Bad Loads?

[theUPSman]

I've been with the company as a preloader for a year and 5 months now, and overall i enjoy my job. I load 3 trucks, sometimes 4. I'm on rollers, not the conveyor belt. As we all know, some days are better than others at UPS. Anyway, I do the best that I can when I work when loading. Everyone seems to think that being on the rollers is easy, but once the bulk starts coming, things get backed up, and the rest of the day can be crazy.

Anyway, I work fast, always check to make sure I'm on the right truck so I don't have misloads, load the package, and go back to the rollers. I'll admit, I don't load perfectly, not every package is in perfect sequence by the PAS label, and not all the boxes may be lip-loaded, but if I spend all my time in every truck making sure all of the above things are perfect, I'll be getting bitched at my management for backed up rollers and egress issues due to packages falling.

I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

 

[Solidarity413]

I've been with the company as a preloader for a year and 5 months now, and overall i enjoy my job. I load 3 trucks, sometimes 4. I'm on rollers, not the conveyor belt. As we all know, some days are better than others at UPS. Anyway, I do the best that I can when I work when loading. Everyone seems to think that being on the rollers is easy, but once the bulk starts coming, things get backed up, and the rest of the day can be crazy.

Anyway, I work fast, always check to make sure I'm on the right truck so I don't have misloads, load the package, and go back to the rollers. I'll admit, I don't load perfectly, not every package is in perfect sequence by the PAS label, and not all the boxes may be lip-loaded, but if I spend all my time in every truck making sure all of the above things are perfect, I'll be getting bitched at my management for backed up rollers and egress issues due to packages falling.

I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

Were you trained to preload? Ask a preloader who you respect for tips. Usually the sup's don't have the slightest idea of what a good load is and they are most likely pissed that you aren't going to their standards (which their standards always change). I ask my drivers whenever I'm put on a new cage if there is any certain way they are used to or prefer. Keep your head up; it hasn't been that long you'll get better.

 

[brownrodster]

I've
I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

What is it specifically about your loading that they don't like? Hang in there and keep trying. Maybe ask the drivers what you can do to improve the load.

And anything you hear from a supervisor is suspect. They will say anything to try to increase your productivity. Perhaps they are telling you that you are doing bad to motivate you when in fact you are doing well?

 

[theUPSman]

I have asked my drivers to tell me if they have any issues with their loads. Whatever the problem is, I'm willing to fix it. They don't tell me anything. Then, I end up hearing from a non-belt sup. that they complain. I don't get it. My direct supervisor never tells me they complain. So, the one that does could just be pulling my chain. Not sure though.

 

[brownrodster]

I have asked my drivers to tell me if they have any issues with their loads. Whatever the problem is, I'm willing to fix it. They don't tell me anything. Then, I end up hearing from a non-belt sup. that they complain. I don't get it. My direct supervisor never tells me they complain. So, the one that does could just be pulling my chain. Not sure though.

Every driver complains about their loads. How bad are they complaining. Do they want to nail you up to a cross for doing terrible or is it small complaints about maybe a bulk stop kinda in the wrong spot or something. Drivers stressed out angry people for the most part because of their difficult job. I think you are worrying too much about this.

I wouldn't start worrying until they give you daily "unnacceptable load" remarks in their DIAD. At that point you need to change something.

How many missloads are you getting per week?

I can complain about a near perfect load. A preloader will never be perfect.

 

[theUPSman]

I may get 2-3 misloads a week. If I have a bulk stop, I put it where I can. I let my drivers know if things are out of order. I try not to worry about it but it my center, all we hear about is load quality. Misloads are more of a concern than the way the load actually looks though. They're actually the top complaint.

 

[brownrodster]

I may get 2-3 misloads a week. If I have a bulk stop, I put it where I can. I let my drivers know if things are out of order. I try not to worry about it but it my center, all we hear about is load quality. Misloads are more of a concern than the way the load actually looks though. They're actually the top complaint.

You've answered your own question. Focus on reducing missloads. There are several types of missloads. Missloads that are maybe 1 or two blocks off route and easy to deliver. Missloads that are deliverable but may take the driver 10-15 minutes. And undeliverable missloads that are too inconvenient and time consuming for a driver to deliver.

Which type are you getting? Are your drivers refusing to travel a couple minutes off route to deliver a missload? If that's the case then shame on the driver. Management should not allow drivers to get away with that.

Are you getting missloads that are 30 miles off route and make no sense why they got loaded on that truck?

Are you you mixing up packages from trucks you load and just getting them in the wrong truck?

I don't know what PAS is like as my center keeps it old school. Most missloads I encounter are for roads I deliver too but maybe on the next route over and I deliver them.

 

[grgrcr88]

Go to the source, the drivers, ask what the problem is and pay atention when they tell you. Correct what you can and get more feedback. The only way to improve is to know the problem!!

