CDV Guidelines

[drb]

...I am repairing a laptop,(trying to anyway)....

[DGP1]

Still dvb, it'll be all our fault

[dvbuk55]

dont produce your licence,no likey no drivey

LOL

The managers have put a letter up in my office asking people who would like to drive to sign below.....total of 0 signatures. We are going to lose more drivers aswell, all our old night staff who had to come over to deliveries when nights were stopped have been told they will have to go back on nights to run the WSM's when they come in otherwise they will lose their grandfather rights night allowances.

That second bit can't be right,dingo?

I think it IS right, we had a similar situation when our night shifts went and they had to apply for the 3.30 starts in order to keep their allowance, that was according to our rep then and I trust him.

[dvbuk55]

Still dvb, it'll be all our fault

Absolutely DGP - I start every day, in my DO by telling everyone, I am sh1t, that way they don't expect too much - and believe me that's what they get, if things go t*ts up - well they can't say they weren't warned

[Martin Walsh]

Postman MTSF2 stated that pay protection applies in the cases where there protentially losses to allowances etc. There was never grandfather rights for night allowance only a maxiumn of 3 years depending on how many years you have been on nights.

Most delivery ceased nights under pay and mod and therefore pay protection kicks in , however if nights return then those who have pay protection have first pick as Royal Mail are not going to want to pay both pay protection for night allowance and then pay someone new night allowance. So they do have first choice and yes if they then refuse then they do protentially lose their pay protection. Remember pay protection is only their if it a forced move , if someone volunters not to do nights then they do not get pay protection and if as a result of walk sequencing nights re-appear in some delivery units then those in reciept of pay protection get asked to go back on them.

[Big Daz]

Guidelines are attached at the bottom of my original post.

All 25 pages of them!

[nationwide]

Does having to drive (as in you have no choice mate) mean that you will have to share the driving of the 1 van .If so that would mean 2 sets of keys surely??Wouldn't that be more cost???
We have only been asked who would prefer to take a van home each day up to now,which would be OK if convenient as it would mean you wouldn't have to go back to the DO at the end of the day if you've nowt left.

[fishtank]

Does having to drive (as in you have no choice mate) mean that you will have to share the driving of the 1 van .If so that would mean 2 sets of keys surely??Wouldn't that be more cost???
We have only been asked who would prefer to take a van home each day up to now,which would be OK if convenient as it would mean you wouldn't have to go back to the DO at the end of the day if you've nowt left.

What happens if your CDV partner's car is back at the office.

[nationwide]

Does having to drive (as in you have no choice mate) mean that you will have to share the driving of the 1 van .If so that would mean 2 sets of keys surely??Wouldn't that be more cost???
We have only been asked who would prefer to take a van home each day up to now,which would be OK if convenient as it would mean you wouldn't have to go back to the DO at the end of the day if you've nowt left.

What happens if your CDV partner's car is back at the office.

Good point.

What if the one not taking the van home was to go to the first delivery point in his car and go in the van to do the walk from there.Afterwards dropping him back at his car to go straight home along with the van driver who's taking the van home?

[fishtank]

Good point.

What if the one not taking the van home was to go to the first delivery point in his car and go in the van to do the walk from there.Afterwards dropping him back at his car to go straight home along with the van driver who's taking the van home?

Well we have been told that even this would be considered as using PCOD and would be banned.
Seems a bit pedantic but i think the idea behind it is not to encourage people to cut corners.
We have been told that unless there is an operational need for an alternative,EVERYONE will finish at the D.O.

[drb]

Fishtank is spot on.If this thing goes through we should start and finish at the D.O.

This cutting corners crap is getting on my t**s. Thats why we are in this position in my opinion.

[Big Daz]

Introduction

The introduction of new methods into delivery offices is a significant change, both operationally and culturally. The new equipment will require new ways of working which may create staff challenges previously not encountered in a delivery revision. The purpose of this guide is to provide Delivery Office Managers and CWU representatives with the solutions and information sources to help them plan and implement successful revisions which include new delivery methods.

To be able to deploy a delivery methods revision it is important to understand a few factors on how delivery methods will work. Whilst there will be a few exceptions, the general high-level planning principles are as follows:
1. Deliveries within 1 mile of the Office would be completed using a HCT, where steep a Powered HCT.
2. Deliveries more than 1 mile from the Office will be completed by two delivery employees using a van and lightweight trolleys.
3. Most rural and firms van deliveries will remain unchanged.

