Peak Panic is setting in...

[watdaflock?]

They're not giving helpers uniforms this year at my building they get a brown safety vest with e yellow stripe on it,they can wear whatever they want to.

They won't get the same looks and respect.

Same thing when helpers on (unmarked) golf carts are delivering to businesses. In fact, we had a golf cart helper lose a package off the back about a week ago.

 

[Catatonic]

In fact, we had a golf cart helper lose a package off the back about a week ago.

That's a one stroke penalty I believe.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

If you are lucky enough to get a good helper it is well worth it to you to buy him or her lunch and want to make sure your helper shows up the next day. You may well say that is UPS's responsibility but you already know the answer to that. Besides, how hard is it to be nice and pay a couple dollars for someone earning 1/3 what you earn in an hour.

Do it because it is a nice gesture, not for other reasons.

 

[soberups]

Its bad enough that the helpers are paid minimum wage, but then we are told to screw them over even more by only being allowed to use then 2 or 3 hours a day. That barely covers their gas or bus fare.

 

[over9five]

Its bad enough that the helpers are paid minimum wage, but then we are told to screw them over even more by only being allowed to use then 2 or 3 hours a day. That barely covers their gas or bus fare.

This is why we can't find enough helpers. Word gets around...

 

[over9five]

And now they want us to help? They hand me "coupons" for a $50 bonus if I refer a helper.
They can lie to these people, I'm not going to.

 

[Covemastah]

Got a pat on the back letter from our DM last week.

After that brief first sentence, the letter was all about we need helpers, cover drivers etc.

The next day at pcm, our center manager told us if we wanted a helper this year, we mst have to find our own.

No problem with me. I like flying solo.

I'm out of work by 9:15 ,,, I could use a p/t job , &10.50 sounds good ,,, I do have a little bit of delivery experience, where can I meet you ???
lol

 

[BSWALKS]

I'm out of work by 9:15 ,,, I could use a p/t job , &10.50 sounds good ,,, I do have a little bit of delivery experience, where can I meet you ???
lol

Skips in Chelmsford

 

[Boulevard859710]

I'm just basing that on my experience because the people I've had backed out of doing both.

 

[Covemastah]

Skips in Chelmsford

Ok

 

[Peppermint Patty]

We are down a ton of driver helpers this year too. It is going to get interesting real quick. I can't blame these kids for not wanting to do it. It was a s storm last year with the lack of communication and cordinating. For the couple of hours a day they get I would pass too

 

[dudebro]

Its bad enough that the helpers are paid minimum wage, but then we are told to screw them over even more by only being allowed to use then 2 or 3 hours a day. That barely covers their gas or bus fare.

When I was in a center we would to try to dispatch the loop in such a way that a helper can go 2-3 hours with one driver and 2-3 with an adjacent driver and have them transfer driver to driver at lunch, or the helper coordinator drives them.

I guess that can't always work, but we knew we had to maintain some hours if we were going to keep trained helpers around when we needed them.

 

[Box Ox]

When I was in a center we would to try to dispatch the loop in such a way that a helper can go 2-3 hours with one driver and 2-3 with an adjacent driver and have them transfer driver to driver at lunch, or the helper coordinator drives them.

Could imagine this being done at my center since we're way beyond short on helpers that are needed. 1 helper for two routes getting all the hours they want sounds good to me. Guess it could work optimally if ORION ETA for starts of dense residential areas was consistently accurate. But it probably wouldn't be since it imagines a beautiful, ideal delivery world for time allowances even when we're blown out.

 

[dudebro]

I learned a long time ago, the faster you move one day just buys you more stops the next one.
Safe work methods instruct us NOT to run. I will usually deliver the first 5 stops and tell my helper to watch my pace and that is all I expect likewise from him/her. If they want to run they need to find another driver.

I was being facetious, but you're right.

Not everyone thinks like you, though.

You can usually tell who doesn't. They're the ones who start barking on Nov 1, "When am I getting my helper this year so I can catch a break?"

 

[PT Car Washer]

When I was in a center we would to try to dispatch the loop in such a way that a helper can go 2-3 hours with one driver and 2-3 with an adjacent driver and have them transfer driver to driver at lunch, or the helper coordinator drives them.

I guess that can't always work, but we knew we had to maintain some hours if we were going to keep trained helpers around when we needed them.

That kind of coordination would be way beyond our management teams ability.

 

[Northbaypkg]

I always kept my helper as long as I needed them...metrics be damned.

Yesterday our center manager went on a long rant at the PCM and demanded we only use our helpers for as long as they have it planned for. He said when we use helpers longer than we're supposed to we're 'taking what's not ours'. Lol. The whole time every driver must have been thinking 'Im still keeping him til we're done'. I know I was. Every year same story. When they pull me in the office over it maybe I'll change my tune. Hasn't happened the previous 4 peaks, so why change now?

 

[Browntown2014]

The economy has improved to the point that UPS will struggle finding people to work for 10.50 an hour.

I also heard that they r having a hard time finding people to go into full time management.

Thanks Obama

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

That kind of coordination would be way beyond our management teams ability.

We have done this several times in the past in my center. This required coordination between the drivers as to where and when to drop the helper off so that they would not have any down time between drivers.

 

[Future]

Yesterday our center manager went on a long rant at the PCM and demanded we only use our helpers for as long as they have it planned for. He said when we use helpers longer than we're supposed to we're 'taking what's not ours'. Lol. The whole time every driver must have been thinking 'Im still keeping him til we're done'. I know I was. Every year same story. When they pull me in the office over it maybe I'll change my tune. Hasn't happened the previous 4 peaks, so why change now?

Always keep him/ her till the last stop.....I do not use them early in the day when I am doing buisness ....but once I hit my resis they r all mine

 

[The Driver]

We are nowhere near ready and it's the 11th hour. But somehow it'll all get done. It won't be pretty especially if we have bad weather, but it'll get done.

Our seasonal drivers this time around seem really soft and confused. Looking forward to those big paychecks. Nothing else I can do.