UPS Light

[wily_old_vet]

Dannyboy-Sure and we'll put one on the back bumper too. One Christmas they sent supervisors out with the driver and helper on the helper's first day on the truck. What a Chinese fire drill that was. Then to top it off a super thick fog settled in and I got turned around trying to get back to the building. Oh well, got paid by the hour. Maybe we can get Harry and David back too and make it really feel like an old time Christmas. The young guys just have no clue what Christmas can be like.

 

[wily_old_vet]

Dannyboy-Sure and we'll put one on the rear bumper too. One Christmas they sent a supervisor out with the driver and helper on the helpers first day on the truck. What a Chinese fire drill that was.

 

[nevadapaul]

Old-Vet having a "Senior Moment"???

 

[feeder]

Thank God I left pkg-car. In feeders, driving from point A to point B, take a meal period and drive back to point A and re-fuel,take a break and punch-out is just as plain and simple... Life in Feeders during Christmas is just like any other day in the year...

 

[local804]

Wily vet,
I am just curious when the supervisor hopped on the truck to train the helper, where in Gods name did he sit? I never saw a package car with 3 seatbelts and it is THE LAW that we ALL must wear them.Just a bit curious.

 

[dammor]

That happens all the time. When it happened to me I didn't mind it too much because I sure as hell didn't have time to train the helper. It would be better if they were trained before, but I guess the best training is on car. It worked out OK after a few days. As far as seat belts, well the best use of a helper is to have them in the load getting ready for the next stop. Just try not to kill them while they are back there.
Balance is very important. ;-))

 

[dannyboy]

I used 4 one Christmas at the same time. They got pizza for lunch while I set the car up for the next marathon. Worked like clockwork. But I found that three worked better.

It helped that I was able to set off 250-300 stops at one of my early deliveries, and was able to come back at 230-3 to pick them up. And if I needed to, because of space and bulk, I sometimes went back at 5 or so for the rest.

Still hold the record for the most stops in one day for our whole area.

As for seatbelts, hell they didnt even have the jump seats then. IT was like in the movies, all the paratroops standing in a row ready to jump out of the plane with packages under arm. Anything slower than 25 was close enough to get out on the run. And with all that, never an injury (excepting the kid whose fingers I broke when I slammed the bulkhead....

I like to never got the door back open)

And you kids think you have it rough!

d

 

[wily_old_vet]

Nevadapaul-Isn't it obvious. I'm still lost in that fog.

Local 804-This was way before jump seats and seat belts.

Dannyboy-That had to be back in the days of fruit and cheese and LLBean. With the size of the PotteryBarn paks you'd never fit it on there now.

 

[dannyboy]

Wisconsin cheese man, Harry and David, LL Bean just to mention a few. And these are the ones that Ive heard we are getting back with the no frills service. To the tune of 80,000-85,000 packages a day. Best I can figure that translates to 10,000-11,000 new jobs.

Kinda hard to find fault with this kinda growth.

Esp when the liability limmits for the packages are removed.

I think the company is doing something good to get the volume back that has eroded to the USPS. My question is how will the drivers respond? Will the abuse the situation or rise to the challenge?

d

 

[dammor]

"I think the company is doing something good to get the volume back that has eroded to the USPS.
"My question is how will the drivers respond? Will the abuse the situation or rise to the challenge?"

Danny,
Perhaps it will depend on what sort of imformation we are given. All we know here as of now is that we are in a trial area. It began with no warning. We have been seeing UPS packages in the hands of USPS for 2 weeks now and it is taking away volume in a town that has needed 3 trucks, 2 p-700's, and a p-500, in the past. I'm talking in town here. Not routes, but in town resies. They are having to look for stops to dispatch. I find it hard to believe that the packages going to USPS are from new or returned accounts. A month ago they were working till dark thirty. Does that not sound strange to you for this time of year? Sure as hell does to me. I will not lay down for this one untill we get a written assurance that it is what you are being told it is. From what I see here, I doubt that's true. Beware, it's heading your way soon if we don't get it straight now.

 

[wily_old_vet]

As with a lot of things that UPS does they will try to get away with as much as they can. We just have to be vigilant. Everytime you see a UPS pkg that's delivered by the post office, make a note of the the day and the shippers name and shipper number. Then give this info to your local. Once UPS realizes they can't get away with this kind of crap they'll get it straightened out. I think a lot of the problems will come with local mgt trying to keep their costs down and their bonuses up. I do believe this can be a good source of volume and jobs if it's done right.

 

[nevadapaul]

Old Vet, your last sentence seems to contradict your first six sentences. You don't want UPS to get away with it but then you give it a blessing!

 

[wily_old_vet]

Nevadapaul-Not contradictory at all. For the service to be a success we have to be vigilant about abuses the same as with supervisors doing hourly work and other abuses. The key words in the last sentence were "if it's done right". Your damn right I want it to work.

 

[speeddemon]

I dont like it. I dont want my service picture having anything to do with the post office. Then there is the potential that we would lose some jobs from cutting a route in high rural centers like mine.

 

[tieguy]

I don't think you understand the concept. If you add 100,000 packages to our system from one of these large smalls fullfillment houses you don't cut jobs you add them.

 

[brownmonster]

Looking forward to revisiting this issue a year from now to see how it panned out. Could it be possible the Company, the Union and the Shareowners all win?

 

[speeddemon]

But you see, I am in a mostly rural center. Sure you add those packages into the mix, but they will just be added to the packages we already have. Then they will be delivered to the post office, and counted as one stop. See what I mean? You take just an average of 5 stops off each car in my center, and that is a whole route. Multiply that nationwide, and theres your potential loast jobs. Adding the packages is not the problem, its that some of our current volume will be delivered to the post office along with the new. Dont get me wrong, I want my company to stay viableand profitable, but not at the cost of losing employees.

 

[nevadapaul]

Just maybe 5 stops per car would reduce the paid/planned day versus cutting a route.

 

[wily_old_vet]

Speed-That's why I said we have to be vigilant and let the union know when we see violations such as regular shoppers being delivered by the po. Unfortunately we don't have an accurate list of what shippers are availing themselves of this option, just speculation (cheese,llbean, etc.). Every new service offering runs into problems at first. However, if the company tries to use this service to have the po deliver all 1-5lb pkgs in "rural" areas that aren't rural then we as Teamsters need to go to war. Personally I don't think the company is that stupid but they wwere with over 70's so time will tell. Meanwhile document what you see since your centeer is on the front lines. If you can get some tracking numbers to post so the rest of us can see whats going on please do. By the way, welcome to the board.

 

[playinthru]

SpeedDemon; I'm trying to understand the last sentence in your posting, "Don't get me wrong,I want my company to stay viable and profitable, but not at the cost of losing employees". Please explain.