So if we run the rte as directed by DRA, we will never have lates?
Nope. That is why stations that are experiencing habitual lates while using DRA will be adding part-time AM Couriers, to give more personnel to throw into the mix. I never said DRA is 'common sense' (it isn't right now). It is merely something that Express has literally bet the future of DGO upon, in order to make the experienced Courier redundant.
Will it expect us to finish last p1 at 1029? Just curious about those kinds of things.
In theory, YES. As long as the correct leave building time is entered into the report, the correct stem time is entered, and time between stops is correctly calculated by the program, there shouldn't be any lates. Now... right now, they are having lates galore. That's why the extra Couriers.
The one thing that I haven't gotten an answer to, is where are all these extra vehicles going to be parked, in stations that are currently optimized for the current fleet of vehicles. Are they going to delay the retirement of W700s and have extra vehicles for these extra Couriers to use?
An everyday p1 LTR stop all of a sudden gets 5, 90lbs boxes. Will DRA factor in loading up the dolly and wheeling that freight to the customer?
Good question. To be honest, I don't know if the program takes into consideration the DIM weight of a stop's packages (the computer should have access to that data) and adds time in 'handling' that volume at a stop. I'm thinking what is happening, is that the program creates a history of time spent at a stop (ACME Computer Parts), and then allocates time to that stop based on delivery history (throws in 4 extra minutes). Where the real "whammy" will occur, is at stops that are infrequent which have a large volume being delivered to them. This is the short coming of ANY computer program.
I knew when I ran delivery routes, I could spend 10 minutes AT a stop, waiting to get someone to sign - then at others, I'd have a signature before I dumped the contents of the hand truck. I'm thinking DRA will look at stop history, and add time accordingly.
What about the bottom rte? If the Apex and middle rtes fill up, what about the last rte if everyday he only gets 4 hours of work?
DRA frankly isn't concerned about getting Couriers 'their hours'. DRA is ONLY concerned with routing the delivery of packages. This is yet another excellent observation, and one most Couriers are oblivious to. I know that stations that are running DRA are having Couriers not working up to their minimums (getting less than 35 a week for FT), while other Couriers accumulate OT on a regular basis. It is playing hell with the OT reports by station management (they are left having to explain why they are running up OT while paying other Couriers minimums). Standard response is, "We're running DRA as directed".
Station management knows it is a flustercluck right now - but they also know they have to implement it or they are out the door.
Thus the insanity going on within stations right now.