Helper fun has started

[tourists24]

I have never obeyed the "instructions" regarding how long I am "allowed" to use the helper.

Nor have I ever been in trouble, or even questioned, over my refusal to do so.

The little slips of paper they are handing out in the AM are meaningless gibberish. They dont apply in the real world of peak season on a UPS truck. They are merely wishful thinking. The on-car sup who hands them out has about 5000 problems to deal with, and he isnt going to have the time to question you the next day over your helper use. At least that has been my experience over the last 25 years. Perhaps other centers enforce their instructions more vigorously, I dont know. All I do know...is that I have an obligation to do my job in a manner that best represents the interests of the company, as efficiently as possible, and I know better than any cubicle drone how to use my helper in the most effective manner possible during the chaos of peak.

It IS being enforced here at my center; kinda part of the reason I started the thread. Progressive discipline has been issued to those that have not complied.... This is going on my 24th year and this peak is very much a joke anymore....

 

[tourists24]

That.... is an "old school" sense of pride. Good job.



-Bug-

I admire that pride. Ive been around long enough to know it. I just dont fight the stupidity anymore

 

[soberups]

It IS being enforced here at my center; kinda part of the reason I started the thread. Progressive discipline has been issued to those that have not complied.... This is going on my 24th year and this peak is very much a joke anymore....

Progressive discipline for failing to use a helper as directed? Wow. Even by UPS management standards that is incredibly stupid. Sounds like you have some sups with too much free time on their hands who are just trying to meet a weekly warning letter quota. I'm glad we arent having to put up with that crap here, our current management is actually pretty reasonable. Hopefully your "management team" will soon find some other silly number to chase and they will quit trying to micromanage your helper use.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

It has been my experience that whether you get grief or not over using helpers beyond the approved hours depends upon whether you scratch or not.

 

[soberups]

It has been my experience that whether you get grief or not over using helpers beyond the approved hours depends upon whether you scratch or not.

"Scratch" is often impossible even under optimum conditions; adding a helper to the equation will simply magnify the idiocy of the allowance and turn an hour overallowed into 2, 3 or even 4 hours over, especially when misloads, snow, darkness and blown-out cars with 300+ stops stuffed into them are factored in.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

"Scratch" is often impossible even under optimum conditions; adding a helper to the equation will simply magnify the idiocy of the allowance and turn an hour overallowed into 2, 3 or even 4 hours over, especially when misloads, snow, darkness and blown-out cars with 300+ stops stuffed into them are factored in.

...yet there are those who are able to "scratch" on a daily basis...

My point was they tend to look the other way when scratch drivers use their helpers longer than they are "supposed" to.

 

[Southwestern]

0

It has been my experience that whether you get grief or not over using helpers beyond the approved hours depends upon whether you scratch or not.

It probably varies from center-to-center, region-to-region. In my center, they have a budgeted number of helper hours (based upon volume:time studies, I presume). If we use our helper beyond our allotted time, we need to seek permission and include that information (who we spoke with, what time, additional time given) on the sheet. On the last two Fridays of peak season last year, we were told the center had a surplus of helper hours and we were green lighted to keep our helpers as long as we desired (provided they were still productive) so that we could be home ASAP.

 

[packageguy]

Well our center has a new way of dispatching the helpers this year...... in previous years we have had a person come to our center to specifically handle everything (hours, phone calls, meet points, etc...).

Not this year... we have designated an on car sup to use the computer to calculate who gets a helper and exactly how long they get them. No questions asked.... Today was my first day.... I was told "you get a helper for 2 hours, no more. Need a meet point for 11am". I told them it was a waste of time but didnt matter. So I broke off to both pick up and take him back to meet point..... Clock out time 9:30pm.....

Should be an interesting holiday season

Yes, this is going to be a fun peak, We have helpers going loop to loop, Starts at 11:00 staying with driver for only 2 hours.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Yes, this is going to be a fun peak, We have helpers going loop to loop, Starts at 11:00 staying with driver for only 2 hours.

