3 day ride

[browned out]

Everyone who is an hour or more over in our center is getting a 3 day ride. (about 20 drivers out of 60 since the time standard gremlin has played games) I had the first day of my 3 day ride on Friday and could use some tips to get thru this. My load was extremly light and no misloads or splits that were mixed together. I have been on this route for over a year and this is the first time I have not had a misload or a 16 mixed in with 17s or vice versa. Any help; even if it seems obvious would be appreciated.

Thanks
Browned out

 

[raceanoncr]

Everyone who is an hour or more over in our center is getting a 3 day ride. (about 20 drivers out of 60 since the time standard gremlin has played games) I had the first day of my 3 day ride on Friday and could use some tips to get thru this. My load was extremly light and no misloads or splits that were mixed together. I have been on this route for over a year and this is the first time I have not had a misload or a 16 mixed in with 17s or vice versa. Any help; even if it seems obvious would be appreciated.

Thanks
Browned out

Three words: "Work as directed".

What's chances of having 3 cake days in a row? Here? It ain't gonna happen.

Take notes on everyday. Everything that happened. Names, times, places, routes, etc. EVERYTHING! Even if you have to do it at home.

Next month when it's all blown over and they hit you with "Remember April 19, 2007, when you did this?". You can whip out the old note sheet and say, "Why, yes, I DO remember that, whadya wanna know?".

Just work as directed, it's the best defense you'll ever have.

 

[705red]

Do it by the methods, dont cut thru lawns, stay on sidewalk, use your handcart whenever you can. take your lunch and break work at a safe pace dont let them force you to work faster, they cant change your time study but will attempt to hold you to that sph. Racer was right on document when they help you, your load was perfect no misloads etx,,,,. Good luck brother give em hell.

 

[Cole]

Good advice always work as directed unless it puts you in immenant danger.

As far as the 3 day and your load being perfect, along with what you were already told, talk to your pre-loader and see if he was given extra help that day as well. Ask him if the sup helped him load it etc...or if anything out of the ordinary was done pertaining to your load. Document that as well.

Also if the sup helped at all during the ride, then that day cannot be used to compute a fair days work. Put the pkgs on the steps, and come out submarine style, and use all handrails, all the time. Use methods which I recommend always, because once you make them part of your dailey routine, then you're work safe and efficient as possible, and an ojs ride is nothing to get worked up about.

Also use your handbrake, or airbrake at stoplights, and stopsigns. Honk your horn when backing, scanning mirror monitor mirror. Knock and ring door bell while announcing "UPS". Go to rear doors often as possible at res deliveries.

 

[jerrymo91]

They were doing the same thing at our center acouple of months ago. Came in about 1/2 hour early one day,saw sup. in my car setting up load. just happen to be the first day for production ride. never said a word about it to him.

 

[island1fox]

To all the "Honest " People giving advice ---How about just do the same job the same way you always do and ask the sup why you are one hour over. I love these "honest " people ----dO THE JOB THE RIGHT WAY WHEN MGMT IS WITH YOU ---BUT IT IS O/K TO TAKE MORE TIME WHEN YOU ARE ALONE EVEN IF YOU TRAMPLE LAWNS OR DO NOT USE SAFE WORK METHODS --why don't some of you people just grow up !!!

 

[SeniorGeek]

To all the "Honest " People giving advice ---How about just do the same job the same way you always do and ask the sup why you are one hour over. I love these "honest " people ----dO THE JOB THE RIGHT WAY WHEN MGMT IS WITH YOU ---BUT IT IS O/K TO TAKE MORE TIME WHEN YOU ARE ALONE EVEN IF YOU TRAMPLE LAWNS OR DO NOT USE SAFE WORK METHODS --why don't some of you people just grow up !!!

I had to go back and read the posts in this thread, to see where I missed someone saying that it is "O/K" to ignore proper methods when nobody is around.

Please stop putting words in people's, um, keyboards.

The gist of what I read here is, 'Do not let the pressure to work faster make you forget to work safely'. It appears to be a suggestion to do the same job as usual, despite any pressure to take shortcuts.

