Package Pickup

[Pickups]

Hey pickups,I have a question or two
Say you phone all your pickups at 14:30 and they have nothing
going out that day,do you sit around in a coffee shop for three
or four hours,or do you call the center and get told to go to
every pickup anyways? I can see how this could bring up some
serious integrity issues.And as for my customers texting me,
they would take advantage,and I`d be doing more backtracking
than I am now.I get up to 22 oncalls a day,and 10 messages from
the center like...do you have a pkg for 2388 Forest lawn Dr....or
bring pkg for 7 westgrove to clerk for will call...Start time 08:00
tomorrow,don't be late! Do your sups know you do this?

The sups know I have a cell phone. Many drivers already use their phones to communicate with their pickup customers and the supervisors seem to be ok with that. So to receive a text from a customer is the same, only much better. I can't see how a supervisor would have a problem with it. It all comes down to service. My system improves service. I can't see how a supervisor, or UPS in general would have a problem with that.

 

[Pickups]

that can't possilby work here!!!

I do, and I'm a better driver than you. hahah....

 

[under the radar]

I have a better idea:

1. Go to each of your pick-up accounts.

2. Ask them if they have anything going out.

3. Pick up their packages OR say, "see ya tomorrow!".

4. All this time, GET PAID TO DO YOUR JOB!

ABSOLUTELY!! I'm all for entrepreneurship but there's somethin' rotten in the cotten here.

Do what they tell you. If it takes you longer, you make more money.

 

[Pickups]

I have 15 pickups, every one of them is made in trace beginning as early as 9:00 in the morning. Every now and then a customer will say they’ll have stuff ready later, I go back. If I had the same 15 pickups to be made later in the day that’s exactly what I’d do. Face to face pickup is what each of them are paying for, and it’s my job to do just that.

Text messaging is safer? I’d rather drive in a lane next to someone talking on the phone than someone reading a friggin text message.

Shoot, lets take it one step further. Why don’t we just text the customer and tell them where to pickup the packages!

This text deal is nothing more than another web based personal information grab.

What the friend? You don't get it at all, but that's ok. Don't feel bad.

 

[Pickups]

Isn't that called area knowledge? You know, knowing your route and customers better than anyone else and knowing where you can save time. How about when a customer helps you at a bulk stop? Do you refuse the help because UPS isn't paying them and that is work you are suppose to do?

Great point.

 

[Pickups]

hope you are sending and recieving those customers text while on break and not driving,thats stealing time and the EMPIRE could get you on small change like that if your on THE EMPIRES hit list. Keep texting you dope & you will get burnt! 15 yr driver who did his pick ups the old way and never missed one . you sir are a lazy bastard who will go down! this is a great job that pays you well and you will miss the 1200 a week! they dont pay that a you local courrier company !!!$$$$$$$$

Yeah, like you don't answer your cell phone when your wife calls. Bull ****. And no, my system doesn't require you to send text messages. You receive them. Read them when you want, break or whenever. Yeah, like moving packages is the only thing I can do with my life...

 

[Pickups]

I like going to my pickups. I know what I can freeload off of them. Where the food is and the free sodas. If I used the service, I would have to pay for my food.

I like your sense of humor.

 

[Pickups]

Just put the phone in your shoe that has steel toes. then they wont have any clue cus your shoes set off the metal detector anyways. Just don't bring in any liquids... could be liquid explosives.

Yeah, I really don't see how UPS could stop, or that they would even try to stop, drivers from bringing their cell phones to work. But good idea here (with the steel toed boots) if they somehow did.

 

[brownmonster]

When they buy me a phone, I'll use one on the job.

 

[browniehound]

Where I'm from the Sups. have a list off all the driver's cell numbers. Management would never discourage us to bring our phones on the road with us, it benfits them too much. It makes their life a lot easier when they want to find us on road by making a simple phone call instead of playing message tag with the DIAD.

I know there are those of you out there thinking "Why would you let UPS use your personal minutes?" Its not like I'm having 20 minute converations with them 3 days a week. It amounts to about 3 or 4, 2 minute phone calls per month, an amount that isn't going to break me.

As for calling my pick-ups to see if they have anything. The only time I do this is if there is a snowstorm and I can't make it to them on time. Like Over9Five said, its the easiest part of our job just to: go to the stop, say "hi, anything going out?" "OK see you Monday"

I don't know about you, but its the easiest 28 bucks an hour I will ever make.

For example, my first pick-up of the day is out of the way (about a 7 minute round trip) and they only have 1 box about once or twice per week. The guy that covers the route calls this pick-up every day. I ask him why, and he says "Well I can knock off 3-5 house calls instead of driving all the way up there just for them not to have anything"

My thinking is "Hello?? Anybody home???" UPS pays you by the hour numbskull. To me, its a legit 10 minutes of easy pay. To my thinking, he just knocked 20 minutes (10 to make the pick-up and 10 minutes of delivery time that should have been spent to make the pick-up attempt)of his day's pay. That's $9 and change right there he is giving away.

For a little perspective, there are many people in this country not making that in 1 hour, yet you want to cheat yourself out of that money when its your job to make that pick-up. Add this to all the other corners you cut, together along with skipping lunch and breaks ($42/per day= 210/per week in OT) and you are giving UPS a weekly salary that many people in this country would die for.

If we used Package-PU's service for every pick-up, just think of the money we would be screwing ourselves out of!!!! Great idea when you think of it taking money out of your own pocket, right ???

Thanks, but no thanks. It makes no sense to me and doesn't benefit any of us at all.

 

[VTBrown]

Great plan....must work wonders when your customers are used to it. Yet a cover is on your route.