The changes to equipment and methods may create issues. This guide will:

• Identify the most common people issues that may arise through the introduction of new delivery methods
• Provide you with possible solutions and identify sources of additional guidance should you need it

Delivery methods will be deployed in a planned and structured way with regard for safety and health, proper use of equipment and security. It is crucial that delivery employees follow the prescribed methods and plans.

The expectation is that managers and CWU representatives will work together, listen to and engage people locally to resolve the personal challenges that new methods may bring.

Employee engagement is a key component of managing this cultural change. You can find engagement tools for every phase of the delivery revision on line (Appendix 1).

Throughout the delivery revision process (DRP) issues may arise. Please use this guide to help you resolve the most common issues.

If, exceptionally, further advice is required, please contact either the HR Service Centre (0845 6060603 or postline 5456 7100) or your manager.

This document has been designed to be regularly updated and jointly reviewed as more experience is captured from the Delivery Methods deployment programme.

Gathering information to help you understand and resolve people issues

The introduction of new equipment and working practices will have an impact on delivery employees in a variety of ways, and people in your office will have different views on whether delivery methods are good for them or not. Storage of new equipment might displace some private cars from the car park, which may affect how people travel to work; new equipment will mean that people will no longer be able to use their private cars on delivery; and new equipment might mean changes to the way people perform their delivery.

During a revision, office base data and route data will be collected which will be used to construct routes and duties. In the same way, you will benefit from gathering key people-based data to help you to understand and manage the changes in line with the agreed revision process.

A survey within the delivery revision process will help data collection and allow peoples’ views regarding the introduction of new delivery methods into the office to be documented. The best way to ensure the success of the survey is for the manager and the CWU rep encourage everyone to participate.

The survey captures, amongst other things:

1. Home addresses of employees
2. Current use of private cars on delivery
3. Current travel to work arrangements of employees
4. Any disability or other significant need of individuals
5. Whether individuals hold a driving licence
6. Whether individuals are willing to drive a Royal Mail vehicle

It will work best if returns are collected via a one-to-one session with each employee. One-to-ones should be a key component of the office engagement plan.

In addition to the people-based data collected in the survey, it will also be useful if you can find out some of the detail listed below:

7. Current availability of private parking at the office
8. Public transport arrangements to the office
9. Parking availability near to the office
10. Future availability of private parking on Royal Mail premises

The above information should allow you to develop a view of where the changes will affect each person, as well as informing discussions and planning for potential solutions.

The survey is contained within the communications pack available as part of the Delivery Methods Manager Guide. You can access this online in the Delivery Methods section of the delivery revision process.


Allocating people to duties and equipment

The delivery revisions process will produce a new duty set with new routes, methods and equipment. The Way Forward Agreement (Appendix 2) explains how and when a re-pick of duties should be used (resourcing jobs during major change). Because a delivery method will be prescribed for each route in the office, for Delivery Methods revisions, re-picks assume greater significance. Re-picks give the opportunity for people to select a duty that uses the equipment they prefer.

The following headline principles should be applied to your re-pick (but for fuller guidance, consult the Delivery Methods Repick Guidance paper, available in phase four of the Delivery Revisions Process online:

1. Staff will need to be trained on the equipment they will be using
2. Duties should be divided between driving and non-driving duties
3. In line with existing guidelines seniority applies to duty allocation. The only exception to this will be where it has been agreed that there are personal circumstances that need to be taken into account. For example people with a disability need to be offered suitable duties. (See section 16.4 para 3 of Ways of Working within Way Forward Agreement and Section 2.2 in Resourcing Jobs as a result of Major Change)
4. Driving duties will be restricted to existing and volunteer new drivers and non-driving duties will be restricted to non-drivers
5. A driver is needed for every shared van pair. Only one non-driver can pick into a shared van duty pair
6. Non-driving shared van partners should be restricted to 50% or less of the total number of shared van partners. The exact ratio will be determined by you, but the balance you must strike is between creating a duty set:
a. With enough options to match your peoples’ skills
b. With enough flexibility to give you adequate cover in cases of people failure and unplanned absence
7. The non-driving duties can be allocated to any of the shared vans, up to the agreed ratio
8. The cover and the leave reserve duties need to adequately cover the driving requirements of the shared van duty to ensure that the van can be taken out each day

You need to understand the driving requirements and be confident in having sufficient drivers at the planning stage



Matching people to job requirements

The delivery revisions process defines the route, delivery method, and equipment for duties. Once a revision is deployed, employees will be trained to complete duties safely and securely. The delivery method will not be a case of personal choice or preference.

