Talk out both sides of their face

[3 done 3 to go]

Yes! We finally got the snow. 5FT in 3 days. We were told to EC if we had any doubts. Now a week after the storm our mountain routes have 5 ft of snow & now mud. Our DM has now made a note to have NO EC ALLOWED. The building manager is to go out an check if it is really a EC. You all know! What they will say. There is 6 inches of mud on the roads now. We are all to get warning letters. What do you guys suggest?

 

[p228]

On the bright side, they might be nice and wait until you have an accident to give you a warning letter. That's what they did here. How long are the mountain roads? If they aren't too long you can just walk off the stops. It will take forever but that is what we ended up doing. I'm guessing the mountain roads don't have to much to crash into like a city street so your biggest problem is getting stuck. If that happens just call the center and tell them you need a tow. There isn't much you can do if the package car won't move.

 

[Anonymous 10]

If its real bad call off and take a 2fer we make good money so what if you dont get paid its two day of less stress.

 

[Jones]

Let them know about any packages that you feel you cannot safely deliver and ask how they want you to sheet them. If the center manager want's to come out and check for himself that's his prerogative.

 

[EmerCond421]

On the bright side, they might be nice and wait until you have an accident to give you a warning letter. That's what they did here. How long are the mountain roads? If they aren't too long you can just walk off the stops. It will take forever but that is what we ended up doing. I'm guessing the mountain roads don't have to much to crash into like a city street so your biggest problem is getting stuck. If that happens just call the center and tell them you need a tow. There isn't much you can do if the package car won't move.

We're told here that if you get stuck and need a tow - be charged with an accident; just saying.

 

[p228]

We're told here that if you get stuck and need a tow - be charged with an accident; just saying.

Wow, that's absurd. I'd probably bring my snow shovel with me just in case.

 

[EmerCond421]

Wow, that's absurd. I'd probably bring my snow shovel with me just in case.

They do supply chains (not good in mud) an emergency shovel, and 3 foot long traction pads. IF we get to the rural stop and the drive is bad, we either bag it or walk it in. IF the rural road looks like it has NO bottom it's either EC or missed depending on mgt. feelings that day.

 

[p228]

All we got were these half-assed emergency chains. It is pretty sad when you see trash trucks with better equipment.

http://www.tirechain.com/emergencychainhd.htm

 

[soberups]

If they dont want you to sheet them as EC, sheet them as missed instead. You get paid the same either way and if they do not like the numbers they are free to edit your timecard to reflect whatever make believe metrics they want to see.

Document what you are being told. From what you are saying, they will (a) give you a warning letter for missing the stop; (b) give you a warning letter for getting stuck or (c) give you a warning letter for getting in an accident. Since any action you take is going to result in a warning letter no matter what you do, you might as well take the safest action so that you will be alive and uninjured to file your grievance.

 

[trouble maker]

At the end of your day, before you get back to the building, call them and tell them how many stops that you didn't feel that you could deliver in fear of getting stuck or safely walking off. Ask them how they want them sheeted and do so. Let them make the decision. Or you could send them a message at each stop and ask. That will drive them nuts because each message costs them 0.17.

 

[trplnkl]

the building manager does not get to decide if going down a road is safe for YOU to drive down, that responsibility is on the driver's shoulders.
My way of deciding if I would try a muddy road was if I knew I could make it there and back without getting stuck. If not, get in touch with the center and tell them you do not feel it is safe to driver that road. If they want to send someone out, fine, but don't drive it if YOU feel it isn't safe. I have told more than one sup, if he thought it was safe, here's the keys, get after it.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

My EC stop is about a mile one way. I called the customer today and they said to call them from now on. They needed to use their 4x4 to get out them selves. I only have about 10 roads like that one stop. The rest are state or county roads. The other drivers got a warning letter today. When the driver explained the stop the manager ended up going to the wrong house. I swear managers are the dumbest people. They know it all in their own head. They all have driver envy.

I hope she gives me a letter. My next call will be to corporate 1 800. I will do it right on her phone after.

