Drivers

[Indy]

Have noticed that in our office a large percentage of posties can't/don't drive* could this screw-up P/L is implementation?

Also its never been explained how people pair up. Some combo's would be a nightmare!

*is this reflected nationally or is it particular to this office?

[Straight4ward]

I don't think that anyone that's been recruited in our DO over the last 8 years, or so, is unable to drive. Official policy, perhaps?

We have some old hands that either cannot drive or choose not to but it is only a few and hasn't presented a problem in matching people with duties.


Be interesting to see what would happen in an office whereby they couldn't balance people and delivery methods. Forced transfers?

[fishtank]

Q. What if an individual is unable to drive i.e. no driving licence or cannot drive for health reasons?

A. If there are employees in your unit that are unable to drive you will need to consider what other duty options are available. You may need to accommodate these employees on shared routes as a planned non driver. (There is a limit to the number of non drivers you can accommodate on shared deliveries. It is, therefore, recommended that this is not an option to employees that can drive but choose not to.) You should explore what other opportunities there are to accommodate the individual within your office. If individuals cannot be accommodated in your office, you may be able to accommodate them via a move to another unit within a reasonable distance, where suitable work is available. Where this is not possible an employee may effectively become surplus and in this instance you should take advice from your Regional ER/IR Manager.

[Indy]

Where this is not possible an employee may effectively become surplus and in this instance you should take advice from your Regional ER/IR Manager.

Sounds ominous... what could this mean in practical terms if an employee can't be found anything.... Redundancy?? sounds expensive

Also we have people that technically have licences but haven't driven for 20 odd years and no intention of starting now!

[Stormproof]

Perhaps they should bring back RM driving instructors, thats how I passed my car test. Mon-Thurs full day driving lessons instead of work and then driving test on the Friday

[SpacePhoenix]

How many of the ones who can't/won't drive used their private cars at some point in the past for doing their walks?

[fishtank]

Half of the P&L duties can be non-drivers.
HCT duties can be non-drivers.
To be honest in most offices it isn't going to be a resourcing problem...it's more likely to be a seniority/repick problem.
Non-drivers are not a great deal of use as reserves or even floaters if they can only cover non-driving duties.

[happy]

you got to start thinking in the long term there wont want anyone who can not drive. i think one day it will just be one opg in a van doing one walk one day and another the next day

[OnAFlyer]

How many of the ones who can't/won't drive used their private cars at some point in the past for doing their walks?

Several in my office used to use their own cars every day, when P&L came in they refused to drive.

Our office is a bit of a staffing headache due to the amount of drivers to duties being being very tight, quite a few times we've had people doing a walk 'old school' style using the pouchboxes/drops, even though nobody is paid for taking the bags in any more.

Quite a lot of drivers have picked into pairs together in the repick as well, that's going to be an even bigger problem for managers when the new pairings come in.

[ElvisGaddafi]

I don't see how they can force you to drive just because you can.

[fishtank]

I don't see how they can force you to drive just because you can.

The same reason they can force you to walk just because you can Elvis...it's your job.
You could possibly argue that you were taken on as a postman not a driver but the job of postman is continually evolving so obviously some of the tasks involved will change.
I was never taken on to push a trolley or work a PDA but....here we are..

[not me]

I don't see how they can force you to drive just because you can.

The same reason they can force you to walk just because you can Elvis...it's your job.
You could possibly argue that you were taken on as a postman not a driver but the job of postman is continually evolving so obviously some of the tasks involved will change.
I was never taken on to push a trolley or work a PDA but....here we are..

nonsense
its not a contractual requirement(unless on the newer contracts),I have a licence and dont drive
using your licence for work puts you at risk of having an accident(fault or non fault) that could have a bearing on a drivers insurance
RM did nothing for me to get my licence so they dont dictate what i do with it

[fishtank]

]
nonsense
its not a contractual requirement(unless on the newer contracts),I have a licence and dont drive
using your licence for work puts you at risk of having an accident(fault or non fault) that could have a bearing on a drivers insurance
RM did nothing for me to get my licence so they dont dictate what i do with it

No custard it's not nonsense..it's the line in the sand moving that's all.
The new contracts do specify driving so your having an accident/insurance argument is bogus.
The old contracts...well you don't drive and i take it you've never driven for them so you're OK as long as there's a non-driving job for you but if you've already been driver assessed and you decide not to drive you could find yourself surplus to requirements and farmed out to another office.
As i pointed out...the job is evolving,driving will be a part of that evolution...non-drivers will be very rare indeed.
The argument that it's your license won't wash in a private company either...i think we both know that.

[taurus88]

I don't see how they can force you to drive just because you can.

... the job of postman is continually evolving ...

Not evolving, fishtank. Evolution has a point. Evolution is nature's means of getting better, stronger, fitter for purpose.

This whole driving around thing is completely pointless, and worse, it's useless as well.

[fishtank]

Fair enough taurus but the job is moving towards driver only whether we like it or not.
Unless somebody,somewhere up top has the courage to stand up and admit the have made a catastrophic error we're stuck with this scenario.
I think the next plan...the rather frightening predominately part-time plan will have more room for non-drivers...but only if you're part-time.