In some cases, existing employees may not welcome the change of equipment and method. Managers should understand the potential different reasons for this, as well as the best responses.

Good communication and training will minimise issues. Below are key principles to apply to the delivery revision:

• Communicate to employees as early as possible the likely equipment mix in the office resulting from the Delivery Methods revision
• Talk with employees about the benefits of this equipment to them: weight off the shoulder and better security; and stress the business rationale for introducing this equipment: a more efficient delivery operation which will enable investment in more suitable delivery equipment for our workforce
• Ensure that the right equipment is allocated to the right route
• Ensure that the deliveries are designed in accordance with the equipment planning principles. Well designed routes will minimise employees’ resistance to change.
• Employee involvement in checking & planning deliveries is very important. An office re-pick will give employees the opportunity to pick into a duty. Since specific equipment will be attached to specific duties, this gives employees some degree of opportunity to pick the right equipment for them.
• After the revision is completed, one of your roles is to ensure that the prescribed delivery method for a route is continually used by the employee allocated to that route.
• Everyone who is expected to use specified equipment as part of their job must be given the appropriate training to do so. Further coaching and support should be available if required. If an individual is not using the equipment as required, you should, in the first instance, discuss the issue with them to establish why.




Removal of support duties

A ‘support’ duty is defined as a duty which supports a walk-holder to complete their delivery. An example would be a driver who accelerates a postman / woman to delivery, replenishes them with mail and delivers their packets. The Delivery Methods revision will reduce the number of these support drivers by supplying equipment to the walk-holders which removes the need for acceleration to delivery, replenishment, and allows them to carry out their own packets.

Employees who perform this support activity will need to be included in the re-pick for the new duties.

You need to consider that some people may have driving allowances and these will be managed in line with MTSF 2. Appendix 3 (Managing the Surplus Framework 2 (MTSF 2) pay protection policy) gives more information.



Dealing with drivers who invalidate themselves from driving

This is not a new problem for Royal Mail, but the increased numbers of vans in your operation may make the problems associated with this more acute. Guidance on how to deal with this situation will vary, depending on the nature of how the licence has been invalidated.

However, as a principle, all reasonable steps will be made to find alternative duties within the parent unit for people who can no longer perform a driving duty.

Licences may be invalidated for many reasons – common situations include:

1. Alcohol & Drugs
2. Medical condition
3. Driving offences, e.g. civil speeding points.

Cases can be complicated, and there will be situations which occur that are not covered in the list above. Contact the People Contact Services (0845 6060603, postline 5456 7100) for expert advice in these cases.

Appendix 6 provides the relevant policies and guidance related to the above (Alcohol/Drugs policy and Ill Health Severance, Conduct Code).

Line managers should have contingency arrangements in place in response to instances of people being unable to complete a driving duty on a given day. This may include:

• The partner taking on the driving responsibility
• Moving the invalidated person to a trolley route, with the person on the trolley route swapping to the van. NB. Both of the above solutions rely on people in the office being trained on multiple equipment types.
• Line managers should capture UK driving licence holders in the office through the People Survey.

Shared vans: people conflicts

Shared van working is based on two employees sharing a vehicle to deliver the mail for two routes. This method will be new to many people, appealing to some, but possibly unattractive to some. Whilst we do not envisage this should be a common occurrence there is the potential for clashes of personality to arise and, these issues will have to dealt with sensitively.

The best way of resolving these will be to talk with the individuals (separately if necessary) in an effort to get the bottom of the issue and find a mutually acceptable solution. In some cases it may have to be accepted that the only way forward is to find another pair who are willing to swap one person into a paired route.


