Just Had my first Time Study (oh my god)

bugman74

Well-Known Member
I had been covering for a driver out on disability for two months and then I was sent back to a new mall that had opened this summer. I had been the only driver doing the mall since it opened and they had yet to do a time study. It was the worst day ever, I have a 1200 blown out and then I am sent two other trucks with 150 pieces plus all of the pick ups. I do not want to sound like a complainer, but this was torture, having to take my lunch and just stare at the boxes. I am wondering if other drivers have had similar days when they have time study?
 

stealth8

Well-Known Member
Bugman,
Just do everything by the book. Take your FULL LUNCH between the 4-6 hrs, call them for assistance with over 70's,work at a steady pace, and once they realize that the mess they are sending you out with cannot physically be done, they will have to make changes. Take it from a 26yr driver, the only thing they care about is their production numbers, so that is the only way to let them know what is going on. Good Luck and hang in there.
 

brown67

Well-Known Member
By the book. It's the way things will change. Hold to your guns. I took over a new route a few years ago with a lot of business stops. The driver who had it before me would skip his lunch everyday. First day out I took my lunch from 12:00 - 13:00. Called in at 15:00 and told them I would have missed business stop unless I got help. No help they said. I missed 20 business stops that day. All were closed.

Next day the same thing happened. This time they got me help. Next day they took a mini-mall off me and added more resi stops. Problem solved. The drive who bid off the route couldn't believe it. I did it by the book. Steward told to run the business only not to break and do any resi stops unless they are airs, and they couldn't touch me.

What had been a bad route turned into a pretty good route, because I took my break and worked the methods. When my on-car supp complained I just told her to come on out and look for herself. She never did. Most supps would ride with you unless they have to. I request ride along if supps aren't happy. That always throws them that a driver would want a ride along. But, if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about.
 

bugman74

Well-Known Member
I really appreciate the response forom you guys. It takes away the edge. The funny thing about this mall is how crazy it is to navigate. It is still being finished, new stores are opening each week, which is good for me, I was just recognized by our new district manager for having high sales leads. I have to drive across a boardwalk and park the truck on the beach next to the mall! Crazy! I understand what you mean about by the book, so that other drivers do not get screwed if they have to do it. I have developed my own system, have all the stores phone numbers in my cell, carry a doorstop for the hallways and have stores call me if nothing going out. That might be cool for me, but other drivers dont know my setup.
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
I had been covering for a driver out on disability for two months and then I was sent back to a new mall that had opened this summer. I had been the only driver doing the mall since it opened and they had yet to do a time study. It was the worst day ever, I have a 1200 blown out and then I am sent two other trucks with 150 pieces plus all of the pick ups. I do not want to sound like a complainer, but this was torture, having to take my lunch and just stare at the boxes. I am wondering if other drivers have had similar days when they have time study?
If you can't handle the stress, find another line of work. You have a union, a union that will protect your job provided you work as reasonably hard as you can by the book.

Be extremely careful having stores call you. Some managers would consider this to be padding. IMO; use your phone to call clients when you are just slammed and 3 different stops are closing within 10 minutes, not to shorten your day because you're too lazy to walk and have a physical presence in the customer's location. And when sales agents from competing companies come in, they can promise to them that their couriers don't have to be phoned when there's no pickup.
 
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bugman74

Well-Known Member
I think you are really getting the wrong idea of what I was talking about. I am not a complainer by any stretch of the imagination, nor am I lazy, every driver that has been sent to help me during the summer could not match my pace, and yes it is a safe pace. I was just looking for similar experiences from other drivers. The first two that responded basically told me, with a bit more civility, what I needed to hear. I am not starting an argument with you, but I am not the type of person that likes to be accused of being lazy or that I cannot handle the stress. I really enjoy working for Brown, and look forward to many years to come. In regards to the other couriers in that mall, I work circles around them in terms of customer service as well as performance. Before I worked for UPS, I had managed a few retail clothing stores in malls, I like to think I bring an appreciation for what we go through as well as what the retail store managers go through. I call them at times and vice versa so that both of our time is not wasted.
 

Gman24

Well-Known Member
Bugman, I never call my customers or let them call me about P/u. Unless something out of the ordinary happens and I can't make it on time, by closing. I go to EVERY P/U everyday day, unless they are closed. Think about it. If you are physically going to every P/U, that is time spent that you CAN'T be delivering or making other stops, to make up for the time you didn't go to those P/U's.

You also mentioned in your first post, that it killed you to just sit and look at those pkgs for an hour of YOUR lunch. Buddy, all you ask for is more work when you guys do this. TAKE your FULL LUNCH between the hours specified in your contract. I guaruntee you your supervisors KNOW the ones who are working thru thier lunch. You can't deliver any stops during you break. If you want to break it up into 2 or 3 segments, do so, but take your full hour during the alotted time.

