Whats the best way to use a driver helper.

Rented Ammo

Active Member
Today was my first day driving with a helper. Management tells me to drop him off with a handcart full of packages and finish a street off while I go deliver other stops.

Problem is it takes awhile to throw all the :censored2: on a handcart and to scan all of it and driver release it. My helper doesn't know how to use the diad and refuses to learn so I have to do it for him.

He also.doesn't like being dropped off with a handcart cuz he said he feels uncomfortable and thinks its unsafe. The whole day I was like is this guy serious?

Any advice?
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
I always just have them jump for me, and I set up the up truck and scan the next stop. I've never had my center team instruct me to utilize a jumper in any specific way, but if they did I would do it however they told me. If the jumper said he didn't feel safe doing it that way I would tell my center team and let them handle it. I would never tell a jumper to do something he didn't want to do.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
Remember the helper is not your employee! If he doesn't want to do the work, it is not your problem. Tell your sup to take care of it.
 

TheKid

Well-Known Member
First off....I have had helpers not do what I asked of them....they did not last long. I agree with the other posters where they told you to tell your management team and let them deal with it. As far as the "best" way to use a helper...it changes from route to route. The best advice I can give you is as long as both of you are being productive...that is what you should shoot for. The best scenario is you pull down a street with 3 or 4 stops close to each other and you each grab 2 and "run" them off. As far as him learning the DIAD....he does not have that option...teach it to him, it is well worth your while. If we can't both deliver at the same time, he delivers and you set up. Good luck....21 days and counting.
 

Harley Rider

34 yrs & done!
I told them to just stay out of my way. I could always work faster without them. They use to give helpers a little training before sending them out on a car. Now they expect the driver to train them since we have so much extra time during the day to waste. I've had one helper in my 26 years that actually saved me any time and that was when we were still sheeting packages on paper. Luckily I haven't had to deal with helpers the last few years since I took a mostly rural route the last bid. Its a waste anyway. My experience has always been that the helper is only on your car for a couple of hours but you are given an extra four or five hours work. That little "H" on your timecard does nothing but cut the already pitiful time allowance even more.
 

DS

Fenderbender
My helper doesn't know how to use the diad and refuses to learn so I have to do it for him.

Any advice?
That's easy.Make him do 90% of the work.Just scan and do all the cod's and siq req deliveries.
When he leaves the box on the porch tell him to yell"DIAD" and complete the stop.
 

brownmonster

Man of Great Wisdom
Had a helper today for 2 hours. Brand new kid. Boss told me to put a minimum of 41 stops in his DIAD 3. In the 2 hours we did a total of 31 stops. 6 residential.
Their printout told me it was an 8.12 planned day. I punched out a 7:45. I figure the helper cost me 1/2 an hour.
 

TheDick

Well-Known Member
Had a helper today for 2 hours. Brand new kid. Boss told me to put a minimum of 41 stops in his DIAD 3. In the 2 hours we did a total of 31 stops. 6 residential.
Their printout told me it was an 8.12 planned day. I punched out a 7:45. I figure the helper cost me 1/2 an hour.

:rofl: yeah and you got do that 21 more days. sup knows best!
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
My experience has been that its better to have the helper use the DIAD as little as possible. I will run both DIADS myself, and scan/stop complete each package as I hand it to him. He only takes the DIAD along if he needs to get a signature. His job is simply to walk the packages to the door while I sort and scan. I will park in the middle of the block and let him take one side of the street while I do the other. I also save time by doing any necessary backing while the helper is walking.

If I have 2 or 3 stops in a cul-de-sac, I will scan and stop complete them ahead of time while my helper is walking off a previous stop. By the time he gets back to the car and buckled in, I already have the stops completed in the DIAD and I hand the packages to him to hold on to while we are driving. When we get to the cul-de-sac, I will stop and let him out and then get turned around while he is walking them off. By the time he gets back, the car is pointed in the right direction and the next 2 or 3 stops are scanned and completed and as soon as he buckles up the wheels are rolling.

Simply handing the helper a DIAD and a handcart full of packages to go deliver is a waste of time. The average helper has not gotten enough training to use a DIAD with any proficiency at all. Its better to just accept that fact and do as much of the DIAD work as possible yourself.
 

robot

Has A Large Member
I noticed a bunch of tricycles at the mechanic's shops on my way out the other day. They said they will be used for peak. I guess they'll have the helpers scooting around the neighborhoods?
 

rod

Retired 22 years
I always had the helper do 95% of the actual delivering while I sorted, ran the DIADS and set up the next few stops----but that was back in the days before the trucks were loaded in perfect stop order like I hear they are now.:happy2: I loved Christmas time. It meant that for the most part I could stay in the truck and keep half way warm. The worst time of year was after Christmas when half the workforce was laid off and you never knew what your route was going to consist of.
 

code42

Member
I do 1 side he does the other. While I go to house he finds next box. while he goes I do. door stays open truck stays running. telematics be damned.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
It is not that hard to teach the helper the basics of the DIAD. I had my helper proficient to the point where he could deliver a medical office building with multiple suites by himself. Having a helper who can use the DIAD is a huge time saver.

As for the OP, while the helper may not be my employee, he is under my direction and if he is unable or unwilling to follow that direction than he is of no use to me. I would never ask a helper to do anything that I would not feel comfortable doing. Dropping him off with a handcart and DIAD is less efficient than having him on the car working with me. I would either call the center team to come pick him up or hand him taxi fare if he does not want to work.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I just use my Helper as a runner, there is no point in trying to train him on a DIAD. So far, Peak has been a disaster for me as far as Helpers go. I have a different one every day. The first day I had a no show, and yesterday was another no show. They don't answer the phone and a lot of them don't even have cars, much less understand simple directions on how to find a Meet Point.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Don't you have to put a minimum number of stops in to the helper DIAD? I would think that at least teaching him how to sheet a residential package should be fairly easy (that is, if they bother to show up).
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
Don't you have to put a minimum number of stops in to the helper DIAD? I would think that at least teaching him how to sheet a residential package should be fairly easy (that is, if they bother to show up).
The last 2 years I never got a helper board. I had a helper for at least 8 hours a day. He ran off the stops while I kept the heater at optimum adjustment.
 
Top