Work Related Cell Phone Use Poll

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

There has been some discussion on the pros and cons of drivers using their cell phones during work. Some of the members contend that using their cell phones increases their efficiency and makes their day go by quicker and more smoothly. Other members contend that if the company wanted us to use cell phones they would provide them and that their use should be prohibited.

Please keep in mind that this poll is solely for the use of cell phones while doing our jobs and not for any personal use. It is assumed for the purposes of this thread that the phones are not being used while the vehicle is in motion as the laws regarding use of handheld devices while driving vary from state to state.

 

[cosmictrucker]

This is a tough call.

I would change the wording from "allowed" to "expected"

 

[scratch]

I do use mine to make service sometimes. If I have a bad address and there is a phone number on the label, I'll call the consignee and get a correct address. They recently enacted a new no texting law in Georgia. We can't touch a DIAD at all, even if we are sitting at a red light. That was always UPS policy, but now we can get fined.

 

[imgonpostl]

Our own personal phones should no way be used to conduct UPS business in any way shape or form. We have two way comunication with our DIADs. Any problems with a delivery should be solved by sending a message and letting mgt handle it. If they send me a message to call center I send them one back asking if I should break trace to find a phone to use. Please don't do it. It will hurt us all in the long run.

 

[over9five]

Hard to find a correct option for me.

I use my phone for business. I do have 2 business customers numbers in my phone. I would, like Scratch, use my phone to call a customer for the correct address.

BUT, I do not use my phone to call the center. We have messaging thru the DIAD and that's what it's there for. I'm happy to break to a payphone if they need to talk to me that bad.

 

[LagunaBrown]

Just don't use them on time studies, ride a longs or for communication with the center. Work takes longer without them and printing your DIAD messages is proof you notified the center of any problem. Just saying you called on your cell phone (even if you did actually talk to a supervisor) won't hold up in court. That is why there is language in the N.M.A. Southwest Package Rider where Employee's can request ODS messages.

 

[Jones]

I agree with changing "allowed" to "expected". The bottom line for me is that it's my cell phone, I pay for it, and I'll use/not use it however and whenever I want.

 

[tracker2762]

I'll have to agree with scratch and over9five. As much as I dislike using the phone for business, there are times where I find it easier. I would estimate that I use my cell for work about 5 times a month. The one thing I won't do is call another driver when prompted to through the diad. I don't want to be calling someone and have them answer it while driving. I can just see being charge with an accident if they had an accident because they answered a call from me. Not gonna happen. We were also told that new PA law forbids looking a communication device ( not specificly mentioning diad) could cost up to $2,750.00 fine.
imgonpostl states, "Our own personal phones should no way be used to conduct UPS business in any way shape or form". I'll use my phone anytime I want to use it, not when they ask me to. They know my views on this and send me messages begging me to use it for business. So if I had to choose a option in the poll it would be NO, butI think it could have been worded differently.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I also agree with changing "allowed" to "expected" but the 15 minutes within which you can edit a post/thread has passed. Laguna made a good point as well by saying not to use it on a OJS or time study and I agree with those who say not to use it to communicate with the center--that's what the DIAD is for.

 

[outta hours]

Anybody who uses their PERSONAL cell phone to conduct any type of UPS business is out of their mind. If it's all about being faster and taking shortcuts why not use them during time studies , lock in rides, and OJS rides, misload meet points, etc. You have answered your own question by declaring you would not use them during any of those scenarios. So don't ever use them.

This type of selfish, me first behavior among some drivers is the dysfunction that created lock in rides in the first place. Using your phone is no different than skipping your lunch, working off the clock, calling the center instead of using the DIAD. It becomes expected by the company. Then when a driver chooses not to engage in this foolishness he is the one put in the hot seat. For not doing something that is not required for him to do anyway. Can you see how you are hurting other drivers as well as yourself by doing any of the above mentioned things?

The old it "helps me out" excuse is what creates such a wedge between fellow drivers.Which by the way management loves. Driver A skips his lunch, loads off the clock, calls pickups & customers for meet points, runs, speeds, calls fellow drivers to set up meet points, etc. Driver B does none of these things. Which one do you think will be done faster and have better numbers? Which one will be more well liked by management? If you are driver A and it's all about being faster why not hire a personal helper to deliver your stops? Or have your spouse meet you and take 20-30 stops and deliver them out of their car?
If you are going to cheat you may as well do it the extent that it helps you the most. I mean it will " help you finish faster" right?

You are either cheating the system and the company or you are not. Don't try and rationalize your cheating under the guise it is actually " helping". And if your are doing even just one of the things I metnioned, including using your cell phone for any work related issue you are cheating. We as a people in general need to remember that our actions not only impact our lives, but also the lives of so many others around us.

