So did I do the right thing?

[soberups]

how many here have ever been told to leave the key in the ignition,,truck running all day, due to a dead battery?

I have. And I refused to do it. There is no safe way to do that if you have a manual transmission, you are just begging for a rollaway accident since you cannot leave in gear while parked. If it were an automatic transmission it would be different, but I still wouldnt do it until they had faxed something to me in writing saying that I would not be held responsible if someone hopped into the truck and drove away with it while I was making a delivery.

 

[upsgrunt]

how many here have ever been told to leave the key in the ignition,,truck running all day, due to a dead battery?

I've done it. The first thing I had to do was put a bunch of tape over the key to keep from turning it off and pulling it. That habit is hard to break.

 

[fxdwg]

I've had a change of mind...........You should be Fired!!!! Pack up your crap and get out!!!!!

 

[EAT MY OVERALLOWED]

I would have delivered out the back door until they came out and fixed it. That's just me but it's there bed and there rules and by the way it's there company so that's my opinion.

Bingo, I would of done the same. Long gone are the days of me doing what I deem appropriate, cost effective or efficient. If I don't work as directed -- my job is in jeopardy. I let management make any and all business decisions, this is what they allegedly get paid for. I follow all the ignorant, inane and pointless rules of this company to the T every single day of the week for nearly 60 hours a week, it provides me with a lot of laughter during my 12+hr days.

 

[browniehound]

how many here have ever been told to leave the key in the ignition,,truck running all day, due to a dead battery?

I have been told this on more than one occasion to avoid a road call from the mechanic. Both times I made it through the day, but I think those days are long gone with telematics.

Its funny though, I get a PCM about the threat of terrorists putting a bomb on my open truck (this is likely to happen as much as a sun beam passing a rooster. It just 'AIN'T' ) but its ok to prevent a costly break-down and road call.

Which is fine with me, because we are all human and want to save money. We can sit here and criticize management for penny pinching and violating the contract to save a few bucks, however we are all guilty of doing it in our own personal lives.

Before you jump down my throat for forgiving a contract violation, how many of us would seek a break from a police officer friend on a parking or speeding ticket? I know I have. Its the same thing-a direct violation of the law yet all humans look for away around it if they can. Its in our nature, isn't it?

At the same time, you(my boss) needs to "get off your high horses" (yes, I meant to say 'horses') when I leave the door open for 2 seconds while I'm in the 7-11 and can see the truck from my position and not give me a warning letter.

Is that fair?

 

[NHDRVR]

Monday was a super heavy day due to extra volume coming in from a train derailment the previous week. Stop count was +20 over max, I knew in the AM it would be at least a 10.5 hour day. Fine, no problem, I will git 'er done and make some OT on a nice sunny day.

I get to my first stop, stick my key in the lock...and the lock is siezed. Wont budge. Key no workie. I tried my spare key that I have stashed in the cab. Key no workie, bulkhead door wont open. I called in and asked the mechanic to come and drill the lock out during the 45 minutes I spend unloading my pup trailer at a bulk stop. He said no, the only solution would be to deliver out the back door all day or to drive back to the building and swap cars. Neither option was viable. I called the center, but the entire management team was out on car and there was no one there who could or would make a decision.

So I made a decision. I went thru the back door, crawled over the bulk, and opened the BH door from the inside. I then took a DIAD stylus, broke it in half, and jammed it into the latch to disable the lock. I then took a bungee cord and hooked one end onto the BH door chain, and the other end onto the fire extinguisher bracket.

The tension of the bungee cord served to keep the door pulled closed while driving, but allowed me to open the door simply by unhooking it and letting the cord dangle.

When I took lunch or was away from the car for any length of time, I pulled the stylus out of the latch and allowed the door to lock in order to secure the vehicle. I could then enter from the back door and repeat the process once it was time to get back to work.

Since the Telematics switch was not completely engaged, I knew I would show up on the report anyway. This pretty much gave me a "free pass" to leave the door open while busting off DR's in my residential areas.


