Next DIAD?

[VTBrown]

When I was a helper in Denver last Peak, the policy was to leave the packages if we could gain access to the building AND the building was secure--as in the building's door had to be unlocked by a resident OR buzzed in. -Rocky

Correct...thats what I was trying to say.

 

[Dump and Run]

The notes can be add but of course someone (an OMS) has to do it and they only seem to do it if you bug the crap out of them.

 

[Dump and Run]

Format the fields correctly.

Some fields require numbers only and some require letters only and some will use both.

If the field will never need letters, why are the letters active?

For example, in the COD amount fields, format the diad so that it will accept numbers only no matter whether you are in number mode or alphabet mode.

Also, whenever you DR a package, you can press 6 for DR Porch, and no matter whichever mode you are in, it will accept it. BUT, if you press non delivery, you have to be in number mode to choose the nondelivery reason. Why?

The zip code field is another example that will never use letters.

Just my .02...

I am so with you on this one. I too have wondered why this was not done in the first place. Oh wait, I know why because nobody ever seems to ask the people that do the job what would make life easier.

 

[Dump and Run]

These are some features that could be useful.

A English/Spanish toggle button. UPS might be considering hiring Mexican Immigrants to become drivers(Mexican Teamsters). Also, it would come in handy for customers that only speak spanish. Maybe it can have a spanish/english dictionary software installed. So we could speak it. This would kind of go hand in hand with the English/Spanish del notices.
Also, it wouldn't surprise me that UPS mgt isn't considering putting an electrocal shock device in the new Diads. Kind of like a cattle prode. Voltage would slowly increase if your stops per hour decreased. We would have a some crispy critters in our center.

LEARN ENGLISH! It is required to become a legal citizen.

 

[BCFan]

How about a section of "notes" for each stop which could be added by regular drivers as guides for utility drivers. Tips like "doesn't open till noon" or "likes it in the rear" or whatever else. Could save millions if new drivers didn't have to keep making the same little "learning curve" mistakes over and over.

I gotta couple of Customers that like it in the rear BC (not Backside Challenge)

 

[brown67]

How about being able to change your loop. I would love to be able to go in and change some street ranges and add new streets etc.

 

[LKLND3380]

Is there anything that you would like to see on the next DIAD?
I think it would be cool if we could msg other drivers.

How about a PAS system and printer so drivers can print out the correct PAL? Maybe allow the driver to do an address correction so the same package does not end up on their package car three days in a row...

I think an eye scanner would be good for the times the bar code is unreadable... This would save time and the driver wouldn't have to type in 1Z.............

The preload has the eye scanner and when they can't scan the one they go for the other and down the belt it goes... The old days BEFORE the eye scanner they would pick it of and a clerk would correct/print out a new bar code...

I have pulled off several pal labels and given to a clerk to get them to print a new bar code.

 

[brownracer]

This is how DIAD 2 and 3 worked. The same functionality exisits in the DIAD 4, but it is now with the microphone, the comunication is two way and the DIAD gets a "success" tone back from the other system.

DIAD 4 also does the "dialing and listening" parts of the process for you. With DIAD 4 you just take a phone off the hook, hold it up to the DIAD and press the send key on your board.

No need for the paranoia.

The microphone feature in DIAD 4 is currently non-functional. The Speaker-Comm works the same as DIAD 3. The duplex function where the DIAD listens for a successful send was never implemented.

 

[Coldworld]

what ever happen to the "real reason" that gps was going into our boards....ummmm to have maps and directions available for relief drivers or others doing unknown cuts from other routes. Seems like that has never panned out, but they sure are chomping at the bit to use gps to see where your going. This makes no sense to me, as ups can figure out by reports alone, or with observation, if a driver is keeping on task. They already have reoprts showing time between stops. Maybe mgt needs gps on them showing how many times they go outside to have a smoke, or going to the breakroom...please.

 

[toonertoo]

The microphone feature is not underused,

.......Dontya all get those wine boxes that say "do not deliver to an intoxicated person" ???????????
I make them blow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Into the micrphone speaker hole!!!!!!!
its amazing how many will try before I yank it away

 

[Steward773]

I miss the old red light that was in DIAD III.

Yea me too ! I can't believe I didn't get shot at during peak walking up to someones house at 10 pm with that light on.

 

[Covemastah]

hpw about a built in camera to photo all your dr stops [GOOD ONES ] to cover your ass

 

[Covemastah]

I liked my first diad, it was a clipboard with paper, a map book and common sense was used. also worked well on dogs !!!!

 

[scratch]

I liked my first diad, it was a clipboard with paper, a map book and common sense was used. also worked well on dogs !!!!

