5:00am- 3pm DOT courier

[McFeely]

Anyways, I'm starting on Monday with sort. Any words of wisdom. How long is the process before I get to drive? What should I focus on during training? I tend to overthink everything when I'm starting a new job.

You'll do the sort with the rest of the morning crew, then maybe ride along with another courier each day until they get you into defensive driving. Getting the defensive driving done is different at each station, but they've been having trainers come to my station to do it in-house when we have new hires. Not sure how long it is now, 1-2 days.

When you're riding with others, focus on whatever you can with the job. I usually ask new hires if they've ridden with other drivers yet and what they've already covered (setting up a truck/route, Leo usage, navigating using the map, etc) and try to give them something different to focus on. Ask as many questions as you can as there is a lot that isn't covered by your manager or even courier school. Hopefully you get to train with some more experienced couriers who aren't frantically trying to run a route. Most of the old-timers know when they have a chill day and can stop and take more time to answer questions. Sometimes a newer driver is training you and they're honestly not much help. Best of luck dude.

 

[amazondriverdude]

You'll do the sort with the rest of the morning crew, then maybe ride along with another courier each day until they get you into defensive driving. Getting the defensive driving done is different at each station, but they've been having trainers come to my station to do it in-house when we have new hires. Not sure how long it is now, 1-2 days.

When you're riding with others, focus on whatever you can with the job. I usually ask new hires if they've ridden with other drivers yet and what they've already covered (setting up a truck/route, Leo usage, navigating using the map, etc) and try to give them something different to focus on. Ask as many questions as you can as there is a lot that isn't covered by your manager or even courier school. Hopefully you get to train with some more experienced couriers who aren't frantically trying to run a route. Most of the old-timers know when they have a chill day and can stop and take more time to answer questions. Sometimes a newer driver is training you and they're honestly not much help. Best of luck dude.

Thanks, appreciate it.

 

[MassWineGuy]

Finished the two day computer training. The HR lady had a nail salon appointment so the last hour she kept asking me how I was doing and walking around clicking her high heels. So calming. LOL Anyways, I'm starting on Monday with sort. Any words of wisdom. How long is the process before I get to drive? What should I focus on during training? I tend to overthink everything when I'm starting a new job.

Try not to get overwhelmed by the sort, even though you will because there are a lot of moving parts. Just do your best at whatever you’re assigned and if you don’t understand something, ask.

It may be a little while until you get on road. Have you done driver training? They usually pair new hires to ride with pretty experienced drivers. You’ll know that’s the case if the driver doesn’t break a sweat, makes what they’re doing seem effortless and chats a lot. Shadow them and watch what they do and how they interact with customers.

You drove for Amazon? Two things many of them don’t do that drives me a little nuts. They don’t put on the hazard blinkers when parked at a stop. And they exit the vehicle with the engine still running. Please do better.

 

[whenIgetthere]

Try not to get overwhelmed by the sort, even though you will because there are a lot of moving parts. Just do your best at whatever you’re assigned and if you don’t understand something, ask.

It may be a little while until you get on road. Have you done driver training? They usually pair new hires to ride with pretty experienced drivers. You’ll know that’s the case if the driver doesn’t break a sweat, makes what they’re doing seem effortless and chats a lot. Shadow them and watch what they do and how they interact with customers.

You drove for Amazon? Two things many of them don’t do that drives me a little nuts. They don’t put on the hazard blinkers when parked at a stop. And they exit the vehicle with the engine still running. Please do better.

The Amazon drivers here drive with their hazards on all the time.

 

[MassWineGuy]

That no good, either.

 

[falcon back]

The Amazon drivers here drive with their hazards on all the time.

I am sure nobody at Fdx ever forgot to turn off their flashers.

 

[P1 Failure]

Never ever ever ever under any circumstance leave your truck running and your butt is not in the drivers seat. Just some words of wisdom

 

[Operational needs]

Never ever ever ever under any circumstance leave your truck running and your butt is not in the drivers seat. Just some words of wisdom

I’ve told newer people that when I saw them doing it in the station.

 

[falcon back]

Never ever ever ever under any circumstance leave your truck running and your butt is not in the drivers seat. Just some words of wisdom

They were taught that in Defensive Driving class. If they do it anyway, they deserve to suffer the consequences.

 

[P1 Failure]

I’ve told newer people that when I saw them doing it in the station.

I’ve had to tell a certain swing driver at my station several times to not do this. I think it goes in one ear and out the other.

