Extended routes bid to USPS?

[UPSWife1]

Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a little guidance and hopefully someone else has some ideas. My hubby is a fairly senior driver in a small center, with an extended route, one of two in the center. Usually he runs about 300 miles per day. He has gotten a lot of grief over the route, (so has the other extended driver) but with supervisors following, riding along and the tracking available, they know he isn't running unneccessary miles.
The manager now says he is trying to 'bid' the miles to the Postal Service. None of this has happened yet, but this man has changed a great deal already, none of it for the good of the drivers. None of them want to be the next one with a BIG bullseye on them or without a job. Nope, so far, the steward is no help at all. Help.

 

[Hangingon]

Sorry, a bit unfamiliar with extended routes. What does 'bidding' it to USPS mean? They would take all the stops on the route, drop them off at the Post Office, and have USPS deliver the stops, like BASIC?

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Some of our extended routes deliver "Basic" packages to rural USPS stations and the local mail carrier will deliver them the rest of the way. To me its almost like subcontracting but if that's where the customer wants their package delivered than so be it. The problem is that some of those rural stations close super early and we can't make it there on time. When this happens some of the drivers will go ahead and deliver to the actual address (they are usually on the package as well) so the customers don't have to wait another day (or two, three) to get their stuff.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Some of our extended routes deliver "Basic" packages to rural USPS stations and the local mail carrier will deliver them the rest of the way. To me its almost like subcontracting but if that's where the customer wants their package delivered than so be it. The problem is that some of those rural stations close super early and we can't make it there on time. When this happens some of the drivers will go ahead and deliver to the actual address (they are usually on the package as well) so the customers don't have to wait another day (or two, three) to get their stuff.

Several questions come to mind. Are you on PAS? If so, when the driver scans the pkg, it is going to show as being addressed to the PO. Are they deleting this address and manually entering the consignee address? Are they going to the PO and, upon finding it closed, going back to the consignee address or are they staying on trace? I can fully understand (and support) the service that they are trying to provide but Basic pkgs are already reduced revenue so the added expense of driving to each address further reduces the profit on that pkg.

I am unclear as what the OP means by bidding the miles to the USPS.

 

[UPSWife1]

Good morning all!
Sorry about the 'unoffical' terminology. I'm sure that's not helping you understand. All the center was told so far, is that the center is losing money (?) and the manager is trying work out a deal to pay the postal service to deliver their miles. This will effect three drivers, two of which will lose half or more of their routes. Can the manager really give UPS work to the USPS? If so, how do they redesign routes that are being changed so much?
We're just trying to be forewarned and prepare for the worst. Thank you for all the insight.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

That would be subcontracting and the center manager does not have the authority to enter in to any such agreement.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

basic are USPS packages though. Different rules MAY apply, although I do not remember the specifics. I'm sure we have some authorities on the topic though.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

basic are USPS packages though. Different rules MAY apply, although I do not remember the specifics. I'm sure we have some authorities on the topic though.

Basic can be both UPS and USPS pkgs or just UPS pkgs, depending upon the zip code. For example, in 12901 we deliver basic pkgs. In 12920, we deliver basic pkgs to the PO and they deliver them to the consignee the next delivery day. Often times we will drive by the consignee address to deliver their pkg to the PO so that they can get it the next day.

 

[over9five]

I think the center manager is using scare tactics. He has no authority to do this himself, and I'm sure whoever he reports to does not have the authority either.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Basic can be both UPS and USPS pkgs or just UPS pkgs, depending upon the zip code. For example, in 12901 we deliver basic pkgs. In 12920, we deliver basic pkgs to the PO and they deliver them to the consignee the next delivery day. Often times we will drive by the consignee address to deliver their pkg to the PO so that they can get it the next day.

Yeah I understand that. Just trying to wrap my mind around the center manager and his power trip and figure out how in Gods green earth USPS could take that work. Like over95 said, it is probably scare tactics. Get more productivity out of the drivers by lying to them. Infact Upstate, I think you were talking about this last week in another thread ( showing p/u data and posting it in a public area, the center manager thinking this scare tactic would get better prodctivity)

 

[Hangingon]

Doesn't really pertain to the thread but out center manager told us in a PCM last week that our center was doing so badly there was a good chance UPS would close it and lay us all off. I understand scare tactics, but at least make it believable. The one we had just had us chuckling.

 

[govols019]

They must have got that in a corporate PCM because our center manager said the exact same thing. LOL

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Maybe the OP can make a call to a higher union person. The steward at your center probably is a little green behind the ears or just in their pockets.

Nowhere ever can a UPS center give UPS packages to the post office for delivery. First off, they would not take them. Secondly, that is a HUGE union issue. Send an email ASAP to the UNION central office.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Several questions come to mind. Are you on PAS? If so, when the driver scans the pkg, it is going to show as being addressed to the PO. Are they deleting this address and manually entering the consignee address? Are they going to the PO and, upon finding it closed, going back to the consignee address or are they staying on trace? I can fully understand (and support) the service that they are trying to provide but Basic pkgs are already reduced revenue so the added expense of driving to each address further reduces the profit on that pkg.

I am unclear as what the OP means by bidding the miles to the USPS.

Yes, we have PAS/EDD. I don't know about the other drivers but when I delivered the packages to the addresses (due to the USPS station being closed) it was only to areas I hadn't delivered in yet. I did "left at resi" when the customers weren't home (which is what I prefer because they have to sign for it) and manually re-entered the address when they weren't home. I think this is what the bid drivers are doing as well but can't be 100% sure about that. On some routes we can give those packages to the driver on the next route over because their is a USPS station there that will except the packages and then will relay them back to the station that closes early. This was actually recommended by one of our sups. It's been working well for us for years. I prefer to either break off to make it to the station or deliver them myself. Relaying them through another station adds another day to the process.

 

[bigblu 2 you]

nowhere can a center manager make or enter an agreement to move packages any other way but hourly/union laborers under national labor without the local and national approving.contact your local b.a and pres.asap

 

[UPSWife1]

Thank you everyone for the input, this is exactly what I'm looking for! I didn't believe he had the authority to do what he's threatening, plus with other things he's changed, make me believe it is indeed a big scare tactic. One week he says everyone has to pull 10.5 minmum days, whe nthey complain he says 'this is what you signed on for.' Next week, he says everyone has to be within 8.15 and 9. WTH? Now, they have to put individual days off requests in writing for approval. Power trip? I'm thinking this center manager is aiming for a higher position.

 

[Catatonic]

Thank you everyone for the input, this is exactly what I'm looking for! I didn't believe he had the authority to do what he's threatening, plus with other things he's changed, make me believe it is indeed a big scare tactic. One week he says everyone has to pull 10.5 minmum days, whe nthey complain he says 'this is what you signed on for.' Next week, he says everyone has to be within 8.15 and 9. WTH? Now, they have to put individual days off requests in writing for approval. Power trip? I'm thinking this center manager is aiming for a higher position.

Sounds like the center manager is a bit spazzed out and unorganized ... in addition to whatever else.

Nothing worse than an unorganized control freak.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Sounds like the center manager is a bit spazzed out and unorganized ... in addition to whatever else.

Nothing worse than an unorganized control freak.

Nothing worse than most UPS management. Well said.

 

[Catatonic]

Nothing worse than most UPS management. Well said.

I like the most part.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I like the most part.

See, I'm getting better thanks to you