How do you sort your packets into the frame?

[pieoftheday]

I used tubs under the frame, putting a P739 card in the slot to remind me that I had a packet. To begin with I labeled the tubs with the roads that went in each one, but after a while you remember which is which. Good luck in the job

That's the first time I've heard of putting a 739 in as a reminder, why not just turn a letter or put a big P on one to remind you? There must be loads of 739s in your fitting?

[clashcityrocker]

That's the first time I've heard of putting a 739 in as a reminder, why not just turn a letter or put a big P on one to remind you? There must be loads of 739s in your fitting?

It means that if you don't get a reply at the address you have a 739 card to hand.

[TopperGas]

I used tubs under the frame, putting a P739 card in the slot to remind me that I had a packet. To begin with I labeled the tubs with the roads that went in each one, but after a while you remember which is which. Good luck in the job

That's the first time I've heard of putting a 739 in as a reminder, why not just turn a letter or put a big P on one to remind you? There must be loads of 739s in your fitting?

I can never understand why any postie still needs reminders when we now have so many packets/parcels, it's not like you can walk past a few properties before you have to deliver one.

[scoobydo79]

I used tubs under the frame, putting a P739 card in the slot to remind me that I had a packet. To begin with I labeled the tubs with the roads that went in each one, but after a while you remember which is which. Good luck in the job

We get bollocked for doing that. Too many blank p739s get delivered with the letters and cause customers to chase up their parcels that don’t exist.

[SMS1969]

I just put the packets in my bag in loop order and keep checking the bag as I go around. I don’t bother turning letters or putting a card in on my loops. My duty partner on the other hand, cannot handle it if a letter hasn’t been turned or a card not put in and doesn’t have the common sense to put them in order and check his bag. I often see him zig zag across the road, taking ages to complete a loop, just because I have forgotten to turn a letter or put a card in on his loop. He has ten years more experience than me.

[LouBarlow]

I used tubs under the frame, putting a P739 card in the slot to remind me that I had a packet. To begin with I labeled the tubs with the roads that went in each one, but after a while you remember which is which. Good luck in the job

We get bollocked for doing that. Too many blank p739s get delivered with the letters and cause customers to chase up their parcels that don’t exist.

Same.

[2chorizon]

Gee thanks for all the tips!

Can i be really dumb and ask what a “Loop”
is? how does it work?

I’m not at the stage of tie’ing up the frames yet as i don’t really know the walks, but i have learnt them for sorting.

[Mr Rush]

I often see him zig zag across the road, taking ages to complete a loop, just because I have forgotten to turn a letter or put a card in on his loop. He has ten years more experience than me.

Those of us who started before the job turned into an on-foot parcel courier gig fall quickly into the rhythm of putting letter after letter through doors. It takes a turned letter to break that trance.

[Basildon Bond]

Can i be really dumb and ask what a “Loop” is? how does it work?

I’m not at the stage of tie’ing up the frames yet as i don’t really know the walks, but i have learnt them for sorting.

A frame or fitting or RM2000 frame is one structure in the office made up of loads of slots. Some are single slots; some are double slots; some are wide slots for businesses or schools etc. that get a lot of mail. The frame generally runs from bottom left along the bottom row to the end at the right and then moves up a row and repeats from left to right. However, over the years a frame may have "collapsing" added on so there may be a bit of a wing added on to either the right or left the has its own way of running - it could be bottom to top; left to right or the complete opposite.

A "loop" is one bag/pouch of mail and packets. Generally it is shown on the fitting when it starts with a RED coloured block or a GREEN coloured block - RED for driver or GREEN for walker. A loop is perhaps "RED 1" or "R1" or "GREEN 1" or "G1" and lasts until the next marker for "R2" or "G2" etc. Frames may not be perfect and there maybe pen marks all over it on where bags need to be split.

It helps to throw in the coded mail (walk sequenced) first and then the manual (IPS - inward primary sorting) mail afterwards for a fitting as you may remember the addresses having just put in the coded. To get quicker, rather than seeing the fitting in front of you, you should instead see the roads and streets and how the duty is walked. This means that you have to have walked the loops a few times and remembered how they are walked. However, if you repeatedly prep a walk and are getting lost where a particular address is it when prepping, it is perhaps because when out delivering on that loop you are zoned out and not picturing the frame - or you have never walked a particular loop because you either always "walk" a duty or "drive" a particular duty and don't get to see both sides. When you're out on delivery on a particular street think "Where is this road on the fitting?" Which row? Left? Right? Middle? After a few times, if you remain switched on you see the streets when indoors at the frame throwing it off; and you see the frame back at the office when you're outdoors on a street. Rinse/ repeat.

