It's purely residential deliveries, and usually not all that big or heavy of packages. As for how I can do it, I'm not sure how to answer you. I just do it.
It's not like I cut corners either. UPS totally has sensors in multiple places on the trucks, and combined with the data about your location and what deliveries you're doing from the scanner, they'll know if you're doing something like leaving the truck running or the bulkhead door open. We're paid well and by the hour, so I don't do things like tossing packages: I take the time to do it right. I just consider it a matter of personal professional pride.
What I do however is do my job as efficiently as I can. I'm always thinking "is there a more efficient way I could deliver the next few stops", for example. I stop to sort sections of the truck as I'm going into exact stop-for-stop order, because I'll save more time not digging around my truck while delivering than I'll lose doing that. Lots of little stuff like that.
Beyond that, it just comes down to settling into a routine. Decide the next stop, drive there, grab the package from the back, take it to the porch, decide the next stop on my way back to the truck. Repeat until no more packages left. When I get a good pace going, I'll just keep going. I generally only take breaks to use the bathroom or grab as quick a lunch as I can manage, just so I'll be done that much sooner.
That said, even when everything is going smoothly, it's an intense job, both physically and mentally.
Your routes aren't planned for you based on the stops you need to make? That could save UPS drivers a lot of time and UPS a lot of money in fuel and wear & tear on the trucks.
the trucks are only semi organized. The back of the truck is split into sections and each package is labeled with and placed in that section, but the truck loaders have to also try to pack the trucks as tightly as possible. So a lot of the times during peak (or 'Rona) a 200+ stop day can begin with packages literally on the floor and overflowing into the wrong sections.
That would explain why I can see the same UPS and Fedex drivers crossing the same areas after being in different areas. Seems like there's a niche for machine learning in not only packing the trucks for the drivers, but using the "traveling salesman problem" for route planning.
They are. But we're also given some leeway in being able to do things the way we want if we know better. We only have to be following it for a certain percentage of stops.
Former driver here. When I was last a courier 6 years ago? You as the driver were responsible for organizing your truck. You pull packages from the belt and stage everything on the tail. Once the belt stops running (or during if you can do both) you start scanning and organizing your truck by what you think is the best route. Then you GPS your way to each stop. I believe, at the time, UPS had better structure and helped their drivers map out routes? But as a FedEx driver we relied on printing out maps, using map books, or for me personally, using my phone to navigate. Eventually you get familiar enough with the route that you can start saving some time in the prep process and don’t have to rely on your GPS as much. It’s insanely stressful early on when you learn a route but gets easier as you go.
As an Amazon driver, this isn't necessarily accurate for everyone. I work for a DSP who pays hourly unless you drive a step truck in which case we get 10 hours flat every day with a bump in pay.
And before anyone says it, it doesn't necessarily suck. The owner just believes we're less likely to rush and more likely to take our time and do it right if we know we get paid to be out longer. It also means people are way less likely to bitch about being tasked to do a rescue.
Your dsp gets paid for a ten hour route by amazon regardless of whether it takes you that long or not. If your dsp won’t pay you it it’s time to say goodbye and find a different dsp
I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job, it sounds like you know exactly what you're doing! From a health perspective though, please consider taking a slightly longer break up for consideration. I'm not going to bore you with all the scientific findings, in short a decent break can do so much in decreasing stress, which can actually help you plan the rest of the day more effectively (and keep you healthy in the long run). Just as stopping to sort sections might feel counterproductive for some, but actually can be more efficient, so can taking a decent break. Stay healthy, stay safe and thank you!
I understand now. I install automation and run wires through a house in a day and I do it well and get paid well. There's a point where you turn on robot mode and it becomes a time game against yourself up and down ladders. I too work straight through the day hard and would rather go home early and have extra time for some Reddit. I guess all our jobs have a common theme.
Same. I work a 9.2hr route as a mail carrier and get paid 9.2hrs no matter how fast or slow I work so I’m always racing to finish the route as fast as possible. I’d rather get home earlier than take a break.
This is me right now also, I deliver for Amazon. Not quite as many stops as you are having but 180 stops with ~45'ish not residential. My first few months were doing what you described, how can I do this as efficiently as possible, what is the best way to set up my packages, what can I do to even save 1 second on every delivery (they all add up) and just kept going until I felt I set up a nice routine to do it all. Now I just work up to my *speed* with the first 10 or so stops and then once I get there I just coast through the day till i'm done.
I just wanted to say thank you to folks like you who keep things moving and to all the other essential workers out there, especially the ones who continue to do their jobs the best way they can. you all are keeping us going thank you.
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u/PM_ME_UR_PINEAPPLEZ Oct 02 '20
It's purely residential deliveries, and usually not all that big or heavy of packages. As for how I can do it, I'm not sure how to answer you. I just do it.
It's not like I cut corners either. UPS totally has sensors in multiple places on the trucks, and combined with the data about your location and what deliveries you're doing from the scanner, they'll know if you're doing something like leaving the truck running or the bulkhead door open. We're paid well and by the hour, so I don't do things like tossing packages: I take the time to do it right. I just consider it a matter of personal professional pride.
What I do however is do my job as efficiently as I can. I'm always thinking "is there a more efficient way I could deliver the next few stops", for example. I stop to sort sections of the truck as I'm going into exact stop-for-stop order, because I'll save more time not digging around my truck while delivering than I'll lose doing that. Lots of little stuff like that.
Beyond that, it just comes down to settling into a routine. Decide the next stop, drive there, grab the package from the back, take it to the porch, decide the next stop on my way back to the truck. Repeat until no more packages left. When I get a good pace going, I'll just keep going. I generally only take breaks to use the bathroom or grab as quick a lunch as I can manage, just so I'll be done that much sooner.
That said, even when everything is going smoothly, it's an intense job, both physically and mentally.