texting - maybe this has been discussed already

[dillweed]

New laws have just taken effect here. One of them, regarding texting while driving :

prohibits the use of any hand-held device to type, transmit, read text messages, or email while driving.

I do remember some posts about this but never found out whether or not our drivers have had any problems. I see so many of our drivers on their diads while driving, I'm sure to save time.

Also, when I was air driving the darned sup sent texts all the time. "where are you?" "will you get done?" "be safe out there" "where are you?" Drove me batty because I had to pull over every time to reply.

So I'm just interested to find out if any drivers are being pulled over or are the police just letting it go.

 

[menotyou]

NYS takes this very seriously. Don't go into Onondaga County with your cell anywhere near your ear. Don't text there, either. They were the first in the country to outlaw texting, I think. Haven't heard of any drivers being pulled over for texting, yet, but have heard about drivers being pulled over for cell phones. I would imagine if you are texting on your diad, they would be as mad as they are about cell texting. Remind your sup of the UPS corporate policy about texting and driving.

 

[j100701d]

A note to all drivers.... Leave cell phones in side pkg cars, in cabs of trailers. It is not worth getting written up. UPS is going to realize that their own technology (DIAD) will cost the company in the long run if all drivers either pull over to read a ODS. Stop using personal cell phones to "call the CTR". UPS needs to bring back 800 numbers fir the CTR's. Or start calling collect.

 

[tracker2762]

No need to pull over to reply to sup message, just wait to where you are going then reply. Looking at diad to see if you received a message is a distraction in itself.

 

[ibleedbrown]

does anyone use a bluetooth earpiece? i see a lot of drivers at my center w those. also there are apps for android and iphone that allow u to speak ur text and will also read ur text to u. i'm curious if some of u drivers ever use apps like that or gps to find ur next stop? i would think if u have the earpiece and a speak to text app the gps would come in handy for those hard to find addresses. side note, i have a driver friend who will call me during his route and talk to me for like 20 minutes straight lol i always wondered how he gets away w that!!

 

[stevetheupsguy]

No need to pull over to reply to sup message, just wait to where you are going then reply. Looking at diad to see if you received a message is a distraction in itself.

Agreed, oh, and +1

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

A note to all drivers.... Leave cell phones in side pkg cars, in cabs of trailers. It is not worth getting written up. UPS is going to realize that their own technology (DIAD) will cost the company in the long run if all drivers either pull over to read a ODS. Stop using personal cell phones to "call the CTR". UPS needs to bring back 800 numbers fir the CTR's. Or start calling collect.

Choosing whether or not to use our personal cell phones for company business is up to each driver. I choose to use mine to work more efficiently.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Choosing whether or not to use our personal cell phones for company business is up to each driver. I choose to use mine to work more efficiently.

Though you do NOT get paid for, and are NOT told to do so, correct? Just making this perfectly clear for the audience.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Though you do NOT get paid for, and are NOT told to do so, correct? Just making this perfectly clear for the audience.

Have you been watching the trial? You sound like a lawyer. No, counselor, I am not paid for nor am I told to use my cell phone. I use it of my own volition.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Have you been watching the trial? You sound like a lawyer. No, counselor, I am not paid for nor am I told to use my cell phone. I use it of my own volition.

I just wanted to make this point clear, for all the other's that decide to "work more efficiently". Oh, and by the way, I don't hardly watch TV for that reason. I hardly find Trials and the days top headlines, entertaining. I do however watch movies and such.

 

[John19841]

Though you do NOT get paid for, and are NOT told to do so, correct? Just making this perfectly clear for the audience.

While I could certainly understand this mentality if it was 1999.....but, it's not. It's 2012 and a vast percentage of people now have cell phones with either more minutes than they will ever use, or unlimited number of minutes a month. Not to mention texting....

Anyway, what I'm saying is it's rare to find someone these days who is still on a plan where he has to "watch his minutes" Is it REALLY costing you any more money per month to use something that makes life more convenient? It doesn't cost you any more to use for business....Lots of people work for lots of companies and do not get paid to use their personal phone. It is becoming the norm, the expected, and it will only spread more and more to different industries...

 

[stevetheupsguy]

While I could certainly understand this mentality if it was 1999.....but, it's not. It's 2012 and a vast percentage of people now have cell phones with either more minutes than they will ever use, or unlimited number of minutes a month. Not to mention texting....

Anyway, what I'm saying is it's rare to find someone these days who is still on a plan where he has to "watch his minutes" Is it REALLY costing you any more money per month to use something that makes life more convenient? It doesn't cost you any more to use for business....Lots of people work for lots of companies and do not get paid to use their personal phone. It is becoming the norm, the expected, and it will only spread more and more to different industries...

I understand what you're saying, BUT, you may not be paying extra to make these calls/texts, but surely they are costing you money, hourly. For instance, let's say you have a pickup that is 5 miles back where you have already been, and are working toward the opposite direction. It is easy to call and see if they have something going out, as opposed to driving there and back. You call, they have nothing, and now you lose the time it took you to drive the 10 miles round trip, as well as the extra miles that form a planned day, just sayin....


Ryan, how's the no smoking going? Are you still on the wagon? Have you fallen off at all?

 

[menotyou]

We have to drive to each pick-up. Warning letters if we don't.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We have to drive to each pick-up. Warning letters if we don't.

I do not agree with drivers who call their pickups. Shippers pay up to $20/week to see my smiling face every day.

How is your mgt team going to know whether you physically go to each P/U stop every day? The only two ways that I can think of is if they follow the drivers on ODS-E or if the shipper calls in a concern; beyond that, your center team would have no clue.

 

[menotyou]

I do not agree with drivers who call their pickups. Shippers pay up to $20/week to see my smiling face every day.

How is your mgt team going to know whether you physically go to each P/U stop every day? The only two ways that I can think of is if they follow the drivers on ODS-E or if the shipper calls in a concern; beyond that, your center team would have no clue.

Exactly!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Exactly!

You didn't answer my question--what information are they basing the warning letters on?

 

[scratch]

How is your mgt team going to know whether you physically go to each P/U stop every day?

Your DIAD has a GPS in it and telematics knows exactly where that DIAD is all day long.

 

[menotyou]

Your DIAD has a GPS in it and telematics knows exactly where that DIAD is all day long.

How did the center manager know my driver was in my driveway for 21 min? Telematics.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Your DIAD has a GPS in it and telematics knows exactly where that DIAD is all day long.

How did the center manager know my driver was in my driveway for 21 min? Telematics.

We don't have Telematics but we do have ODS-E. I think it is the ODS-E that tells them where you are during the day.

 

[idrivethetruck]

...For instance, let's say you have a pickup that is 5 miles back where you have already been, and are working toward the opposite direction. It is easy to call and see if they have something going out, as opposed to driving there and back. You call, they have nothing, ...

And now what do you do? Do you key in that you've made the p/u and they had no packages going out? If so, that's falsifying records and telematics is there to prove you were not at that address when the stop was completed. TERMINATED!!
And just like Upstate said, "Shippers pay up to $20/week to see my smiling face every day."