Delivery Appointments

[MAKAVELI]

It will be available in all areas here, and at least half our area is PM.

The document which was forwarded to me today (available to all currently), didn't break down which service areas will have this service. I'm thinking that parts of the service will be available to PM areas (redirect option and delayed delivery day), but can't imagine that Express would even think about offering delivery appointments in those areas. It would virtually ELIMINATE the ability of these Couriers to perform any pickups and get back to their stations in time to meet the outbound trucks. Express would be stuck sending out an additional Courier to get pickups back to the station in time. There is no way in hell that even the Memphoids could juggle numbers which would show any sort of profitability of doing this (getting a few extra bucks in revenue while incurring the expense of getting another Courier out to do pickups and eating up stem time like crazy). Just wouldn't work.

Believe it or not FedEx is that stupid. You should know that having worked here for many years.

 

[Ricochet1a]

Believe it or not FedEx is that stupid. You should know that having worked here for many years.

Oh I know just how stupid Memphis can be. They have the ability to amaze me with something each year it seems. Since I am going off a phone call and not an actual document that specifies which areas will and will not have this service (or which parts of the entire service 'package'), I did qualify my statement regarding PM areas having delivery appointments.

However, if it does turn out that Express does fully intend to offer delivery appointments in PM service areas, everyone will know that Memphis is devoid of any semblance of intelligent thought whatsoever.

In PM service areas, I would imagine that there would indeed be customers who would opt for delivery appointments for a few extra bucks. I can just imagine the Couriers which run these areas, zig zagging back and forth between appointments, getting off as many non-appointment dels as they could between appointment stops, but eventually running out of time and needing to do the "delivery not attempted' scan on their remaining volume and heading back to station.

Trying to pull this off BEFORE they have DRA reasonably perfected, it sheer madness. NO process engineer can predict what will happen on these routes if delivery appointments are implemented. Trying to get a prediction before these Couriers leave the stations each day as to total time between stops (presumably with appointment stops worked into the matrix), would be impossible at this stage.

When I ran my pickup route, I could predict within a 5 minute window when I'd hit each stop. One runs it enough times, it becomes reflexive. But when the crap hit the fan, predictability went out the window and it became a mad dash to keep from burning stops. Sometimes it worked, other times it didn't. Having a Courier whose route may take them 300 miles in a day (stems both ways plus milage in area), try to get coverage of appointments within that large area is madness.

This is why I believe that this is solely a reaction to two factors: UPS already doing it, and the desire to make some extra profit by doing it (getting to that mythical $1.6 Billion Express profit margin).

And again, if Memphis is this willing to jerk around the Couriers, that should tell you a lot about just how they take you for granted, and how they think they can merely jerk the chain and have nothing to fear in response.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Believe it or not FedEx is that stupid. You should know that having worked here for many years.

Oh I know just how stupid Memphis can be. They have the ability to amaze me with something each year it seems. Since I am going off a phone call and not an actual document that specifies which areas will and will not have this service (or which parts of the entire service 'package'), I did qualify my statement regarding PM areas having delivery appointments.

However, if it does turn out that Express does fully intend to offer delivery appointments in PM service areas, everyone will know that Memphis is devoid of any semblance of intelligent thought whatsoever.

In PM service areas, I would imagine that there would indeed be customers who would opt for delivery appointments for a few extra bucks. I can just imagine the Couriers which run these areas, zig zagging back and forth between appointments, getting off as many non-appointment dels as they could between appointment stops, but eventually running out of time and needing to do the "delivery not attempted' scan on their remaining volume and heading back to station.

Trying to pull this off BEFORE they have DRA reasonably perfected, it sheer madness. NO process engineer can predict what will happen on these routes if delivery appointments are implemented. Trying to get a prediction before these Couriers leave the stations each day as to total time between stops (presumably with appointment stops worked into the matrix), would be impossible at this stage.

When I ran my pickup route, I could predict within a 5 minute window when I'd hit each stop. One runs it enough times, it becomes reflexive. But when the crap hit the fan, predictability went out the window and it became a mad dash to keep from burning stops. Sometimes it worked, other times it didn't. Having a Courier whose route may take them 300 miles in a day (stems both ways plus milage in area), try to get coverage of appointments within that large area is madness.

