Who decides if I DR at the gate or forced to go all the way to the house ?

Maplewood

Well-Known Member
Just took a rural route. I’ve never been on a route that has so many gates with roads to the house anywhere from one mile up to about 4-5 miles. I’ve got some gate codes but to actually go in each gate would put me out a couple extra hours each day. I’m already doing 9-10 hrs a day and DR at as many gates as I can. The driver before was doing way less stops so I guess he had the time. No complaints yet but just want know if the gate is the best place to DR
We only leave dr pkgs at gates that are closed. You make more money doing the job correctly. Obviously you need less stops. Did the other driver opt-in? If so, so should you.
 

Pablo Escobar

Active Member
Who decides if I DR at the gate or forced to go all the way to the house ?

That would be you.

I’ve had some customers tell me that they pay to have their packages delivered to their front door And it’s usually someone with a gate and a long crappy driveway. I’ve been leaving at gate. Not gonna chance it.
 

Dr.Brownz

Well-Known Member
Just took a rural route. I’ve never been on a route that has so many gates with roads to the house anywhere from one mile up to about 4-5 miles. I’ve got some gate codes but to actually go in each gate would put me out a couple extra hours each day. I’m already doing 9-10 hrs a day and DR at as many gates as I can. The driver before was doing way less stops so I guess he had the time. No complaints yet but just want know if the gate is the best place to DR
Drive down every driveway and get on the 9.5 list
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Its really simple.
If the customer has provided us with the gate code, they expect us to use it and we need to open the gate and drive up to the house to deliver the package.
If they wont provide us with a gate code, we bag it and DR it behind the gate.
If it is too big or expensive looking to DR at the gate, it is a NI1 and we leave a note on the gate.
Long driveways are part of having a rural route and if you dont want the OT that comes with that then do the job correctly and get on the 9.5 list.
 

Sweeper

Where’s the broom?
Just took a rural route. I’ve never been on a route that has so many gates with roads to the house anywhere from one mile up to about 4-5 miles. I’ve got some gate codes but to actually go in each gate would put me out a couple extra hours each day. I’m already doing 9-10 hrs a day and DR at as many gates as I can. The driver before was doing way less stops so I guess he had the time. No complaints yet but just want know if the gate is the best place to DR
If I wasn’t sure if a gate was a good and Safe Dr I wouldn’t leave it. Generally if I didn’t know that the customer wanted pkgs left at the gate it wasn’t getting left. NI1 and an info notice. If I was even remotely unsure NI1. Nothing beat coming back from vacation to a stack of DFU’s. I used to be able to easily run out of hours when the weather would get bad. Turn off Orion.

I really enjoyed it when it snowed. Conversations in the AM with management went something like this.
Me: What time do I have to be back?
Sup: We’re not sure.
Me: All of my deliveries can be made with enough time devoted.
Sup: We can’t have you out all night.
Me: If you don’t tell me what time I have to be back then I’ll take as much time as necessary to safely deliver every stop on car. I don’t know how much is too much time to devote to a delivery if you can’t tell me what time your going to call us in off the road. Then the sup would walk away.

Then I’d leave the building with 150ish stops. 5:00 would roll around and I’d have 100 left. I’d bring back my last 80 stops and sheet them all emergency condition or missed. Some of those 80stops were quick and easy stops but since they refused to give me a time to be back to the building then I’d deliver in trace until they called me in.

Next day same conversation

Me: What time do I have to be back?
Sup: We’re not sure.
Me: All of my deliveries can be made with enough time devoted.
Sup: We can’t have you out all night.
Me: If you don’t tell me what time I have to be back then I’ll take as much time as necessary to safely deliver every stop on car.
Sup: use your discretion.
Me: ummmmmmmmmm

I now have 30 more stops then yesterday.

Rinse and repeat each day

This would go on for a couple days until they sent in extra help or they’d actually start giving me a time to return to the building before I left in the morning.

I enjoyed rural routes particularly when the weather got bad. It’s amazing how full they can make the 6 ,7 and 8000 shelf. I always told my preloader the extra weight on the back of the car helped.

Remember when the weather turns bad:
Can’t put the whole car at risk for one stop. Walk off long driveways. Time is money!
 

watdaflock?

Well-Known Member
Bag it and toss it over the gate. They know their Chinese made crap from Amazon is coming. They should have a lockbox out in front on their gate or something.

I remember going on this rural route where a customer with a mile long driveway left several notes. First one was: Deliver to front porch, do not leave at gate.. Then the next was a phone number, no gate code. I call, they don’t answer. Fine, I leave an info notice at the gate. Then as I’m driving away they call back. “I need my package today!” Fine what is your gate code? They give it to me. Turns out to be wrong, I call them back,

“ma’am your gate code doesn’t work.”

“That’s because it’s the old code.”

“Well how about the current one..?”

Gives me the new one. I finally get in and drive up this long driveway that has thick brush and trees beating the hell out of the package car. By the time I got out of there I lost 25 minutes and had to sweep all the branches and leaves out of the cab.

