Question regarding SPH

[HedleyLamarr]

I have been a lurker on this forum for about 5 months, ever since I got the job at FDX Express. As of now, I have a evening pickup route which has been a lot of fun so far. You all seem very knowledgeable is regards to how the system works, so I wanted to ask you something in regards to SPH and how it is calculated.

My pickup route is fairly easy; it usually takes me about 4.5-5 hours to complete. Originally, I had not planned on taking a break, as my hours didn't seem long enough to need one. But my manager told me after a couple weeks that I had to take a break because if I didn't, I would end up waiting for some of my drop boxes to open. Waiting at a drop box for 15 minutes or so kills my SPH rate so I needed to make sure they were open by the time I got there. So for the past few months, I have taken a nightly break, the length of which is determined by the number of on calls I had. No on calls=45 minute break, lots of them=20 minute break.

Recently I was discussing this with a fellow more experienced courier and he told me that I should not need a break. He said I can work the system by not ending stops so quickly after making pickups. After a pickup, I should drive to the next pickup before actually ending the stop. And if I have two pickups right next to each other, throw the second in the truck and scan it in later. Don't do them both together quickly; put some gap time in between.

I just don't see how this would make any difference, and if anything, it will bring down your SPH rate. He said it worked and had no affect on SPH, plus you make more money by not taking a break.

Also, when does the SPH clock start? Is it after you end your first stop? If so, I can definitely see not ending that first stop until after arriving at my second.

Thanks for reading.
Thats Hedley, not Hedy btw

 

[MAKAVELI]

Bottom line is follow your state rules regarding meal breaks. Out here in Cali you only need to take a break if you work 6+ hours. But that break has to begin no later than your 5th hour. If you are finishing early before your last pu, learn the game. Add a min here and there so you aren't waiting.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Stops per hour really means nothing.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Stops per hour really means nothing.

For union guys like yourself yes. For us we have to " learn how to work the system ".

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

For union guys like yourself yes. For us we have to " learn how to work the system ".

I meant something else

 

[MAKAVELI]

I meant something else

Well don't stutter mo fo.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Well don't stutter mfo.

You should have gotten it.

 

[MAKAVELI]

You should have gotten it.

Have another beer son. It'll help you.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Have another beer son. It'll help you.

Seltzer water.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Seltzer water.

If you say so,

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

If you say so,

 

[MAKAVELI]

View attachment 71230

AA meeting?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

AA meeting?

AA is for quitters

 

[MAKAVELI]

AA is for quitters

Ah I see, just keeping yourself hydrated. A real pro.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Ah I see, just keeping yourself hydrated. A real pro.

I like seltzer water.

 

[MAKAVELI]

I like seltzer water.

I'm sure you do.

 

[Schweddy]

wth with you two...


Hedley, idk if you'll get a sincere answer or not. Good amount of mgmt on here and people that hate X. I think your coworker is pretty spot on. SPH is likely including your start and end times. Try to figure out the max gap time, per stop, and keep all of your closer stops at or under that threshold. I would also consider this.. if you had a check ride, would your stops match even remotely close to the previous day?

or you could just request 4 or more walkups a night...lol

 

[Express Courier]

Your SPH starts as soon as you go on road in your ppad. Don't be taking a break if you aren't working more than 6 hours total. I'd snicker at my manager and just go slower lol, seriously. But your co-worker is right, you can end a stop long after you left it. Just be sure to scan the last package right before you close out the stop. Or you could not falsify and tell your manager to give you an extra stop or two to do. But no way should a PT worker be taking an unpaid break on a 4-5 hour shift.

 

[dex 84]

Don't take a break if you don't go over 6. There has to be a way to work it so you don't have that much gap time. If it really was about SPH then a code 22 would do just fine instead of the 13.

SPH begins when you put in your first code 10 but until you process your first stop you are in your stem time. Management can look at your SPH and also your SPH on area which takes out the stem time and just includes your time actually spent picking up/delivering.

If you are processing a regular pickup or an on call then the time of the pickup is when you hit Go and enter into it on your tracker. If you are processing a Drop Box or a 3rd party pack and ship them the pickup time is when you hit end stop unless you are putting in a pickup exception for no package, in which case the pickup time would be when you first entered the pickup, like a normal pickup.

Listen to your coworker. Slow down during the right parts of your route and plan it so you roll up on the DB no more than 5 minutes before it's ready. If a customer calls in two pickups and has two pieces then process one, wait a couple minutes, and process the other. Getting gas is a good way to kill 5 minutes if you have a half tank or less. You'll figure out all the tricks of the trade to make sure you don't have gaps.

Don't ever give them anything for free. They need you out there to get the drop boxes, make them pay you to wait around. Don't do that on your time.

 

[!Retired!]

2 choices:
1. You need to spread your stops out so if anyone looks at the reports, you can show you don't have a 30 minute gap to take a break. Do NOT, for example, process 2 suites that are next to each other, 15 minutes apart.
2. If you want to take a break, do NOT change your break length or the time you take it. Take the same length break at the same time everyday, regardless of how many oncalls you get. FYI...if you only take 20 minutes and go over the 5/6 (depending on where you live) hour rule. That will be a break violation.

DEX 84 is correct. A regular or oncall stop will record what time you actually open the stop. A dropbox will record what time you close it out, unless there's no packages. Then it records what time you DEX it. Leaving a stop open until you get to your next stop accomplishes nothing.