Will UPS ever do away with preloaders?

[PT Car Washer]

An automated loading system is just not feasible. What would be more practical is a built in scanner in the back of each truck. Even one scanner for a group of four would work, with a simple LED unit that lights green to indicate which truck to enter. There can even be an information screen as to how many packages are remaining for each drop, HIN, car, etc.

How did we ever load the package cars when all I ever had was a load chart a stop count sheet and a crayon.

 

[platinum9898]

If preloaders were done away with, there would be no way to gain seniority to drive, if no drivers, no packages are delivered, the union wouldn't let that fly, even if it were CLOSE to being possible, I can't imagine it being possible, so many things that only a human being can do that a robot or machine will never be able to do.

You forget there are twilight shifts and night shifts. Most drivers come from these shifts.

 

[Brownslave688]

If preloaders were done away with, there would be no way to gain seniority to drive, if no drivers, no packages are delivered, the union wouldn't let that fly, even if it were CLOSE to being possible, I can't imagine it being possible, so many things that only a human being can do that a robot or machine will never be able to do.

This posts makes no sense. If the technology is there to replace preloaders the tech will be there to replace most other jobs at ups also.

Also the company could choose not to renew a contract with the union at any point. If they had this tech they wouldn't need us so the union would be essentialy worthless.

 

[Mr.Golden]

I don't see preloaders being replace no time soon. I'll give it 50 to 100 yrs.

 

[watdaflock?]

As soon as Louisville is completely automated I'll get concerned about losing my preload job.

 

[Mr.Golden]

As soon as Louisville is completely automated I'll get concerned about losing my preload job.

Exactly, when the Louisville hub do it will take the other centers and hubs a long time to get to that point. Besides that UPS do too many hand me downs to other centers instead of buying new things for them. I guess they do that to test the new products

 

[sandwich]

No like someone delivering the package but they would just be jumpers.

Cars will pretty much be driving themselves by 2020.

Did you know new cars with electric power steering Dont have a steering shaft connecting the steering wheel to the steering. Its now just a sensor that communicates to another sensor. How comfortable are you with that? I'm not very comfortable with that. Sensors fail. Especially after a few years. So are you going to be OK with cars driving themselves? No effing way.

 

[laffter]

How would these self driving delivery vehicles get the boxes out of the truck and to the recipient??

Cheap Mexican labor.

 

[laffter]

It is my understanding that upgrades to technology in operations cannot displace a union employee. Of course, something to accommodate this could be negotiated in a future contract.

 

[just chillin']

that is not accurate i don't think. the technology you speak of has been around awhile and its called "drive by wire". planes have done away with rudder and flap cables, pulleys and hydraulics and have been using "fly by wire" for years. my 2008 chevy does not have any kind of mechanical cable going from the gas peddle to the engine. just plugs, wires, sensors and servo motors. now, EPS or "Electric Power Steering" is NOT steer by wire. its a steering assist system that uses electronic motors instead if a hydraulic pump to deliver extra torque (power) to the steering column. due to safety concerns and the cost of having to have multiple redundant backups systems. steer by wire is still just a concept for passenger cars and trucks.

Did you know new cars with electric power steering Dont have a steering shaft connecting the steering wheel to the steering. Its now just a sensor that communicates to another sensor. How comfortable are you with that? I'm not very comfortable with that. Sensors fail. Especially after a few years. So are you going to be OK with cars driving themselves? No effing way.

 

[soberups]

What the company will do is modify the buildings so that the package cars can be stood upright on their noses and loaded from the top with a shovel. Load quality wont be any different from what we already have now, but they will be able to get the preloaders off of the clock sooner and look better on a report.

 

[Brownslave688]

Did you know new cars with electric power steering Dont have a steering shaft connecting the steering wheel to the steering. Its now just a sensor that communicates to another sensor. How comfortable are you with that? I'm not very comfortable with that. Sensors fail. Especially after a few years. So are you going to be OK with cars driving themselves? No effing way.

Not exactly but nice try freaking everyone out.

Not to mention the failure rate on a sensor is much lower than the failure rate for a human.

 

[sandwich]

Not exactly but nice try freaking everyone out.

Not to mention the failure rate on a sensor is much lower than the failure rate for a human.

Not exactly how? Newer high tech cars like Lexus Dont have steering shafts anymore. Its a fact not a scare tactic. Also cars now have adjustable steering firmness. How do you think that is achieved. Its because there is no steering shaft. The steering feel is electronically controlled just like traction control.

