Going Blind As A New Driver

[Red Devil]

I just made my 30 as a TCD from inside the building. Supposedly I am going to be a 22.4 when the free period ends, but that is a thread for the union issues board I think.

My question is, how would veterans recommend a new guy attack a completely unknown area? I have been trained on gps and Orion, but also encouraged by supervisors to outsmart the computer whenever necessary. There is one split that I actually know where I made my 30, and I can do that with no gps no problem. But they obviously aren’t going to leave me there forever and have already started sending me to cover different routes.

I had an old time driver help me the other day and was surprised at how little I had gotten done with 30 Saturday airs in 3 towns, a broken cradle, and a 10:30 time leaving the building in a part of the county I had barely ever been to before in my life. He said just ignore Orion and deliver what’s close together. He was nice enough but didn’t really understand why I needed the gps. But not knowing the area, having no gps makes a hell of a lot of difference. Is there a secret “old way” that I don’t know about or is every route just going to completely friend me at first?

 

[Jones]

I use to just line everything up in alphabetical order and then drive around looking for street names.

 

[SaladTosser]

I like to deliver all the big crap early and then the rest of the day is an easy stroll through the truck

 

[tramtwo]

Just got to do it... there is no substitute for the area knowledge. Run straight air then do any bulk stops next. Do your best to not get hurried or feel the pressure. It helps me to remember that the work is not mine it belongs to UPS and I'm part of a team.

About 3pm if you have stops left that you're unsure whether or not they're businesses, call supervision and ask.

 

[quad decade guy]

Area knowledge is something you will learn. You are not born with it. And depending who you ask(not mgt or Upstate), you can gain insight, tips and tricks. A couple months on the same area and you'll be fine. Time is what it takes.

 

[Brown Wing]

Print maps of about a square mile, to where you can see every street name except maybe the smallest courts. The corresponding dots for that day tell you which is the highest or lowest house number for that street. This will let you see what the board is trying to do, get the big picture and not just go stop by stop.

 

[rod]

I used to just sit in the wheel well of my old P-400 and cry.

 

[burrheadd]

s there a secret “old way” that I don’t know about or is every route just going to completely friend me at first?

absolutely
It’s a large piece of paper with some weird folds in it

Back in the day we called it a map

 

[Est.1998]

I just made my 30 as a TCD from inside the building. Supposedly I am going to be a 22.4 when the free period ends, but that is a thread for the union issues board I think.

My question is, how would veterans recommend a new guy attack a completely unknown area? I have been trained on gps and Orion, but also encouraged by supervisors to outsmart the computer whenever necessary. There is one split that I actually know where I made my 30, and I can do that with no gps no problem. But they obviously aren’t going to leave me there forever and have already started sending me to cover different routes.

I had an old time driver help me the other day and was surprised at how little I had gotten done with 30 Saturday airs in 3 towns, a broken cradle, and a 10:30 time leaving the building in a part of the county I had barely ever been to before in my life. He said just ignore Orion and deliver what’s close together. He was nice enough but didn’t really understand why I needed the gps. But not knowing the area, having no gps makes a hell of a lot of difference. Is there a secret “old way” that I don’t know about or is every route just going to completely friend me at first?

Every route will be tough, at first.
This isn't any different than anything else in your life from learning to walk to riding a bicycle.
Area knowledge comes with exposure to that area.
You'll learn this without trying.
The things you should focus on is:
• delivering NDA on time
• delivering businesses before 5pm
• getting any bulk out of your way
• not missing any pickups
• take a lunch
When that time of the day comes when they send that message asking about return to building time, put 22:00.
If they want you in before then, you'll receive help, if not, you'll have a lot of time in the field to learn the area you'll be delivering in for the next day.

 

[rod]

Every driver goes through the "learning a new route" time. It's not fun and can make you reconsider a career at UPS. But if you hang in there each day will get a little less flusterating ---(the route that is--not UPS in general---UPS will always be a cluster friend ). After awhile you can do you route sleep walking.

 

[MassWineGuy]

Lots I don’t know about the UPS ways. But get all your regular customers down first. I use gps a lot at FedEx, but also have a big map book of my area. Maps definitely teach you more about how streets connect and provide an overall context. There are times when gps gets it wrong. I remember many UPS drivers I rode with cursing their loaders. So definitely be sure your stops are lined up in the best numerical order possible.

 

[barnyard]

Back in the day we called it a map

I still have a pile of them in my locker.

 

[burrheadd]

I still have a pile of them in my locker.

they work great and don’t require any batteries

 

[MyTripisCut]

they work great and don’t require any batteries

Unfortunately they require glasses for most of us that used them.

 

[ouanling]

buy circuit

best app. Either follow their route or just use it to keep track and have a map of where your deliveries are.

 

[SandSpida]

Don’t stop delivering, if you miss a turn and you plan on turning around at The next street, see what you can get off on that street so it’s not a wasted trip.

If your supervisor screams at you and tells you how horrible your doing, just shrug your shoulders and insult his mother. We all do it.

 

[oldupsman]

I used to just sit in the wheel well of my old P-400 and cry.

For those of you who don't know what a P-400 is, see avatar to the left.

 

[JJinVA]

I used to never use the MapNav softkey because of how long it takes to load and then reload EDD, but in the events where I end up in a truck with no nav, right after I stop complete, I hit MapNav, and as Im walking back to the truck Im looking, ok, left, left, right. Escape. EDD. And Im on the way again. It also helps because instead of constantly looking back at the DIAD, Im looking for markers on the street, "Mapletree Ln has a fire hydrant on the corner" kind of thing *shrug*

If the distance is greater than 3 minutes I might gps it with my phone to make sure I hit all the correct turns

 

[Brownslave688]

I just made my 30 as a TCD from inside the building. Supposedly I am going to be a 22.4 when the free period ends, but that is a thread for the union issues board I think.

My question is, how would veterans recommend a new guy attack a completely unknown area? I have been trained on gps and Orion, but also encouraged by supervisors to outsmart the computer whenever necessary. There is one split that I actually know where I made my 30, and I can do that with no gps no problem. But they obviously aren’t going to leave me there forever and have already started sending me to cover different routes.

I had an old time driver help me the other day and was surprised at how little I had gotten done with 30 Saturday airs in 3 towns, a broken cradle, and a 10:30 time leaving the building in a part of the county I had barely ever been to before in my life. He said just ignore Orion and deliver what’s close together. He was nice enough but didn’t really understand why I needed the gps. But not knowing the area, having no gps makes a hell of a lot of difference. Is there a secret “old way” that I don’t know about or is every route just going to completely friend me at first?

Follow Orion and GPS exactly. That’s what they want.

 

[Brownslave688]

absolutely
It’s a large piece of paper with some weird folds in it

Back in the day we called it a map

Roll the maps. Don’t fold the maps.