I've stayed 15 years is one of life's great mysteries. dw

big_arrow_up · 05-26-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Getting better with my area but still have to look streets up and that eats some time. Used to be I'd have to look up eight or ten out of 15 and once spent almost half an hour making love to the damned map.

I like to sort my packages on the belt and look all of the streets up on the map before I even load them on the truck. It's just easier that way. I put them in stop for stop order on the belt as I look them up and then load them in the truck.

over9five · 05-26-2007, 09:38 AM

"I like to sort my packages on the belt and look all of the streets up on the map before I even load them on the truck."

I know an air driver that does this, AND he has those little orange sticky arrows. He sticks it on his map for each stop and numbers the arrow and the package. Awesome idea!

dillweed · 05-26-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by over9five

"I like to sort my packages on the belt and look all of the streets up on the map before I even load them on the truck."

I know an air driver that does this, AND he has those little orange sticky arrows. He sticks it on his map for each stop and numbers the arrow and the package. Awesome idea!

Wow, good to hear I'm not the only one hooked on the map. And sticky arrows would be great; the kind you can take off and they don't leave a mark on the map. YIPPEE there's hope! dw

wily_old_vet · 05-27-2007, 10:25 AM

If you have around 400 dollars to spare (I know, big if) get a gps. I drive people to and from airports now and a gps is a great thing when I have to find their houses to pick them up. Also you can put in multiple stops so it would be ideal for what you all are doing.