My interpretation was that P-Man was talking about the entire center; talking about the redispatching of the center to achieve a SPC. At least that is what I thought he was talking about.
I can see your point when the center has to cut a route after the preload is down - typically not going to be that great a dispatch because of yours and Justtired's points.
However, there should be a center-wide dispatch put into the plan that reflects the projected volumes/stops - I remember having at least 5 dispatches based on project volume/stops although only 3 would be used outside of Peak Season.
I say "No cutting of routes after the preload is down or the plan is in place!" This is my order and philosophy. Problem is, I'm not sure I spelled
Philososphy correctly and I have zero say in the matter because I'm just a driver!
However, its been my obserevation over the years that once you start messing with the plan and the preload, service failures run amuck. The question then becomes: does the differenting from the plan and added service failures offset the gains in profit created by the change in plan at the last minute?
We come to work everyday to make money, right? Not to make a number ? Or do we? I understand making a number consistently will produce a profit and an efficent business. However, when you have to manipulate tens of people and hundreds to low thousands of parcels in the final hour or two to make a number that is profitable in general and when executed properly, too many things go wrong.
For example, add/cuts don't get pulled forcing extra miles, fuel, and labor on road to get the right work to the right people. Also, maybe pulling the route at the last second forces extra labor costs on the preload and the driver ranks? Add to this, the missed schools and small businesses because these are never considered when moving a split. Even when servicable, the driver must break trace to do so again wasting, time, fuel, miles, and labor.
If its my business, I leave the route in just to service all the parcels and satisfy the customer. Less service failures, less overtime, less problems appears to be a nice outcome.
For people in the know (Hi Pretzelman!), how far off base am I?
Thanks in advance,
Brownie