Eliminating Driveway Deliveries

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
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?

They probably wont agree with it at all, which is why I long ago stopped caring about whether or not I ever got a "safe driving" award. Such awards are based mainly on luck and have little to do with actual safety.

The more important issue is how well the union is able to defend us at a panel hearing if some ass-wipe center manager decides to try and fire us for "accidents" involving tire marks, broken branches or other minor incidents that have nothing to do with actual safety. In my area at least, the union has had good success in this area.

Bottom line is I do my job safely. In 22 yrs I have never been in a traffic accident or had a moving violation, either in a UPS vehicle or my personal car. My "accident" history at UPS is limited to minor scrapes, broken branches etc. that did not involve any danger to the public and were simply the unavoidable side effects of trying to make service on customers packages in a challenging rural area.
 

local804

Well-Known Member
That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. If a sup told me to do that I would laugh in his face.

It's discussions about things like this that makes me glad I chose not to be a full time driver. The hypocrisy at UPS is pathetic. Have you ever seen a supervisor drive and deliver packages? Most of the time they don't even practice the methods they are suppose to teach.

I follow the methods 99% of the time but I have never even thought of backing all the way down a dead end street. If you can't back up safely at the end of long dead end street using whatever mean necessary with out hitting something then you shouldn't be driving a big truck. If there is one thing I take my time on more than anything it is backing.

I agree with you....
I forgot to add to get out and check behind the package car before backing.
 

MC4YOU2

Wherever I see Trump, it smells like he's Putin.
We were told it can probably be used internationally so they leave it in there. Also UPS Freight use diads so it may be an option for them as well.

So they can give the same 'dont use this button' warning letter internationally?
 
The “Emergency Conditions” exception would be used (here) for an icy/impassable/flooded etc street. All “Emergency Conditions” or “Consignee Delay” packages go to the ECS clerk when you return to building.

For exceptions, are any of you guys allowed to use “Other Other”? We’re not, Other Other will get you a warning letter in our division.
We get yelled at and charged with a missed service with the "other other" and then threatened with a warning letter. I've never heard of anyone actually getting the letter though.
This consignee delay is interesting, never heard of it.
 

New Englander

Well-Known Member
That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. If a sup told me to do that I would laugh in his face.

It's discussions about things like this that makes me glad I chose not to be a full time driver. The hypocrisy at UPS is pathetic. Have you ever seen a supervisor drive and deliver packages? Most of the time they don't even practice the methods they are suppose to teach.

I follow the methods 99% of the time but I have never even thought of backing all the way down a dead end street. If you can't back up safely at the end of long dead end street using whatever mean necessary with out hitting something then you shouldn't be driving a big truck. If there is one thing I take my time on more than anything it is backing.

Your not a full time driver YET you follow the methods perfectly correct 99% of the time? Perhaps you fail to understand how many methods there are.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
The “Emergency Conditions” exception would be used (here) for an icy/impassable/flooded etc street. All “Emergency Conditions” or “Consignee Delay” packages go to the ECS clerk when you return to building.

For exceptions, are any of you guys allowed to use “Other Other”? We’re not, Other Other will get you a warning letter in our division.


Other Other will earn you a warning letter here as well. We are instructed to use the exception that most closely fits the situation.
 

stevetheupsguy

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

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.

The first 2 replies to this thread, are against what Heff is suggesting. I wonder how this will play out.
 

NHDRVR

Well-Known Member
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.

This is near and dear to my heart. I do not, as a bendable rule, bring my 700 into any driveways. This is where the definition of 'd-way' has to be twisted a bit since NH has it's share of E/C conditions (which we are allowed to use) and mud season (which we are in). I have many deliveries which involve driveways that are longer than some of the cul-de-sacs at the beginning of my route. I will drive these since 2-way traffic won't be an issue. I have been on this run about 4 years now and I plan on retiring on it so I know every turn and branch/wire/basketball pole.
It is unrealistic in our area to walk every driveway, and besides, I am not lugging another bowflex on my 2-wheeler up a dirt driveway and risk getting hurt that way. I did when I was young and stupid and at some point it's actually safer for you to go to the house with your pkg. car depending on the pkg. ie; over 70's, dogs, and this is no joke, I have a stop that involves a home-schooled child who plays in his yard regardless of the weather and when he is not on his meds, he will attack (not kidding) anyone who goes up to the house. I was hit with his hockey stick and I will go into further detail on this if anyone wants to know what happened.
Sorry, I'm rambling.
A steward in our building uses the safety language that is constantly spewed as an 'out' for the drivers. When we have to make a D/R decision that a customer might not like, such as not going to the house for what ever reason, if it's a safety concern for the driver we are pretty much left alone. Well, the senior drivers are anyways. Who knows the runs better than we do?

