Delivering during lunch break?

[soberups]

I have heard that drivers in some areas (CA for one) are somehow "locked out" of their DIADS during lunch break in order to prevent them from working off of the clock.

How does that work if the driver is eating lunch and a customer approaches him asking for a package that is on the truck? Can the lockout be overridden, and can the DIAD still send and receive messages during this time? Or does it literally become a non-functional piece of plastic until the lunch break is over? While in no way am I advocating working off of the clock, it is quite common for me to be approached by customers needing their stuff while I am on lunch. I always take the DIAD into the restraunt with me, and if they do have a package I will simply walk out to the truck and get it for them and then add an extra minute or two onto the end of my lunch so I'm not working for free. Same thing goes with answering messages from the office. I cant imagine how ashamed and embarassed I would be if a customer approached me needing an urgent package and I had to tell them to just stand there and wait for 37 more minutes until my lunch break was over.

 

[numberonedriver]

That's what I have to do here in California is tell the customer to wait until my lunch is over. You can't even look to see if you have the package until you punch the board back in.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Why wouldn't you just pull the PAL and/or use Find BC to complete the delivery once the board "unlocks"?

 

[Indecisi0n]

That's an awesome feature.

 

[cosmo1]

Why wouldn't you just pull the PAL and/or use Find BC to complete the delivery once the board "unlocks"?

Do you memorize your EDD every morning?

 

[jaker]

Not true from what was said above , there is a end lunch early button that will stop lunch and let you use the diad , after the person has left you just punch back out for lunch and the timer starts from when you left and you finsh lunch

There is no way I am going to tell a customer to come back in 15min , besides I rather do it right now instead of going back later

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Not true from what was said above , there is a end lunch early button that will stop lunch and let you use the diad , after the person has left you just punch back out for lunch and the timer starts from when you left and you finsh lunch

There is no way I am going to tell a customer to come back in 15min , besides I rather do it right now instead of going back later

The only problem with that is , you do it one time and they think its o.k. to do it everyday. Same thing goes for using your cellphone. You try to be nice one time and everybody puts you on speed dial!

 

[jaker]

Very true

 

[over9five]

You are supposed to have an uninterrupted lunch. Tell the damn customer you're on lunch and you'll get to him later.

 

[soberups]

You are supposed to have an uninterrupted lunch. Tell the damn customer you're on lunch and you'll get to him later.

I am aware of the fact that I am supposed to have an uninterrupted lunch.

I am also aware of the fact that life happens and people order NDA medications or airline tickets or other urgent packages that they need right away. That is why they call us a service.

The intention of the contract language regarding meal periods was to prevent management from forcing the driver to interrupt his lunch break. It was not intended to force the driver to be an towards the customers that he sees on a regular basis.

There is an disabled Iraq war veteran on my route who left a big chunk of his anatomy somewhere over in the desert. He gets medications thru the VA and he isnt always at home to sign for them when I show up. He knows where I eat lunch and if he misses me in the AM he will come look for me at lunchtime to get his meds. If I see his car pull up next to the truck I get up, walk out there, get him his meds, go back inside, and continue eating my lunch. It takes all of 2 minutes for me to provide service to this "damn customer", which I simply add onto the end of my lunch break so that I am not working off of the clock. Are you seriously suggesting to me that I should make the man park, pull his walker out of the trunk, and then limp inside so that I can tell him to wait 24 more minutes for me to get up and give him his meds?

 

[soberups]

The only problem with that is , you do it one time and they think its o.k. to do it everyday. Same thing goes for using your cellphone. You try to be nice one time and everybody puts you on speed dial!

It all comes down to setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. Its really nothing more than a communication issue.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

It all comes down to setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. Its really nothing more than a communication issue.

Agreed!! I'm not saying to be mean or not show compassion. Every case is not the same. The only point I was trying to make was, their are many people who would abuse, you trying to do the right thing! You know.the same ones that called in and said you left an info notice without knocking!!!

 

[over9five]

I am aware of the fact that I am supposed to have an uninterrupted lunch.

