5:00am- 3pm DOT courier

[amazondriverdude]

Welp, back to a ty day. I went from 54 stops yesterday to 128 today. My main problem is those 10:30 priority stops. Most of them are in a high traffic area and if I have trouble finding a package or two I have no chance at making the deadline and then my noon's are late and then the whole day turns to . My manager sent help and I feel like I'm just failing big time. Do you guys have any suggestions on making those 10:30 stops? I usually have 1 1/2 hours to do 16-18 stops but with traffic and driving time it sure doesn't seem that long. I'm big time stressed if you can't tell.

 

[Operational needs]

Welp, back to a *ty day. I went from 54 stops yesterday to 128 today. My main problem is those 10:30 priority stops. Most of them are in a high traffic area and if I have trouble finding a package or two I have no chance at making the deadline and then my noon's are late and then the whole day turns to *. My manager sent help and I feel like I'm just failing big time. Do you guys have any suggestions on making those 10:30 stops? I usually have 1 1/2 hours to do 16-18 stops but with traffic and driving time it sure doesn't seem that long. I'm big time stressed if you can't tell.

Do you separate the 10:30 (P1) from the rest? That’s the first thing you should do. Also, even if you don’t set up the rest of your truck before leaving the building, you should always have your P1s set up.

 

[Operational needs]

Welp, back to a *ty day. I went from 54 stops yesterday to 128 today. My main problem is those 10:30 priority stops. Most of them are in a high traffic area and if I have trouble finding a package or two I have no chance at making the deadline and then my noon's are late and then the whole day turns to *. My manager sent help and I feel like I'm just failing big time. Do you guys have any suggestions on making those 10:30 stops? I usually have 1 1/2 hours to do 16-18 stops but with traffic and driving time it sure doesn't seem that long. I'm big time stressed if you can't tell.

Try to learn the traffic patterns. Deliver on the right side of the street/road, then come back down the other side of the road. Try to avoid long traffic lights if possible.

 

[McFeely]

Do you guys have any suggestions on making those 10:30 stops? I usually have 1 1/2 hours to do 16-18 stops but with traffic and driving time it sure doesn't seem that long.

Like Operational suggested, focus on just the 10:30 stops first and keep your 12:00 stops organized as well. Once you start finishing all the 10:30 stops with time to spare (you will!) you’ll start to see where you can throw a 12:00 stop in between on occasion.
How many 10:30 and 12:00 stops do you have usually? I think I went out with 40 P1 today, but just a handful were 10:30. I had a metric ton of rural P1 stops though. They eat up a lot of time.

 

[falcon back]

Welp, back to a *ty day. I went from 54 stops yesterday to 128 today. My main problem is those 10:30 priority stops. Most of them are in a high traffic area and if I have trouble finding a package or two I have no chance at making the deadline and then my noon's are late and then the whole day turns to *. My manager sent help and I feel like I'm just failing big time. Do you guys have any suggestions on making those 10:30 stops? I usually have 1 1/2 hours to do 16-18 stops but with traffic and driving time it sure doesn't seem that long. I'm big time stressed if you can't tell.

You need to relax and stop stressing. People don't get fired for having a late. The job is nothing but time management and being organized, that's it. It is critical to set up P1 before you leave the building. The extra time in building doing that will pay off on-road. If you have a large box on the floor that goes with a P1 on the shelf, write a cheat note on the box that's on the shelf. "Box On Floor" or something along that line to remind you the box you are missing is on the floor. I assume the LEO lets you know if you are missing a package at the stop, I never delivered with the LEO. You should be making progress everyday, then sometimes you seem like you take 3 steps back. Before long, you will know your stops and what the boxes look like for those stops. Relax, don't panic and DO NOT falsify to cover up a late.

 

[Star B]

Try to learn the traffic patterns. Deliver on the right side of the street/road, then come back down the other side of the road. Try to avoid long traffic lights if possible.

Also ... The ups mantra of 'minimal left turns' is pretty true. Learn which sides of the street are even/odd. Just that will save you a bunch of time because it will help you keep your sliding door on the right, making it so you do not have to walk across traffic.

Plus it will help you know the number patterns, making it easier to know how far more than likely it is going to be.

And hey, you are on here asking questions. You might be failing by the numbers but you are doing your best and looking for ways to improve, which any manager worth being around will see and encourage. Yes. Your not going to say random internet person said this, but your work will reflect your effort to improve, even if you can't see it

 

[amazondriverdude]

Yeah, I definitely need to organize my 10:30's better before I leave the station. I usually have 16-18 10:30's and around 16 due at noon. It does seem like I take 2 steps forward and one big step back. I'm just a nervous person. I overreact to everything. That's why I hate changing jobs. The learning curve kills me.

 

[Working4the1%]

If a customer has a P1 letter and multiple p2 boxes…just give my them the letter and return latter with boxes

 

[Star B]

If a customer has a P1 letter and multiple p2 boxes…just give my them the letter and return latter with boxes

Depending on the situation. If you got a place that has a couple boxes that aren't going to be a pain in the dick to deal with, just get rid of it. Now, if they have 10 boxes all 70 lbs a piece, then, yes, blow the boxes off.

Basically -- the trade off is this -- can you deliver all the P2 with the P1 without making extra trips to your truck? If you can, just get rid of it. If you've got to take multiple long trips to get rid of all the P2, then come back later.

If they let you backup to an open dock door and have someone there waiting for you to help you offload it onto a pallet, by all means, get rid of the so yer not tripping over it all day, plus, you never know when that receiving guy leaves for the day and it would be stupid to not take advantage of the situation.

 

[Fred's Myth]

Depending on the situation. If you got a place that has a couple boxes that aren't going to be a pain in the dick to deal with, just get rid of it. Now, if they have 10 boxes all 70 lbs a piece, then, yes, blow the boxes off.

