Eliminating Driveway Deliveries

[HEFFERNAN]

I was having a discussion with 705Red about UPS's statement about using customer driveways. For the most part, most of us still use driveways to save us time considering our routes are always loaded for a 9+ hour day. Doing this is a violation of their policy, though we take the risks anyways.

If the Teamsters could come out with a statement stating that we are forbidden to drive on customers driveways. This would be a way of standing behind management while screwing them at the same time. The policy as it is right now is set up for us to fail and be held liable. UPS wants us to use driveways even though they state it is forbidden.

If we all as drivers refused to drive on driveways and walked off every package. They would be forced to take work off us and add more routes which would keep drivers doing what they do, DRIVE. Sounds like a pipe dream, but maybe UPS may realize that they go a little overboard with things.

 

[backinbrown]

I was having a discussion with 705Red about UPS's statement about using customer driveways. For the most part, most of us still use driveways to save us time considering our routes are always loaded for a 9+ hour day. Doing this is a violation of their policy, though we take the risks anyways.

If the Teamsters could come out with a statement stating that we are forbidden to drive on customers driveways. This would be a way of standing behind management while screwing them at the same time. The policy as it is right now is set up for us to fail and be held liable. UPS wants us to use driveways even though they state it is forbidden.

If we all as drivers refused to drive on driveways and walked off every package. They would be forced to take work off us and add more routes which would keep drivers doing what they do, DRIVE. Sounds like a pipe dream, but maybe UPS may realize that they go a little overboard with things.

nice thought but i think in the end the runners and gunners will bail mangement out before extra route goes in JMO

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I don't work for the Teamsters--I work for United Parcel Service. Yes, I am a member of the Teamsters Union but the Union does not set the procedures that I must follow when doing my job. The Union is there to protect our interests while performing the job using procedures established by UPS.

I think we should start by defining the word "driveway". For the most part, a driveway is a short paved segment connecting the house to the street, usually less than 250'. As we all know, there are some driveways that could well have their own zip codes, so the driver needs to use sound judgement when determining whether or not to go down those driveways. For the most part, with a little bit of planning on the part of the driver, it is usually not necessary to back in to a residential driveway.

The day that we ask the Union to establish procedures on how to do our job is the day that I ask for my withdrawal card.

 

[local804]

I would rather not use some ones driveway and will continue to follow UPS`s policy about this. I would be pretty pissed off if a 16,000 pound truck used my driveway to turn around. If you use a driveway, you are forced to go in reverse whic is another No-No. Go around the block like they tell you in all the pcm`s.

 

[slantnosechevy]

nice thought but i think in the end the runners and gunners will bail mangement out before extra route goes in JMO

With telematics hopefully even the runners and gunners will be handcuffed into working at a controlled panic as we were originally trained to do. It's going to be a production nightmare for I.E.

 

[soberups]

I guess it is a question of semantics....we would have to make the distinction between a "driveway" versus an access road.

I am all for staying out of driveways in residential areas within city limits...but on my route I have customers with "driveways" that are a mile long. Many of these "driveways" are in fact abandoned gravel logging roads and there is no feasable way that I could possibly walk these stops off. I would die of a heart attack or be eaten by a bear or a cougar.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

I don't work for the Teamsters--I work for United Parcel Service. Yes, I am a member of the Teamsters Union but the Union does not set the procedures that I must follow when doing my job. The Union is there to protect our interests while performing the job using procedures established by UPS.

I think we should start by defining the word "driveway". For the most part, a driveway is a short paved segment connecting the house to the street, usually less than 250'. As we all know, there are some driveways that could well have their own zip codes, so the driver needs to use sound judgement when determining whether or not to go down those driveways. For the most part, with a little bit of planning on the part of the driver, it is usually not necessary to back in to a residential driveway.

The day that we ask the Union to establish procedures on how to do our job is the day that I ask for my withdrawal card.

They would be protecting your interests. They would keep you from being fired for using a driveway. Plus, they are backing a rule UPS made, so they are not running the show. You'd be screwed if the Teamsters don't allow people to get on there cars before start time and work on the load ........

OOOOOOOOPPPS


I'll stop right there

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

They would be protecting your interests. They would keep you from being fired for using a driveway. Plus, they are backing a rule UPS made, so they are not running the show. You'd be screwed if the Teamsters don't allow people too get on car before start time and work on their cars........

I work for UPS, not the Teamsters. I follow UPS directives, to include staying out of the pkg car before start time and staying out of residential driveways. I do go through my DIAD before start time to see what my day has in store for me.

Do yourself a favor--worry about yourself--we are doing just fine up here.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

I guess it is a question of semantics....we would have to make the distinction between a "driveway" versus an access road.