This is why I believe that this is solely a reaction to two factors: UPS already doing it, and the desire to make some extra profit by doing it (getting to that mythical $1.6 Billion Express profit margin).

And again, if Memphis is this willing to jerk around the Couriers, that should tell you a lot about just how they take you for granted, and how they think they can merely jerk the chain and have nothing to fear in response.

If you had to watch that video, you would probably be laughing your ass off. They think these new services are going to make routes more efficient, save fuel, produce more revenue, and be the best thing since sliced bread. Their ignorance to this sinking ship is becoming comical. And this is only the beginning. They eluded that there will be more brilliant ideas like this coming out of Memphis. Can't wait!

 

[DontThrowPackages]

Sorry if this question was already answered but, everyone and their mother is going to opt for the 5pm to 8pm service, what is the courier supposed to do if half his residential are in this time window? Not to mention his pups and making it back to the station before the plane takes off without the freight in his truck?

 

[MrFedEx]

Express already does. I was at the FX Freight facility and through random conversation the manager over their was telling me a shipper had paid for a couple pallets to go Express, but was pissed because they were being transported on a freight truck, yet he was still paying express rates.

True. Express has been giving Freight both pickups and deliveries for awhile now. Someone else mentioned that there could be a lawsuit because customers could be potentially paying for a service they aren't receiving. But R1a made a really good point in that it doesn't matter as long as it does get delivered. If the situation was reversed, there could be a problem because of the pickup restrictions that come into play if a shipment has to move on an aircraft.

 

[Ricochet1a]

Sorry if this question was already answered but, everyone and their mother is going to opt for the 5pm to 8pm service,

Memphis is actually hoping this is the case (you don't have a life after all...)

I see virtually all DSRs and most ISRs going this path (along with high value shipments). Customers will pay the few extra bucks to get a delivery attempt made when they are actually at home to sign for these packages. The program has electronic signatures enabled for ISRs (customers can do a 'signature' on the web site by virtue of their paying for the service), then have these shipments left in designated locations (the customer can give very specific instructions as to where to leave the package and this message will appear on the PPAD).

I also see yet another version of door tags, with 'advertisements' on them that indicate customers should go to the FedEx web page, and pay a 'nominal fee' to have their shipment reattempted the next evening when they are presumably home (otherwise it will be reattempted during normal delivery hours). Customers don't even need to have a tracking number. The system will supposedly allow customers to merely enter the address to which they are expecting a shipment (presumably their home address), and ALL FedEx shipments (Express AND Ground) will come up on the web page (yes, there is more to this system that meets the eyes at this point...)

Since the whole push by Express to get customers to have their shipments forwarded to Kinkos for pickup has obviously not worked as well as planned, Plan B is now to have the customers pay extra to have their shipments delivered in the evening (putting money in Express' pocket while having Couriers out till potentially 8:30 PM RTB time if they are loaded up with evening dels).

I agree that del appointments during the regular day will be exceptionally rare. If someone isn't home to begin with, the odds of them being home for a 2 hour window during normal delivery cycles is also going to be low. BUT.... they will be at home in the evening (especially between 6 and 8 PM). Some would just be tempted to pay the fee and have their package delivered in that time window (I see the evening del windows being almost SOLELY 6 to 8 PM).

And yes, the ONLY way this will work, is to either add additional routes and hire part time Couriers, OR to have full time Couriers do a split shift (take a break from the time they RTB in the early afternoon, till about 4PM - or just take out the del appoint packages with them in the AM, then take an extended break while out in the field). If they do the extended break in the field, they won't be able to make ANY pickups (can't get them back into the station in time....)

Either way, the full time Courier takes it in the shorts. Either stops will be taken off the del routes and placed onto PT evening del routes, OR the full timer will be required to take out evening dels when they leave the station in the AM, then take an extended break in the mid afternoon. The work day will run from say 7 AM till 7:30 or 8:30 PM (with a huge unpaid break in there). And there were doubters here saying that Express wouldn't do that to the Couriers....

