Flavor of the month

[Scoot]

Our flavor is backing! Every day we are hammered with talk of reducing backs. Reports showing who is backing when, how often and for how long. Today we all got an individual report detailing our every back from the day prior. We then received a stern lecture at pcm and were told every driver needed to eliminate 8 backs. Is this happening everywhere or is it just the flavor in our center?

I can understand the need for awareness and not taking unnecessary risks but give me a break. Our new center manager actually said these things: " You should never have to back more than 40 ft". and " There is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package". Statements like these just make sups lose all credibility in a drivers eyes.

 

[talkwith]

Ditto. Today we received one of many lectures about the dangers of backing because two of our drivers have had backing accidents this year. This is just another fad that will fade into something else in a month or two. The best way for the company to reduce accidents is too stop cutting routes and keeping drivers on the road 10-12 hours a day. This too shall pass.

 

[fxdwg]

Isn't the risk of problems higher when backing than forwarding?
Just asking??
I know that it has to happen and is necessary, but is the training to positively emphasize that backing is the worst alternative between the two?
I wonder if there is a way to state it better to everyone?

 

[tieguy]

I read all these different criticisms here and I wonder if they ever agree with anything mangement does.

 

[keyfingerYOUKNOWWHICHONE]

Our flavor of the month is over allowances. The center goal is to be a scratch center. Last year we averaged 1.5 hours per driver per day over allowed. We are currently averaging .40 over allowed per driver per day. The goal is scratch.

Does anyone out there work at a scratch center. It seems impossible to me.

Along with this new flavor is limited customer contact time. (This is a big area of focus for the three day 'lock in' rides). I think little or no customer contact time is bad for UPS. Alot of these shippers use UPS because of the relationship with the driver. If the driver isn't gonna stick around and chit chat for a bit, the shipper might decide to use someone else who will.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I read all these different criticisms here and I wonder if they ever agree with anything mangement does.

IF what the thread author says is true (each driver eliminate 8 backs)...and verbatim...you cannot possibly argue that is ludicrous! If you disagree, go ahead and make your point

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Our flavor is backing! Every day we are hammered with talk of reducing backs. Reports showing who is backing when, how often and for how long. Today we all got an individual report detailing our every back from the day prior. We then received a stern lecture at pcm and were told every driver needed to eliminate 8 backs. Is this happening everywhere or is it just the flavor in our center?

I can understand the need for awareness and not taking unnecessary risks but give me a break. Our new center manager actually said these things: " You should never have to back more than 40 ft". and " There is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package". Statements like these just make sups lose all credibility in a drivers eyes.

Your sup is correct in that there is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Ditto. Today we received one of many lectures about the dangers of backing because two of our drivers have had backing accidents this year. This is just another fad that will fade into something else in a month or two. The best way for the company to reduce accidents is too stop cutting routes and keeping drivers on the road 10-12 hours a day. This too shall pass.

Cutting routes and backing have nothing to do with one another.

 

[brownmonster]

Your sup is correct in that there is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package.

If I have a 75 pound box in an industrial park I'll just walk it off the street rather than the dock or the big overhead door. Not. I guarantee if I had a supe with me he would say "why don't you just back up to that door?". Supes push paper, let us do the job.

 

[NHDRVR]

Our 'flavor' is pickup compliance. They want the center at 80%...

 

[tracker2762]

Your sup is correct in that there is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package.

Sorry to disagree but there are many situations where backing is necessary for one package. For example a crest of a hill, a dangerous curve, a long drive with no turn around to name a few. There are many deliveries I make like these where, for safety I must back. So if they don't want me to back and park out of harms way I would have to accommodate. The downside to that is more walking and less deliveries. I'd be more than happy to cut my backing but in doing so I would also be doing less work.
I have a few drive way that is a half mile long with no turn around so I either back-in, back-out or park on the highway(no shoulder)for twenty minutes, what would you do?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

If I have a 75 pound box in an industrial park I'll just walk it off the street rather than the dock or the big overhead door. Not. I guarantee if I had a supe with me he would say "why don't you just back up to that door?". Supes push paper, let us do the job.

