Misloads-Bay numbers on PAL Labels

brownmonster · 10-04-2008, 12:31 PM

Just wondering if other centers have experimented with different ways to indicate which truck it is on the PAL label. Our center uses 315 317 319 for one loop and 511 515 517 for another and so on. I've seen PAL's from other centers use route numbers like 67A 67B 67C. I've even seen some with the drivers name as the bay number. I have a big problem with my loader and I might bring this up to try and solve it. Thanks BM

drewed · 10-04-2008, 12:37 PM

we do a numerical followed by a letter for our routes.

stevetheupsguy · 10-04-2008, 12:48 PM

A bunch of routes in our center have the drivers name and the sequence number. I guess dispatch is working around the building slowly. My route is still 04A. Our preload supe was going to have them color coordinated as well, but I think she settled for the names. I used to have a loader that was the best. No misloads and stop for stop. They made him a part time dispatch supe and somehow he ended up out of the job. He now works at a Target on my route. Now I have a loader that grew up with my eldest daughter. He loads the mall car and mine, so we usually get each others misloads. I'm gonna use him as my helper this peak. Hopefully this will remedy bad loads for the future.

Baba gounj · 10-04-2008, 01:52 PM

Watertown uses both ; number & letters and names. It seems that bid routes get names and cover routes get number/letter.

barnyard · 10-04-2008, 07:15 PM

We use route # (I am covering 40B) and route name (mine is Dart). The routes are in alphabetical order down the belt.

TB

Jigawatts · 10-04-2008, 07:42 PM

As a loader, my main problem is that I simply just get lost. I never, NEVER, had a problem with misloads until I started loading four trucks. I understand it's a faced paced job, but it is impossible to keep up without forgetting what you're doing. Sometimes I catch myself walking into the wrong truck, sometimes I don't.

When I was being trained, the sup told me to triple check everything. I told him I didn't have time to single check it.

PaidDriveTime? · 10-04-2008, 08:37 PM

Ours is by the truck number. One side is odd the other is even. It starts like 207, 209, 211, etc, then 208, 210, 212 on the other side, then each belt starts with a different number. So say another belt is 307, 309, etc.

upsdude · 10-04-2008, 09:10 PM

Bay numbers here.

1989 · 10-04-2008, 09:38 PM

Arn't both numbers on them? The loop number 25A,25B,etc. Then the park position 202,203,etc or name. About 5 years ago our hub was using Pokemon names.

BigBrownSanta · 10-04-2008, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baba gounj

Watertown uses both ; number & letters and names. It seems that bid routes get names and cover routes get number/letter.

That's how our building does it also. Names for bid routes and numbers and letters for cover routes.

It hasn't cut down on misloads as far as I can tell though.

UpstateNYUPSer · 10-05-2008, 05:45 AM

My route is 25A but my lane number, which is what they use on the PAL, is 22. My loader is responsible for lanes 22, 24, and 26. He does an exceptional job but is also a cover driver so we lost him for the summer and will be losing him for peak. Lane 22 (mine) is in the city while lanes 24 and 26 are in a village 1 hour away so the majority of my misloads occur between these cars and running them off is simply not an option so we drop them off to be shuttled.

Our preload sups have devised lane number signs which go on the back of the pkgs cars during the preload and are taken down each day. Our maintenance people have also painted the lane number once on the side of the dock and twice on the face. Our belt is split in an upper and lower belt, with all of the even number lane numbers on the upper and the odd numbers on the lower. I have to admit that they have gone to great lengths to ensure that lane positions are clearly marked and even/odd lane numbers are separated. Misloads are not a huge problem in our center but we do get them and our center team does a really good job in getting these to the right driver.

upsdude · 10-05-2008, 05:53 AM

Large numbers painted on the dock, large number sign on rear of car, large number sign in the car. Still have misloads.

My loader does a great job but he does miss one from time to time.

UpstateNYUPSer · 10-05-2008, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsdude

Large numbers painted on the dock, large number sign on rear of car, large number sign in the car. Still have misloads.

My loader does a great job but he does miss one from time to time.

If they could only remove the human element from the equation...

trplnkl · 10-05-2008, 06:08 AM

Here they use a combination of most of what has been already been mentioned. Driver name "Edward", area number "47D", extended town name" Clarksville", direction, " East, west,etc", during peek they use names i.e., Santa, Elf, Xmas etc.
Still does not help too much, I think the overloaded preloader just gets lost as someone earlier said.

Cobra Agent · 10-05-2008, 07:04 AM

Has ups ever tought about training monkeys.......jk. I am a driver and had worked on preload for 4 years both belt and boxline. I was a very good loader (says me). I understand the stuggles but sometimes i think that ups has gone to a new braile loading system that everyone but me knows about but me. 2000s in the 8000s, RDL in Fl2 things that in my mind make no sence whatsoever but well that is it i just dont get it. The old alpha charts made things awhole lot easier. Packages that dont get rescanned are in the wrong area.

Like upstate said take out the human element........

Lets train monkeys.....

Or make things a little more complicated lets add braile lables...

brownmonster · 10-05-2008, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigawatts

As a loader, my main problem is that I simply just get lost. I never, NEVER, had a problem with misloads until I started loading four trucks. I understand it's a faced paced job, but it is impossible to keep up without forgetting what you're doing. Sometimes I catch myself walking into the wrong truck, sometimes I don't.

When I was being trained, the sup told me to triple check everything. I told him I didn't have time to single check it.

That's the problem. Someone thinks (IE) that you can now load 4 trucks instead of 3. You can load the 4 trucks because you don't have to triple check the label. Now they ask you to triple check the label, then I guess it must not be faster so you really should be loading 3. Same with driving. They take away 6 seconds a pkg because everything is lined up perfect with no sorting, then they ask you to sort thru your load for air, misloads etc. They put the horse before the cart on this failed technology. BM

sano · 10-05-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

If they could only remove the human element from the equation...

lets explore that. I wonder if it would be possible for technology to replace loaders.
Without getting into a lost union jobs discussion, I wonder if UPS is looking at this.
I am a preloaded, and when I look at all the workers, pt sups, full time sups involved, it sure seems like an expensive and frustrating process to get the packages from the boxline to the package cars.

drewed · 10-05-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sano

lets explore that. I wonder if it would be possible for technology to replace loaders.
Without getting into a lost union jobs discussion, I wonder if UPS is looking at this.
I am a preloaded, and when I look at all the workers, pt sups, full time sups involved, it sure seems like an expensive and frustrating process to get the packages from the boxline to the package cars.

I dont see technology being able to do that reliably for 15-20 and make it cost viable another 10 or so.

One thing I think they'll do to help with misloads/tracking is start putting RFID tags in the labels, its a cheap cost effective way and all youd have to do is install sensors in the package car (or air container/trailer) and if you walk in with a misload it warns you to move it.

Hedley_Lamarr · 10-05-2008, 01:03 PM

They will hang a sign on the bulkhead that says 428, a sign on the back of the car that says 428, two signs in the middle of the car that say 428, and I still get stuff for 429, 427, 430....Etc, etc....

westsideworma · 10-05-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baba gounj

Watertown uses both ; number & letters and names. It seems that bid routes get names and cover routes get number/letter.

we use driver names and bay numbers, say their name was Casey or something like that the pal would read:

CASE - 2345
P: Blue S: MB I: 23

Added routes get either route ID or just some made up name