Why are so many Amazon packages upgraded for 12:00 commit on Saturdays?

[JL 0513]

Anyone who has worked a Saturday this last year or 2 would notice. MOST of the 12:00 air commits on Saturday are every day junk Amazon packages. Clearly nothing important, just upgraded for some reason. During the week, the same stuff that is Savers.

So UPS is paying big money for drivers to basically run much of the route area twice to get these cheap Amazon residential shipments off by noon.

Any idea why this is?

 

[Pullman Brown]

Anyone who has worked a Saturday this last year or 2 would notice. MOST of the 12:00 air commits on Saturday are every day junk Amazon packages. Clearly nothing important, just upgraded for some reason. During the week, the same stuff that is Savers.

So UPS is paying big money for drivers to basically run much of the route area twice to get these cheap Amazon residential shipments off by noon.

Any idea why this is?

I would need to see the billing invoice to Amazon compared with our labor costs on Saturday. I hear this argument a lot but I’m not convinced. CEO has clearly said weekends are here for good, at least Saturday for now.

 

[JL 0513]

I would need to see the billing invoice to Amazon compared with our labor costs on Saturday. I hear this argument a lot but I’m not convinced. CEO has clearly said weekends are here for good, at least Saturday for now.

I'm just wondering why just Amazon junk is getting premium noon commits. Any other air is clearly priority type packages. The Amazon stuff is just random stuff people ordered Friday that they don't even need.

I know because I've ordered unimportant products, "free" shipping and it got upgraded to 12:00 commit and I felt guilty seeing the driver making the special trip to my house that is out of the way.

 

[Pullman Brown]

I'm just wondering why just Amazon junk is getting premium noon commits. Any other air is clearly priority type packages. The Amazon stuff is just random stuff people ordered Friday that they don't even need.

I know because I've ordered unimportant products, "free" shipping and it got upgraded to 12:00 commit and I felt guilty seeing the driver making the special trip to my house that is out of the way.

They are our biggest customer and probably paying us the most or at least should be. It’s probably written into the contract with them somewhere.

 

[JL 0513]

They are our biggest customer and probably paying us the most or at least should be. It’s probably written into the contract with them somewhere.

All I've ever heard is that, per package, they pay the least. But yes, the most volume. I just don't see why Amazon would be paying a large fee to upgrade these shipments that the customer doesn't even ask for. Most Amazon Prime shipments are just regular 2day. If you are close to a fulfillment center, often next day.

 

[Pullman Brown]

All I've ever heard is that, per package, they pay the least. But yes, the most volume. I just don't see why Amazon would be paying a large fee to upgrade these shipments that the customer doesn't even ask for. Most Amazon Prime shipments are just regular 2day. If you are close to a fulfillment center, often next day.

All I know is that this company dropped the ball big time allowing amazon to build up there infrastructure paying pennies on the dime in the past, which I doubt is happening under the current managerial overlords, so whatever they are upgrading has to be monetarily beneficial or built into the contract they we have with them. If not shame on UPS.

 

[DriverNerd]

Amazon ships a ton of 1S and 2S packages for delivery on Saturday. All 1S packages are noon commit whether they are from Amazon or not. They're not upgraded, that's just their service level.

 

[JL 0513]

Amazon ships a ton of 1S and 2S packages for delivery on Saturday. All 1S packages are noon commit whether they are from Amazon or not. They're not upgraded, that's just their service level.

I'm just confused on why only Saturday? There's dozens of other Amazon packages that are next day savers end of day commit.
Amazon pretty much never ships any NDA 10:30/12:00 commit M-Friday.

 

[TSB]

Anyone who has worked a Saturday this last year or 2 would notice. MOST of the 12:00 air commits on Saturday are every day junk Amazon packages. Clearly nothing important, just upgraded for some reason. During the week, the same stuff that is Savers.

So UPS is paying big money for drivers to basically run much of the route area twice to get these cheap Amazon residential shipments off by noon.

Any idea why this is?

If you're asking why UPS is paying big money for drivers to deliver packages on a Saturday it's because they truly care for the Saturday drivers and want to see them thrive and make money. (After you stop laughing at that) Does it matter? A driver is earning, bottom line.