 

[sendagain]

I know the allowances have been tightened to the point where beating standard is pretty hard to do. But drivers constantly getting beat by an hour, does make me wonder whether the studies were properly down, or if some drivers are getting a little too talkative with some customers. An average UPS driver should not be working at an average speed; average is for the post office.

 

[Hangingon]

To all the "Honest " People giving advice ---How about just do the same job the same way you always do and ask the sup why you are one hour over. I love these "honest " people ----dO THE JOB THE RIGHT WAY WHEN MGMT IS WITH YOU ---BUT IT IS O/K TO TAKE MORE TIME WHEN YOU ARE ALONE EVEN IF YOU TRAMPLE LAWNS OR DO NOT USE SAFE WORK METHODS --why don't some of you people just grow up !!!

I have to agree, I don't see anyone saying to do it wrong when you're by yourself. I'd guess you haven't had one of these 3 day specials. You almost can't 'do the job the same way'. They'll have the preload sup go through your car and make sure it is loaded properly and in sequence. You'll go out with an abnormally low stop count, and, at least in our bldg, they normally pull any big bulk stops and give it to a shuttle driver as an overload. Then you'll have them walking fast trying to get you to jog whenever you're doing resi's. After all this when you go back to your normal over dispatched crummy loads you have to, every day, have the same exact sphor or start receiving warning letters.

 

[over9five]

Yes, it's amazing how the load is in stop to stop order on the 3 day ride.

Amazing how your car is wrapped for those 3 days.

Amazing how the bulk disappears (oh, wait, it's on the air guy).

Amazing how you get zero messages all day.

Amazing that split you usually have isn't there.



Surely just coincidence.... ?

 

[Captain America]

I keep a journal of all details everyday. If I am doing different sequences than when they did my 3-day they have nothing to talk about. They love to pull the one subdivision on my rural route off and ask why my SPORH is down. They don't even want to discuss enviromental conditions(Ice,rain mud).When I hired in 20 years ago I was told by my interveiwer that this job is all about C.Y.A.( cover yourself ), but I was to dumb to take that advice. If you don't C.Y.A. no one is going to do it for you. You can stand up and take some abuse or you can wimp out and run until they have used you up.

 

[rapidrandall]

brownedout,

Is the three day ride to establish a proven level of performance? By that I mean they write down every stop and document everything during the day. They do this to establish the level of performance you can be held accountable for. Don't sweat it, I've had two three day rides in my career. Every time I get a ride my performance is slower than when they are not with me. Go the speed limit, not one mile over. Take all breaks, especially lunch during the third and sixth hour. Follow all methods. Obey all traffic laws. One thing that just about drove one on-car over the edge was stopping before every crosswalk and then pulling forward again to clear traffic before merging onto the roadway. It's a law in my state to stop before crosswalks and he ordered me not to stop for them. I continued to obey the law and he didn't handle it well. Just do your job and you'll be fine. Good luck and let me know how you do.

Regards,
Rapid

 

[browniehound]

My only advice. Arrive at the center before your supervisor does so you can witness him "messaging" the load. The only time 3 day rides happen is under ideal conditions.

Its a proven fact. Supervisor rides with driver, paid day goes down and SPHOR goes up. Why? because said driver doesn't talk to his customers when the sup is there.

So management rides with us. We don't socialize with our customers during the ride. Our SPORH goes up. They prove their point. The next day the manager tells us to find sales leads. This requires time in the form of customer contact. Customer contact is where the driver looses most of his time during time studys.

My point is, we as drivers, are screwed either way. Don't get sales leads and run scratch. Get sales leads and make management happy, yet we are over-allowed on the "customer contact" part of the time study.

As a UPS driver I hate the fact that non-union workers are taking our packages. I will do whatever I can to direct our sales reps to the largest accounts. Fact is though, we are getting taken to school by fed-ex and DHL.

Its over us driver's head now. We need the management commitee to take over this problem now in my opinion

 

[acronymsRus]

I agree with a lot of responses here. Go about your normal day, follow safe work methods,do not even think the supervisor is there.If you follow the standards your ok. Remember that at the begining of the day, (and this will get the supervisor) Ask the sup if he/she wants you to follow trace in the DIAD? If so , any one knows that if you do, you will need help with business stops later in the day. Kind of funny how they won't want you to follow your stops in your board if they know your getting behind. Also take the time to talk to some customers about the fact that they are shipping a few packages with the competition, (eventhough you have tried in the past, but do it with the sup) then follow up with the person to get thier name contact # take your time and do this in front of the supervisor every chance you can on your "3 day ride" You will be behind, and what can they say? Hey your working on sales leads and following methods right?? & you are Following trace in the DIAD. I promise you your SPOHR will go down and you will not scratch on your ride. Do not work harder or faster when the sup is with you , you will be held to it!! Try this for real it works for me!!