UPS does want us to use driveways, they LOVE the rooks who fly,fly,fly, and, as we all know, it's never a problem until they have an accident and then it's why,why,why?
 

NHDRVR

Well-Known Member
Consignee Delay?? Never heard of it... Other/Other is considered missed in NNE. We can liberally use E/C in the winter but that's about it. Also, what's this 340-methods thing/ I got out of my 30 days with the 5 seeing habits and that's about it. I know my 5's, 8's, 10-point comm., and the like just to be left alone but the 340 is new to me.
thx
 

HEFFERNAN

Huge Member
Did I miss the memo where Heff became my supervisor?


How can anyone supervise the perfect driver ?

Your boss just sits down, watches your methods and takes notes. :happy-very:

My suggestion was that the union back up UPS's rule. UPSTATE said he doesn't listen to the Teamsters anyways so this thread had nothing to do with him anyways. If Hoffa sent every driver a letter saying "We 100% agree with UPS, at no time are you to EVER go up a driveway or access road, UPS can fire you and we will not protect you. It will be your fault."

UPS WOULD SCREW THEMSELVES

That was my original post's intention
 

HEFFERNAN

Huge Member
No, Upstate said that he doesn't work for the Teamsters. Big difference. Anyways.

You got me !! :happy2:
I typed it out quick and didn't put the right word in. Actually I'm better then that. :wink2:

There is nowhere in the contract that states we are forbidden to use driveways. When UPS is going to use discipline to keep you out of driveways. THEN, your friendly Teamster business agent will have to swoop in and save you.
SO IN FACT, The Teamsters are involved. You don't work for them, but you need them to be around when this tactic is in use.

SO, my original post and thread are legit in your work area and mine. Maybe not for ourselves but for our co-workers.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
There is nowhere in the contract that states we are forbidden to use driveways. When UPS is going to use discipline to keep you out of driveways. THEN, your friendly Teamster business agent will have to swoop in and save you.

Or, perhaps, I will just abide by their directive and stay out of driveways. Anyways.

SO IN FACT, The Teamsters are involved. You don't work for them, but you need them to be around when this tactic is in use.

I am a big boy and am able to not only follow direction but can take care of my own business. Anyways.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
My suggestion was that the union back up UPS's rule. UPSTATE said he doesn't listen to the Teamsters anyways so this thread had nothing to do with him anyways. If Hoffa sent every driver a letter saying "We 100% agree with UPS, at no time are you to EVER go up a driveway or access road, UPS can fire you and we will not protect you. It will be your fault."


A better and simpler solution...would be for the union to inform the company that, unless clear proof of negligence is shown, the union will NOT allow drivers to be terminated for minor incidents that do not involve the safety of the employee or the public and will instead send all such cases to arbitration.

The underlying problem here is that UPS is unable or unwilling to make a distinction between accidents that involve genuine unsafe behavior vs. the minor and incidental property damage that is the inevitable result of providing delivery service to remote addresses with long driveways.

There is no valid comparison between backing the vehicle up over a child vs. cracking a rear view mirror on a branch in the dark.

Unsafe behaviors that threaten the safety of the public should not be tolerated. We need to stay out of residential driveways and walk the stops off whenever possible. But in the real world that isnt always possible, so for drivers who must go into such driveways we need to focus on keeping the public and ourselves safe while not threatening to terminate them over a tire mark on a blade of grass.
 

some1else

Well-Known Member
How about if you have a 50" tv or irreg to deliver? Will you back into a short driveway? If the driveway is steep will you back up it or use the hand truck from the street ? .
i would get assistance from another bargaining unit employee to deliver the ireg per my contract. ive never seen it but ive heard that if you hurt yourself del. an ireg you might have issues with workers comp becuase you are not working as instructed (getting assistance).
 
Top