Driver Activity Report

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We are all on the same TEAM

Let me guess--you were a cheerleader in high school, weren't you?

 

[jennie]

No acutally I wasn't, I was a catcher on the softball team though. If I was the cheerleader I prolly wouldn't be at UPS

 

[over9five]

Let me guess--you were a cheerleader in high school, weren't you?

Ha! I was thinking "Pep Squad"!

 

[dilligaf]

I wouldn't blame the preloaders 100% for all loading problems. When PAS came into play at my center most preloaders had another additional truck to load or a couple of bigger trucks to load. Yeah, there are some God awful loaders as there are some God awful whiney (sp?) drivers! But the PT, underpaid, overworked loaders aren't always the problem. I have one route I drive that I won't even leave the center until I have gone through the load. Piss poor loader. Another route though, loader is good, but under too much pressure w/4 trucks. May have misses, but I never call them in.

And Dill, I might add Hoax to the list of management clones we sorely need w/this new UPS. He has a good sense of humor.

Thank you Helen. I agree.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Heff,

I am in no way trying to justify what has been told to you but let me give you the other side of the story.

While its true that I'm seeing evidence here of telematics being used for nit pick items, I've seen many, many cases where telematics has shown large discrepancies in activities.

You were questioned because your lunch looked like it was 12 minutes over due to travel to and from your lunch spot. I've seen lots of cases of drivers taking 2 hour lunches, and the difference was NOT travel to a spot.

I've seen lots of cases of drivers grossly running up miles and they were not due to a poor trace in EDD.

Someone else here was questioned for small variances in idle time. I've seen lots of cases of drivers leaving their engine on all day almost (and it wasn't to keep warm during a cold spell).

Again, my point is NOT to justify what your management team is doing to you, but to point out that not all drivers are like you.

I think management needs to figure out how to use the system to correct the real problems that exist and stop trying to fix a small incident.

I think telematics has some excellent business value if used properly. I will never condone a manager using it improperly. I assume you would not condone a driver's behavior that was improper either.

P-Man

I also agree

I am not saying that they are not allowed to work on time lost to negligence, but they are hitting hard the people that gave them the numbers to begin with. How they can beat me up for a half hour when I bust my ass for 8 plus is absurd.

Our DM is by all means instructed to ATTACK us in this way and the CMs have to follow this out. This is an interaction with Telematics and is being used to make EVERY route's numbers impossible to match on a daily basis.

Heff, I also have drop boxes and on those days when I am done early I will ODS the center to let them know that I have finished my lunch and breaks and am waiting for my drop boxes and then give them the option of either telling me to come in and they will cover them or having me stay out, knowing that I will be sitting somewhere (probably at home on BC.) This does not happen very often but when it does it puts the burden on them.

It should never put a burden on them !!!

You excelled at your craft and then you have to be harassed because you left too much time for yourself. I know you don't agree with this.

 

[brownman15]

I experienced this firsthand this week.


The DM red flagged me because this is considered stealing time. According to our NEW rules, my lunch STARTS when I stop complete my last stop. So when I drove to the convenience store to wash my hands and get a cold drink, my lunch was in effect.

this is against d.o.t regulations all drive and hours worked must be reported to d.o.t. ups and the driver can and will be fined by d.o.t. also it is illegal labor laws says u must be relieved of duty to be on lunch. file a grievance and call d.o.t.

 

[brownman15]

Heff,



I will never condone a manager using it improperly. I assume you would not condone a driver's behavior that was improper either.

P-Man

then corporate has to start holding these managers accountable for their actions. this is going on all over the country. it seems like corporate is allowing this to go on.

 

[The Other Side]

I experienced this firsthand this week.

I got brought into the office to explain a 72 min gap during my lunch period. They showed me a map and showed my last stop and what time I stop completed, then they showed my first stop after lunch and when I completed that.

The DM red flagged me because this is considered stealing time. According to our NEW rules, my lunch STARTS when I stop complete my last stop. So when I drove to the convenience store to wash my hands and get a cold drink, my lunch was in effect.