 

[when it works for them]

To all the "Honest " People giving advice ---How about just do the same job the same way you always do and ask the sup why you are one hour over. I love these "honest " people ----dO THE JOB THE RIGHT WAY WHEN MGMT IS WITH YOU ---BUT IT IS O/K TO TAKE MORE TIME WHEN YOU ARE ALONE EVEN IF YOU TRAMPLE LAWNS OR DO NOT USE SAFE WORK METHODS --why don't some of you people just grow up !!![/QUOTe

Do the same job? Well I could if I had the same load, load quality and stop count. One day last week I had 170 stops and my average is about 150. First day of three day ride 133 stops. Are you trying to tell me that the last 40 stops are gonna come off as fast as the first 130 stops not to mention no fighting with the bulk caused by these extra stops. If anyone has questionable integrity or "honesty" as you imply, that would be mangement. If I cut across lawns or park on the wrong side of the street on safety ride I am reprimanded by the sup. On a 3 day ride nothing is said if the methods are not followed. You tell me who has the integrity problem.

 

[island1fox]

Senior Geek,
Obviously you see only what you want to ---" work at a safe pace always use the handrails " --- implies ----look the word up --- that you do not work at a safe pace or use the handrails all the time ---when you are alone ----same as trample peoples lawns when alone but do the job correctly when under supervision. Funny thing in my 36 years --as an hourly or mgmt -----You could put any mgmt person on car with the worst drivers in the barn ----and always no matter what they did differently to slow down -----always came in much earlier with a sup. If mgmt is asking or demanding too much --the only thing I am stating ---ask for a ride ---Make sure the load is not set up ---- DO THE SAME JOB --you do as when un-supervised ----Fairness and honesty by all should be the rule.

 

[island1fox]

When it works for you ,
How many times we hear that every load is different , every day is different -----yet you can set your clock to the worst drivers in the centers ( by the way a very small %----- Most of our drivers are excellent ) the bad drivers cry every day is different but every day they arrive back in the barn --late ---and within 15 minutes every day ---- the worst drivers are usually the most consistent ----only consistently bad.

 

[raceanoncr]

To all the "Honest " People giving advice ---How about just do the same job the same way you always do and ask the sup why you are one hour over. I love these "honest " people ----dO THE JOB THE RIGHT WAY WHEN MGMT IS WITH YOU ---BUT IT IS O/K TO TAKE MORE TIME WHEN YOU ARE ALONE EVEN IF YOU TRAMPLE LAWNS OR DO NOT USE SAFE WORK METHODS --why don't some of you people just grow up !!!

What the h### was this? Did I say only do the job right when sup is with? I say do the job right every day!

I say, "Ride with me EVERY day, I don't care. I don't do anything different!"

I find it funny that a ride with me (feeders) goes real sour when I got a sup with. Even if set is pre-tripped for me (which ain't supposed to be but we know they are when a ride is scheduled), I find worn tires, bad hubs, low hub oil, you name it. On ride, traffic, blockages, wind, snow, you name it. At meet point, whether hub or truck stop, late meet man, bad equip again, you get the pic. BUT...

I don't do anything different. If I listen to XM on my run...I listen to XM with sup. If I talk to someone on CB...I talk to someone on CB with sup.

I hope, island, that "grow up" comment wasn't directed to MY post!

 

[island1fox]

Raceanoncr,
Main point ---we positively agree on -----Do the same job everyday with or without mgmt ----bad tires , etc, etc, should not be tolerated with or without mgmt --- I was just highlighting that some people feel that you have to play games---either mgmt seeting up loads or drivers not being honest during OJS ----main point to all : Mgmt

 

[MR_Vengeance]

if you do it by the book then no light day is not gonna cost them 9-10 hrs.