Leave arrangements
The transition to new delivery methods brings with it the need to think through your leave cover arrangements more carefully. The need to cover more van duties in the office, combined with possible instances where individuals retain a Royal Mail vehicle at home, will complicate the situation. Ultimately, it is the line manager’s responsibility to ensure that there is a local agreed leave framework in place. Below are some basic principles, which you will want to consider:

• Training as many people as possible on as many methods as possible will give the DOM greater flexibility when it comes to covering leave
• Clear and comprehensive walk logs and frame guidance will make it easier for cover duties to step into a role. This is particularly important for shared van duties. See the Delivery Methods Georoute paper for guidance on how to do this
• Leave cover for shared van duties must ensure the van can go out every day
• Rest days and leave periods should be staggered so that covers and reserves are paired up with regular shared van duty holders, as far as it is practically possible.
• In the first year of the switch to new methods, the office is unlikely to have in place a leave set up which supports the new resource structure. The DOM will need to ensure that after the repick any gaps in the operation are understood. The DOM will need to have a plan in place to ensure that all duties and vans can be resourced for these periods. This will be discussed at weekly resourcing meetings.
• It may also be of use to group your drivers into pools to ensure that there are always sufficient drivers in the office


Retained van recovery and leave

Vehicles which are retained overnight at an employee’s home will need to be recovered for use in the operation in the event of that employee’s absence from work. You will need to have a local framework in place to plan for this.

As a starting point, for every van which is retained overnight by employees off-site, document the recovery arrangements in the event of planned and unplanned leave. Below are some options which may be of use in the event of planned and unplanned absence.

Unplanned absence

• A pre-agreed contingency driver would collect the vehicle on their way into the office. This person would live as close, as possible, to the person retaining the vehicle, or would pass their home en-route into work
• As a last resort, 2 drivers in a van would need to recover the vehicle during inward sortation

Planned absence

For planned absence, managers would have a menu of options:

• The original retainer could take the vehicle home, with the same contingency arrangements applied as for unplanned absence
• The shared van partner could take the vehicle home if they were due in the next day (subject to security arrangements being checked at their home)
• If neither of the shared van pair were in the next day due to rest days (an arrangement best avoided for the reasons outlined above), then the van could be returned to office for retention by another individual

A suggested contingency control sheet is included in Appendix 7.

In support of the practical arrangements, there must be an effective engagement approach with employees up front about this way of working. A specific WTL&L brief in the Delivery Revision Process is available for use with employees interested in this arrangement. The purpose of this brief is to ensure that employees understand their obligations to the business and their colleagues when retaining Royal Mail vehicles at home overnight.

Shared vans: vehicle accountability

Principles of Shared Van working

• Typically one of the shared van pair is nominated as the driver each day to minimize inefficiency as a result of driver changes during the duty
• A set of keys may be held by both OPGs within the pair

Driver Responsibility
While using shared vans, drivers must follow instructions (contained in the Overnight Retention of Vehicles policy, located on the 6 phase intranet site) by completing the logbook as described. Under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 Royal Mail has a legal obligation to provide, when required, details on the identity of any driver using a vehicle at a particular time. In order to fulfil this obligation, the Vehicle Condition & Mileage Logbook (the logbook) will be used as the primary day-to-day control record.

For the purposes of the Road Traffic Act 1988, the driver whose name is last recorded in the logbook will be considered responsible for the roadworthiness and security of the vehicle until responsibility is transferred to the next driver by signature in the logbook. Only the driver whose name is recorded in the logbook may drive the vehicle until responsibility is transferred. Subsequent drivers must carry out at least a “duty” level (roadworthiness) vehicle check before driving and the vehicle logbook must be completed in line with the example used in the Overnight Retention of Vehicles Policy, located in the 6 phase intranet site).

Drivers must be able to provide a detailed and accurate record of vehicle transfer between themselves and another driver/s via the logbook.

It is a very serious offence to drive a vehicle without the appropriate driving licence and necessary permission. Any breach of this condition will be treated under the Royal Mail Conduct Code.

Key Holders

Shared van working will work best if both employees sharing the vehicle have key access to the mail compartment so as to minimize waiting time at the van.

Key control processes therefore need to be communicated to employees, and managed, more effectively than ever before.