 

[tracker2762]

Don't bring my wife into this, she leaves everything out of sight and out of weather.

 

[browndevil]

My only problem with using my cell phone is when it becomes a "he said she said" situation. When a customer calls me and wants something special i.e. an earlier or later pickup, I ask them to call the center so then mgmt is aware and intructing me to go back. At that point there is a hard copy in the form of a message through the DIAD. You know mgmt can give you whiplash sometimes on how quickly it can get ugly. Stealing time is OUR flavor of the month

 

[22.34life]

we had an oms give out a drivers cell number to a customer without his permission,the cust. blew this guys phone up,not cool.

 

[dilligaf]

I do use my cell for work. I will only do it for certain customers. When it is expected, either by the customer or by the center, that is where I draw the line. I had an ODS pickup the other day for 3 Intl pkgs. I didn't know that the customer needed way bills so I was totally unprepared for the pickup. The customer was pissed and I called the center and complained about the lack of information given (like that accomplishes anything ). Basically all I was doing was trying to placate the customer.

 

[bumped]

98% of the time I will not use my cell phone for anything work related. 2% of the time if I'm in a good mood and have a good working relationship with someone I might use it. I love when a sup tries to call me, and the call sits missed for most of the day. I'll then call him back after I'm punched out and they're home asking what they wanted as there was no DIAD message sent to me.

 

[Bubblehead]

98% of the time I will not use my cell phone for anything work related. 2% of the time if I'm in a good mood and have a good working relationship with someone I might use it. I love when a sup tries to call me, and the call sits missed for most of the day. I'll then call him back after I'm punched out and they're home asking what they wanted as there was no DIAD message sent to me.

Well played.

 

[LagunaBrown]

Dispatch will try to have you do their job and say " If you need help call john doe on his cell, he will help you" or give out your cell number. Always type back that you are not required to use personal phones for U.P.S work and it is the responsibility of the Dispatch to delegate, appoint and authorize work. When you get back to the building print your message.... Seems cut and dry to me.

 

[brownmonster]

Anybody who uses their PERSONAL cell phone to conduct any type of UPS business is out of their mind. If it's all about being faster and taking shortcuts why not use them during time studies , lock in rides, and OJS rides, misload meet points, etc. You have answered your own question by declaring you would not use them during any of those scenarios. So don't ever use them.

This type of selfish, me first behavior among some drivers is the dysfunction that created lock in rides in the first place. Using your phone is no different than skipping your lunch, working off the clock, calling the center instead of using the DIAD. It becomes expected by the company. Then when a driver chooses not to engage in this foolishness he is the one put in the hot seat. For not doing something that is not required for him to do anyway. Can you see how you are hurting other drivers as well as yourself by doing any of the above mentioned things?

The old it "helps me out" excuse is what creates such a wedge between fellow drivers.Which by the way management loves. Driver A skips his lunch, loads off the clock, calls pickups & customers for meet points, runs, speeds, calls fellow drivers to set up meet points, etc. Driver B does none of these things. Which one do you think will be done faster and have better numbers? Which one will be more well liked by management? If you are driver A and it's all about being faster why not hire a personal helper to deliver your stops? Or have your spouse meet you and take 20-30 stops and deliver them out of their car?
If you are going to cheat you may as well do it the extent that it helps you the most. I mean it will " help you finish faster" right?

You are either cheating the system and the company or you are not. Don't try and rationalize your cheating under the guise it is actually " helping". And if your are doing even just one of the things I metnioned, including using your cell phone for any work related issue you are cheating. We as a people in general need to remember that our actions not only impact our lives, but also the lives of so many others around us.

The two most overallowed driver's in my area use cell phones. Doesn't seem to be making them faster. We're talking a couple of minutes a week. I use it mostly to let customers know that I've been ringing their back door for the last 5 minutes.

 

[22.34life]

The two most overallowed driver's in my area use cell phones. Doesn't seem to be making them faster. We're talking a couple of minutes a week. I use it mostly to let customers know that I've been ringing their back door for the last 5 minutes.

what did drivers do before cell phones or a diad i mean how did the job get done?

 

[Omega man]

I work at UPS to make a living. I get paid by the hour. I must pay a monthly fee for having a cell phone. UPS does not contribute anything toward this fee. Using a cell phone at work exposes me to discipline. Using a cell phone to contact customers, other drivers or the center is not part of the methods and shortens my day. In other words, I get paid less. Shortening my day helps allow UPS to never have to put in the proper number of routes. Why would I ever do this?? Only people whose main priority is to get home as early as they can, anyway they can, do this. It seems that the loudest complainers of being over-dispatched or having to work late in my center are the same ones cutting corners to save time and doing things not as UPS prescribes. What does UPS do? They just keep giving them more stops.