I will bet you that I could walk it off faster than you could back to the dock and deliver.

 

[over9five]

I think our flavor of the month is sales leads. There's some kind of contest going on.

I'll let ya know if I win....

 

[Scoot]

Your sup is correct in that there is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package.

So on my industrial route I have numerous businesses that I can not turn my truck around at due to small parking lots or their configuration. These businesses are on a 4 lane high traffic street. Regardless of size or weight, how would you suggest I deliver my one package to these customers? Keep my truck parked in the street blocking a lane?

 

[1989]

So on my industrial route I have numerous businesses that I can not turn my truck around at due to small parking lots or their configuration. These businesses are on a 4 lane high traffic street. Regardless of size or weight, how would you suggest I deliver my one package to these customers? Keep my truck parked in the street blocking a lane?

Excellent idea, maybe put on your flashers or even pull up on the sidewalk. You will probably never get t-boned that way. If you get t-boned backing in, it will be avoidable and you may get a few days off.

 

[satellitedriver]

I will bet you that I could walk it off faster than you could back to the dock and deliver.

Maybe you could, but is it the safest thing to do?
Physical safety, of the employee, should always out way the statistical probability of a backing accident.
IMHO
I will up the bet.
Make "the package" a 150lb Cameron valve.
No way to fit it on a dolly and get it to the steps that go up to the receiving dock.
Is it wise to lift and carry this package up the steps?
Or, is it wise to back 100ft to a loading dock and roll it out?

Lift with legs, pivot don't twist and all the other "safety tips" sometimes do not apply.
Doing this job/career "faster" does not mean you are doing it "safely".

 

[Scoot]

Excellent idea, maybe put on your flashers or even pull up on the sidewalk. You will probably never get t-boned that way. If you get t-boned backing in, it will be avoidable and you may get a few days off.

I was being sarcastic but I guess that's kind of hard to tell now that I reread it. I notice Upstate hasn't enlightened me with a response yet. He must be a sup......

 

[tieguy]

IF what the thread author says is true (each driver eliminate 8 backs)...and verbatim...you cannot possibly argue that is ludicrous! If you disagree, go ahead and make your point

I really try to remove myself from the standard management rhetoric you guys are used to. In this case i agree the way we sell it sounds a little overdone but the message is right. we back way more then we need to and have too many accidents as a result. Its amazing how creative our people can get. If we tell them to find ways to not have to back up then they do and they do eliminate a lot of accidents in the process. Is there really something wrong with that?

 

[Scoot]

I really try to remove myself from the standard management rhetoric you guys are used to. In this case i agree the way we sell it sounds a little overdone but the message is right. we back way more then we need to and have too many accidents as a result. Its amazing how creative our people can get. If we tell them to find ways to not have to back up then they do and they do eliminate a lot of accidents in the process. Is there really something wrong with that?

Absolutely not. The message isn't the problem it's the presentation. We are often spoken to in absolutes and there just are not any absolutes out there on the road. Every day is different and brings different situations and circumstances. I had at least 10 more backs today vs yesterday and fully expect to have a conversation with my center manager on Monday because of it. I did everything the way I did the day before but the circumstances were just different. Yet they don't seem to understand that and really don't seem to care for any explanations.

 

[browniehound]

Your sup is correct in that there is never any reason to back for a delivery of one package.

How about a dead end street that is 1 mile long and the package is for the last house on the street? The only way out is to back into the driveway of the house recieving the 1 Land's End package. You asked for a reason and that is one reason. I also have a commercial stop I must back for even for one package. The only place this company accepts deliveries is around the back at the dock. Problem is, once you drive back there you must back the vehicle to turn around. I suppose you could walk it off from the street, but what if this one parcel weighed 110lbs?