 

[Operational needs]

I’ve had to tell a certain swing driver at my station several times to not do this. I think it goes in one ear and out the other.

It always catches up to them.

 

[amazondriverdude]

Ok, I passed defensive driving. Someone dropped out of courier class so I might get in on Monday, I might not.

I'm glad you guys mentioned turning off the van at each stop. At Amazon they would tell us one thing and once we got on the road we ignored those rules. Do you have to put the parking break and lock the van too at every stop or just situations where you are away from the vehicle for a long time?

Also, what's the best way to learn your area? I just found out yesterday the exact area I will cover. Will I have the LEO map on the handheld and a paper map with the stops on it? Should I use an app like Circuit or Road Warrior?

 

[McFeely]

The rule about vehicle security is to lock all doors and close all windows at every stop, regardless of how far away you will be from the truck. Put in park and get in the habit of using parking brake at every stop and it will be automatic for you to do so.

As for learning an area, your Leo should have a map with all of your remaining stops for the day (the ones you’ve already been to will disappear after each one is completed). You will find that the Leo map might be incorrect with new neighborhoods and will also occasionally have blank maps when the signal is weak. You’ll start memorizing frequent stops and eventually you should be able to run your route by memory.

I learned my route with a paper map so I don’t use the Leo map very often.

 

[McFeely]

Before the Leo, the used an app on my phone when I ran different routes other than my daily M-friend route, but now I only use the Leo maps when I work other routes. No real issues and I don’t have to put stops in my phone.

 

[Lates]

Leo map isn’t reliable will put stops in the wrong spot and good luck with zeros.Also some days all that shows up is tracking numbers no addresses or maps can make for a long day when just starting out.I know the routes now but if I am unsure I drop pins on google maps.

 

[floridays]

Ok, I passed defensive driving. Someone dropped out of courier class so I might get in on Monday, I might not.

I'm glad you guys mentioned turning off the van at each stop. At Amazon they would tell us one thing and once we got on the road we ignored those rules. Do you have to put the parking break and lock the van too at every stop or just situations where you are away from the vehicle for a long time?

Also, what's the best way to learn your area? I just found out yesterday the exact area I will cover. Will I have the LEO map on the handheld and a paper map with the stops on it? Should I use an app like Circuit or Road Warrior?

Best advice I can give you, obviously it is dated.

Ask your manager for a planet station of your route.
Most likely you will be going to the same stops most days.

Run your route, at night, (makes it more difficult, but pays dividends) for as many days as you need to know the route and locations.

Understand how address numbers run, know streets from avenues and how numbered, courts from terraces, anything that designates the direction of any pavement and the corresponding address or area where each would put you, or where you should head.

You'll be alright, you have shown you give a .

I hope the best for you, relax, you will do fine.

Best to you,

My hope is the company treats you guys right and respects your efforts, reflected in pay, not feeding you in peak or when they require sacrifice.


Good luck, best to you

 

[amazondriverdude]

Focused on pickups in courier class today. All the other drivers in my class were thrown on the road for a couple months before taking this class. I took in a lot of the information and then my brain melted the last hours of class. I probably won't pickup a lot of packages since I'm an AM driver but that was interesting to say the least. Especially International packages. Yikes

 

[Fred's Myth]

Focused on pickups in courier class today. All the other drivers in my class were thrown on the road for a couple months before taking this class. I took in a lot of the information and then my brain melted the last hours of class. I probably won't pickup a lot of packages since I'm an AM driver but that was interesting to say the least. Especially International packages. Yikes

Just be glad you’ll never have to process a government bill of lading.

 

[falcon back]

Focused on pickups in courier class today. All the other drivers in my class were thrown on the road for a couple months before taking this class. I took in a lot of the information and then my brain melted the last hours of class. I probably won't pickup a lot of packages since I'm an AM driver but that was interesting to say the least. Especially International packages. Yikes

It's definitely information overload. Int'l sucks no matter how many years you work. Thankfully most are metered these days, the Intl Airbill will make your head spin with the Commercial Invoice requirements from different countries.

 

[Star B]

Especially International packages. Yikes

I'll simplify it for you

Pull a copy of the airbill and commercial invoice. No commercial invoice? Whip out a door tag and write "no ci on PKG to pull" and put it on your airbill copy. Depending on your station, you may know the intl person. If you know who that is, bring the no ci PKG to them, explain and ask what they want you to do. If you can't find em, you at least saved them a few minutes digging thru your paperwork for a non existent ci and showing them that you at least looked for it.