What would you have done?

[PASinterference]

Man this guys sweating about a huge road closure. I EC deliveries when a dude is blocking the road going down a manhole and I can see the house maybe a minute walk down the road.

Ever wonder why you have so many stops? These new drivers are their own worst enemy.

 

[AKCoverMan]

Always carried a street map book in my cooler. IMO looking at a map gives you a better overview of an area making you learn it quicker. But those days are gone. I’m gonna go trim my antlers now.

We cover lot of area.. used to have several map books in my bag before we all had gps. Now I use my own version of google maps with over 3000 addresses pined on it. Can also access the borough (our version of “county”) land parcel maps online which is definitive as they are the ones who create the addresses. So I can solve almost any address mystery on road. Don’t have to see a house number which is good because many places in county just an unmarked driveway off a dirt road but with my map I just drive my blue dot to the green pin. No guessing. Helpful too as it’s dark by 1630.

I get some people don’t want use personal devices for me it’s matter of connivence. I use my personal iPad a lot, not just for mapping but for union steward work (think filing 9.5s while parked under a shade tree by the lake) and lots of personal stuff. I would have my iPad anyway and my plan has unlimited data so it costs me nothing to use it. I would be a frustrated as OP without it.

 

[WorknLateHuh]

Because the stops are hidden-- addresses are out of order, GPS doesn't work, mailboxes can be up to half a mile away from the driveway, and there's maybe two places to stop and use a bathroom or grab something to eat.

There's like a 50/50 chance I'm going to play special investigator trying to find any given address, and half the time the addresses are weird as hell. For example, 1234 Holly Rd is actually off of Berry Lane, which doesn't even connect to Holly Rd.

I'll gladly put up with those things as a result of having a low stop count, very few businesses, no pickups, no commit time, no bulk, and the best part... no traffic. That is how the rural routes are here.

 

[Whither]

We can chat in office as long as you want. $1 per minute.

I actually prefer them just let me talk to cust myself but I’ve been in customer contact jobs my whole life. I’m usually much better with customer than 20yr old part time Supe anyway.

They haven't tried to talk with me about work issues before start time in a looooooooong time haha. I drew a hard line with the current center manager over a year ago, 'You want to ask me about an alleged no-scan, and that's a problem because the company might not get paid. I've got the same problem: I only discuss work issues when I'm getting paid, so let me know if you want me to clock in, otherwise I'll talk with you after start time.' He tried to counter, 'Well I had hoped we wouldn't have to get the union involved, but I can get a steward if you want to do things that way' and I cut in, 'What do you mean? The union is already involved, you're talking with a Teamster right here.'

 

[AKCoverMan]

They haven't tried to talk with me about work issues before start time in a looooooooong time haha. I drew a hard line with the current center manager over a year ago, 'You want to ask me about an alleged no-scan, and that's a problem because the company might not get paid. I've got the same problem: I only discuss work issues when I'm getting paid, so let me know if you want me to clock in, otherwise I'll talk with you after start time.' He tried to counter, 'Well I had hoped we wouldn't have to get the union involved, but I can get a steward if you want to do things that way' and I cut in, 'What do you mean? The union is already involved, you're talking with a Teamster right here.'

I go one better. Immediately change start time to now and code now till normal start time as “approved meeting”. You asked, meter is now running. Feel the 401k grow...

 

[TearsInRain]

I'll never understand drivers on a bid route who don't carry a paper map just in case

 

[PT Car Washer]

I'll never understand drivers on a bid route who don't carry a paper map just in case

Everyone has a smart phone now. Even me.

 

[satellitedriver]

I'll never understand drivers on a bid route who don't carry a paper map just in case

Old school.

 

[satellitedriver]

Everyone has a smart phone now. Even me.

Battery goes down?
Drop/ Lose or break your "smart" phone.
No cell coverage in your area?
Literally, 5yrs ago a young driver 25yrs old recognized me on the side of the highway and asked me how far was it to a certain town.
I said it was 7 miles in the other direction he was traveling.
He got pissy and said the GPS told him to drive west.
It was about 5 o'clock and the sun was setting behind his back.
I asked him what direction does the sunset and I swear he said I do not know.
Even this old man has a "smart" phone, but when I travel I literally have paper/atlas maps that show all roads in the states I am traveling through.
Sadly, most people under 25 do not know how to read a map, or which direction to hold it to find North.