 

[konsole]

I have to disagree with the 2-3 misloads a week being the problem, in fact I don't agree that it should be an issue at all. Yes I agree that we should be trying to eliminate all misloads but in an average week if your loading 700 packages a day, 3500 packages a week and only getting 3 misloads out of that 3500, then you are misloading only .086% of the packages you load. No matter how good a preloader is, there has to be some leaniency when it comes to a couple misloads a week. I understand that 3 misloads per preloader adds up when you combine all the preloaders together, but that is something UPS is gonna have to learn to deal with. So what happens to the misloads? well most of them are ground so they just get delivered by the wrong driver or they get brought back to the building and delivered the next day because unless I'm mistaken there is no time guarantee in ground packages. For every 750 packages or so each preloader should be allowed (and maybe even expected) to have 1 misload and anyone that thinks that a few misloads a week shouldnt be allowed needs to consider how unrealistic they are.

You take any person and give them 750 tasks and shove those tasks down their throat and lets see how many people can do all 750 tasks without 1 error. Aint gonna happen, sorry folks, I've been preloading at UPS for 8 years now and for the first 7 years I heard very little, if any mention about the problem with misloads. UPS can get as worried as it wants about its future in this economy but it can't get comfortable with unrealistic expectations.

How about at the end of the day when the belts go off signaling the primary is done, how about the belts stay off for 5 minutes, that way the people in the primary can head home and the preloaders have a few minutes to look through their trucks for any misloads. Sounds like a good idea right? Ain't gonna happen though you know why? because it could mean some people end up standing around for a few minutes and of course we cant have that no no no.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Agree 100% with konsole.

While any misloads are bad, they happen when you are overwhelmed with packages. It is simply impossible to be perfect, there has never been a loader preloader or etc that does not misload. Period.

2-3 per week is actually very acceptable.

I think the problem is load quality. Yes you can stuff packages in the correct sections and correct sequence, but that does not make a good load.

Also as mentioned, drivers will complain about load quality simply because the LOAD sucks no matter who loads it. You can only make a load so nice until the amount of packages simply outdo that quality and it goes to ****.

Basically, I would not worry about it TheUPSman. Having preloaded before PAS when I started 8 years ago, pre PAS and also in PAS, it sounds like -
(1)unreasonable supervisors trying to get perfection out of you while running around and
(2)some grumpy drivers that need to point the finger somewhere when their trucks are blown out and you as a preloader simply don't have the time or space to make their loads perfect. It could be you or anyone else having that finger pointed at.

 

[Tired Driver]

theUPSman- it might be that you were never trained correctly. Talk with your driver or any preloader that looks like he does thier work easily. I was a preloader and a preload sup for 3 years. It is a very hard job and somedays you never win. You cannot kill the beast ( volume of packages ) only control it.

 

[Kraetos]

I've been with the company as a preloader for a year and 5 months now, and overall i enjoy my job. I load 3 trucks, sometimes 4. I'm on rollers, not the conveyor belt. As we all know, some days are better than others at UPS. Anyway, I do the best that I can when I work when loading. Everyone seems to think that being on the rollers is easy, but once the bulk starts coming, things get backed up, and the rest of the day can be crazy.

Anyway, I work fast, always check to make sure I'm on the right truck so I don't have misloads, load the package, and go back to the rollers. I'll admit, I don't load perfectly, not every package is in perfect sequence by the PAS label, and not all the boxes may be lip-loaded, but if I spend all my time in every truck making sure all of the above things are perfect, I'll be getting bitched at my management for backed up rollers and egress issues due to packages falling.

I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

That seemed off putting, your doing something wrong if you are enjoying the work. I've been loading trucks for three years and have figured out not to change what your doing, just change how you react to situations.


If someone from management or a driver tells you your loading poorly, or your not doing something correctly, say this : "Okay, I'll work on that." Do this while nodding your head. You'd be suprised how easily it works with every situation. You don't have to change how you work, you just say that line and go back to what you were doing. It's also a great time saver.

 

[whiskey]

I've been with the company as a preloader for a year and 5 months now, and overall i enjoy my job. I load 3 trucks, sometimes 4. I'm on rollers, not the conveyor belt. As we all know, some days are better than others at UPS. Anyway, I do the best that I can when I work when loading. Everyone seems to think that being on the rollers is easy, but once the bulk starts coming, things get backed up, and the rest of the day can be crazy.

Anyway, I work fast, always check to make sure I'm on the right truck so I don't have misloads, load the package, and go back to the rollers. I'll admit, I don't load perfectly, not every package is in perfect sequence by the PAS label, and not all the boxes may be lip-loaded, but if I spend all my time in every truck making sure all of the above things are perfect, I'll be getting bitched at my management for backed up rollers and egress issues due to packages falling.

I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

Lip loading and labels facing forward are all I ask for as a driver. The rest takes care of itself. Keep up the good work.