All sets of vehicle keys must be signed for, i.e.: where two sets of keys are used on a shared van duty then both OPGs must sign separately for each set. The person signing for keys will be considered responsible for their security until responsibility is transferred and details have been recorded on the local office key control record.

Managers must periodically confirm availability of all sets of keys issued for any shared vehicle under their control. Checks should be carried out at the same time as licence checks are conducted (whether the subsequent key holder has a driving licence or not).

When not in use, all vehicle keys must be kept on the person at all times - they must never be left in the vehicle or in any delivery trolley or delivery pouch.

Responsibility for the security of any mail left on board a vehicle which is unattended will be shared jointly between any key holders working from the vehicle. Mail left in unattended vehicles must always be secured within the load area.

Failure to adhere to these principles may lead to disciplinary action being taken under the Conduct Code and could result in dismissal.


Allocating employees to vehicles to be retained overnight

In a small number of instances, the only way offices will be able to accommodate the additional vehicles needed to cover the operation is for some employees to retain the vehicles at home overnight. This will be done on a voluntary basis.

This arrangement can be of benefit to the office and the individual and there is no tax liability for either provided that the terms and conditions of the policy are signed up to by both parties.

Retention of vans at home by employees requires considerable fleet management responsibility by the DOM, and security checks of the parking arrangements at the individual’s home (the Overnight Retention of Vehicles Policy provides guidance). The policy should only be used in instances where parking at the Delivery Office cannot accommodate all of the operational vehicles. Before applying the policy, a DOM should look to make best use of existing space on site by exploring some of the following options:

• Tidying up
• Removal of redundant bike sheds
• Removal of unnecessary skips & storage
• Remarking and development of parking plan
• Restricting parking of employees cars on site where there are reasonable alternatives

Staff would need to volunteer for this arrangement and sign up to the associated terms and conditions. It may be possible that more employees volunteer to take vans home than are needed for the operation to run. You may need to consider sharing the benefits of vans retained amongst a number of employees. This may assist and give some incentive to employees being available to return vans to the office in cases of unplanned absence

DOMs will need to allocate the vans to be retained at home amongst the employees, ensuring that arrangements are in place so that the van can be parked off site every night (see the “Shared Vans: leave arrangements” section)

You will also need to ensure that the employees are able to park the vehicle near to the office during the indoor element of their duty.

In the example below the office has six new van routes, but on-site parking for another four vehicles only. In order to accommodate the two further vehicles it therefore asks employees for volunteers who will be willing to retain vehicles overnight at their private homes. Eight volunteers come forward. The potential overnight location points have been plotted below in relation to the routes; their distance from the delivery office can also be plotted.

The optimum locations for overnight parking of the 2 vehicles are at 7 & 8 because these minimise travel costs to the office.



Staff no longer able to park private cars on site

Introducing new delivery methods is likely to increase the number of Royal Mail vehicles which need to be parked on-site. This might result in the displacement of employees’ cars from Royal Mail parking spaces. It is important to remember that - whilst there is no contractual obligation (or any policy or guidelines) to provide employees parking for private vehicles - for some this will be an unwelcome change and will need addressing. Local public transport services may not provide a viable alternative, and in some town centres there may not be any alternative parking within a reasonable distance.

In instances where employees’ cars are displaced, possible solutions to explore are:

1. The potential for people to car share with other delivery employees
2. The potential of free off-site parking close to the delivery office (many Mail Centre employees walk over 200 yards from the car park to their signing on point).
3. The possibility of public transport to get to work
4. The possibility of hiring a brand new cycle from Royal Mail’s ‘Cycles 2 Work’ scheme. This scheme provides you with a new cycle and cycling safety equipment. Providing the main use of the bicycle is for commuting to and from work you will incur no income tax or national insurance on the benefit (Appendix 4 gives details on how to apply)
5. The possibility of a colleague who retains a Royal Mail vehicle at home overnight collecting them on the way into work
6. The possibility of offering overnight retention of a Royal Mail vehicle (subject to conditions with in the Overnight Retention of vehicle Policy being met) to a wider group of employees.
7. If arrangements cannot be made to secure free off-site parking locally to the office, then the possibility of using a crew bus for shuttling employees to and from designated pick up points could be considered.