 

[DriverNerd]

I'm just confused on why only Saturday? There's dozens of other Amazon packages that are next day savers end of day commit.
Amazon pretty much never ships any NDA 10:30/12:00 commit M-Friday.

Because the only way to guarantee their packages will be delivered on Saturday instead of Monday they have to choose Saturday delivery. If they ship on Friday that makes them 1S and automatically gives them noon commits. If they were guaranteed Saturday delivery I'm sure they'd all be 1P like they usually are.

 

[JL 0513]

Because the only way to guarantee their packages will be delivered on Saturday instead of Monday they have to choose Saturday delivery. If they ship on Friday that makes them 1S and automatically gives them noon commits. If they were guaranteed Saturday delivery I'm sure they'd all be 1P like they usually are.

I guess that makes sense. Seems like an unintended arrangement that is literally going to add millions in cost unnecessarily. Last Saturday, I had at least a dozen of these 12:00's. Probably added an hour and a half at $62/hr, plus the on road truck costs. Essentially had to restart the route at noon.

Multiply this nationwide, year-round. Doesn't seem too bright.

 

[Thebrownblob]

I guess that makes sense. Seems like an unintended arrangement that is literally going to add millions in cost unnecessarily. Last Saturday, I had at least a dozen of these 12:00's. Probably added an hour and a half at $62/hr, plus the on road truck costs. Essentially had to restart the route at noon.

Multiply this nationwide, year-round. Doesn't seem too bright.

I haven’t done Saturday for a while, but the last time we had that we were told to ignore that and deliver them by end of the day

 

[JL 0513]

I haven’t done Saturday for a while, but the last time we had that we were told to ignore that and deliver them by end of the day

Unfortunately not. All on time, straight air if needed they tell us.

 

[Thebrownblob]

Unfortunately not. All on time, straight air if needed they tell us.

Just adding hours to your day

 

[GenericUsername]

I've honestly wondered the same thing and seem to have got my answer from this thread, so thanks for posting it. I'm in the opinion the only thing that should be getting Saturday 12:00 commit is medical packages, time sensitive paperwork (though I don't know what that would be on a Saturday since most places that would handle things like that, such as banks and investment places, lawyer offices) are closed typically.

I feel as though we go about Saturdays entirely wrong now. In the past we would have part timers (air drivers or lower seniority guys inside the building) who would drive air and get at least some area knowledge. Now it's just full timers here that drive Saturday, whether 22.4 or RPCD. I feel we're losing out some of the potential training that Saturdays have to offer and are just treating it as another day - which we are doing now.

What if we still had the inside guys run air from 10:00 to 12:00 or whatever your local times are? Some here reach out to 1:30. While having said that, we could potentially run ground routes earlier from those wanting the OT/22.4s/lower seniority guys so they can have the bulk of the routes completed as well as pickups back earlier.

Sorry for the rant but it's 2 AM and time to go to bed apparently.

 

[Staydryitsraining]

Well looking at the whole picture I'd conclude, alot of stuff people buy at Amazon is delivered same day or next day. If Amazon can't deliver it themselves but we can, we deliver it. It has a 12 commit because that's what Amazon offered the customer when they bought it.

 

[21Savage]

Great question. I was wondering the same thing yesterday when I had like 3 airs of those blue and white bags with one tiny item in it. I was like no way this should be an air

 

[thecamel]

Which one of you guys has your letter in? Which of you has been asked to smooth out the Saturday operation? Ups is making a killing, clearing over $1 billion a month doing it this way. Been here a long, long time and the company has never made this kind of $$$. Neither have the drivers. They are doing it the right way. You guys just keep up the good work and let them run the operation.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I have assumed the 1P on Saturday is Mondays volume someone decided to upgrade to reduce Mondays work and less 300 series delivery drivers.

 

[Cowboy Mac]

Great question. I was wondering the same thing yesterday when I had like 3 airs of those blue and white bags with one tiny item in it. I was like no way this should be an air

It’s above our pay grade. As long as the check clears the bank account.