Later start times a logistical or cost cutting effort.

[Just_another_day_at_work]

When I started less than 3 years ago. Startime was 8:15 for most routes, now it's 8:30. For split routes or most of the coverdrivers at 9.
What I don't get is no matter what the preload is never ever done, they just don't let them finish it up. Today I started at 9, loaded the truck for 15-20 minutes on the Monday!!! when everything should be just perfect (no late trailers). It's going to be interesting if the air volume goes up, how are we going to handle that?
Late startime = late pu pieces = later startime = ?!

 

[bumped]

We have people also thatwill finish at the same time regardless of how many stops they get. The center manager figures he can make the start time later, and those drivers will be in at the same time.

If a center manager wants to cut down PM time all they have to do is announce an audit will be taking place. Drivers punch out as fast as they can.

 

[satellitedriver]

You left out a person in this equation.

Where is the PDS?

He should have built the plan (using EPD if he has it) around 1 am.

If your center is cutting 3 routes 15 min before start time to make SPC, its not the DM's fault its the the PDS fault first followed by center manager.

I do not know what PDS means.
The on road sup that does the dispatch has never been a driver and has never been on any route run out of our center.
My center manager only stays in the office.
I am not joking or complaining.

 

[BrownArmy]

Start time for the PCM at my center is 8:45. I rarely leave before 9:00.

Off topic (or maybe not), but I have to say these last-minute add/cuts are killing me, and today was a great example.

I'm a cover driver...last week and this week, covering the same route for a driver out on vacation.

I know that the add/cuts must have happened at the last minute, because there's no way my center team would ever PLAN for this route to be as 'circus' as it was today.

I think my route was add/cutted at least twice, maybe three times.

I had four misloads from two other routes (don't want to blame the preload, evidently the chap loading my truck got hurt, something about his arm, details are sketchy, etc. etc.).

There were also a bunch of add/cuts that didn't make the cut...I find four packages PAL'd to my car that should have been moved and re-PAL'd, but that didn't happen.

At the last minute, thirty stops were cut and thirty other stops added, from the next town over. No problem, most of the time, except that when the trucks are almost fully loaded this is a logistical nightmare.

So now my 700 is a Frankenstein-load of at least three different routes (five, counting the misloads).

Four stops that were supposed to be cut remained (but not in EDD), and seven stops I was supposed to have never materialized - I love wasting time looking through my clown-car load hunting a stop that isn't there.

(But I can't blame the preload - it's not their fault - one day last week I had 65 stops from a last minute add/cut all PAL'd as 1299. How can the loaders possibly make sense of that lunacy? So now there's 82 pieces all PAL'D as 1299 spread evenly throughout my truck since it happened at the last minute...).

Can anyone explain the method to this madness?

 

[SWORDFISH]

Believe me Swordfish, no center manager including the ones mentioned on this forum, like starting late. Our hands are tied, we cannot do anything till all the loads get processed on the preload, then the (late) cycle starts all over again.

We are all about:

You start earlier

Customer gets packages earlier

You get back earlier

You go home earlier

I go home earlier

.......

I definetly believe you in your center however in my center I see different. For instance we could start much earlier on Mondays if they really wanted. Everything is already there yet we start a whole 10min earlier. As for the rest of the week the preload start time has moved forward 1.5hrs which makes them finish later. Then they have to move are start time because of that. The feeders still leave at about the same time at night w/ the exception of one, and the feeders get in close to the same time in the am. Someone somewhere in the UPS line decided that if we start at 9am and have to be in by 7pm then they will keep most of us under 9.5hrs. It has worked because of alot of people will do it but not by working properly. So they have effectively cut alot of hours by starting us later and its not because they have to its because they want to. If people would wise up things would change but theirs just not enough people out their using their brains.

 

[SWORDFISH]

I do not know what PDS means.
The on road sup that does the dispatch has never been a driver and has never been on any route run out of our center.
My center manager only stays in the office.
I am not joking or complaining.

PDS= Preload Dispatch Supe

 

[brownmonster]

We have less volume and less trucks than 10 years ago. Why do we have so much more chaos?

 

[Old International]

At our building, we have always started at 0845. Many times, the preload is walking off the belt just as we are walking on. We also have PT preloaders that help deliver our Eam's, and some of the regular air.
Our Preload supe has his plan in place by 0600. He won't make any changes after that unless call ins force his hand.

 

[satellitedriver]

PDS= Preload Dispatch Supe

Thanks,
I realized what it meant, just after I posted my ignorance.
Since, I am an old fart I do not think in "texting" terms.
My PDS does not come into work until 6am.
One stop to him, is one stop.
Albeit,
1 of those stops can have 100 30lb pkg's, or be a 1 ounce V.S. panties pkg.
All the same to him.
If his board is not blinking red, then he feels he has not done his job.
He is out of the building by 2pm, then the mop up begins.

I wish I could go into further detail of how the numbers are covered up, but corporate is watching and the union is turning a blind eye.

