Ethical Issue About Backing Goals

[Brohn Bron]

3.5 year driver here. Apologies in advance if this has been talked about in other threads and I failed to find them.

Backing goals in my center are stiff. In my short career, I’ve backed many times. I am constantly on their list for too many backs (top 10 always). Veteran drivers tell me to do the backing trick where you pop the sucker into neutral and it doesn’t record a back. I refuse to do this as I feel it gives a driver less control ie sacrifice control of a vehicle to satisfy metrics is unethical. I am very confident that our backing goals have been based off of drivers throwing their cars into neutral before a back is recorded thus recording zero backs.

I know that backing is a fairly vulnerable moment for a ups driver and the majority of on road accidents happen as a result of backing. But I choose not to engage in this practice. Has anyone else had this experience/concern? I’ve got more to talk about on this topic as the plot gets much thicker in my experiences I’ve had. Please share what you think and thanks!

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Putting it in neutral still shows up on the report. They know you are doing it.

 

[Brohn Bron]

Yes I am aware of that. But as I understand it, it shows up as distance moved backward. Not not an actual Backing Event.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Putting it in neutral still shows up on the report. They know you are doing it.

Nope.

To the OP—-my backing goal is 15. Having a goal does make me evaluate whether a back is necessary or not but does not stop me from backing if I need to.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

I've done the neutral thing and knew, if god forbid I hit something, I lost my job.

There are 2 things you can do if you get disciplined on backing.
1) Explain each backing incident ad nauseum to the center manager.
2) Walk every damn package up every damn driveway and come in late every damn time for a damn good paycheck.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I've done the neutral thing and knew, if god forbid I hit something, I lost my job.

There are 2 things you can do if you get disciplined on backing.
1) Explain each backing incident ad nauseum to the center manager.
2) Walk every damn package up every damn driveway and come in late every damn time for a damn good paycheck.

A lot of my backs come from trying to park hard to hit. You can't win.

 

[jaker]

You really got two choices either back when you need to and tell them to pound sand or start walking everything off

I will say this no one has ever been fired for backing or how many backs

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We have a runner/gunner who brags about the neutral option. It is only a matter of time before it comes back to bite him.

 

[jaker]

I've done the neutral thing and knew, if god forbid I hit something, I lost my job.

There are 2 things you can do if you get disciplined on backing.
1) Explain each backing incident ad nauseum to the center manager.
2) Walk every damn package up every damn driveway and come in late every damn time for a damn good paycheck.

You said the same thing while I was typing

 

[Indecisi0n]

Stop backing. I had the backing talk once until I started walking off dock stops. It didn't do so well for their times.

 

[Brohn Bron]

There are 2 things you can do if you get disciplined on backing.
1) Explain each backing incident ad nauseum to the center manager.
2) Walk every damn package up every damn driveway and come in late every damn time for a damn good paycheck.[/QUOTE]

Option 3: I basically ignore my sup and keep loading the truck until he brings in my shop stu and I’m forced to neutral back.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Stop backing. I had the backing talk once until I started walking off dock stops. It didn't do so well for their times.

UMMMM.... if you hit COMM after the signature, it does not count against your residential backing.

 

[Indecisi0n]

UMMMM.... if you hit COMM after the signature, it does not count against your residential backing.

So your saying it's safe to back for commercial but not residential?

 

[soberups]

To the OP--your backing "goal" is an irrelevant, random number that was pulled out of the ass of someone who never did your job or ran your route.
Yes we should strive to back as little as necessary. Yes we should back safely. Backing reduction is a worthy goal. But you are absolutely correct that coasting in reverse in order to keep from showing up on a report is dishonest.
You are a professional who works in the real world. You are the the one best suited to judge if and when and how far it is necessary to back.
When confronted by management about your failure to generate an arbitrary and meaningless backing metric, your best bet is to respond the same way they do when you bring issues such as poor load quality and overdispatching to their attention. Just nod politely, and tell them you will "look into it."

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

So your saying it's safe to back for commercial but not residential?

Safer? For the most part, yes, it is safer to back on to a dock than in to someone’s driveway.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Sober—-backing goals are based on historical data less 10%.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

So your saying it's safe to back for commercial but not residential?

Docks - Safe

Residential driveways - Basketball hoops, pets, cars, garages, walls, mailboxes, etc


Don't worry, I backed into every driveway I could, but don't try to get smart with me young man

 

[Indecisi0n]

Docks - Safe

Residential driveways - Basketball hoops, pets, cars, garages, walls, mailboxes, etc


Don't worry, I backed into every driveway I could, but don't try to get smart with me young man

This is how I play with management. If it's about safety and not a number then I'll continue to walk off docks. I want to be as safe as possible since we all know the most important stop of the day is when I see my family.

 

[soberups]

FWIW I average about 80 backs and 10 back-first exceptions a day. It is due to the nature of the route I have, rural residential with long driveways and tight turnarounds. It is what it is. Management does not bother speaking to me about it any more.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

FWIW I average about 80 backs and 10 back-first exceptions a day. It is due to the nature of the route I have, rural residential with long driveways and tight turnarounds. It is what it is. Management does not bother speaking to me about it any more.

Out mgt team would have a collective conniption if one of our drivers posted those numbers.

Putting the car in to reverse does not count as a back if you only travel a very short distance before going forward, such as when you try to do a 360 but don’t quite have enough room to do it in one shot.