A thought or two on 2008
- Thread starter dannyboy
- Start date
Volume isn't there?? We have the majority of drivers in our building working in excess of 10 hours and we have serious problems with air being delivered late on a very regular basis, not that management seems to care, so assuming that there is no increase in the number of routes dispatched I do not forsee a problem with customers not getting their desired late pickups. At the present time many drivers have to get keys or have the customers leave their pickup pieces outside in order for the driver to be able to do the pickup and then that driver may even have to go back to the center and dump his/her pickups and go back out to finish deliveries. If the preload has the capability of getting the sort done in time so that the drivers can get on the road by 8am I would think this would be a win-win-win situation for the customer, the company and the driver. Air would be delivered on time on a more regular basis, customers would recieve the early delivery and late pickup they desire, the driver would get home earlier and the local sort would be able to get the feeders out on the road at an earlier time thus making them arrive at thier destination at a better time for the preload.
I remember a few years back, we had staggered start times. Some started as early as 7:45 AM, all the way up to 8:45. Nowadays, most of us start at 9:00. It really sucks. I know the argument of air availability and late pickups and all that. But in my building, most of the time preload is wrapped and all air is loaded by 8:30. We just sit around waiting for 9:00. Then when we leave, we have to run straight air, and can't even dig through our trucks to find ground packages for the air stops, or we run the risk of late air. It's just not smart. That's why I hope the Teamsters exert some pressure in the next negotiations, and make the Company either have earlier start times, or let us bid start times. If we need to make late pickups, they should be made by junior drivers with later start times. I'm sick of missing my kids' activities just because we start so late. I'm sick of hearing, "boy you sure are out late!" from well meaning customers. I'm sick of the excuses as to why we can't start earlier. If FDX can do it, surely we can.
crazygill
Active Member
like what you all have to say, we are in a out line center our air has to leave at 710pm and feeds by 820pm to make sort. so on any given day they give each driver a 9.5 to 10.5 day we start a 910am our air get in at 850am if luckey add hr break lunch and do the math, we are 75min from any big city and they love us because for years they use us as a tool for all other centers have been trying for years to get all 39 drivers to SLOW DOWN, some times after 20 years i just don't care anymore you all have a good day.
I have the perfect solution to this problem.
All UPS needs to do is add one day to every package's scheduled delivery day.
For example, all packages scheduled for delivery in one day, deliver it in two days, all two day scheduled deliver in three days, and so forth..
This will give the preload over twentyfour hours to load the cars for delivery. With this much time all cars will be loaded stop for stop. The drivers will know exactly what's on their car, there will be no missorts, and nothing left in Center.
Drivers can start as early as they want and finish early with no missed packages.
Every driver will be happy, after all, that's the reason UPS is in business, to make drivers happy.
Of course there is a downside to this plan. The Customers will not be happy losing a day in scheduled delivery, and may seek an alternative delivery company. But hay, that's their problem, UPS will have happy, contented drivers.
Even the drivers who will have to be let go due to the decline in business will be happy. Those drivers will have all day and night to spend with their families, going to ball games, doctor appointments, dinner with the family, and whatever else that's important to them.
The few remaining drivers, still working, will have nothng to complain about, but then I'm sure they will still find somethng to complain about.. After all, that's what UPS drivers do best, they complain.
All UPS needs to do is add one day to every package's scheduled delivery day.
For example, all packages scheduled for delivery in one day, deliver it in two days, all two day scheduled deliver in three days, and so forth..
This will give the preload over twentyfour hours to load the cars for delivery. With this much time all cars will be loaded stop for stop. The drivers will know exactly what's on their car, there will be no missorts, and nothing left in Center.
Drivers can start as early as they want and finish early with no missed packages.
Every driver will be happy, after all, that's the reason UPS is in business, to make drivers happy.
Of course there is a downside to this plan. The Customers will not be happy losing a day in scheduled delivery, and may seek an alternative delivery company. But hay, that's their problem, UPS will have happy, contented drivers.
Even the drivers who will have to be let go due to the decline in business will be happy. Those drivers will have all day and night to spend with their families, going to ball games, doctor appointments, dinner with the family, and whatever else that's important to them.
The few remaining drivers, still working, will have nothng to complain about, but then I'm sure they will still find somethng to complain about.. After all, that's what UPS drivers do best, they complain.
wily_old_vet
Well-Known Member
Vette-Can tell you aren't a driver. People would like to get home and see their families and are making suggestions as to how to do that. You on the other hand make assinine comments and are derisive about drivers so I'm guessing you are either old time mgt or retired mgt. So wonderful to have your input:
:
:
"After all, that's what UPS drivers do best, they complain."
Hmmm.... Heres what I think we do best:
Deliver more packages per route than Fedex and DHL combined.
Make the customer love us. It's true, you know, the driver is UPS to the customer.
Give up our lives for the job.
Smile, no matter what our "planned day" is.
Drive professionally. Look at those idiot Fedex drivers that don't even close their bulkhead doors while away from the vehicle!
You're right, we do complain a lot..... But maybe we've earned that right.
Hmmm.... Heres what I think we do best:
Deliver more packages per route than Fedex and DHL combined.
Make the customer love us. It's true, you know, the driver is UPS to the customer.
Give up our lives for the job.
Smile, no matter what our "planned day" is.
Drive professionally. Look at those idiot Fedex drivers that don't even close their bulkhead doors while away from the vehicle!
You're right, we do complain a lot..... But maybe we've earned that right.
I have to say, I THOUGHT this was a board where we could discuss things. I DID NOT know that no company, especially UPS ever needed to get input from their workers as to how everyone could be well served. Happy employees make for a better work environment, and happier customers.
