Sorting Post (Postman with Driving)

[norris9]

Hi,

I am curious how the sorting process goes....

I am potentially going to be a cover Postie, covering other Postie's rounds who are on holiday, so I am interested in how the sorting process works as I am sure with Postie's who have a set round, they come in and automatically know in which order to sort the post into, but for someone who may be on a completely different round each day, they obviously will find it hard to memorise 20 different rounds.

This is how I imagine the process goes:

1. Come into work.
2. The post for your round is unsorted in a box or bag.
3. You probably sort the post by postcode and make separate piles.
4. You then put these post-coded piles into order ie. Boris Street 1, 3, 5, 6, 8........ I'd like to think there are lists and maps at work specific to the route that tell you in which order to put the post in so that your round is as efficient as possible, otherwise you won't know if the street goes 1, 2, 3 or 1, 3, 5.... or which street comes next.
5. I assume you have different bags for each section of the route. So you go back to the van to pick up the next bag or drive to the next area and start with the next bag.

This is just my assumption of how the sorting process is..... please let me know what I have missed or what i have assumed wrong. Thanks.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Hi,

I am curious how the sorting process goes....

I am potentially going to be a cover Postie, covering other Postie's rounds who are on holiday, so I am interested in how the sorting process works as I am sure with Postie's who have a set round, they come in and automatically know in which order to sort the post into, but for someone who may be on a completely different round each day, they obviously will find it hard to memorise 20 different rounds.

This is how I imagine the process goes:

1. Come into work.
2. The post for your round is unsorted in a box or bag.
3. You probably sort the post by postcode and make separate piles.
4. You then put these post-coded piles into order ie. Boris Street 1, 3, 5, 6, 8........ I'd like to think there are lists and maps at work specific to the route that tell you in which order to put the post in so that your round is as efficient as possible, otherwise you won't know if the street goes 1, 2, 3 or 1, 3, 5.... or which street comes next.
5. I assume you have different bags for each section of the route. So you go back to the van to pick up the next bag or drive to the next area and start with the next bag.

This is just my assumption of how the sorting process is..... please let me know what I have missed or what i have assumed wrong. Thanks.

1. If you want to be paid - yes
2. The majority is sequenced in accordance with the frame you will be using.
3. No. But once sorted you split the round into bundles and then into bags
4. No. You follow the frame till you are used to it, then make changes that suit you.
5. Yes

What is a frame

This is an empty one before you put the mail into it


This is a full one from which you make bundles and prepare bags - the frame is already in delivery order


The parcels on top are positioned to match the bag they go into. 1st section, 1st bag, 2nd section 2nd bag ----- etc

Here is a postie on delivery - bundles are in bags on trolley and you can see the parcels sticking out

[gimba]

Wait for your induction day
It isn't like what you think

[norris9]

Hi,

I am curious how the sorting process goes....

I am potentially going to be a cover Postie, covering other Postie's rounds who are on holiday, so I am interested in how the sorting process works as I am sure with Postie's who have a set round, they come in and automatically know in which order to sort the post into, but for someone who may be on a completely different round each day, they obviously will find it hard to memorise 20 different rounds.

This is how I imagine the process goes:

1. Come into work.
2. The post for your round is unsorted in a box or bag.
3. You probably sort the post by postcode and make separate piles.
4. You then put these post-coded piles into order ie. Boris Street 1, 3, 5, 6, 8........ I'd like to think there are lists and maps at work specific to the route that tell you in which order to put the post in so that your round is as efficient as possible, otherwise you won't know if the street goes 1, 2, 3 or 1, 3, 5.... or which street comes next.
5. I assume you have different bags for each section of the route. So you go back to the van to pick up the next bag or drive to the next area and start with the next bag.

This is just my assumption of how the sorting process is..... please let me know what I have missed or what i have assumed wrong. Thanks.

1. If you want to be paid - yes
2. The majority is sequenced in accordance with the frame you will be using.
3. No. But once sorted you split the round into bundles and then into bags
4. No. You follow the frame till you are used to it, then make changes that suit you.
5. Yes

What is a frame

This is an empty one before you put the mail into it


This is a full one from which you make bundles and prepare bags - the frame is already in delivery order


The parcels on top are positioned to match the bag they go into. 1st section, 1st bag, 2nd section 2nd bag ----- etc

Here is a postie on delivery - bundles are in bags on trolley and you can see the parcels sticking out

oh wow, thanks for the reply.

So these frames......are they specific to a round, ie. are they numbered with the houses on the route?

[fb1969]

Yes, each round has its own frame. The slots are in the order of delivery - some roads may be 1-3-5-7 etc others 1-2-3-4, some switching between them, and named houses etc - but they will (should) be in the order of delivery. Some slots will be double, so the post for 2 houses go in it.

A lot of duties will be "van share" so there will be two rounds and two frames, and two people go out on a delivery everything for the two rounds - you may be covering one of these duties. Most frames, especially van share ones, will be laid out in "loops" with markings were a loop starts. The van stops and both get out, one delivers mail in a circle in one direction and the other goes the other way - and both end up at or near where they started. That is a very simplified description!

At the Induction Day you will learn very little about doing the job.

[Swissmon87]

Those sorting frames look huge. How many slots does it have? And how much time is used for delivery? Thanks for all the answers. Greetings from a swiss postie

[TrueBlueTerrier]

20 in each individual selection. So 80 in a column. With a maximum of 7 columns means 560 separate slots. Absolute maximum if all slots are for 2 addresses (not practical) 1120.

Delivery is around 4 hours 30 minutes on most duties but can be up to 6 hours for rurals.

Greetings from a Yorkshire postie.

[Swissmon87]

Ok thanks for the information. Does
Every street number have an own slot? Or can they have several slots? I guess, that flats have several slots right? We are delivering 5 hours here. And have around 1000 households (1000 letter boxes).