They never used the words “please” or “thank you” or even “sorry” for giving me the wrong gate code. Just demanded I leave their crap on their porch.

Take care of the landscaping along your driveway you ungrateful fux!


You deliver cardboard boxes out of a truck. How you're treated doesn't effect your job. Shut yo' mouf, smile and get onto your next stop.
 

jagger john

Well-Known Member
Just took a rural route. I’ve never been on a route that has so many gates with roads to the house anywhere from one mile up to about 4-5 miles. I’ve got some gate codes but to actually go in each gate would put me out a couple extra hours each day. I’m already doing 9-10 hrs a day and DR at as many gates as I can. The driver before was doing way less stops so I guess he had the time. No complaints yet but just want know if the gate is the best place to DR
i have rural rt to walk to house as long as no bad dogs longer walks less stops
 

Pablo Escobar

Active Member
I’ve been releasing at the gates I know I can’t get into. Too narrow or not enough room to turn around at the house. I can’t put NI1 because I’m full everyday. Need the room bec the next day I know I’ll be full again. I was told the old driver left lots of stops in town and also went out with less stops then what I have to do. Since I can’t realistically go thru every gate I use my best judgement and DR at gates as I see fit. Some I try to avoid if I have to go thru more than 2 gates. Yes it’s windshield time but I’m not trying to be out till 830 every night delivering amazon pkgs
 

wayfair

swollen member
I’ve been releasing at the gates I know I can’t get into. Too narrow or not enough room to turn around at the house. I can’t put NI1 because I’m full everyday. Need the room bec the next day I know I’ll be full again. I was told the old driver left lots of stops in town and also went out with less stops then what I have to do. Since I can’t realistically go thru every gate I use my best judgement and DR at gates as I see fit. Some I try to avoid if I have to go thru more than 2 gates. Yes it’s windshield time but I’m not trying to be out till 830 every night delivering amazon pkgs
You might find it easier to deliver those rural route stops to the places of business's customers works at, might save you some miles on ORION
 

G.V. Rush

All Encompassing Member
Just took a rural route. I’ve never been on a route that has so many gates with roads to the house anywhere from one mile up to about 4-5 miles. I’ve got some gate codes but to actually go in each gate would put me out a couple extra hours each day. I’m already doing 9-10 hrs a day and DR at as many gates as I can. The driver before was doing way less stops so I guess he had the time. No complaints yet but just want know if the gate is the best place to DR
You the driver decides. As well as you the driver deals with DFU’s. DR intelligently. You should be fine
 

Indecisi0n

Well-Known Member
Its really simple.
If the customer has provided us with the gate code, they expect us to use it and we need to open the gate and drive up to the house to deliver the package.
If they wont provide us with a gate code, we bag it and DR it behind the gate.
If it is too big or expensive looking to DR at the gate, it is a NI1 and we leave a note on the gate.
Long driveways are part of having a rural route and if you dont want the OT that comes with that then do the job correctly and get on the 9.5 list.
And when you open the gate and their dog runs out and gets ran over guess who they will blame. I hated gated properties.
 

OrioN

double tap o da horn dooshbag
I'm a cover driver this summer...

So I ring the intercom at this gate in a lakefront community...

No answer.

My power pad doesn't have eNotes like the other FedEx opco, express.
sketch-1532740534215.png



Soo, I bagged the chewy boxes, played a bit of Jenga with them by their mailbox


Shrugs, I bet they get an electronic notification so they will retrieve them after their day at the lake/river
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
You might find it easier to deliver those rural route stops to the places of business's customers works at, might save you some miles on ORION
No no no. Easy way for management to cut routes.


I watched a guy take a satelittle area that ran 3 routes 4 days a week and turn it into 1 route 3 days a week. How? He refused to work late into the night. So if he was heavy he left stuff at businesses or aunts or parents or banks. Whatever he had to do. His route when from 60ish stops most days to 130-140.
 

Raw

Raw Member
Yep.

I know some drivers that horde access code information so other drivers don't burn up

their route. It would be up to the customer to provide that info, so it can be put in the DIAD.

If drivers are bagging and dropping pkgs at the gate.... they just need to properly record it.
To deliver it properly you then have to leave a notice on their front door telling them where you left the pkg.
 

Raw

Raw Member
I'm a cover driver this summer...

So I ring the intercom at this gate in a lakefront community...

No answer.

My power pad doesn't have eNotes like the other FedEx opco, express.
View attachment 204338


Soo, I bagged the chewy boxes, played a bit of Jenga with them by their mailbox


Shrugs, I bet they get an electronic notification so they will retrieve them after their day at the lake/river
Looks like it should be a not in or left at access point.
 

Raw

Raw Member
Ask Supes and Manglers. Put the ball in THEIR court.

Years ago, I made a decision that saved a lot of time and money for company. Went back and told em. They said "Don't EVER do that again. Let US make the decisions."

OK. 30 years in, I STILL made them make every itty, bitty decision.
Just deliver to door or leave a notice at gate if you can`t get in. If you ask 3 different supes you will get 3 different answers.
 
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