 

[sandwich]

And so to clarify, your ready for a car without a steering wheel, but shaftless electronic power steering is trying to scare people. I know elon musk is working on self driving cars but I Dont think the majority of people alive today are ready to trust it. I'm 31 years old. Not exactly a young buck but not really old school either. I love new technology but I wouldn't leave my life in the hands of a self driving car. I wouldn't trust it, and I never would. I think its very far off. Also, what about us who use our trucks to pull jet boats to the river or load our toy hauler with dirt bikes and go out into the desert. Elon musk is looking at day to day tasks, work to home to the store.

 

[Brownslave688]

Not exactly how? Newer high tech cars like Lexus Dont have steering shafts anymore. Its a fact not a scare tactic. Also cars now have adjustable steering firmness. How do you think that is achieved. Its because there is no steering shaft. The steering feel is electronically controlled just like traction control.

You're implying that it's somehow less safe. Mechanical failures happen also.

 

[sandwich]

Yes but how often does a steering shaft snap? Probably far less likely than those sensors glitching or failing. Or the synthetic feed back failing. There is a lot more to go wrong vs a directly connected splined steering shaft in a rack and pinion. So yes I am implying that's overtime its less safe than traditional steering. And that will be multiplied on driverless cars once they are over a few years old.

Also I'm not denying the tech will be there in the next 20-40 years. It will be. But its going to take much longer for it to become the norm. And even longer for companies like ours to adapt that kind of tech.

 

[Brownslave688]

Yes but how often does a steering shaft snap? Probably far less likely than those sensors glitching or failing. Or the synthetic feed back failing. There is a lot more to go wrong vs a directly connected splined steering shaft in a rack and pinion. So yes I am implying that's overtime its less safe than traditional steering. And that will be multiplied on driverless cars once they are over a few years old.

Also I'm not denying the tech will be there in the next 20-40 years. It will be. But its going to take much longer for it to become the norm. And even longer for companies like ours to adapt that kind of tech.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say after the Toyota and gm debacles over the last decade that these companies aren't putting technology in vehicles that they aren't 100% confident in.

I'm also no engineer but I'm
Going to guess that the engineers have thought about lawsuits and such and have put in additional back ups and overrides should a failure happen.

The tech is there NOW. Its not a matter of technology.


I'm not saying I'm ready for this to happen. What I am saying is the technology is there for it to happen. It's simply a matter of acceptance.

I also know those of us not directly involved in technology have a tendency to underestimate the speed at which it evolves.

 

[soberups]

Yes but how often does a steering shaft snap? Probably far less likely than those sensors glitching or failing. Or the synthetic feed back failing. There is a lot more to go wrong vs a directly connected splined steering shaft in a rack and pinion. So yes I am implying that's overtime its less safe than traditional steering. And that will be multiplied on driverless cars once they are over a few years old.

Also I'm not denying the tech will be there in the next 20-40 years. It will be. But its going to take much longer for it to become the norm. And even longer for companies like ours to adapt that kind of tech.

Fly-by-wire has been a safe and proven technology in aircraft for over 30 years now, so steer-by-wire in a car shouldnt be any different.

As far as self-driving cars go, I can see it happening on freeways and major thoroughfares but not on small side streets or country roads.

 

[sandwich]

Fly-by-wire has been a safe and proven technology in aircraft for over 30 years now, so steer-by-wire in a car shouldnt be any different.

As far as self-driving cars go, I can see it happening on freeways and major thoroughfares but not on small side streets or country roads.

Correct, cars also have drive by wire which has been around for about ten years now. Does any one remember the whole Toyota debacle with cars speeding out of control and crashing because of faulty drive by wire systems. Well Toyota is proud to introduce steer by wire, and 20 years from now fully automated cars. Everyone will be safe. No thanks. I've been driving since I was 16 and ive never had an accident (knock on wood) but I have had sensors give up on a few of my trucks.

 

[cosmo1]

Not exactly how? Newer high tech cars like Lexus Dont have steering shafts anymore. Its a fact not a scare tactic. Also cars now have adjustable steering firmness. How do you think that is achieved. Its because there is no steering shaft. The steering feel is electronically controlled just like traction control.

Uummm….

"If Infiniti ever has the guts to go for the lobotomy and strip out the mechanical steering system (it left it in there as a backup),………"

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/infiniti-q50-steer-by-wire/

Still there!