Basically -- the trade off is this -- can you deliver all the P2 with the P1 without making extra trips to your truck? If you can, just get rid of it. If you've got to take multiple long trips to get rid of all the P2, then come back later.

If they let you backup to an open dock door and have someone there waiting for you to help you offload it onto a pallet, by all means, get rid of the * so yer not tripping over it all day, plus, you never know when that receiving guy leaves for the day and it would be stupid to not take advantage of the situation.

Short version: Use common sense and experience.

 

[whenIgetthere]

You need to relax and stop stressing. People don't get fired for having a late. The job is nothing but time management and being organized, that's it. It is critical to set up P1 before you leave the building. The extra time in building doing that will pay off on-road. If you have a large box on the floor that goes with a P1 on the shelf, write a cheat note on the box that's on the shelf. "Box On Floor" or something along that line to remind you the box you are missing is on the floor. I assume the LEO lets you know if you are missing a package at the stop, I never delivered with the LEO. You should be making progress everyday, then sometimes you seem like you take 3 steps back. Before long, you will know your stops and what the boxes look like for those stops. Relax, don't panic and DO NOT falsify to cover up a late.

When I have packages too big for the shelves, I write the address on a fedex letter, and put it on the shelf in the stop order. Use each envelope at least 20 times.

 

[falcon back]

When I have packages too big for the shelves, I write the address on a fedex letter, and put it on the shelf in the stop order. Use each envelope at least 20 times.

Very good suggestion. I was in the truck over 40 years and I still needed some way to remind me of that box on the floor that was easy to overlook where it was in the stop order.

 

[amazondriverdude]

Another question on zero label packages. In the morning I noticed if I scanned(van) the label it would give me a buzz, but if I scanned it a second time it would give me a normal scan sound. So, does that mean it's in the Leo? Yesterday I had 8 or 9 packages with either a zero or some random number like 65 instead of the route number and stop number. Little things like that annoy the hell out of me. Most of you veterans are probably so used to it, but coming from Amazon it's frustrating.

Second question: I worry about getting to afternoon business stops before they close, so I do all my afternoon business stops and then I do all the afternoon residential stops to finish the day. Will I get crap for this since it probably takes longer? I only had 64 stops and 3 pickups and from clock in to clock out I was 15 minutes short of an 8 hour day. LOL


Man, I feel like I'm slowly getting better in some aspects, but at the end of the day yesterday I wasn't sure if I was doing ok or a complete disaster.

I don't know how strict FedEx is. At Amazon, if you delivered all your packages correctly and weren't milking the clock you were usually ok. At FedEx you have priority packages, more paperwork, and you basically run the route as opposed to the the Flex app telling you where to go from start to finish.

 

[Operational needs]

Another question on zero label packages. In the morning I noticed if I scanned(van) the label it would give me a buzz, but if I scanned it a second time it would give me a normal scan sound. So, does that mean it's in the Leo? Yesterday I had 8 or 9 packages with either a zero or some random number like 65 instead of the route number and stop number. Little things like that annoy the hell out of me. Most of you veterans are probably so used to it, but coming from Amazon it's frustrating.

Second question: I worry about getting to afternoon business stops before they close, so I do all my afternoon business stops and then I do all the afternoon residential stops to finish the day. Will I get crap for this since it probably takes longer? I only had 64 stops and 3 pickups and from clock in to clock out I was 15 minutes short of an 8 hour day. LOL


Man, I feel like I'm slowly getting better in some aspects, but at the end of the day yesterday I wasn't sure if I was doing ok or a complete disaster.

I don't know how strict FedEx is. At Amazon, if you delivered all your packages correctly and weren't milking the clock you were usually ok. At FedEx you have priority packages, more paperwork, and you basically run the route as opposed to the the Flex app telling you where to go from start to finish.

You don’t need to scan those twice. They’re in with the first scan. Oops, I just realized you said it buzzes the first time. When you scan it the first time and it buzzes, look at the screen and see if the tracking number is on there. It should be the first one at the top of the list of numbers. If not, scan again.

Businesses are always priority. Even if it takes you longer, don't have those late over residential. If you get any flack about time, tell them you broke route to make sure you had no business lates. That will shut them up.

Don’t stress. As long as you’re getting better, you’re fine. It’s a lot to learn in a short time.

 

[Working4the1%]

Sometimes when van a lot and rushed you might think did I Just cancel all my vans by accident..get the FedEx app type a tracking number of a package you know you scanned and it will show time and on road

 

[Working4the1%]

When going to big apartments look at the parking space numbers in the parking lot. Usually correspond with apartments and they are closer to there door

 

[amazondriverdude]

What happens if you're just a slow driver? Not saying I will or won't be in a few months, but what happens at your station? Do those guys just get fewer stops or are they working lots of OT?

 

[Nolimitz]

DRA routing can be totally FUBAR. On an old rte I had, it would run me back and forth from E-W which was the long axis. I never followed it. I would start on the east end (1/2 mile from station) in P1 working my way west catching the N-S ends as I went, then head east for P2 doing the same. This route averaged 80-100 stops with a15-20 pups and about 75 miles total. Dumping DRA and running yours in a logical fashion may help.

 

[Working4the1%]

What happens if you're just a slow driver? Not saying I will or won't be in a few months, but what happens at your station? Do those guys just get fewer stops or are they working lots of OT?

I call the slow drivers … job security

 

[amazondriverdude]

Are there casual or helper drivers looking for extra work on a daily basis? It would be nice if I could find a way to dump a few of my 1030 stops everyday so I'm able to service those businesses without rushing. Is that even allowed? 21 stops is too much!