Big elastic bands

[Celgar]

Regarding elastic bands it is better to order the large size as they do not snap and can literally last forever. Makes you wonder why some posties go through a handful of them nearly every day. Best course of action is to take them home & bring them back the next day otherwise they get 'stolen' by other posties in the office!
Offices are allocated a certain quantity of bands in any period of time so if some posties waste them your office will run out.

If you exclude bulk postings, there's very rarely any need to use large elastic bands. With wave 2, tbqf sometimes it's probably not worth the bother to even walk sort some batches when they get so little mail once bulk postings are taken out the picture

Its too easy to snap the small bands though plus you really cannot incorporate small packets into letter bundles if you have to use the small elastic bands. I'm speaking here in terms of offices & areas where the mail volumes have not significantly dropped off and where online shopping is still nearly at Xmas levels on a daily basis. In terms of call rate we usually have upwards of 90% on a daily basis & not the 60% that RM profess to be the case.

[HTPostman]

If I’m wearing my coat, used elastic bands go in my pocket then every couple of loops I empty them into a spare tray. If it’s too warm for a coat, they go in the pouch and same system, empty them into the tray.

I don’t know why so many of my colleagues struggle with it. I’ve witnessed some even getting their next loop from the back of the van and throwing all the used bands on the floor, then the next day they are walking up and down the aisles asking if you’ve got any spare.

At the end of the shift all mine go in a plastic bag and are hidden. I can’t even remember the last time I had to go round looking for more.

[yellowbelly]

* Before someone mentions the D2Ds there isn't time in duty time anymore to prep them so I just do them for delivery on Monday as that is the lightest day now . *

Isn't that the new plan (following the agreement) - I'm sure I saw somewhere in one of the threads
that in the (near) future where possible they're all supposed to be put in on Monday and delivered through warm calling
the rest of the week.

[Hammer59]

dead opposite at my SPDO, lots of big bands but very few small.

[Alexei]

They're great! We sometimes get D2D items or sequenced coming in with big bands and it's like Christmas for myself. I've got a redirection bag full of them which I've kept for about 5 years. They rarely snap and can also be used to band together the obligatory duty packet hoarder's packets together . The problem is people have no forward sight or planning, they don't remember the time there were no bands and don't think 'hey this band looks pretty strong and reusable, I should keep this'. I've scalded many a colleague during the dreaded park & loop days who would just toss the smaller ones the ground.

[yellowbelly]

See plenty dropped on the ground - I think people put them in their mailbags as they're going round but
leave them in the bag at the end of the day. Then the next day they don't take them out and as they're
pulling bundles out of the bag the next day they're entangled in the bundle and fall to the ground unnoticed.

Also a lot of the older well-used bags have holes in them - again any bands placed in the bag will just fall to the ground.

See plenty in the cargo compartments of vans which then just get pulled out onto the yard at the end of duty as
bags and boxes get dragged out.

Anyone ever checked under the van seats? Unbelievable some of the junk and
filth that you find in there as well as bands!! Find plenty of the old red ones!

[Mr Rush]

Can anybody shed any light on why there is a shortage of big elastic bands? This week has been a nightmare with council tax and census forms plus usual mail and door to doors. Bundles have been big, and so small elastic bands not fit for purpose. They are always breaking on tie up

I've got a surplus of large ones while small ones have disappeared. This is economics 101. I'll trade with you.

[priority102]

If all those who don't give a toss stopped dropping them on the floor/van floors/gear stick etc when they have a pouch/pockets/trays/van to keep them in for next time use then there would not be a shortage. Usual attitude, drop them everywhere, not my problem, then whinge and moan when stocks are short.