This is going to result in a MAJOR reorganization as to how operations gets routes planned and specifically, the number of PT Couriers on staff along with changes in how full time Couriers are scheduled. What about 4x10 routes? No way in hell you can get del appointments on those and still have them RTB with their outbound freight (very few of these routes are delivery only). And yes, station level management are scratching their heads even more right now regarding this program that you are as a Courier. They have to get this program off and running by this Tuesday - no service disruptions, no late appointments, everything must go smoothly. They are all crossing their fingers that utilization of this program will be slow or non-existent (they want it to fail even more than you do).

The other issue is if PT Couriers are going to be given these stops to get off - their route proficiency will suck (everyone knows how well a PTer does running a SDR delivery route in an area they don't normally enter during the regular week). Imagine these Couriers trying to find resi addresses in the dark (during the time of the year with standard time, 5-8 PM is pitch black out). How are these unsuspecting Couriers going to track down resi addresses in the middle of the night - are they going to install police style spot lights on the trucks, so that Couriers can use them to illuminate home addresses? About the only way I see them getting this pulled off with PTers, is to install GPS units on the vehicles they will use, to enable them to merely follow the prompt to get where they need to go.

 

[Ricochet1a]

If the situation was reversed (freight tendered as non-air cargo being shifted over to Express HWT to move), there could be a problem because of the pickup restrictions that come into play if a shipment has to move on an aircraft.

Precisely on point. Air freight can be moved by ANY means available (air is the most restrictive as to requirements). The reverse isn't true however. Freight tendered as non-air cargo cannot automatically be moved by air if the need arises. This is why Express can 'outsource' movement without any restrictions, whereas the reverse is more difficult to achieve (it can be done, but the volume has to be screened - time consuming and therefore adds even more cost to its movement).

 

[MrFedEx]

MFE-- This is it. Time to lead. Are you up to the challenge? Personally, I think you are but only if you are willing to lead even when it seems nobody is following and there are real careers on the line. As R1a said, the odds are heavily stacked against you. This is how legends are formed. Spartacus. Achilles. David. Churchill. MFE? Why not?

Mock away. I think that more than just a few Express employees are pissed enough to do more than just talk about unionizing. It must be nice to be so smug about Ground and it's "golden" future. I (and others, especially R1a) have been on here for literally years now trying to wake people the eff up as to what was happening behind their backs, or in some cases, directly in front of their faces. Few listened, and even fewer acted. That has now changed, and enough people are actually willing to DO something to change their miserable situation. As R1a said, YOU need to be willing to make a commitment and be willing to create change. It's very clear that Memphis has no intention of changing course, which means that the sheetstorm will continue forever unless we stop it. A handful of people can't do it.....we need to fight back and unify against Smith.

 

[bbsam]

You would take it that way, wouldn't you? I'm serious. Some names are never known. The street vendor who lit himself on fire.and began the Arab Spring. The nameless Chinese man who stopped a tank in its tracks. You don't get to know where your leadership will lead. It could be far bigger than your goals. And I disagree with R1a in that it is up to SOMEBODY to lead, to be bold . Maybe R1a gets his head pounded and the next day those other boys are emboldened and ashamed of their previous cowardice. Leaders will lead not because there is a straight, open path to their goal, but because their objective is just.

 

[bbsam]

And don't forget, I have been one of the voices here along with R1a urging the need for couriers to DO SOMETHING.

 

[bbsam]

And as I read what I posted yesterday, I see how you could take it as mocking. But hey, I was an English major. I see great literary characters in everyday life. Who was Rosa Parks but a lady who had finally had enough? Didn't the 1980 men's hockey team know they were supposed to lose to Russia? What was Julian Assange thinking? Pat Tillman turned down how much money? And who even knew anything about Seal Tem 6 2 years ago?

 

[franknitty]

It seems like this new service could negatively impact the on road goals of drivers doing routes in areas furthest from their stations ?

 

[SmithBarney]

The fine print agreement in the contract the "receiving" customer agrees to, probably says something to the effect of "you agree that FedEx will use any possible means to deliver within your scheduled appointment time, which may include the use of NON FedEx companies to deliver your package etc etc etc... " something like that..