I would have been perfectly within my rights to play the "safety card" and sabotage the whole day by refusing to operate the vehicle or insisting on working out of the back door. This would have created a multitude of service failures on a day when the center was already maxed out. I chose instead to find a way to get the work done. Was I right or wrong to do this?

A couple of things here...

"Neither option was viable..." - We have to 'work as directed' up here so what ever option they gave you on the phone is the right one. Telematics or not, I would still keep everything buttoned up when you were moving simply for your safety. The worst thing that could happen is that you get some easy (sort of) overtime and you get a free pass to slow it down a bit during the day.

On those days when you have a breakdown or an issue like you did it is better to just shut it down physically and try to finish the day with minimal complications. I am not saying to NOT try to get the work off the car but sometimes it's better to coast and you finish when you finish...

 

[Shifting Contents]

Steve, these are specailly designed straps for hand carts. We used to have to get bungees from the mechanics, but now we have a mechanic in the morning who is a little bit lazy so he goes around installing these straps in every car to avoid real mechanic type work.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I have been told this on more than one occasion to avoid a road call from the mechanic. Both times I made it through the day, but I think those days are long gone with telematics.

Its funny though, I get a PCM about the threat of terrorists putting a bomb on my open truck (this is likely to happen as much as a sun beam passing a rooster. It just 'AIN'T' ) but its ok to prevent a costly break-down and road call.

Which is fine with me, because we are all human and want to save money. We can sit here and criticize management for penny pinching and violating the contract to save a few bucks, however we are all guilty of doing it in our own personal lives.

Before you jump down my throat for forgiving a contract violation, how many of us would seek a break from a police officer friend on a parking or speeding ticket? I know I have. Its the same thing-a direct violation of the law yet all humans look for away around it if they can. Its in our nature, isn't it?

At the same time, you(my boss) needs to "get off your high horses" (yes, I meant to say 'horses') when I leave the door open for 2 seconds while I'm in the 7-11 and can see the truck from my position and not give me a warning letter.

Is that fair?

I don't have any cop friends and mind you, who do you think is in that 7/11 watching you leave that door open? I get a PCM about the threat of terrorists putting a bomb on my open truck, Just sayin...

Steve, these are specailly designed straps for hand carts. We used to have to get bungees from the mechanics, but now we have a mechanic in the morning who is a little bit lazy so he goes around installing these straps in every car to avoid real mechanic type work.

I wish someone would pass the word down here. I can't even use a bungee in my 1200. There's no place to hook it up to.

 

[dilligaf]

What are these things that you speak of? Restraining straps for hand trucks? Never heard of such a thing. Mostly our hand trucks just float around in the back. There are a few drivers that have brought in their own bungees.

 

[scratch]

What are these things that you speak of? Restraining straps for hand trucks? Never heard of such a thing. Mostly our hand trucks just float around in the back. There are a few drivers that have brought in their own bungees.

We have never had anything like this also. I remember something was in the contract or proposed in negotiations, but it was never officially implemented. I had my mechanic install a couple of eyebolts at the front of my 4000 shelf so I can padlock my handtruck to it.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

What are these things that you speak of? Restraining straps for hand trucks? Never heard of such a thing. Mostly our hand trucks just float around in the back. There are a few drivers that have brought in their own bungees.

Ain't that the truth?

We have never had anything like this also. I remember something was in the contract or proposed in negotiations, but it was never officially implemented. I had my mechanic install a couple of eyebolts at the front of my 4000 shelf so I can padlock my handtruck to it.

Is it that bad where you are, Scratch? I have my name written all over my handcart, so people usually pass it by, though I think all of us drivers in this center have a good handcart and are satisfied.

 

[scratch]

Is it that bad where you are, Scratch? I have my name written all over my handcart, so people usually pass it by, though I think all of us drivers in this center have a good handcart and are satisfied.

Yeah, we have had a bad problem with drivers swiping other driver's handtrucks for years. We also have handrails all over the building and drivers will padlock their handtrucks to them or anything else they can. Sometimes, somebody will take a bolt cutter and cut the chains off and take them anyway. I prefer to keep mine in my package car so I don't have to drag them around the building. I used to just bungee mine in, but they got swiped twice in one week. Drivers will break one, and just steal someone else's instead of having the center manager order a new one.