They are redflagging anything over 65 minutes during lunch breaks and 15 minutes during regular breaks. I was told UPS is losing money hand over fist and they won't tolerate employees stealing time.

Now I know how the world would work IF the Nazi's had won.

Again, knowing the contract will help you.. In addition, you must understand the state laws where you work.

Driving the vehicle during your lunch is considered a paid lunch under most state laws.. check your local state law regarding lunch and meal periods.

However, article 37 covers this area.

The contract states: ARTICLE 37 [NMA] (D) no employee shall be disciplined for exceeding personal time based on data recieved from the DIAD/IVIS or other informational technology.

Any information provided by DIAD regarding excess time CANNOT be used against you. The data compiled by telematics is worthless. Yes, they can talk to you about it, but you dont have to answer for it. If they want to know what you were doing, they still have to come out and observe you the old fashion way.

Remember, you are considered INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty, not the other way around.

You dont have to admit to anything. In article 37 it also says that all employees shall "act in the best interests of the company". This is up to you. If you are cleaning your windshield, checking your tires, sorting packages, moving packages or sending ODS messages, this is all IN THE COMPANY's best interest.

Any recording of excess minutes by telematics is useless information with respect to discipline.

Know your rights and you will beat this everytime.

1) innocent until proven guilty
2) no info obtained by diad

If the company uses terms like stole, steal, stealing, I would file a harrassment charge as they have NO useable proof you did anything.

Once you beat them on this, they have no choice but to back off.

Ive beaten them back in my center and this program has been killed.

Good luck , stick to your guns.

Out.

 

[trplnkl]

then corporate has to start holding these managers accountable for their actions. this is going on all over the country. it seems like corporate is allowing this to go on.

You're kidding, Right? Corporate is mandating that it go on. It's their plan.

 

[Pump Up The Volume]

At what point does these technologies infringe on the general public and our personal lives. George Orwell's 1984 is happening and not just at UPS. There's a much bigger picture at work here. We all are conforming to Big Brother not independent thought.

 

[Pump Up The Volume]

It's amazing to me that UPS will spend this much money and effort for no other reason than to spy on drivers, yet they refuse to train the preloaders how to put packages on the proper truck. Since our center installed ED and PAS, we have more misloads than before.

Most hourlies would train hourlies better that supervisors. Especially if a few quality hourlies were singled out to do the job. They perform the work better and communicate with PEOPLE SKILLS not intimidation.
UPS could use some sort of internal audit team that cracks through the red tap and lack of interdepartmental coordination.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

At what point does these technologies infringe on the general public and our personal lives. George Orwell's 1984 is happening and not just at UPS. There's a much bigger picture at work here. We all are conforming to Big Brother not independent thought.

That point has come and passed. Lawyers can subpoena cell phone and E-Z Pass records for use during trials. Parents can add black boxes to their cars which will monitor how their kids drive. Security cameras are added daily. Facial recognition software is in use in our airports. Yet, with all of these technologies in place, people still do things which just make you shake your head and ask "What were you thinking?"

I think we have only begun to see the use of monitoring technology at UPS and our 2013 contract will contain language reflecting this and the disciplinary process to be used to deal with infractions identified through this technology. Is Big Brother watching? You damn right he is. But, as with any such monitoring, if you do your job the way that you were taught to do it you have nothing to worry about.

 

[over9five]

Most hourlies would train hourlies better that supervisors.

I remember they tried this once with drivers. I thought it worked quite well.

Someone else didn't..........

 

[Re-Raise]

Wouldn't you love to have telematics on your management team? I received a message our driver sup was bringing me a misload the other day. I gave them a time and place to meet me and busted my arse to be there on time. Waited about 10 minutes , an eternity in my day, and when he showed up he had a Hardees bag int the seat. It was like 10 a.m. He couldn't make it to me without stopping for something to eat first?