Wily Old vet, and over9five nailed it. You, UPS vette, probaly gave up your life to a Job, and now you are bitter, and mad that we are trying to consult each other and find a happy median.
Did you ever see a headstone that said "Wish I had worked more" ?
So sad that you have to take out your frustrations on us. But go ahead we are used to it.
We dont need to extend time in transit. We just need to put out the proper loads for the volume we have. In order to do that we have to have people who know how to dispatch. Once we have that we need reasonable standards based on TODAY, not 12 yrs ago. And we need people in our centers orchestrating it, NOT some miserable exec 1000 miles away that thinks time with family, enjoying a dinner out, and going for proper health care is a bad thing.
Good God, people like you are why we complain.
Wily Old vet, and over9five nailed it. You, UPS vette, probaly gave up your life to a Job, and now you are bitter, and mad that we are trying to consult each other and find a happy median.
Did you ever see a headstone that said "Wish I had worked more" ?
So sad that you have to take out your frustrations on us. But go ahead we are used to it.
We dont need to extend time in transit. We just need to put out the proper loads for the volume we have. In order to do that we have to have people who know how to dispatch. Once we have that we need reasonable standards based on TODAY, not 12 yrs ago. And we need people in our centers orchestrating it, NOT some miserable exec 1000 miles away that thinks time with family, enjoying a dinner out, and going for proper health care is a bad thing.
Good God, people like you are why we complain.
montecarlo12
Well-Known Member
I/C,
are you with fedex ground?
are you with fedex ground?
olebrownie
Member
I'm sorry I wasn't clear with my statement regarding volume availabilty. I did not mean that there is not any volume - I meant that in most cases it can not be at the center early enough to make the start times earlier, especially the air volume. The preload can't get finished quicker if the volume isn't there and the sort spans can't be shorted in order to comply with the 3 1/2 hour guarantee. I know that isn't a fact in every case, but it is the problem more often than not.xracer said:
dannyboy
From the promised LAND
Vette
You are correct, the few remaining drivers would complain. They would complain that they are so few after getting rid of all the other drivers, but yet no management would ever be gotten rid of, including you.
I think that would be a real good reason to complain, dont you?
Management to driver ratio is about 2 to 1, in your dream world it should be at least 15 to one.
Best to you!
d
You are correct, the few remaining drivers would complain. They would complain that they are so few after getting rid of all the other drivers, but yet no management would ever be gotten rid of, including you.
I think that would be a real good reason to complain, dont you?
Management to driver ratio is about 2 to 1, in your dream world it should be at least 15 to one.
Best to you!
d
Danny..
The Management to Driver ratio of 2 to 1 was necessary while you were still on the payroll.
Since you retired and no longer have a negitive influence of the remaining drivers, UPS has been abel to change the ratio to one management for every fifty drivers.
This reduction of management is a large cost savings and increases the bottom line.
All shareholders are waiting for the day when Trickpony retires and the value of the stock increases even more than when you retired.
Best of luck in your retirement and thank you for all you have done for UPS.
Regards,
Vette
The Management to Driver ratio of 2 to 1 was necessary while you were still on the payroll.
Since you retired and no longer have a negitive influence of the remaining drivers, UPS has been abel to change the ratio to one management for every fifty drivers.
This reduction of management is a large cost savings and increases the bottom line.
All shareholders are waiting for the day when Trickpony retires and the value of the stock increases even more than when you retired.
Best of luck in your retirement and thank you for all you have done for UPS.
Regards,
Vette
Well, if we're still talking about starting earlier....
I don't see an 8am start time as a reality as far as people push the envelope (just as Tie said). To make the preload finish earlier, the work has to arrive earlier. That means the midnight sorts have to go down sooner, which means their work has to arrive earlier. That means the twilight sorts have to go down sooner, which means that their work has to arrive sooner (or just not have all those "late loads" show up at 7:30-8:45). And also, where do all those late loads show up from? The hub-to-hub loads that are the furthest away, as much as 200 miles away, carrying packages that have to go through the hub to the next hub/center which is another 200 miles away. They do say our ground network is the best in the business, but I guess it comes at a price...overtime.
I don't see an 8am start time as a reality as far as people push the envelope (just as Tie said). To make the preload finish earlier, the work has to arrive earlier. That means the midnight sorts have to go down sooner, which means their work has to arrive earlier. That means the twilight sorts have to go down sooner, which means that their work has to arrive sooner (or just not have all those "late loads" show up at 7:30-8:45). And also, where do all those late loads show up from? The hub-to-hub loads that are the furthest away, as much as 200 miles away, carrying packages that have to go through the hub to the next hub/center which is another 200 miles away. They do say our ground network is the best in the business, but I guess it comes at a price...overtime.
UPSRETIRED
New Member
Before retiring I had an 8:30am start time, as did most of the other centers in my building. My drivers could never get out before 9am and my division mgr. continually kicked my butt because my inside AM time was so high. So I changed my start time to 8:45am and reduced my AM time but the drivers still couldn't get on the road when they wanted to. It wasn't the fault of the preload, it was due to not getting all of our trailers in a timely manner so the preload could do its job. I stood many times outside the door and watched trailers come in at 8:30 or later. Our preload was good but they had no control. We eventually got a new district mgr. who recognized this problem and started putting pressure on the surrounding DM's to get the trailers on the road in time. No one can control traffic conditions or weather but things did start to improve. The preload started going down on time, less driver sort and load. I was able to move my start time back and the drivers and customers were happy. Our DM eventually went on to bigger and "better" things and the old problem reappeared. What can you do when you're on the low end of the ladder? Some things never change. Glad I'm retired. Hang in there. 
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