 

[Cactus]

But hey, I was an English major. I see great literary characters in everyday life. Who was Rosa Parks but a lady who had finally had enough? Didn't the 1980 men's hockey team know they were supposed to lose to Russia? What was Julian Assange thinking? Pat Tillman turned down how much money? And who even knew anything about Seal Tem 6 2 years ago?

And your point is??

 

[bbsam]

My point is that I wasn't mocking MFE but I could see how it might me taken that way. But you don't.really care, now do you?

 

[Ricochet1a]

And I disagree with R1a in that it is up to SOMEBODY to lead, to be bold.

Any task that involves the accomplishment of a goal by a group of individuals, by DEFINITION requires some level of leadership by individual(s) who are motivated beyond mere personal enrichment. Other factors that motivate leaders are the desire for power (the most common after personal enrichment), justice, revenge, patriotism or even unselfish desire to see the group succeed in the face of adversity. Even Al Capone was a leader...

And yes, boldness is a requisite part of leadership balanced with a bit of discretion (using one's head). The persistently timid and meek never rise to the challenge of overcoming adversity.

Maybe R1a gets his head pounded and the next day those other boys are emboldened and ashamed of their previous cowardice. Leaders will lead not because there is a straight, open path to their goal, but because their objective is just.

My goal that day wasn't to become a martyr for the boys of the 7th grade class - much to the contrary. My motivation was primarily revenge, followed by some form of perceived applied justice. Some were definitely cowards that day, others were just too uncertain of their fellow classmates sticking it through the impending confrontation and getting left in a fight by themselves. Those that had some form of backbone had a desire to achieve the objective, we just didn't trust each other enough to watch each others back once the impeding fight got under way - no one wanted to end up being a martyr while the others stood by and watched. Tall talk exists even among 12 year olds...

This is why organizations that engage in a lot of 'fighting' (like the military), spend a lot of time constantly practicing what they do, so that trust can be developed among the participants. Its rather embarrassing for the big day to arrive, and the entire team takes to its heels once the opposition walks onto the field. It happened that day so long ago, it happened in Brockton MA in that Ground terminal (the IBT didn't trust the handlers to follow through) and it is happening right here.

And as far as having a 'just objective', Al Capone never had what could be called a just objective, he just had the objective of enriching himself and accumulating as much power as he could in the process. He still met the definition of a leader though.

No one needs to become a martyr here and no one is suggesting that the endeavor is unjust. But leadership is a REQUIREMENT given the task at hand (50 cats each going in their own direction aren't going to accomplish a damn thing). For the group to achieve their common goal, the 'congregation' is going to have to listen to someone in the pulpit and actually follow through on what is preached, and not just shout out the occasional, "Amen" then sneak out the back as soon as the organ starts playing...

The US Army uses the adage of, "Lead, Follow or Get out of the Way". It applies here just as well. The leader is well recognized. The rest are going to have to make a decision to either follow (with all that entails), or admit they aren't really up to the fight and walk off the field.

The sooner this decision is made, the better all will be. Endless 'tall talk' never accomplishes a damn thing, and it just ends up building up false hope and an illusion of something being accomplished. About the only thing that has been accomplished in the past 6 weeks is the confirmation that the IBT has left the Couriers for dead along with the fact that the posters and lurkers to this forum aren't to the point where they are willing to accept direction and work (get outside their 'comfort zone') to achieve their common goal. A few have stated that they are getting out cards in their station - but in the face of the RLA, that is merely pissing in the wind. Even more important than a few posters here getting out cards, is the need to establish network to get organizers (leaders....) in 400+ stations around the country. THEN, there is a remote chance of the big fight day actually occurring, with Fred potentially getting his head pounded into the ground.

 

[bbsam]

I am not saying that anybody needs to be or should be a martyr, only that it is one of the possible outcomes.

And we don't know what became of the school yard non fight. It obviously had a strong effect on you and may well have changed the lives of others. I have had regrets that have changed my life years afterward. Like Mark Twain said, "Life isn't one damn thing after another. It's the same damn thing over and over again.". My guess is that one day down the line, in one form or another, Greg got the ass kicking he deserved. It just wasn't from you.

 

[bbsam]

Al Capone. Finally convicted of tax evasion. Prelude to Grover Norquist. But Grover has a just cause, doesn't he?