DO NOT GET ME WRONG, I am not saying goof off or slack off during the other portions of the day. Work by the methods, take care of yourself and keep them honest and everything will take care of itself. No matter what the "NUMBERS" are saying.
 

MR_Vengeance

United Parcel Survivor
:punk:
Bugman,
Just do everything by the book. Take your FULL LUNCH between the 4-6 hrs, call them for assistance with over 70's,work at a steady pace, and once they realize that the mess they are sending you out with cannot physically be done, they will have to make changes. Take it from a 26yr driver, the only thing they care about is their production numbers, so that is the only way to let them know what is going on. Good Luck and hang in there.


couldn't said it better myself.
 

dave_socal

PACKAGE/FEEDER
UPS no longer cares or even understands what the hell is going on out there ON ROUTE I feel sorry that you newer drivers never had a chance to see UPS when we ran the company like a well oiled machine, yes we had problems but they were the exception not the rule, those days are gone! I can only bristle at what I see with my own eyes and stories like yours. Do what it takes to honor your pride and keep your job but don't kill yourself trying to do too much, after following procedures bring it all back to building sheet stops as whatever and get some rest. The work will still be there the next day. If you are good curtious driver the customers wont notice much that their FEDEX AIR/GROUND IS KICKING OUR ASSES. The slow and gradual decline of UPS began when we went public and many of the more exprienced management types cashed out and left. UPS has a corporate culture that has forgotton what got us to a position of leadership, it feels awful to see our competitiors advancing while we are stagnant and bogged down with poor management and underpaid hub workers. As we end this year and begin our centennial anniversary I can only hope that within our ranks someone is learning the company from the GROUND up and can rise to a postion of sound policy making. Otherwise we will continue this pathetic deterioration on all service levels.
 

bugman74

Well-Known Member
I guess that the majority of people say dont overwork yourself and let the MAN see that help is needed. They can't take work off of this trip because it is one address and I am the only driver there. They can only send some to help, which rarely happens. I might get a phone call at 2 or 3 from someone offering to help, but by that time, I start my pickups. I really do appreciate everyone's comments and I am going to try to use the advise that has been given. I need to chill out about trying to get done quicker and do it by the book.
 

Megansman

Well-Known Member
A fair number of us (sadly, myself included) have deluded ourselves into thinking that if we only do a route faster than the other guy on road supers will be impressed or grateful or what ever, and for a moment or two they might even say so. It won't make you any more money. It won't help you out when you have to call in and report that mirror missing. It won't get you a route any quicker (utility drivers, note that fact). It won't get you promoted. Remember it takes 1000 "attaboys" to make up for one "aw, sh**".

I read someplace that workers who skipped breaks had a 34% higher incident rate for accidents and/or injuries on the job. You've earned that break. You'll work better and safer after a break. Take your breaks -- not in the back sorting either. Get out of the truck.
 

bugman74

Well-Known Member
Well, I have been fooling myself. I have always been that guy that does is quicker or better with less effort. I always have prided myself on giving my full effort in anything I do, but I do not want to get hurt because of my foolish pride. I would rather work smarter, not harder. I have to say that this is a great forum. I talk to other drivers that I know at the center, but the insight that is given here is so much better. Thanks to all that have given their input.
 

Ms Spoken

Well-Known Member
Well, I have been fooling myself. I have always been that guy that does is quicker or better with less effort. I always have prided myself on giving my full effort in anything I do, but I do not want to get hurt because of my foolish pride. I would rather work smarter, not harder. I have to say that this is a great forum. I talk to other drivers that I know at the center, but the insight that is given here is so much better. Thanks to all that have given their input.

Ok Bug,

Come Monday AM when you walk to your truck are you going to follow what you said on here? Or are you going to go back to the run and gun system? UPS does not care if you are better than other drivers when it comes to an accident. So if you think your run and gun style is going to save your :censored2: when your in the office your wrong.
 
S

speeddemon

Guest
Follow the methods and be honest. You cannot be fired for performance. File on 3 over 9.5s in a 5 day period. And its what you work, not what it plans.
 

bugman74

Well-Known Member
I am the normal driver, I had been at this mall since it opened this summer. Now they have been splitting it up between myself and another driver. From what the sups tell me the time study showed that the trip gained 3 hours.
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
I think you are really getting the wrong idea of what I was talking about. I am not a complainer by any stretch of the imagination, nor am I lazy, every driver that has been sent to help me during the summer could not match my pace, and yes it is a safe pace. I was just looking for similar experiences from other drivers. The first two that responded basically told me, with a bit more civility, what I needed to hear. I am not starting an argument with you, but I am not the type of person that likes to be accused of being lazy or that I cannot handle the stress. I really enjoy working for Brown, and look forward to many years to come. In regards to the other couriers in that mall, I work circles around them in terms of customer service as well as performance. Before I worked for UPS, I had managed a few retail clothing stores in malls, I like to think I bring an appreciation for what we go through as well as what the retail store managers go through. I call them at times and vice versa so that both of our time is not wasted.
You're imagining the insults that I directed towards you and the argument that I started.