Appendix 1

You should survey your employees to capture key data from them which will enable you to understand their views regarding the change, and any practical concerns you may need to resolve. You can find this survey, together with a wealth of other engagement material on the delivery revision process site on the Royal Mail Intranet





Appendix 2


Where an office re-pick takes place, you should familiarise yourself with the major change resourcing principles of the ‘Way Forward Agreement’







Appendix 3

For instances where your support drivers lose a driving allowance, take the time to understand their pay protection rights. The current ‘Managing the Surplus Framework 2’ (MTSF 2) pay protection policy will help you to calculate the pay protection period in relation to a loss of a Royal Mail driving allowance.



Appendix 4

For further information on the Royal Mail Cycles 2 Work’ scheme, call 08700 660 511, or visit http://www.cycle2work.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User name - rmguser
Password – rmgbenefit
This scheme is not available to persons under the age of 18




Appendix 5

For guidance on instances where people invalidate themselves from driving duties, you should familiarise yourself with the relevant documents below:


Royal Mail Conduct Code, NCI procedures

Alcohol & Drugs Policy

Ill Health Retirement - Line Managers guide for consideration
ATOS Healthcare


Appendix 6

An example control sheet to help manage shared van contingency arrangements:

Van Ref Group Number Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Postcode Phone
1 1 If you are unable to attend for Duty and you have a Van at home you should ring the other listed employees in your group to arrange for the van to be taken back to the delivery office. If they are unavailable or cannot help Ring the DOM or the Alt Office number to make arrangements
1 2
1 3
2 1
2 2
2 3
3 1
3 2
3 3
4 1
4 2
4 3
5 1
5 2
5 3
6 1
6 2
6 3
7 1
7 2
7 3
8 1
8 2
8 3
DOM/OFFICE Office Hours Mobile/Home Out Of Hours
ALT/Sect Man Office Hours Mobile/Home Out Of Hours



Appendix 7

The disability helpline can help you with any general enquires on disability and where appropriate help with any reasonable adjustments you need to make. You can contact the disability helpline on 0800 028 6142.


If you have any queries please contact:

Rob Robinson
Delivery Methods Project


Mobile: 07725 447825

External Email: robert.robinson@royalmail.com

[axeman]

You do not have to drive no mater what royal fail says .. it's your licence not theres, they didn't pay for it so tell them to p**S off if you don't want the hassle of driving for royal fail

[Postal1]

Our office has been van sharing for a year now. We had some issues with partnering up. However these were sorted out as in swopping duties etc, but most of our office was okay.
Ideally you will be better off if both the paired team can drive as they can share the packets if one gets back before the other during the bursts. They both have a key btw.
On the issue of using your own car to meet up, this is a total no no in our office."NO using own car period". Usually people can make it work pretty well. Sometimes when you've finished you could pouch off and drop your partner off then take the van home.

Problem we realy have with van share is the packets and number of. Because we have a right **** of an area manager our rounds are by far too long. Therefore we have people working their contractual hours every day. This is a big problem because you have rounds that have little mail and not many packets, then you get the opposite with others.
People who deliver close to the office use a bike still. To me this is wrong for many reasons. For one, they don't do packets thus no extra workload. Also people are having to use their own driving licence and imo should get paid extra for this extra responsibility.

[dvbuk55]

Our office has been van sharing for a year now. We had some issues with partnering up. However these were sorted out as in swopping duties etc, but most of our office was okay.
Ideally you will be better off if both the paired team can drive as they can share the packets if one gets back before the other during the bursts. They both have a key btw.
On the issue of using your own car to meet up, this is a total no no in our office."NO using own car period". Usually people can make it work pretty well. Sometimes when you've finished you could pouch off and drop your partner off then take the van home.

Problem we realy have with van share is the packets and number of. Because we have a right **** of an area manager our rounds are by far too long. Therefore we have people working their contractual hours every day. This is a big problem because you have rounds that have little mail and not many packets, then you get the opposite with others.
People who deliver close to the office use a bike still. To me this is wrong for many reasons. For one, they don't do packets thus no extra workload. Also people are having to use their own driving licence and imo should get paid extra for this extra responsibility.

Well of course some still DO get paid for driving - but there will be far more needing to drive now so where does that leave the two tiered pay structure theory - Postmen A gets paid for driving Postman B doesn't ....................... no doubt there will be a perfectly adequate excuse for it.