 

[soberups]

I never complain about a bad load, and I refuse to fill out misload cards. I wont help management document a case against a fellow Teamster.

As far as I am concerned, the misloads are managements fault anyway. My preloader has been set up to fail; we are loaded out in an overcrowded, jury-rigged MDU with no stack tables or room to stack bulk stops. The guy is trying to load 5 heavy cars by himself. Management has done nothing to help this guy succeed, their solution to the "problem" is to just write him up and scream at him to work faster. The only thing he is "guilty" of is failing to accomplish the impossible, so if I get a crap load I just keep my mouth shut and make the best of it. Management has no intention of solving the underlying problem, so there is no point in me saying anything anyway.

 

[Notcool]

All you can do is your best. All the crap you get from drivers or supervisors is them just blowing steam and your the easiest target. They get blamed so then you get blamed. Or maybe you just not doing a good job. LOL I don't think thats the case though. Misloads are going to happen when you are starting out. With the speed they push you to go, its important to focus hard. After a while your misloads will go down like anything it is practice. Good Luck

 

[DS]

I like my preloader although he is not the the best at addition.
Today I had 87 deliveries.He said I had 62.
62 is an 8 1/2 hr day in my area with about 35 pickups.I Punched out @ 8:17 tonight with almost 2 1/2 hrs OT that I did not particularly want.
I think every new preloaders training should include a 3 day ride with a driver to learn how to and not to load a pkg car.They may see the difference that 20 stops makes.

 

[tworavens]

I remember when I first started driving they would send preloaders with load quality issues out with drivers every once in a while. Made a positive difference from what I saw, but of course that's not gonna happen these days.

 

[theUPSman]

I never complain about a bad load, and I refuse to fill out misload cards. I wont help management document a case against a fellow Teamster.

As far as I am concerned, the misloads are managements fault anyway. My preloader has been set up to fail; we are loaded out in an overcrowded, jury-rigged MDU with no stack tables or room to stack bulk stops. The guy is trying to load 5 heavy cars by himself. Management has done nothing to help this guy succeed, their solution to the "problem" is to just write him up and scream at him to work faster. The only thing he is "guilty" of is failing to accomplish the impossible, so if I get a crap load I just keep my mouth shut and make the best of it. Management has no intention of solving the underlying problem, so there is no point in me saying anything anyway.

A great point! I've mentioned this to my drivers many times, and they overlook it. Same with management. They just tell me I don't go fast enough. It would be nice if there was something I could say to them that would make them have no response. They always have to be right. For once, I wish they wouldn't be concerned about numbers and would actually care about the employees. And I know, that won't happen.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

A great point! I've mentioned this to my drivers many times, and they overlook it. Same with management. They just tell me I don't go fast enough. It would be nice if there was something I could say to them that would make them have no response. They always have to be right. For once, I wish they wouldn't be concerned about numbers and would actually care about the employees. And I know, that won't happen.

That is basically what I was getting at in my post. Try slowing down a bit and reading every label, placing packages in the right sections, pal label out, and keeping businesses together if theyre sectioned together. Make the absolute best loads you can and ask drivers how you can help make them better.

Tell your sups/management that you will do your best to never have another misload, tryign to never get injured, and working to the very best of your ability. Make the sort manager and even DM aware that you are doing the best you can and refuse to be harrassed given you are putting in a fair days work. Then see how your management team feels once you lost a few PPH, egress dwindles, but never misloaded again and the loads are much improved.

They will probably move you to another area , out of preload. Which might be the best thing for you given all you have said!

 

[barhar]

I've been with the company as a preloader for a year and 5 months now, and overall i enjoy my job. I load 3 trucks, sometimes 4. I'm on rollers, not the conveyor belt. As we all know, some days are better than others at UPS. Anyway, I do the best that I can when I work when loading. Everyone seems to think that being on the rollers is easy, but once the bulk starts coming, things get backed up, and the rest of the day can be crazy.

Anyway, I work fast, always check to make sure I'm on the right truck so I don't have misloads, load the package, and go back to the rollers. I'll admit, I don't load perfectly, not every package is in perfect sequence by the PAS label, and not all the boxes may be lip-loaded, but if I spend all my time in every truck making sure all of the above things are perfect, I'll be getting bitched at my management for backed up rollers and egress issues due to packages falling.

I always hear that the drivers say how bad I load. It really doesn't feel good to hear that. One supervisor told me today I should consider another avenue. I refuse to quit. Any advice?

I used to be a Pre-Load Team Leader in the UK in a facility that also never had a powered belt, we also operated with rollers, in my experience working with loaders, it would seem that maybe you have been lacking some support and 220 methods training from your Shift Supervisor, and if the Drivers are giving you grief that also needs to be sorted by the Shift Supervisor, you guys have a difficult enough job as it is without the drivers getting on your back, hope this helps.