I am all for staying out of driveways in residential areas within city limits...but on my route I have customers with "driveways" that are a mile long. Many of these "driveways" are in fact abandoned gravel logging roads and there is no feasable way that I could possibly walk these stops off. I would die of a heart attack or be eaten by a bear or a cougar.

I understand your view of the access road. They told us no driveways whatsoever. When they got screwed on our new time studies, they changed it by saying if the driveway has a turnaround, you can use it.
Notice that safety and their backing campaign take a back seat when they have to change rules. Much like our discussion in a past thread, they change rules, when the bottom line is compromised.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I understand your view of the access road. They told us no driveways whatsoever. When they got screwed on our new time studies, they changed it by saying if the driveway has a turnaround, you can use it.
Notice that safety and their backing campaign take a back seat when they have to change rules. Much like our discussion in a past thread, they change rules, when the bottom line is compromised.

In this case it would appear that common sense has prevailed. I am not that familiar with southern Connecticut but my brother lives in Brooklyn, CT, and his neighborhood has both standard driveways and some much longer ones; in fact, his is easily 1/4 mile in length from the main road with a turn around at the bottom. He laughed when I told him that I would probably walk these off from the road as his driver always drives down there and turns around. I would be hesitant to do that in anything larger than a 700.

Rule changes do not always compromise safety but yes are usually made when the bottom line is affected.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

I was under the impression that if a customer used our services, we are granted permission to use their driveway to make delivery? Why would they tell us not to use them, when they gave us the right already?

It has nothing to do with the USE of the driveway. It is to prevent us from backing up near a house or digging into the sod along the driveway.

My route is a mix of close cookie cutter homes and houses on mountain roads. Obviously, I don't use driveways on the closer homes. The other 1000 ft driveways would make me paid over if I decided to walk all of these.

This thread was put in to discuss this scenario. I didn't want to hijack the other thread.

 

[screamin chicken]

Well the way I look at it is I am getting paid per hr. so I will walk off driveway deliveries, and after last week when my sup. gave me a warning letter for backing down a 300 yard dirt dead end I will walk that one and any other stop off unless can drive down the rd. and swing around.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Why do you think UPS installed the back up cameras? Do you think they were concerned about safety? Do you think that they were being proactive or reactive? The cameras were installed as a reactive response to a tragic accident the details of which I don't have and are not important to the discussion here.

I will give you a perfect example of why we should stay out of driveways. I was on my country run and this house had a circular dirt driveway with less than a 100' radius from the road. I normally used this as it made the stop easier but this happened to be mud season and I didn't know that the driveway had been built on top of an old cellar and, you guessed it, I sunk in down to the axle, so a stop that should have taken 30 seconds took 45 minutes and a tow bill.

 

[govols019]

Part of my delivery area includes the curviest highway in Tennessee. Pulling over on the side of the road is downright dangerous.

 

[some1else]

i was thinking about this topic the other day; as i was puttering around in the country. there are many rural routes that are an honest 9.5hr day but if you did not enter into any private driveways they would literally take 15hours plus. some of these have 10+miles worth of driving on private driveways, im not sure what a mile takes to walk at a "brisk pace" i would guess around 20minutes (carrying pkgs/scan work path etc.) 20minutes X 10miles= 200minutes ~3.4 hrs!

as far as city drivers entering 100ft driveways; i agree its stupid!

 

[upsdude]

I have to think in some situations (like soberups’ comment about bears etc) walking off a long driveway could be a safety concern. We’ve been told to use our best judgment, use consignee delay, or message the center to call the customer.

 

[some1else]

I have to think in some situations (like soberups’ comment about bears etc) walking off a long driveway could be a safety concern. We’ve been told to use our best judgment, use consignee delay, or message the center to call the customer.

thats the exact issue the OP is talking about. go ahead and use your best judgment but when you rut the grass or run over a 5,000$ flower what do you think the chances ups is going to agree with your "judgment" during the accident investigation?

 

[upsdude]

thats the exact issue the OP is talking about. go ahead and use your best judgment but when you rut the grass or run over a 5,000$ flower what do you think the chances ups is going to agree with your "judgment" during the accident investigation?

And that’s why I’ll use my best judgment. If I’m familiar enough with the property to use the L O N G driveway I will. Or, I’ll use Consignee Delay, or I’ll have the center call the customer. Management didn’t insinuate we would be off the hook for an accident, they just offered a couple ways to avoid one. Come to think of it this situation is another good reason to scroll through EDD in the AM.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Consignee delay?

 

[upsdude]

Consignee delay?

That’s the exception we’re told to use for dogs, blocked access, or in this case a long unfamiliar driveway. The driveway situation would involve a reasonable concern with access or the walk. For this moment in time our management team gives us a great deal of freedom if we see a possible safety/accident issue.

Note: I’ll walk off a stop in a heartbeat. I’ve been known to deliver an entire apartment complex from one parking spot. Well, 2 spots, park defensively.