Why even bother? Glad I am a swing driver and wont have to mess with it. The way they handle the whole deal seems ridiculous to me. The other day on our way in they were handing out sheets with 50?! things drivers should make there helpers aware of. Going through the list it was all things that they should have been trained on.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

The first drivers that get helpers are under the magnifying glass every year.

By the 2nd week of December when there are 50 helpers on road, you can keep a helper as long as you need without repercussions.

Was told for the first time this year, that drivers with helpers had to be under 9.5 !
We all know how long that will last !!

 

[brownmonster]

I keep the helper as long as they tell me to. Their plan, their fail.

 

[undies]

I'm just hoping I don't get have to be a "helper" this year. As a utility driver I find it rather demeaning to have to go on-road with another driver as their bitch. We have helpers already and they have been cutting routes like mad, makes me crazy.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I'm just hoping I don't get have to be a "helper" this year. As a utility driver I find it rather demeaning to have to go on-road with another driver as their bitch. We have helpers already and they have been cutting routes like mad, makes me crazy.

Does your paycheck come with an * indicating that you were a helper?

 

[cosmo1]

Does your paycheck come with an * indicating that you were a helper?

Actually, I think the pay rate on his check indicates that he is a helper.

OTH, the few times I've had a cover driver sent out as my helper have been some of the smoothest peak days ever.

 

[djkre8r]

I'm just hoping I don't get have to be a "helper" this year. As a utility driver I find it rather demeaning to have to go on-road with another driver as their bitch. We have helpers already and they have been cutting routes like mad, makes me crazy.

TOTALLY AGREE!!! Don't ask me to be a helper when I am a qualified cover driver! I find it offensive.

 

[OptimusPrime]

I'm just hoping I don't get have to be a "helper" this year. As a utility driver I find it rather demeaning to have to go on-road with another driver as their bitch. We have helpers already and they have been cutting routes like mad, makes me crazy.

Are the drivers in your center dicks or something? Being a swing driver, would love to go out as a helper with another driver. Would be good conversation and dumb jokes all day. Not to mention having two competent drivers out on route? Would smash some volume, and probably have a relaxing lunch to boot.

 

[The Blackadder]

I was told last year to use my helper for 2 hours from 11 to 1. At this time I am doing business stops, so i give my helper a stop and I take a stop. We did about 55 stops in 2 hours not bad... BUt wait I only had 28 stops in my helper board. Next day I was told he needed to have 40 no questions asked, ok I get him for 2 hour again and do 40 stops all in his board. Now we did 15 stops less, and my sup was happy the next day. This company at that point had jumped the shark for me, lol.

 

[wayfair]

Are the drivers in your center dicks or something? Being a swing driver, would love to go out as a helper with another driver. Would be good conversation and dumb jokes all day. Not to mention having two competent drivers out on route? Would smash some volume, and probably have a relaxing lunch to boot.

agreed!!! the times I've had working with other drivers as helpers were the easiest!

 

[Yisraeli]

Could any of you write a clear and detailed set of instructions for how to operate the small and large DIAD boards and send them my way? I'll distribute it around to other helpers. I've been paired with a driver who is entirely uninterested in teaching it-- not even letting me write my own instructions to memorize-- apparently learning something thoroughly up front takes away from this driver's precious time. I don't buy that because I was in the Army for four years and became quick and proficient through detailed instruction, including on handheld computers like the DIAD. It doesn't take long to teach someone if you let them write out instructions to memorize, but this driver makes it difficult on both of us.

 

[iruhnman630]

I'm just hoping I don't get have to be a "helper" this year. As a utility driver I find it rather demeaning to have to go on-road with another driver as their bitch. We have helpers already and they have been cutting routes like mad, makes me crazy.

I don't mind being a helper a few days each peak. Same pay, half the work.

'You do the thinking and the driving, I'll just carry packages.'