I think you are wrong about Capone though. I think he believed in his fight against prohibition and saw himself rising in power through brutal tactics not unlike a certain FBI chief.

 

[vantexan]

At my last station we routinely met up with other couriers to hand off outbound while we stayed out to finish deliveries on a heavy day. And that was extended areas where we'd drive 20-25 miles to meet up. There seems to be a focus on how these appointments will mess up our onroad goals, etc. The point of the onroad numbers is to provide a structure that motivates a courier to finish his work in an acceptable timeframe, not stretch out his day and cost them more. If they now want to make later deliveries then they can organize rts around getting that done. Meet ups to hand off outbound, dedicated appointment couriers who start later in the day, that sort of thing. It's not rocket science. And yes, it would be nice if we could all start at 0730 and be off at 1630 and get paid well to do little, but it's not the nature of this business. It does require flexibility, which we should be compensated better for. But until the economy heats up and companies start competing for workers we will have to take what they are giving to meet our obligations. Not because we like it, think the company is swell, are brown nosers or anything thing like that. It's the harsh reality of the current economy.

 

[Ricochet1a]

My guess is that one day down the line, in one form or another, Greg got the ass kicking he deserved. It just wasn't from you.

I have no way of knowing. But knowing that he was what I'd characterize as a sociopath, I'd imagine that he either did some time in a state prison, or at the least had alternate mailing addresses in numerous county jails. The whole event actually had a beneficial effect on me.

I'm sure Karma kicked in for him eventually.

But I'd have to admit, if I could go back to that day and somehow convince my best friend to stick it through and have that fight with me and him against Greg - it would've been grand. It probably would've resulted in my getting kicked out of that parochial school (I kind of wanted that to happen anyway, it was just too damn restrictive....). My mother would've gone ballistic on my butt if that had happened (my being there was more of a 'prestige issue' for her rather than any desire of mine to be there), but my father would've just smiled (he knew the issue at hand back then, he had a role in my suggesting to my classmates the 'group solution' to the problem).

And as far as the same damn thing over and over again... Yes, the same issues happen over and over again. Everyone here wants to apply an ass kicking to Fred, but most aren't willing to either trust their coworkers, or are too damn timid to commit to getting into the fray at the beginning. They want to sit back and wait for someone else to take on Fred while he's fresh, then step into the fray once Fred is stumbling or has gone to the ground.

It's going to take about 400 or so leaders (station organizers) among the Couriers getting another 15,000+ to be willing to sign cards, for the fight to even have a chance of starting. Right now I'd wager there are maybe 25 or so leaders in the stations (posters and lurkers who are actually getting out cards one way or another), with very few if any of them making an attempt to recruit other organizers/leaders in surrounding stations to join in planning for the big fight day. One could call it a start, but given the size of the task at hand, it is just too small given the time that has passed. There is still a chance, but unless something really gets off the ground in the next couple of weeks, it won't ever happen until it is too late.

And given the scope of the task, there MUST be centralized leadership, with the station level organizers being willing to accept direction and provide feedback as to progress. That CLEARLY isn't present right now. Lacking that coordinated network, nothing substantive enough will ever develop - the RLA just makes it too damn difficult for uncoordinated efforts to achieve anything. Hell, the IBT walked away - and they are supposedly pros at doing this stuff. That alone gives an indication as to the scope of the proposed task, and the level of coordination that will be required for an amateur attempt to pull it off.

The 1980 US Olympic hockey team would have NOTHING compared to the Couriers if they should somehow manage to pull off the big fight - that is the immensity of this endeavor. It would literally be history making should this succeed. Something this big doesn't happen by accident, it doesn't happen by luck, it doesn't happen by separate locations acting in uncoordinated fashion. If it were to happen, it would take leadership, planning, organization and a hell of a lot of work on the part of individuals who will never make personal contact with but a handful of their fellow organizers (organizer in one station meeting with an organizer in an adjacent station), coming together and achieving what I'd admit is the near impossible. It would literally make labor organizing history should it actually get to the point of a certification election.

That is why Express doesn't fear the Couriers in the least right now (they know what it would take to wage a war against their machine). That is also why if this were to actually get off the ground somehow, Express senior management would crap their pants so fast that it would be comical.