A. Are you a seniority driver?
B. If so, they had no right to send you home REGARDLESS of whether you knew the route or not. Grieve it.
Over is 100% correct. I don't whats going on now, but when I was a low senority cover driver a decade ago, I always demanded that I get 8 hours of work. If a junior guy was pulling a route and I wasn't assigned to one, I was bumping him and going out blind if I had to.
The first reaction from the management team was "no you can't do that, your blind". When I stated again that I was doing the route because I have more senority than the person doing the route and you don't have me assigned to any othe 8 hour job, they agreed (the steward didn't need to get involved). In this scenario I learned 85% of my routes as a cover driver all without the benefit of EDD/PAS and GPS.
Now in 2010, its my perception that the center team doesn't wan't ANYONE going out blind even though the blind driver has the luxuary of EDD that tells him basically (with errors) how ro run the route. Before, he would have to map and set up each package. Still, drivers and management are afraid to send the driver out blind.
I can only come to one conclusion and that's the routes all have too much work now. With PAS/EDD the routes have so much work that it can only be conpleted by a driver who is the model of efficency. He can't waste 5 seconds at every stop and EDD helps him be this efficent. Throw a newbie on the route and he is wasting at least a 1 or 2 minutes every stop just looking at the map and setting up the truck. Multiply that by 180 stops and we are talking 3 hours paid over.
Today, I did my route in which 135 stops was "an 8 hour day" in 2000. Today, I did 183 stops which is less than 9 hours "on paper". How can it change by almost 50 stops just like that???
I KNOW I am more efficent. MUCH more efficent, but 50 stop difference? Most days I can do 160 in 8, but I can never do 180 and thats what the numbers suggest I do. Anyway, it is what it is...
Over is right, senority rules. Push the issue if a junior guy is working. Bump him and go out blind. The weather is nice and its day-light until almost 9pm. Just be calm if the sup. doesn't meet you on-road later to show you some of the route.
Think of it this way: you get paid by the hour. Its your contractual right to do the route and service failures are on management due to their unwillingness to show you where to go. The day will end no matter what and its only packages.
This is how you have to think about it. I don't understand how these drivers so desperate for hours won't take a route out blind? You have it set-up stop for stop for heavens sake! What are you worried about?
I wise man once told me that the idea is to get on the clock and stay on the clock. Here is your perfect opportunity to do so as a cover driver!