They also told us in a PCM that managers were driving around watching for drivers who were doing things wrong like having the bulkhead door open. Please tell me they have better things to do than that. As a stock holder in this company as well as an employee I would rather we eliminated the wasted cost of management spying.

 

[soberups]

....They also told us in a PCM that managers were driving around watching for drivers who were doing things wrong like having the bulkhead door open. Please tell me they have better things to do than that. As a stock holder in this company as well as an employee I would rather we eliminated the wasted cost of management spying.

No, they really dont have anything better to do than that.

The number #1 priority for management today is to justify their own continued employment with the company. We arent hiring and they arent training, so they have to find something to occupy their time with.

If they cant find a problem, they will just invent one. Then they will invent a solution to the nonexistent problem. If the solution doenst work, they will pretend that it works. As long as they are able to generate a statistic, manufacture a report for that statistic, and then manipulate that statistic to create the illusion of some sort of "improvement"...they might be allowed another day at to feed at the company trough.

Its not what you accomplish that gurantees your success at UPS...its how god you look on paper pretending to accomplish it.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

That point has come and passed. Lawyers can subpoena cell phone and E-Z Pass records for use during trials. Parents can add black boxes to their cars which will monitor how their kids drive. Security cameras are added daily. Facial recognition software is in use in our airports. Yet, with all of these technologies in place, people still do things which just make you shake your head and ask "What were you thinking?"

I think we have only begun to see the use of monitoring technology at UPS and our 2013 contract will contain language reflecting this and the disciplinary process to be used to deal with infractions identified through this technology. Is Big Brother watching? You damn right he is. But, as with any such monitoring, if you do your job the way that you were taught to do it you have nothing to worry about.

I agree with most of this , but disagree with the bolded especially. You may work in a small center and have little exp outside of that, having worked many diff centers and bldgs I can tell you for fact that these reports WILL ABSOLUTELY be altered/reworked and flat out falsified to discipline employees. Just as UPS will violate the contract, falsify documents, timecards/punch-ins, this will happen on these reports as well WHEN it comes to the point of them being used to discipline.

I am not saying that all mgmt play by these rules, and I am not saying it will happen to everyone, but I am saying that it will happen.

 

[Catatonic]

If they cant find a problem, they will just invent one. Then they will invent a solution to the nonexistent problem. If the solution doesn't work, they will pretend that it works. As long as they are able to generate a statistic, manufacture a report for that statistic, and then manipulate that statistic to create the illusion of some sort of "improvement"...they might be allowed another day at to feed at the company trough.

Its not what you accomplish that guarantees your success at UPS...its how good you look on paper pretending to accomplish it.

And think about it ... UPS is one of the better companies in this respect.
This was the bane I heard from so many people about their companies and I would think, I am glad I work for UPS. Of course, that was before we went public.

 

[Catatonic]

I agree with most of this , but disagree with the bolded especially. You may work in a small center and have little exp outside of that, having worked many diff centers and bldgs I can tell you for fact that these reports WILL ABSOLUTELY be altered/reworked and flat out falsified to discipline employees. Just as UPS will violate the contract, falsify documents, timecards/punch-ins, this will happen on these reports as well WHEN it comes to the point of them being used to discipline.

I am not saying that all mgmt play by these rules, and I am not saying it will happen to everyone, but I am saying that it will happen.

Our studies show that only 3% of UPS management would do that.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The best example I can think of are the SWM audits.

The sup MUST find at least 20 infractions out of 150, or some silly number like that.

Just like soberups made a point of, NO MATTER HOW WELL YOU PERFORM DURING THIS AUDIT, the supervisor must either find something wrong or make up something wrong that you are doing to justify this audit.

YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY DO EVERYTHING CORRECTLY IN A SWM, EVEN IF YOU DO EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.

The same can be thought of telematics, driver activity reports and discipline. No matter how good you are, either you will be found to make even the slightest errors OR they will be invented.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Our studies show that only 3% of UPS management would do that.

Possibly 3% would do that, and the other 47% would ask the 3% to execute it for them.