A few thoughts on scanning/loading [-]trailers[/-](I'm sorry, I mean feeders, or ULDs):
- You should start in a 'training' load, meaning fewer packages and/or an easier load chart to memorize. I'm not saying that's what will happen, but what should happen.
- The actual scanning is easy. What you need to pay attention to (bring a small note book and take notes if you have to) is: learning how to log into a scanner with your ID, how to associate the actual laser scanner (ringpiece) to the scanner terminal (keypad/screen), how to transfer between screens and modes (alphabet, numeric, and control) on the terminal, how to 'remove' a package if you accidently scanned a missort, what to do with a smalls bag with no label, and how to adjust the volume on the scanner. Those are some highlights off the top of my head.
- Load (and sort) charts: I've seen them arranged 2 ways: alphabetically, by state; or numerically, by zip code; and the service levels that go in that trailer. I personally find it much easier to memorize/work from the alphabetical states list.
It goes something like this:
- You're in the end of the trailer with the rollers or extendo (conveyor belt) close to the wall of packages, just need a little room to go from side to side across the wall of packages. With the portable/collapsible rollers there should be a kind of kick stand to hold them where you want, and a package stop to hold boxes on the rollers until you pick them up to load. There are also trailers with built in rollers, nothing to learn with them.
- You should be able to see the top and 2 sides of the first pkg. Don't see the shipping label? Feel around the other 2 sides, spin/ flip to find it.
- The most common labels are the UPS 'smart' label. Look/glance at the actual destination address and read the state, ZIP code (may only need to look at the first 3 digits of ZIP, depends on the load chart), and service level icon. Some customers use their own custom labels, look for the 'ship to:', or 'consigned to:' address; and sometimes their service level can be tough to find. There are also 'waybills' or 'air/ground' shipping documents that are often hard to read (you usually get the bottom, carbonless copy of someone's poor handwriting) in a dimly lit trailer- you look at the lower address on these (if you're near a UPS dropbox, go check them out, they should be stocked with them, they're color coded for service level (except for the international ones). And some shippers just use a color coded bar code sticker they slap on like a postage stamp, with their own address label. Color codes: black/brown=ground, orange=3day, blue(and I think green,too)=2day, red=1day
If the state, ZIP, and service level go into that trailer, scan the big bar code, you should hear a beep (and I think a green light flashes-it's been a while, LOL), then load the package into the wall.
- You'll quickly learn how far away to hold the scanner from the bar code, I think it's somewhere around 12-16" away. You can see the laser beam on the package. If it won't read the bar code after you've hit it good 3 times with the scanner, something's wrong. The barcode's poorly printed, or wrinkled/torn, or it's another shipper like the post office or FedEx. If it is a UPS package, you'll have to type in the tracking #.
- As you get the hang of it, you glance at the next few packages coming at you, see where the shipping label is, and size them up for where to load them.
- Always watch out for HAZMAT packages.
- As you finish walls and push the rollers back out of the trailer, make sure the sections by you are stacking up, not the end by the building, and reset the 'kick stand'
- The scanner ring pieces I used flopped around too much on my hand, I used a medium or large rubber band in addition to the strap to stabilize it.
- Ask your new training supervisor to show you what the 'human readable' UPS Routing Code is, so you know not to look at it (until you get good at recognizing which ones lead to the common missorts/misloads).
- Your training supe is there to train you. He or she demonstrates what to do while you watch. They are not there to load alongside you, or split up the scanning/loading with you, or flip packages to face the labels, or push packages down the rollers, or pick them up off the floor, etc. A quick "I don't understand/ I'm having problems with {insert task here}" should get them to explain it, or demonstrate while you watch. Or, "oh, hold on, let me get that" (as you stop scanning/loading and go back to pick up packages and push them down).
- Which type of load stand to use depends on how tall/strong you are, what style trailer you're in; and of course, what they have available. Use it. I personally saw a much younger and stronger man than I, re-injure his shoulder when the contents of a moderately heavy package shifted when he went to load it just over head.
- Make sure you know what your start time is. This is when you start getting paid. The unloaders and sorters will probably start 5, 10, or even 15 minutes before you. If the trailers/rollers are getting backed up before your 'paid from' time, it's not your problem. They are just setting you, the area, and ultimately the whole building to fail.
- The supes will pester you to regurgitate the stuff from Cornerstone while you're working, just do your best to answer them, maybe hem and a haw a bit until the answer comes to you. And they will SALT you-send incorrect packages to you to make sure you're checking the labels. If your supe disappears for a minute or two, expect a SALT.
- Just keep moving, and you'll do fine. There's always something to do. If you're caught up, go into the trailer next door and push packages down, pick pkgs up off the floor, face labels, move irregs and HAZMATS. If you know other load charts, 'toggle' into that trailer and help load (just make sure you toggle back into your trailer).