Morning process is, I would say:

1. Put in the coded (walk sequenced). At the back of the box is where you may get mis-sorts at the machines dump all the “I don’t know where this goes” mail. Top tip: go as fast as you can reading the entire first line and ensure you only grab ONE letter at a time - it's very easy to grab two or more letters as they are so neatly together. Coded mail is NOT perfect so look at the postcode and first line. Drop all mis-sorts onto the frame if unsure.
2. Put in the manual (IPS - inward primary sorting) from the "big" frame in the office (where all the experienced posties stand throwing letters into pigeon holes). Note: IPS/manual mail may have more errors than coded mail so don't spend minutes looking for an address. If you cannot find the slot within a few seconds drop it on the frame and come back to it later/ask someone/ leave it. Don't wedge, for example "18 Blue Road" in the "16 Blue Road" slot thinking "it must be close" as it could actually be part of a completely different loop.
3. Repeat 1 and/or 2 as required. Depends how many "waves" of manual arrive at your office. Keep checking the IPS frame for new mail and re-directions from other duties for your duty.
4. Pull your york, mini york, or mail sack of “packets” (smaller parcels) over to the fitting. On the PDA go to indoor and find the Scan to Core Route. Scan the barcode on the frame.
5. I would suggest rummaging through the packets and find all the thin smaller ones that will go in the frame and throwing them in first (it gives you more to turn if a larger packet comes up later for the same address). Scan all tracked/ international/ I’m not sure if it needs scanning item as you find them. Scan EVERYTHING with a barcode if you like but it's slower/ not required. Just tracked and barcodes ending R or L and look like international items.
6. Find all the heavy or square packets (more rummaging) and put them on top of the frame (or in a box below the frame if there are too many) and mark where the packet is for by altering the “best letter” (the best letter is either just before or just after the address. Either turn a letter and write “P34” for number 34 etc. or just write “P34” near the address of the letter – don’t write it at the bottom of the letter where it may not be seen/spotted. Folding a D2D leaflet also works as a reminder if there are no letters. Make sure you always stay within the “loop” when turning letter for obvious reasons – there is no point turning the first letter of the next loop, which will be in the next bag, for the current loop :oD. I advise heavy and square packets/boxes first with floppy bags second etc. is more stable on top of the frame. Scan all tracked/ international/ I’m not sure if it needs scanning item as you find them.
7. Grab the floppy/ awkward packets and pop them on top or below in a box or leave them on the frame – just don’t forget them when bagging up. Scan all tracked/ international/ I’m not sure if it needs scanning item as you find them.
8. Scan all your oversized parcels now. Submit your list of scan items. Give yourself an hour or two for the time requested.
9. Repeat points 4 to 8 above for the paired duty if there is one. Any later arriving packets or parcels can get a "Ready for Delivery" scan as you have now submitted your list for each of the duties.
10. Once all the items are in do your redirections. Get the local ones (same DO) over to the duty ASAP rather than into the IPS frame.
11. Grab your specials (if ready – Special Delivery/ SD). Pop small specials/ passports in the frame if you’re happy to do this. Turn for a special if required. Mark “collections” on a letter if required. Ensure you know the weight of a collection – no point collecting a parcel that is 10Kgs without the van present.
12. Tie up. As per the frame usually but check with some if you’re not sure. Now is the time to pause before you undo all your hard work. If you have walked it remember how it is walked. If you have “bits” you have to pull out (remote addresses the get delivered by driving to it in the van) pull all these out first and put in a box(es). Dead-end loops that get done by the person who is first back to the van on a van share. Remove all these first.
13. Bag up and try to put your packets in order and facing you based on how you wear the bag or load a trolley so you can glance in the bag for the next packet without struggling too much.
14. Load the york of bags first first so when you get to the van you load the last first. If the bags are not accurately marked up – mark them up so they are clear. A label and a Sharpie help.
15. Load the van. Do your van check if driving. Off you go.

You can probably chop and change some things but that kind of works as a general template. You could probably scan all oversize on one code - I've done that numerous times and no one has every complained.

[ted_e_bear]

Without quoting all the above post what's this about fittings starting at the bottom left ?
Every one I've seen starts top left.

[2chorizon]

Without quoting all the above post what's this about fittings starting at the bottom left ?
Every one I've seen starts top left.

I noticed all the frames i've been on so far start bottom left.

[qwerty2]

I just put the packets in my bag in loop order and keep checking the bag as I go around. I don’t bother turning letters or putting a card in on my loops. My duty partner on the other hand, cannot handle it if a letter hasn’t been turned or a card not put in and doesn’t have the common sense to put them in order and check his bag. I often see him zig zag across the road, taking ages to complete a loop, just because I have forgotten to turn a letter or put a card in on his loop. He has ten years more experience than me.

Because it’s part of your job to mark the letters for packets
One person I worked with never marked the packets spent half my time walking back and forward
It’s called being a Lazy Twat

[mwalker88]

Without quoting all the above post what's this about fittings starting at the bottom left ?
Every one I've seen starts top left.

Every single frame I encountered started at the bottom left. Across multiple DOs.

[SMS1969]

I just put the packets in my bag in loop order and keep checking the bag as I go around. I don’t bother turning letters or putting a card in on my loops. My duty partner on the other hand, cannot handle it if a letter hasn’t been turned or a card not put in and doesn’t have the common sense to put them in order and check his bag. I often see him zig zag across the road, taking ages to complete a loop, just because I have forgotten to turn a letter or put a card in on his loop. He has ten years more experience than me.

Because it’s part of your job to mark the letters for packets
One person I worked with never marked the packets spent half my time walking back and forward
It’s called being a Lazy Twat .

No it isn’t. None of the other more experienced posties I’ve worked with have needed this. How difficult is it to put them in order and look in your bag. Not difficult at all actually.

[LouBarlow]

I’ve never seen a frame that starts top left in all my years of doing the job. How bizarre.