As far a Sober's original topic, I had a simular problem last week. I came in one morning and my bulkhead door was stuck shut. The Preloader couldn't open it and neither could I. This was right before start time. I went back to the shop, but neither of our mechanics were in. I borrowed a crowbar from the plant engineer and "adjusted" the lock catch myself. A simple, quick solution to a minor problem.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The restraining straps are installed on the 4000 shelf. One side of the strap is riveted to the shelf and there is a hole in the shelf to accept the hook. The hand cart does stay in place but tends to roll back and forth. I still place it on the floor behind the jump seat when that space is open.

 

[bigbrownhen]

You did a great job Sober IMO. Way to adjust to changing conditions and get it done. If you would have had a supervisor with you, Im sure they would have told you to do the same thing.

We don't have the hand cart straps either. I just bungee mine to the little wire storage cages in the back behind the drivers seat. No need to buy a bungee, I see them all the time lying on the street. Just pick one up when I can.

It makes sense to have straps for the carts, those things roll all over the place, even when you lay them upside down over a wheel well. I hate that scraping noise they make. They are a saftey hazard for both packages and drivers alike when loose.

Steve, you might ask your mechanics about ordering you a strap or the eye bolts like Scratch mentioned.

 

[over9five]

I have never understood the logic in setting up areas for the drivers to padlock their handtrucks. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have enough handtrucks so there would be no need to steal one?
I keep mine in my PC. If someone steals it, it is managements responsibility to supply me with another.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

You did a great job Sober IMO. Way to adjust to changing conditions and get it done. If you would have had a supervisor with you, Im sure they would have told you to do the same thing.

We don't have the hand cart straps either. I just bungee mine to the little wire storage cages in the back behind the drivers seat. No need to buy a bungee, I see them all the time lying on the street. Just pick one up when I can.

It makes sense to have straps for the carts, those things roll all over the place, even when you lay them upside down over a wheel well. I hate that scraping noise they make. They are a saftey hazard for both packages and drivers alike when loose.

Steve, you might ask your mechanics about ordering you a strap or the eye bolts like Scratch mentioned.

Wire storage cages? I had one in my 800, but this 1200 I just got is bare.

Good idea bbh, I'll talk to the mechanic.

I have never understood the logic in setting up areas for the drivers to padlock their handtrucks. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have enough handtrucks so there would be no need to steal one?
I keep mine in my PC. If someone steals it, it is managements responsibility to supply me with another.

Common sense isn't allowed in the workplace anymore. It has been replaced, along with school prayer and other stuff. Please keep your common sense at home.

 

[soberups]

II wish someone would pass the word down here. I can't even use a bungee in my 1200. There's no place to hook it up to.

You can secure your handtruck with a bungee cord by standing it upright against shelf #4 and hooking each end of the bungee cord over the lip of the shelf. If the cord is too long, you can shorten it to the desired length by tying knots in it.

 

[browniehound]

I don't have any cop friends and mind you, who do you think is in that 7/11 watching you leave that door open? I get a PCM about the threat of terrorists putting a bomb on my open truck, Just sayin...

I wish someone would pass the word down here. I can't even use a bungee in my 1200. There's no place to hook it up to.

I wasn't racial profileing. I just thought it was a lot easier to spell 7-11 than conveinence store! But I hear you. I only leave it open when I can see it 100% of the time...

Thanks for the reply

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I wasn't racial profileing. I just thought it was a lot easier to spell 7-11 than conveinence store! But I hear you. I only leave it open when I can see it 100% of the time...Thanks for the reply

You were right.

 

[browniehound]

What are these things that you speak of? Restraining straps for hand trucks? Never heard of such a thing. Mostly our hand trucks just float around in the back. There are a few drivers that have brought in their own bungees.

Hey Dilli,
You are a very interesting person and I love reading your posts. I just noticed your profile says :" In Vino Veritas". Does that translate to "In Wine there is Truth"? I know I'm probaby wrong but could you please enlighten me? Thank you in advance!

Browniehound