 

[dilligaf]

the building manager does not get to decide if going down a road is safe for YOU to drive down, that responsibility is on the driver's shoulders.
My way of deciding if I would try a muddy road was if I knew I could make it there and back without getting stuck. If not, get in touch with the center and tell them you do not feel it is safe to driver that road. If they want to send someone out, fine, but don't drive it if YOU feel it isn't safe. I have told more than one sup, if he thought it was safe, here's the keys, get after it.

LMAO!!! This is pretty much what I would do. I have never and will never let anyone dictate to me what is safe and what is not safe to drive down. They want it delivered, hand them the keys and say, "Get 'er done!"

 

[3 done 3 to go]

oh! Forgot to mention. They want the EC pkgs sheeted as Future. Another case of do as we say not do.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

I agree! I have never been stuck & in need of a tow truck to pull me out. I know what places to go or not. It is in my best judgment & safety of myself & their truck. Been told not to go places you don't belong for over 20yrs. I think I know what I am doing out there.

 

[Anonymous 10]

My EC stop is about a mile one way. I called the customer today and they said to call them from now on. They needed to use their 4x4 to get out them selves. I only have about 10 roads like that one stop. The rest are state or county roads. The other drivers got a warning letter today. When the driver explained the stop the manager ended up going to the wrong house. I swear managers are the dumbest people. They know it all in their own head. They all have driver envy.

I hope she gives me a letter. My next call will be to corporate 1 800. I will do it right on her phone after.

Thats why they are getting rid of managers and make sure you make the corporate call off the clock those dumb managers will get you for a 17 a for making that call on the clock.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

There was an earlier thread about EC and I made the comment that there are some drivers who will use EC as an excuse not to run off chasers. This may be the reasoning behind your DMs decision. We have a couple of cover drivers in my center who are (in)famous for doing this and it just makes it that much harder for the regular driver when he comes back to work the next day. Will there be ECs? Of course there will. Your center team needs to trust their drivers that they will use their best judgement while striving to make service on as many packages as possible. If this means calling the customer and asking if you can indirect to an alternate address or perhaps asking them to meet you on the paved road or doing whatever it takes, within reason, to get their pkg to them, then do it.

I have a city run so EC is not an issue but when I was on my country run there were many times when I had to decide whether to go down a road or not. 9 times out of 10 the customer understood and appreciated the effort. The 10th was the pkg that I would EC.

Our CMs policy is that if it cost the company money they will charge you with an accident.

10, please know that I was not implying anything toward you nor questioning you. I was merely relaying my experience with certain drivers in my center and their (mis) use of EC.

 

[dilligaf]

Dave is exactly right. EC is often abused. Too often. But so is NSN and NSS.

If you have a sup/mgr that is telling you to do something in violation of company policy, report it. Call the 800#. To often sups and mgrs don't care about your job. They take care of number 1 first. No matter what they tell you the responsibility will always fall to the driver first and then you have to prove that they told you to do it. If you can't prove it then you may be out of a job. The safest way to protect your job is to not violate company policies and report violations of your mgt team. The safety of yourself and your pkgs and equipment and the public is ONLY your responsibility. No one elses. NEVER let them take that away from you.

We are under a microscope right now with security. They are looking at everything that is done in our ctr because of calls into the 800#. I think I nearly lost my job this week because of a mistake that I unknowingly made. My sup didn't tell me this outright but it was serious enough that he was on the phone all day with security (because they are watching what we are doing here). I believe what saved me in the end is that I don't violate company policy. I do everything by the book and my mgt team knows not to tell me to violate company policy. I will argue with them over it and I will win it everytime. I've threatened more than 1 OMS with reporting a violation.

Ultimately, as far as my job goes, my sup doesn't have the final say and I will be worrying about it for the next week. He did tell me though, that he believes everyone (his bosses) is on the same page.

Always cover you a&&. Don't abuse the system. Do your job the right way everyday. It may save your job one day.

 

[over9five]

Try not to worry too much, Dilli. I believe the "unknowingly" part of your mistake will make whatever it was excusable. You'll be fine!

 

[dilligaf]

Thanks Ovah! I hope so.

Try not to worry too much, Dilli. I believe the "unknowingly" part of your mistake will make whatever it was excusable. You'll be fine!