 

[Whither]

I'll never understand drivers on a bid route who don't carry a paper map just in case

On a bid route?! I've had my latest since April; I know every street in my usual area, the blocks almost to the exact number breaks, and that quickly extends to the random add-cuts I've been dispatched over time. Even if I get 'new' add-cuts, I've usually been there before as an unassigned driver and/or the streets are gridded enough to figure it out. Why would any of us need a map? We could draw the map, give turn-by-turns, devise a better trace than Orion (it's clear the alleged mileage savings are based on little more than unnecessary resi backs and numerous service failures).

 

[burrheadd]

We cover lot of area.. used to have several map books in my bag before we all had gps. Now I use my own version of google maps with over 3000 addresses pined on it. Can also access the borough (our version of “county”) land parcel maps online which is definitive as they are the ones who create the addresses. So I can solve almost any address mystery on road. Don’t have to see a house number which is good because many places in county just an unmarked driveway off a dirt road but with my map I just drive my blue dot to the green pin. No guessing. Helpful too as it’s dark by 1630.

I get some people don’t want use personal devices for me it’s matter of connivence. I use my personal iPad a lot, not just for mapping but for union steward work (think filing 9.5s while parked under a shade tree by the lake) and lots of personal stuff. I would have my iPad anyway and my plan has unlimited data so it costs me nothing to use it. I would be a frustrated as OP without it.

Do you get paid extra for all this?

 

[UnionStrong]

Do you get paid extra for all this?

All the road kill you can carry

 

[satellitedriver]

Do you get paid extra for all this?

In the old days, drivers gave hand drawn maps to new drivers and cover drivers.
1980's technology.
UPS never even handed out maps, back then.
No one ever asked for extra pay.

 

[burrheadd]

In the old days, drivers gave hand drawn maps to new drivers and cover drivers.
1980's technology.
UPS never even handed out maps, back then.
No one ever asked for extra pay.

 

[Whither]

In the old days, drivers gave hand drawn maps to new drivers and cover drivers.
1980's technology.
UPS never even handed out maps, back then.
No one ever asked for extra pay.

It's fine to extend area knowledge, but let's keep it on the clock.

 

[AKCoverMan]

Do you get paid extra for all this?

Yup. One dollar a minute. Plus the gratitude of my customers. Works for me.

 

[TearsInRain]

On a bid route?! I've had my latest since April; I know every street in my usual area, the blocks almost to the exact number breaks, and that quickly extends to the random add-cuts I've been dispatched over time. Even if I get 'new' add-cuts, I've usually been there before as an unassigned driver and/or the streets are gridded enough to figure it out. Why would any of us need a map? We could draw the map, give turn-by-turns, devise a better trace than Orion (it's clear the alleged mileage savings are based on little more than unnecessary resi backs and numerous service failures).

I meant in the country, city boys don't belong in this thread

 

[PPH_over_9000]

I'll gladly put up with those things as a result of having a low stop count, very few businesses, no pickups, no commit time, no bulk, and the best part... no traffic. That is how the rural routes are here.

Oh no... oh no, no, no...

That's just not how it works in the DMV area. The only thing this route hits on that checklist is low stop count relative to other routes and very few businesses (but plenty of home businesses with NDA commits.) The rest just doesn't apply.

Every day I'll get several on-demand alerts for stops that I was near ~4hrs and ~40 miles prior. None scheduled, though.

 

[eats packages]

I meant in the country, city boys don't belong in this thread

Oh you see the place alright. Just not the parking or the keys and codes to get in.

 

[quad decade guy]

I'll never understand drivers on a bid route who don't carry a paper map just in case

I'll never understand why UPS doesn't provide one......

Why UPS doesn't think of this........

The bid route drivers JOB is to show up ready to work....UPS provides the rest. PERIOD.