 

[scratch]

Today I noticed a "PackagePickup.com" Google Ad running across the right top corner of the Brown Cafe screen. At least Cheryl is getting a little help paying for this Site!

My only problem with this service is if a driver is being watched using GPS and gets in trouble for falsifying records. We use cell phones here, all the Sups have our phone numbers if we let them know. We usually get texted via DIAD by the OMS, but if it is a bigger problem we will get a phone call. This seldom happens.

 

[JARHEAD]

I am a fellow ups package driver. I started a web site that helps alot with our pick ups.

It's a text messaging service that allows you to receive messages from your pickup accounts without you having to give out your cell phone number. I.E. you don't have to worry about receiving distracting phone calls, wasting your minutes, but instead you can receive time-saving text messages from your customers. It's basically a modern, version of your customers using "pickup" or "no pickup" signs in the windows, or them calling you. It's rad and you must check it out.

Again this is a free service, so you have nothing to loose. But trust me, from one fellow driver to another, you will love it. All you need is a cell phone that can receive text messages. {deleted by moderator}

I refuse to own or use a cell phone unless UPS is willing to finance my bill for company business. I'd rather make a physical appearance at all my assigned pick ups on a daily basis.

 

[DS]

I refuse to own or use a cell phone unless UPS is willing to finance my bill for company business. I'd rather make a physical appearance at all my assigned pick ups on a daily basis.

I agree,but then again I was the last one to realize that having a computer was necessary.I hate cell phones,they are ruining society.
But I may have no choice in the near future.

 

[moreluck]

I feel like I'm the only person out there without a cell phone.......I refuse to even talk on one. My husband has one, but I won't talk on it. I hate them!!

 

[Fozzy]

So what is a cover driver suppost to do when you have a customer on this texting program and the cover driver is unaware of it? If it such a great program on your bid area can you imagine being that cover driver on your area hearing the customer say...well I texted you...you didn't have to stop..that B.S. would get very old fast!!

 

[Pickups]

Where I'm from the Sups. have a list off all the driver's cell numbers. Management would never discourage us to bring our phones on the road with us, it benfits them too much. It makes their life a lot easier when they want to find us on road by making a simple phone call instead of playing message tag with the DIAD.

I know there are those of you out there thinking "Why would you let UPS use your personal minutes?" Its not like I'm having 20 minute converations with them 3 days a week. It amounts to about 3 or 4, 2 minute phone calls per month, an amount that isn't going to break me.

As for calling my pick-ups to see if they have anything. The only time I do this is if there is a snowstorm and I can't make it to them on time. Like Over9Five said, its the easiest part of our job just to: go to the stop, say "hi, anything going out?" "OK see you Monday"

I don't know about you, but its the easiest 28 bucks an hour I will ever make.

For example, my first pick-up of the day is out of the way (about a 7 minute round trip) and they only have 1 box about once or twice per week. The guy that covers the route calls this pick-up every day. I ask him why, and he says "Well I can knock off 3-5 house calls instead of driving all the way up there just for them not to have anything"

My thinking is "Hello?? Anybody home???" UPS pays you by the hour numbskull. To me, its a legit 10 minutes of easy pay. To my thinking, he just knocked 20 minutes (10 to make the pick-up and 10 minutes of delivery time that should have been spent to make the pick-up attempt)of his day's pay. That's $9 and change right there he is giving away.

For a little perspective, there are many people in this country not making that in 1 hour, yet you want to cheat yourself out of that money when its your job to make that pick-up. Add this to all the other corners you cut, together along with skipping lunch and breaks ($42/per day= 210/per week in OT) and you are giving UPS a weekly salary that many people in this country would die for.

If we used Package-PU's service for every pick-up, just think of the money we would be screwing ourselves out of!!!! Great idea when you think of it taking money out of your own pocket, right ???

Thanks, but no thanks. It makes no sense to me and doesn't benefit any of us at all.

Just because you save time on your route doesn't mean you have to punch out any earlier. Every route is different. For some guys, my service is the only way they can actually get to take their breaks. For other guys, they already have a nice route and have nothing better to do than drive to ghost pickups. If you need the money and have nothing better to do, then by all means milk your job. If you don't need the money that bad, and actually want to get home to see your family, or whatever you like to do with your life, then don't milk your route. It's that simple. For me, driving for ups is a job and nothing more. It's not my life. This job will consume you if you let it, and unfortunately, many drivers I see are letting it, and even more sadly, getting used to it.

 

[Pickups]

So what is a cover driver suppost to do when you have a customer on this texting program and the cover driver is unaware of it? If it such a great program on your bid area can you imagine being that cover driver on your area hearing the customer say...well I texted you...you didn't have to stop..that B.S. would get very old fast!!

Remember, you are using the service with your daily pickups. Even if you call in sick, or go on vacation, the cover driver doing your route will still have all of your scheduled pickups to check with, just like normal.

 

[cheryl]

From what I have been told if UPS does not want employees to use this service. If you do and then miss a pickup because of some problem with the service the driver is at fault. It just adds a middleman between UPS and their customers but leaves only the driver totally responsible for any service failure by the middleman.

I am uncomfortable with the ads because I'd rather not make it look like brown cafe endorses this service and then have a driver that learned about it here have a problem because of it.

To be honest I was thinking of pulling the ads off of the site today for that reason.

 

[ExupserNaples]

I agree Cheryl. I dont even work at UPS anymore, I just stop in here a couple times aweek to relive the horror stories. When I saw the package pickup ad at the top of this site today, I decided never to return (if it stays up there.) This guy doesnt have a clue of the repurcussions of this.