I said: "If you can't handle the stress, find another line of work", not "you're not good enough for this job, find another line of work"
I then said: "Be extremely careful having stores call you." not "you shouldn't have had stores call you because of your laziness"
Then: "IMO (In My Opinion) use your phone to call clients when you are just slammed and 3 different stops are closing within 10 minutes, not to shorten your day because you're too lazy to walk and have a physical presence in the customer's location." Not "you use your phone because you're lazy".

It is in my opinion that you're using the phone way too much. If you want to get into ethics, I would argue it is unethical to sheet stops presenting the idea that you're were there, when really, the SOP is for the client to call the 1800 number and it would get cncld on your DIAD. Your job is to have a physical presence. You can't get in crap for showing up an hour late to the centre if you spent that time busting your ass off, going to every stop. First you use your phone, then you get more work, then when you're sick you get a cover driver who would get just slammed, then you return with clients confused, then you return to your system, then they want you to get a few more pkgs from businesses down the street between the mall and the centre. Just do your job. Keep it simple. You don't earn the big bucks to shortcut. Use it, don't abuse it. If you find this opinion insulting, you really need to stop coming here.

And I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your real job with a real company. Working retail for 8 months was the most soul-draining job I've ever had. To say that retail managers go through even just 10% of what UPS drivers go through is complete melodramatic tripe.
 
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hoser

Industrial Slob
If you are good curtious driver the customers wont notice much that their FEDEX AIR/GROUND IS KICKING OUR ASSES. The slow and gradual decline of UPS began when we went public and many of the more exprienced management types cashed out and left. UPS has a corporate culture that has forgotton what got us to a position of leadership, it feels awful to see our competitiors advancing while we are stagnant and bogged down with poor management and underpaid hub workers. As we end this year and begin our centennial anniversary I can only hope that within our ranks someone is learning the company from the GROUND up and can rise to a postion of sound policy making. Otherwise we will continue this pathetic deterioration on all service levels.

I would argue that our ground product is superior to FX and that our Air is making huge dents into the market. It's priced competitively, is the only courier company to offer discounted next-day-by-five on top of EAM and EXP (FX is either First Overnight by 8, priority overnight by noon, or 2day) and offers better SCTs (at least in Canada).

UPS has acknowledged that it doesn't empower employees enough, and is realizing that giving employees more tools to do the job right would actually increase revenue. But remember, when you work in a unionized environment where you make industry top wage by a margin of an incredible 25%, you're going to get worked into the ground, and you're not going to be nearly as empowered or happy as our buddies in purple.

Underpaid hub workers? Of course it's underpaid, because they're looking for stay-at-home parents, people in other lines of PT work, those who want benefits or college students, not people trying to put food on the table. Brown pays for my tuition. That's a brilliant strategy. Now they have me feeling indebted to them when I get my degrees and I'm contemplating working for them in Sales (if the Air Force doesn't work out :))
 

idrivethetruck

Slow & steady wins the race.
They did new time studies in my center last February and they were a complete joke. On the day of my time study I had never seen my truck so
empty! I was dispatched with 115 delivery stops and 2 pickups. My normal dispatch is 125 to 135 stops a day. The guy doing the time study is an on-car sup in another center so I made sure to do things "by the book". I clocked out that night at 6:15pm. Start time that day was 8:30 am. The next day the report showed that the dispatch for the previous day was 6.94 hours...not even a planned 8 hour day and I ran almost 2 hours over-allowed. I was elated!! I just knew that I was finally going to get a better time allowance. WRONG!!!!
When the results came back from the time study, I was told that I was getting an extra 20 minutes added for travel time. This was good. I was then told that I supposedly took 15 minutes too long to sort my load and that would be subtracted from the 20 minute travel allowance!
So here is the result of my time study......I now get 5 more minutes a day to do my route! Woo Hooo!!!! What a difference that has made.
My sup gave me a 3-day ride in which he concluded that I must maintain a 15.5 spohr each day. When I do 15.5 stops per hour, the report still shows that I run an hour and a half to 2 hours over-allowed each day.
I think the time studies were purposely screwed-up in order for them to send each driver out with more work than they can do. In other words, if they send me out with "planned" 8 hours then I am out for 9 1/2. Since the new time allowances went into effect I have only clocked out before 7pm twice!
My story is not unique in my center. In fact it was the same with every route. Everyone was sent out with less work than normal and ended up with an allowance worse than before. What gives??
 
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