How do you take a lunch?

[El Correcto]

I'm paying the price for run and gunning during my 30 days. Now they are pissed if I take a lunch, miss a business or come in over allowed. I'm a honest person and feel bad for falsifying my numbers during the 30 days so I could have a job knowing damn well I can't make those numbers doing the job correctly. Any advice, other than "I'm doing the best I can". They've thrown me out blind into cities I've never been to and I bonus running and gunning/ skipping lunch, so they just call bull on me.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

I'm paying the price for run and gunning during my 30 days. Now they are if I take a lunch, miss a business or come in over allowed. I'm a honest person and feel bad for falsifying my numbers during the 30 days so I could have a job knowing damn well I can't make those numbers doing the job correctly. Any advice, other than "I'm doing the best I can". They've thrown me out blind into cities I've never been to and I bonus running and gunning/ skipping lunch, so they just call bull on me.

You made book.....you don't skip your lunch anymore. You are entitled to it regardless of your stop count.

 

[El Correcto]

I agree with that and realize I didn't really clarify what I was asking. When can you get in trouble for taking a lunch instead of working? What happens if I miss a business that they have scheduled at the bottom of my odo, because I took a lunch. If I just miss a business at all instead of working through lunch and hitting them all?

 

[jaker]

Don't miss business or air stops , you have to break off to get to them then that's what you have to do

 

[BrownThunder]

It's what I don't get either about them saying I have to take an hour lunch. In my 25 days of driving I have only been able to get a full hour 2-3 times. Sure as hell not going to compromise my pickups just hanging out... How can you even relax knowing you have just made it that much harder to hit every stop?

My mentor says after I pass my 30, take the full hour to hell with what's left in the truck. I have been playing it super safe not taking lunch until my truck is empty that way there's no need to interweave deliveries in with pickups.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

I agree with that and realize I didn't really clarify what I was asking. When can you get in trouble for taking a lunch instead of working? What happens if I miss a business that they have scheduled at the bottom of my odo, because I took a lunch. If I just miss a business at all instead of working through lunch and hitting them all?

Get into an accident while delivering "on lunch" .....or violate the DOT rules by not taking a lunch and have an accident. And see what happens...

 

[Number24]

Take your lunch. A buddy of mine got nailed for not taking his. 3 month suspension for doing so.

 

[Pooter]

Don't fall into the rookie mistake and think that every route gets done at 5pm. Take a lunch without missing service. Break away for business when possible before 5pm.

Here we take our lunch between the 3rd and 6th hour. (30 min)

You are getting crap on because that's just part of the game. They WANT you to run but it's all mind games.

Lunch stops the timer so it doesn't add to your over allowed.

 

[barnyard]

Plus, even though you made your 30, you are still not as good as someone that has been doing the job for 5 years. It takes most a solid year, some more, before they have it all down.

Take your lunch and work in improving and becoming smoother. The reason for progressive wages is the company says that it takes a while to get the knowledge and routine.

edited to add....

I did not take a regular lunch till after my 1st year. Once I started taking it, I never got out of the habit.

Make a note of the routes you are doing over the next year. Look at those notes 3 years later.

 

[AllOnTheHorses]

yeah make notes of the business addresses that show up later in the board. I used to get a school at the end of the plan.. but in reality I had to be there before 2pm to avoid parent traffic (and school closed around 4).. so my center manager told me to always break off when I was closest to it and do it. Get it over with. Businesses and pickups are the priority.. yes there were late nights delivering to res.. late. That sucks but it's unavoidable.. missing businesses and pickups is really much worse. Just tell your sups you were running at an unsustainable pace during your 30.. and that you don't want to be unsafe. Do that with a senior driver nearby. They will not argue that you are to be unsafe to be "good".

I do lunch in two parts.. after air, lunchtime thirty minutes.. coffee up/plan your day. Then later in day finish lunch.. during summer I might save ten minutes for an early evening break to get to AC and cold drink. It's all about safety and being alert and responsible to yourself and the public. That is priority one.. second is commitment to delivery.

 

[AllOnTheHorses]

BTW, I always find that breaking off to catch the school put me near other "pocket-stops".. like an apartment complex and neighborhood. Getting those "high loose kid population" areas done before school got out saved me a huge amount of time in my day.. so I avoided creeping through their basketball games and their running in streets. Safer and faster delivery.

 

[Grey]

Take your lunch but breaks are like kidney's. You only need one.

 

[AllOnTheHorses]

Take your lunch but breaks are like kidney's. You only need one.

unless you are old.. and.. what are we talking about?

 

[rod]

Do what you have to do. Early in your career a person tends to "donate" some time to UPS (we've all done it). As you get into the swing of things taking your full break time will be easier to do (the contract is your friend). They will still be on your back but you won't care because they are experts in turning caring employees into disgruntled employees. As you gain experience you will recover all those donated hours. It all averages out in the long run.

 

[Brownslave688]

I agree with that and realize I didn't really clarify what I was asking. When can you get in trouble for taking a lunch instead of working? What happens if I miss a business that they have scheduled at the bottom of my odo, because I took a lunch. If I just miss a business at all instead of working through lunch and hitting them all?

Around 3pm you send in a massage asking what businesses you have left.


If they miss one that's on them

 

[Faceplanted]

Take your hour before pick ups. If on a heavy biz route and u may have business misses, just them a message that you will have business misses

Stop worrying about what they say

Stop worrying about the boxes, they'll still be in your truck after your lunch.

 

[oldngray]

Take your hour before pick ups. If on a heavy biz route and u may have business misses, just them a message that you will have business misses

Stop worrying about what they say

Stop worrying about the boxes, they'll still be in your truck after your lunch.

You can complain all you want but until you start having missed stops when you start taking lunch nothing will get done about it.

 

[Brownslave688]

You can complain all you want but until you start having missed stops when you start taking lunch nothing will get done about it.

Had a guy that started with me that had 8 hours of business work on him basically. He's like I get off early everyday but I have to run my ass off and skip break.


I told him take your lunch and tell them you'll have missed. About two weeks later he said thank you. I work later but my days are much easier now m

 

[Bottom rung]

I take lunch in a hammock.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I'm paying the price for run and gunning during my 30 days. Now they are if I take a lunch, miss a business or come in over allowed. I'm a honest person and feel bad for falsifying my numbers during the 30 days so I could have a job knowing damn well I can't make those numbers doing the job correctly. Any advice, other than "I'm doing the best I can". They've thrown me out blind into cities I've never been to and I bonus running and gunning/ skipping lunch, so they just call bull on me.

Any route that requires that a driver has to skip, divide, or delay taking their lunch break in order to make service on commercial stops and pickups is a farce.


Work at a steady pace up until noon or when you get close to your lunch location. Stop for the full hour and AFTER thats done you should continue working at that smooth steady pace. As soon as you even think you might miss a business and/or pickups you will then send a message on the DIAD that states your situation. Don't use your phone. This puts the ball in their court.

Don't break off until they instruct you to. Do this every single day on whatever routes you run and eventually they'll make sure the later business stops and pickups will be moved accordingly. Don't divide your breaks in order to make your commercial stops and pickups on time. That will only negate any incentive for your center to make adjustments.