Going through gates, do you or don't you?

[65Goat]

I deliver to a rural area and more often than ever people are putting up gates on their property. Some of these gates are just cattle type gates with a chain to keep the gate shut. There are also key pad gates that if you know the code are fine, but if you don't, what to do? I personally try to deliver to the house even if I have to get out, open the gate and close the gate as I leave. There was recently an incedent where a customer called in a complaint on a replacement driver for bagging their package and placing it inside the gate. The gate had a lock on it that made it appear to be locked but it wasn't. We have drivers that will not go through gate regardless of locks or no locks. I was therefore wanting input on whether or not you go through gates or not?

 

[Brownslave688]

Dr bag on the other side of the gate. I'm not going to be held responsible for any damage they somehow gets done to the gate or any livestock that could get out.

 

[over9five]

Dr bag on the other side of the gate. I'm not going to be held responsible for any damage they somehow gets done to the gate or any livestock that could get out.

That's what I was thinking. What is that gate keeping in???

 

[dilligaf]

I have a rural route as well. Every gate I have is different. Some I will open, some I will not. It all depends on the situation, and a lot of that is based on the individual customer. Some I deliver at the gate, some I deliver to the house. Some I have no choice but to deliver to the house because there is no other way to turn around. Basically what it boils down to is you have to learn your customers and what their preferences are. If it is YOUR route then taking the time to do this will make for really happy customers. If you have drivers that like to screw with this then get to learn CPAD. I use CPAD generously. If drivers don't comply with notes and I get customers bitching, you can damn well bet the bitching will roll down hill.

 

[Brownslave688]

I actually had a pretty heated exchange with an OMS over the DIAD about this one day. I refused to go thru the gate and it was a customer that often got wine. She was attaching a driver sups name to the end of the messages that I have a very good relationship with. I said some things I wouldn't say to anyone else I work with.

I finally called him and said WTF is your problem today. He had no idea what I was talking about. The OMS got a good little chewing and the customer came to the center to get their package. Nice day for me.

 

[soberups]

I have the codes to over 100 security gates on my route stored in my iphone. I have acquired them over 18 years of delivering to the same rural area. If I dont have the code, or its a padlocked gate, I leave the package in a DR bag behind the gate. My rule of thumb is that I will not open any gate that is used to contain livestock, I made that mistake once many years ago and a horse wound up getting out and running in the road. If the owner gives me the code to a security gate they are giving me permission to open the gate and enter the property, and those kind of gates close automatically behind me. No code means DR bag and the gate stays shut.

 

[soberups]

That's what I was thinking. What is that gate keeping in???

Generally speaking, people dont use coded electric security gates to contain livestock. Livestock gates are opened and closed manually. The few electric gates I have seen for livestock also have cattle guards buried in the road.

 

[soberups]

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the customer to communicate delivery arrangements with the company if they choose to have packages shipped to a gated address. If they want to give us the code, fine. If they want us to leave the package in a bag behind the gate that is fine too. If they are ordering wine or guns or other sig required packages, then they need to either make sure we have access to the property or plan on coming to the building to pick it up.

 

[barnyard]

I cover rural routes in my center. I do not open gates. DR bag and put it inside the gate. Most of the gated driveways have been that way for a while and already have something there to put packages in. Either a big rubbermaid type tub chained to a fencepost or my personal fave, the outhouse-type building for waiting for a schoolbus. Actually, if there is a schoolbus shack at the end of a driveway, gate or not, that is where I DR things. I can think of a couple of rural stops where the kids drive a ratty car or truck to the end of the driveway, wait for the bus and drive it back to the house when they get home. I DR into those cars/trucks too.

If I can avoid a long driveway, I do it.

 

[scratch]

I deal with a lot of gates all day on a mostly residential route. A lot of them are mansion-type homes, I do not DR at a gate. I leave an Infonotice on the call boxes on the few houses that haven't given me a gate code. If they want to keep people out, then they can drive ten miles to my Center and pick their stuff up. I have had thieves follow me and steal packages before, I do not leave packages next to the street to make it convenient for them. Most of my consignees are happy to give up their gate codes so that I deliver to their front doors. I have a long list of gate codes taped to the roof over my windshield for my cover drivers, I updated it yesterday with new codes since I'm off next week.

 

[dilligaf]

There are so many different scenarios on gates. Every route and every customer is different. Every gate is different. There are no clear cut yes's or no's as far as delivering at gates. The best you can do is learn through trial and error.

 

[barnyard]

Scratch and dgaf are both doing it well. If there is a gate in my center that has a code and the owners want stuff at the house, the program is entered in as a note. There is 1 such gate on a route I cover. The rest have their own drop boxes or school bus outhouse.

 

[dilligaf]

Scratch and dgaf are both doing it well. If there is a gate in my center that has a code and the owners want stuff at the house, the program is entered in as a note. There is 1 such gate on a route I cover. The rest have their own drop boxes or school bus outhouse.

​LOL My rte runs the gambit of types of drops and locations. Seen it all.

 

[soberups]

I keep all the gate codes for my route stored on my iphone. Whenever a code changes or a new gate is installed, I message the center with the code so they can put it in a CPAD note. I also send the codes to my on car sup via text message, as well as to the relief drivers who run my route when I am gone.

 

[Shifting Contents]

i cover rural routes sometimes. I don't know why you're gate is shut. What are you keeping in or out? I bag and leave it if it is small. If there is a CPAD alert with a gate code then ill use it because you have given it to us for a reason.

 

[soberups]

I found it amusing when UPS implemented the new security program that requires us to enter the last 4 digits of our employee ID as PIN number in order to read the gate codes in the CPAD note. Basically I was expected to enter the number in order to access information (gate codes) that I had provided to the company in the first place. I have been the "custodian" of those codes for the last 18 years, prior to owning an iphone I kept them on file in my computer and printed out on a piece of paper taped to the bulkhead in the pkg car. I took responsibility for doing all of this long before the company had ever heard of a CPAD note.

 

[65Goat]

Dr bag on the other side of the gate. I'm not going to be held responsible for any damage they somehow gets done to the gate or any livestock that could get out.

When you DR on the other side of the gate, what do you enter as the location? We had another driver put "gate" and they tried to hold him responsible for a lost package. I just wish the company would actually give clear guidelines on this issue. They want to have their cake and eat it too. They want the package delivered at all cost, but when one turns up missing they want to hang you from the highest tree for it.

 

[Brownslave688]

Front door. Lol tech it is the front door. In the comments I usually then enter gate.

 

[dilligaf]

​I always use gate if it is a gate. Be it a walk through or drive through gate.

 

[BCFan]

Hey Scratch I am off this week too lets watch some basketball ...BC