Yeah Woodsy, I guess we can call that model DIAD 0. It was great as long as it wasn't raining outside.

 

[BigBrownSanta]

The ability to make phone calls through the DIAD would be useful to contact consignees with bad addresses or for getting directions. Since UPS has one of the largest cellular networks, that wouldn't seem to be too difficult to implement. It would reduce costs (clerks wouldn't have to call every bad address or send out postcards) and enable deliveries on the first attempt (reducing damages and rehandling).

 

[Just Lurking]

How about being able to change your loop. I would love to be able to go in and change some street ranges and add new streets etc.

PAS uses USPS data for street names and ranges. I have several streets where the USPS has misspelled them. My loop detail has both ways in board. Or they have streetname rdg and streetname ridge ct in loop detail. The supervisor setting up PAS told me that they need to keep both in loop detail because someone could use the USPS way.

Plus I have several streets like streetname rd, streetname view, streetname ter, streetname ridge rd, streetname hollow ct and streetname hill rd. I fixed street ranges down to house numbers, since sometimes some end XX01 while some ended XX09. Every little bit help eliminating one or two street names.

If they make too many changes to loop detail from the USPS detail, the percentage of match decreases and we know that UPS is about numbers.

 

[Anon]

Hey diad dude, from a support standpoint, the new racks suck and so do the boards. Major comm issues, pc adapter failures and general lock ups. How about something that is actually what we pay for? It seems ridiculous the amount these boards cost, only to have it go out on drivers while in middle of a route. They need a general improvement in the software that is running on the device.

 

[Dump and Run]

How about a DIAD pen that is a bright color. You know one that doesn't blend in. Maybe even back on the top where it is more noticeable. Some people are so clueless that they can't remember where the pen is now and I was just there the day before and every day before that.

 

[DiadDude]

Hey diad dude, from a support standpoint, the new racks suck and so do the boards. Major comm issues, pc adapter failures and general lock ups. How about something that is actually what we pay for? It seems ridiculous the amount these boards cost, only to have it go out on drivers while in middle of a route. They need a general improvement in the software that is running on the device.

Trust me when I say that your complaints are not falling on deaf ears. Much of this has been known since early on in the life of DIAD 4, and hopefully strides are being made to fix what can be fixed. Here's what I can tell you about the individual things you called out.

The Rack: It is certainly not as well engineered as the previous DIAD rack. It will be difficult/impossible to make any changes to the rack design for DIAD 4. The best thing you can do is to keep them clean and cool. There are also a lot of people that believe that tilting the rack by shimming the bottom away from the wall could have benefits in keeping the DIADs in contact with the charging pins.

The Board: The DIAD 4 is a major change from the DIAD II/III boards of the past. Not only is it all new technology, but it was also a new vendor. Symbol did the best they could to understand UPS's needs and the environment that the boards would be used in. It is apparent now that some QA/engineering things could have gone better in DIAD 4. Symbol continues to work with UPS (at great expense to themselves) to try to make DIAD 4 better. Hopefully lessons learned from DIAD 4 can improve the process for DIAD 5 with whatever vendor is chosen.

Comm Issues: There was a major change to the communications method in 07.06 to address Comm Fails while talking to the DCS. It is believed that a significant reduction in Comm Fails has been achieved. Some Comm Fails are results of things that are outside the control of the DIAD itself. Several issues have been identified and several UPS groups continue to look for and find ways to improve communications.

PC Adapter Failures: These are almost always hardware related. Symbol believes they may have an idea as to why they occur. If this theory proves true, changes will be made in a future relaease of the DIAD/DCS software to try to reduce these.

General Lock Ups: "Lock ups" as described by most UPSers fall into 3 categories:

Battery Failures: There is software that is currently planned for release before the end of peak which will improve battery life.

Locked up in the rack: Several changes were made in 07.06 which have virtually eliminated this problem which plagued 06.05 DIADs.

Locked up on road: These are a topic of much concern and a lot of investigation has been done into the root cause of these issues. A couple theories exist, but nothing has been found to be a "smoking gun" at this point. It is unclear at this point if this problem is more prevalent since the 07.06 release of the DIAD software.
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General software improvement: There is currently an effort underway to re-evaluate the DIAD software interface and possibly update it with a more user-friendly interface. I don't expect this to actually see release for several years.

 

[DiadDude]

How about a DIAD pen that is a bright color. You know one that doesn't blend in. Maybe even back on the top where it is more noticeable. Some people are so clueless that they can't remember where the pen is now and I was just there the day before and every day before that.

How about you just take the initiative and hand them the darn pen. 1