Service Disruptions...

DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS

Well-Known Member
Recently, we were told that "straight lining" is no longer an option, now we just extend P1's commit time to cover the delay. On the flipside, this cuts into P2 service which is an "action item" these days.

Is this at any other station? Just thought it was odd given that delays are uber common this time of year.
 

Cactus

Just telling it like it is
Well that's just asking for trouble this time of year. Straight lining is about the only way to get caught up from a delay. Sounds like this was some directive from a district manager and probably one who has no clue how packages are delivered.
 

SmithBarney

Well-Known Member
We were told one day (retroactively) that we had an additional 10 minutes of p1 service(something new for sure). Basically we are told to save as much p1 service as possible, and p2 lates aren't "forgiven" Most of our routes don't have an issue with this because of the route structures. But the term "straight-lining" has been gone from corporate vocab for over a year.
 

DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS

Well-Known Member
Maybe Goldi can chime in on this one and that would confirm the district level end of that one. Must be nice to sit in an office and look at maps and spreadsheets and get away with, "yeah, that'll work...that zip code is only 5 inches away from the one that route already serves." I wonder if our engineers go to the same training as weather reporters.....you get to be wrong half the time and keep a job.
 

LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
Recently, we were told that "straight lining" is no longer an option, now we just extend P1's commit time to cover the delay. On the flipside, this cuts into P2 service which is an "action item" these days.

Is this at any other station? Just thought it was odd given that delays are uber common this time of year.
I haven't heard this......yet.
I wonder if our engineers go to the same training as weather reporters.....you get to be wrong half the time and keep a job.
This is funny............but true. I'd like an engineer to take a ride with a courier every now and then. Even when its not peak, some routes are ridiculous.
 

El Morado Diablo

Well-Known Member
We've been dealing with this for a while. They base the length of the extended P1 cycle on when the sort ends. We've had days where we've chased P1's until 11:50am. Then they send you messages all day reminding you to to take care of your business customers, get a full hour break, not have and SO lates, get all your pick-ups on time, return to building on time, etc.. There are days when you are passing stops multiple times while you try to jump through all the hoops. I guess they think the appearance that we are trying to meet the customer's expectations outweighs the number of hours we rack up in overtime.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
We've been dealing with this for a while. They base the length of the extended P1 cycle on when the sort ends. We've had days where we've chased P1's until 11:50am. Then they send you messages all day reminding you to to take care of your business customers, get a full hour break, not have and SO lates, get all your pick-ups on time, return to building on time, etc.. There are days when you are passing stops multiple times while you try to jump through all the hoops. I guess they think the appearance that we are trying to meet the customer's expectations outweighs the number of hours we rack up in overtime.

On a heavy day with late freight, straightlining is usually your only option to get everything done. They can pretend to "extend" the P1 cycle or whatever other stupid game they want to play, but the fact remains that you either straightline or bring-back DEX 01's. Just another indication of how stupid our "leadership" is.
 

Goldilocks

Well-Known Member
Maybe Goldi can chime in on this one and that would confirm the district level end of that one. Must be nice to sit in an office and look at maps and spreadsheets and get away with, "yeah, that'll work...that zip code is only 5 inches away from the one that route already serves." I wonder if our engineers go to the same training as weather reporters.....you get to be wrong half the time and keep a job.

Your station must not be DRA live. Thought most in the metroplex were live. With DRA you run it the way the manifest tells you. No straight lining. No matter if we have late frieght or not. Managers have a choice whether or not to change the end sort time or fine sort when operating roads. But if they added more time to the system, DRA would create more routes. Not enough couriers. So, its pretty much kept to meet sort goal.
 

DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS

Well-Known Member
Your station must not be DRA live. Thought most in the metroplex were live. With DRA you run it the way the manifest tells you. No straight lining. No matter if we have late frieght or not. Managers have a choice whether or not to change the end sort time or fine sort when operating roads. But if they added more time to the system, DRA would create more routes. Not enough couriers. So, its pretty much kept to meet sort goal.

We're live on that crap, not that I can tell with my bulk route. What gets me is, I have 3-6 stops of my own and ROADS shows that I have 15-25 stops, all with the same addresses or "0". I do like adding the stops that I get off my neighbor in advance to help out later, lots of internationals with no address barcodes.
 

Goldilocks

Well-Known Member
We're live on that crap, not that I can tell with my bulk route. What gets me is, I have 3-6 stops of my own and ROADS shows that I have 15-25 stops, all with the same addresses or "0". I do like adding the stops that I get off my neighbor in advance to help out later, lots of internationals with no address barcodes.


Let me understand, you have packages that are not showing on your manifest or map? I'm not a fan of DRA either. But I do address corrections in the morning. If I dont correct an address or tag a stop to a different street because its not in our system, it will not show up on your manifest. It will have a zero on the package. I know a guy who has a mall route that may show 3 or 4 stops but accually will have 15. I dont understand it either. I just know we have lots of streets that are not in the system and I use google to find the nearest open street thats in our system to tag it to. If you have a package with a zero or the map is not correct you need to bring this to attention of the person who does corrections or your OSS so they can fix it....
 

DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS

Well-Known Member
Let me understand, you have packages that are not showing on your manifest or map? I'm not a fan of DRA either. But I do address corrections in the morning. If I dont correct an address or tag a stop to a different street because its not in our system, it will not show up on your manifest. It will have a zero on the package. I know a guy who has a mall route that may show 3 or 4 stops but accually will have 15. I dont understand it either. I just know we have lots of streets that are not in the system and I use google to find the nearest open street thats in our system to tag it to. If you have a package with a zero or the map is not correct you need to bring this to attention of the person who does corrections or your OSS so they can fix it....

I gave up on corrections, it's an exercise in futility.
 

Rhoderunner

Well-Known Member
Recently, we were told that "straight lining" is no longer an option, now we just extend P1's commit time to cover the delay. On the flipside, this cuts into P2 service which is an "action item" these days.

Is this at any other station? Just thought it was odd given that delays are uber common this time of year.
No straight lining here. Close to 20 people below full staff w/ open PT P1 routes and open PU routes trying to be covered by FT day shift and still told to do it by service. Our place is bringing back Dex 1's by the cart full but they won't budge on this. We get the same extended P1 window on days w/ a delay but doesn't matter, as you say it cuts into the other cycles. You literally do your route 3 times if your lucky enuff to complete it and not be pulled to cover a pick up run. It's insane.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
No straight lining here. Close to 20 people below full staff w/ open PT P1 routes and open PU routes trying to be covered by FT day shift and still told to do it by service. Our place is bringing back Dex 1's by the cart full but they won't budge on this. We get the same extended P1 window on days w/ a delay but doesn't matter, as you say it cuts into the other cycles. You literally do your route 3 times if your lucky enuff to complete it and not be pulled to cover a pick up run. It's insane.

Sounds like y'all are guinea pigs, trying to find out just how much can be done before adding newhires per the upcoming reduced volume. They'll have a better idea where they stand next peak.
 

59 Dano

I just want to make friends!
This is funny............but true. I'd like an engineer to take a ride with a courier every now and then. Even when its not peak, some routes are ridiculous.

Ya know what's better? When couriers are invited to work with engineers to help determine route boundaries but won't participate (and then complain about route boundaries being decided by an engineer who sits behind a desk). Even better? When they DO participate and help set boundaries and then complain about them.
 

59 Dano

I just want to make friends!
I gave up on corrections, it's an exercise in futility.

Corrections work wonders when done properly. An address that's not assigned to a route ("0") can easily be assigned to the proper route. Some addresses are not included in the ROADS database but they can be assigned to the proper route using the relocation feature in the address correction software. Some addresses that usually show up on the proper route will sometimes come out "0" if the formatting of the address is wrong. Those suck because the correction only works on that particular formatting error, while there are an infinite number of ways for a customer to screw up the formatting.
 

MAKAVELI

Well-Known Member
This is funny............but true. I'd like an engineer to take a ride with a courier every now and then. Even when its not peak, some routes are ridiculous.

Ya know what's better? When couriers are invited to work with engineers to help determine route boundaries but won't participate (and then complain about route boundaries being decided by an engineer who sits behind a desk). Even better? When they DO participate and help set boundaries and then complain about them.


You know what's better? Some brown noser who defends management so hard that their face is stuck up their ass permanently.
 

59 Dano

I just want to make friends!
You know what's better? Some brown noser who defends management so hard that their face is stuck up their ass permanently.

Engineers aren't management, and I wasn't defending either. I *was* making fun of certain lazy, stupid couriers because they like to complain a lot.

And, from the looks of things, their reading comprehension could use some work, too.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Ya know what's better? When couriers are invited to work with engineers to help determine route boundaries but won't participate (and then complain about route boundaries being decided by an engineer who sits behind a desk). Even better? When they DO participate and help set boundaries and then complain about them.


Official Company Line answer.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Corrections work wonders when done properly. An address that's not assigned to a route ("0") can easily be assigned to the proper route. Some addresses are not included in the ROADS database but they can be assigned to the proper route using the relocation feature in the address correction software. Some addresses that usually show up on the proper route will sometimes come out "0" if the formatting of the address is wrong. Those suck because the correction only works on that particular formatting error, while there are an infinite number of ways for a customer to screw up the formatting.

Official Company Line answer.
 

HomeDelivery

Well-Known Member
Corrections work wonders when done properly. An address that's not assigned to a route ("0") can easily be assigned to the proper route. Some addresses are not included in the ROADS database but they can be assigned to the proper route using the relocation feature in the address correction software. Some addresses that usually show up on the proper route will sometimes come out "0" if the formatting of the address is wrong. Those suck because the correction only works on that particular formatting error, while there are an infinite number of ways for a customer to screw up the formatting.

i've seen this done at one of the HD terminals successfully... the management there has quickly adapted to the software to virtually eliminate any "zeroes" & have been doing so for the past 3 years that i've been working there.

now, the other terminal that i transferred to ~ not so much since there is more volume to deal with. I just print out the maps, use google/mapquest to plot my own zeroes into the sequential order of my manifest & deliver them in stop order with the rest of my load for that day... the time i spent at the terminal before leaving to my 1st stop is well spent since i won't have to double-back to a certain area that i've already been in.

"straight lining" is the term you use for this?
 
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