 

[Old International]

satellitedriver Wrote:
I wish I could go into further detail of how the numbers are covered up, but corporate is watching and the union is turning a blind eye.
So do tell. Whats the worse they can do to you? Aren't you close to retirement?

 

[ups1990]

I definetly believe you in your center however in my center I see different. For instance we could start much earlier on Mondays if they really wanted. Everything is already there yet we start a whole 10min earlier. As for the rest of the week the preload start time has moved forward 1.5hrs which makes them finish later. Then they have to move are start time because of that. The feeders still leave at about the same time at night w/ the exception of one, and the feeders get in close to the same time in the am. Someone somewhere in the UPS line decided that if we start at 9am and have to be in by 7pm then they will keep most of us under 9.5hrs. It has worked because of alot of people will do it but not by working properly. So they have effectively cut alot of hours by starting us later and its not because they have to its because they want to. If people would wise up things would change but theirs just not enough people out their using their brains.

This is probably the best answer to the question.

 

[ups2000]

we are gonna start at 830 to try and eliminate air drivers. not sure how thats gonna work since preload doesnt get wrapped up till 840 845 most days.

 

[Laryngitis]

Most likely a driver will have less time to delivery air and ground together

you deliver air and ground together? if you're dispatched with say 150 stops 15 of which are air isn't that making your dispatch come up short by 15 stops. instead of doing 150 stops and the miles that go with that you're short changing yourself.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

21 years ago. We started at 8am. All loads were at the building & loaded. Now with their knowing how many trailers,trucks to run, pieces on truck& total stops. Now we start at 9am. Over the last 10yrs they kept adding about 15 mins. You would think they would be able to wrap up earlier. I was told it is to cut down on the paid day. Which makes no sense. I would rather be 8to530-6. than 9-7pm. But hey-They get the big bonuses.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Start time for the PCM at my center is 8:45. I rarely leave before 9:00.

Off topic (or maybe not), but I have to say these last-minute add/cuts are killing me, and today was a great example.

I'm a cover driver...last week and this week, covering the same route for a driver out on vacation.

I know that the add/cuts must have happened at the last minute, because there's no way my center team would ever PLAN for this route to be as 'circus' as it was today.

I think my route was add/cutted at least twice, maybe three times.

I had four misloads from two other routes (don't want to blame the preload, evidently the chap loading my truck got hurt, something about his arm, details are sketchy, etc. etc.).

There were also a bunch of add/cuts that didn't make the cut...I find four packages PAL'd to my car that should have been moved and re-PAL'd, but that didn't happen.

At the last minute, thirty stops were cut and thirty other stops added, from the next town over. No problem, most of the time, except that when the trucks are almost fully loaded this is a logistical nightmare.

So now my 700 is a Frankenstein-load of at least three different routes (five, counting the misloads).

Four stops that were supposed to be cut remained (but not in EDD), and seven stops I was supposed to have never materialized - I love wasting time looking through my clown-car load hunting a stop that isn't there.

(But I can't blame the preload - it's not their fault - one day last week I had 65 stops from a last minute add/cut all PAL'd as 1299. How can the loaders possibly make sense of that lunacy? So now there's 82 pieces all PAL'D as 1299 spread evenly throughout my truck since it happened at the last minute...).

Can anyone explain the method to this madness?

The problem may start with a B, end with an E, and is the first name (ironically) of "The Boss"

 

[satellitedriver]

satellitedriver Wrote:
I wish I could go into further detail of how the numbers are covered up, but corporate is watching and the union is turning a blind eye.
So do tell. Whats the worse they can do to you? Aren't you close to retirement?

Close only counts in Horseshoe's, hand grenade's and Atomic warfare.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

you deliver air and ground together? if you're dispatched with say 150 stops 15 of which are air isn't that making your dispatch come up short by 15 stops. instead of doing 150 stops and the miles that go with that you're short changing yourself.

So, using your math, if you have both air and ground for the same stop and you do deliver them together, you are taking two stops, which is padding stops.

You should always try to deliver air and ground together when possible; if not, you deliver the air first and then come back for the ground. Your second stop in this example would be a duplicate stop.

 

[Jones]

If I deliver air first and then come back for the ground it's not a duplicate stop.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

If I deliver air first and then come back for the ground it's not a duplicate stop.

How much time are we talking between your air and ground deliveries? I could understand your point if you deliver the air in the morning but don't deliver the ground until the afternoon but if we are talking about less than an hour or so between deliveries I would have to think that the 2nd stop would be a duplicate stop.

As I recall this was discussed at length in a previous thread.

 

[Jones]

How much time are we talking between your air and ground deliveries? I could understand your point if you deliver the air in the morning but don't deliver the ground until the afternoon but if we are talking about less than an hour or so between deliveries I would have to think that the 2nd stop would be a duplicate stop.

As I recall this was discussed at length in a previous thread.

Maybe I missed that other thread, but I don't understand why you think the ground delivery time should be a factor. If I'm running just airs it's for a reason, ie, I'm worried about making service if I take the time to dig out all the ground packages at every stop. Whether I come back with grounds 4 hours later or a 1/2 hour later is irrelevant.