I am also aware of the fact that life happens and people order NDA medications or airline tickets or other urgent packages that they need right away. That is why they call us a service.

The intention of the contract language regarding meal periods was to prevent management from forcing the driver to interrupt his lunch break. It was not intended to force the driver to be an towards the customers that he sees on a regular basis.

There is an disabled Iraq war veteran on my route who left a big chunk of his anatomy somewhere over in the desert. He gets medications thru the VA and he isnt always at home to sign for them when I show up. He knows where I eat lunch and if he misses me in the AM he will come look for me at lunchtime to get his meds. If I see his car pull up next to the truck I get up, walk out there, get him his meds, go back inside, and continue eating my lunch. It takes all of 2 minutes for me to provide service to this "damn customer", which I simply add onto the end of my lunch break so that I am not working off of the clock. Are you seriously suggesting to me that I should make the man park, pull his walker out of the trunk, and then limp inside so that I can tell him to wait 24 more minutes for me to get up and give him his meds?

An interruption is an interruption, if it's management or one of their customers - makes no difference. My lunch is MY lunch. A reasonable person won't bother you during your lunch anyhow. Anyone else can go pound sand till I'm done.
If you're afraid of saying no to people, park somewhere they can't find you.

 

[over9five]

Another consideration is for those of you who have 30 minute lunch breaks. After July 1st, you will be in DOT Hours of Service violation if you deliver in the middle of your 30 minute break.

 

[Indecisi0n]

When customer comes up to me on lunch I tell them to meet me around the back of the truck to get their package. Then I start the truck and drive away.

 

[Wally]

Do you memorize your EDD every morning?

Cosmo, I think UPNY means,, pull off the label and scan after break.

If a customer approaches me, I would give them their stuff.

 

[cosmo1]

Cosmo, I think UPNY means,, pull off the label and scan after break.

If a customer approaches me, I would give them their stuff.

But, if he were locked out of his DIAD, how would he even know?

 

[Loyal Teamster]

I have heard that drivers in some areas (CA for one) are somehow "locked out" of their DIADS during lunch break in order to prevent them from working off of the clock.

How does that work if the driver is eating lunch and a customer approaches him asking for a package that is on the truck? Can the lockout be overridden, and can the DIAD still send and receive messages during this time? Or does it literally become a non-functional piece of plastic until the lunch break is over? While in no way am I advocating working off of the clock, it is quite common for me to be approached by customers needing their stuff while I am on lunch. I always take the DIAD into the restraunt with me, and if they do have a package I will simply walk out to the truck and get it for them and then add an extra minute or two onto the end of my lunch so I'm not working for free. Same thing goes with answering messages from the office. I cant imagine how ashamed and embarassed I would be if a customer approached me needing an urgent package and I had to tell them to just stand there and wait for 37 more minutes until my lunch break was over.

Depending on how good your Christmas present from the customer, you'll either tell them to wait or punch it in as delivered after your done with lunch.


Thanks,
Loyal Teamster

 

[soberups]

An interruption is an interruption, if it's management or one of their customers - makes no difference. My lunch is MY lunch. A reasonable person won't bother you during your lunch anyhow. Anyone else can go pound sand till I'm done.
If you're afraid of saying no to people, park somewhere they can't find you.

Seriously?

So...if you are sitting there in the truck and drinking a cup of coffee during your break and a customer came up to you and politely asked if you had their package....you would actually tell them to go pound sand? You would actually make them stand there and wait for the remaining 9 minutes and 15 seconds of your break before you got up and opened the BH door and handed them their package?

I guess I'm just not that hardcore. Call me weak if you want, but it seems to me that the right thing to do is to interrupt my lunch or break for a moment and then resume it after the customer has been taken care of. The contract language was never intended to force the driver to be an to his customers.

 

[MAKAVELI]

It's the same for us at FedEx Express in CA. Our powerpad is locked out until you end your meal break. This was done because it is ca law to have a 30 min uninterrupted break if working 6 + hours. We also have to take it within the first 5 1/2 hours of your shift. They lock us out because there has been a couple of lawsuits that were settled and they don't want anymore.