Park and Loop

[rhino49]

Oh, and another thing - the first changes have triggered the bonus payments for all the staff and we have all moved to 39 hours, even though the second half will not come in for a few weeks yet.

Have you had the WSM and sequenced mail revision at the same time then.

Yes

So what is the 2nd half?

Sorry - may not have made it clear - we have a large office with a single postcode but with two distinct delivery areas which are subcoded (0 - 7)seperately. As it covers a large area the decision was made to bring in the revision in two stages to help adjustment and hopefully learn from problems on the first part before implementing the second part. The two areas are sorted seperately on the IPS already and most have been partnered up for P&L without affecting the other area adversely. Some staff still have to change workplans when the remaining area goes live, for instance my partner/driver and I will then go on the same day off rota whereas at the moment we do not have the same day off and when I not have a driver I revert to cycle delivery for a day and just do one half of the duty. Variety is the spice of life they say :)

[guldan]

I`ve just done a few days at an office that has the park & loop. To me it felt like you were under pressure a lot to get your part of the delivery done to get back to the van & your partner. Also having to do all your large items, tracked & specials really put a sqeeze on the time left to deliver the letters etc.

[skull]

I`ve just done a few days at an office that has the park & loop. To me it felt like you were under pressure a lot to get your part of the delivery done to get back to the van & your partner. Also having to do all your large items, tracked & specials really put a sqeeze on the time left to deliver the letters etc.

It is amzing how P&l creates that paranoia that you have to get back to the van as quickly as possible incase your partner is waiting . When I used to work alone I never thought twice about having a chat with a customer for a couple of minutes , now it's " I'll have to crack on because my partner will be waiting back at the van for me" . If you see your partner who as finished their loop waiting at the van and you've still got 15 houses to deliver to that's when the paranoia starts . Then it's " " bloody hell I had three signed for in that loop " or " someone shouted me back after I dropped a p739 through "and " someone had a packet but couldn't find their front door key " etc etc.
I wish I had a quid for every reason I've been given or gave for not being back at the van within seconds of each other . The fact is the majority of us don't care but you still feel compelled to state a reason for the delay . Rm will be the only ones who care because each wait now costs them times two .

[post_bitch]

I`ve just done a few days at an office that has the park & loop. To me it felt like you were under pressure a lot to get your part of the delivery done to get back to the van & your partner. Also having to do all your large items, tracked & specials really put a sqeeze on the time left to deliver the letters etc.

It is amzing how P&l creates that paranoia that you have to get back to the van as quickly as possible incase your partner is waiting . When I used to work alone I never thought twice about having a chat with a customer for a couple of minutes , now it's " I'll have to crack on because my partner will be waiting back at the van for me" . If you see your partner who as finished their loop waiting at the van and you've still got 15 houses to deliver to that's when the paranoia starts . Then it's " " bloody hell I had three signed for in that loop " or " someone shouted me back after I dropped a p739 through "and " someone had a packet but couldn't find their front door key " etc etc.
I wish I had a quid for every reason I've been given or gave for not being back at the van within seconds of each other . The fact is the majority of us don't care but you still feel compelled to state a reason for the delay . Rm will be the only ones who care because each wait now costs them times two .

haha yes i know i love being really fast bcos sometimes im back at the van a good 20 mins before partner heeh but as hes driver hes the cut off planner :) honestly spend a good hour sitting in van haha

[banjo1t]

They will have to rewrite the character Postman Pat, what will mate be called?
Mick?

[plainpat]

They will have to rewrite the character Postman Pat, what will mate be called?
Mick?

Postman Late, the Postmans Mate

Postman Park and Postman Loop

Postman Knackered

[rhino49]

We are now coming to the end of the fourth week - and today we all got the revision bonus as promised.

The four weeks since implementation have revealed a few problems, with the main one being people who find ways out of their "workplan" making it more difficult for those who are sticking to theirs. It seems adjustment to a more disciplined way of working doesn't suit everyone, and cycles are still in use because they are more convenient (for which you can read "they get you home before you are supposed to be"). There is a heavy reliance on a core of experienced sorters who seem to get pulled off their workplan to bale out the IPS when they should be prepping their own or their partners walk. We are muddling through without experiencing too many problems on shared vans although we have yet to implement PDA usage and a few tweaks and experience of the new walks is starting to give us realistic completion times.

At least the DOM and our rep and sub rep are listening to complaints and problems and are tackling them. No real pressure as yet where extended delivery is booked but then we still have the other half of the office to go live in about two weeks time and if the cost figures start to rise we may get a bit more attention.

I personally am quite happy with the change although the generally later finishing time is not so convenient and I now go home from the office instead of straight from the end of my walk. As soon as we get a quieter day we are going to treat our van to a session in the car wash - it will be nice to see the Royal Mail logo again !!!

p.s. Does anyone know if we are allowed to "pimp" our vans - I fancy some fluffy dice and our names on the windscreen

[skull]

p.s. Does anyone know if we are allowed to "pimp" our vans - I fancy some fluffy dice and our names on the windscreen

We have two posties on p&l who don't see eye to eye . I'm dying to get a fluffy dice and a windscreen transfer with both their names on but I don't know how it would go down .

[dvbuk55]

p.s. Does anyone know if we are allowed to "pimp" our vans - I fancy some fluffy dice and our names on the windscreen

We have two posties on p&l who don't see eye to eye . I'm dying to get a fluffy dice and a windscreen transfer with both their names on but I don't know how it would go down .

I think you'd be going down to the labour exchange

[banjo1t]

We are now coming to the end of the fourth week - and today we all got the revision bonus as promised.

I personally am quite happy with the change although the generally later finishing time is not so convenient and I now go home from the office instead of straight from the end of my walk. As soon as we get a quieter day we are going to treat our van to a session in the car wash - it will be nice to see the Royal Mail logo again !!!

p.s. Does anyone know if we are allowed to "pimp" our vans - I fancy some fluffy dice and our names on the windscreen

It sounds like you will do anything management throw at you!!
I don't know anyone who is 'HAPPY' with the new P&L arrangement, later finish times, more walking, the hassle of a work colleague, either on your back, or not quick enough, there won't be many who are equal, much prefer to work on my own at my own pace.
As for 'if I finish early one day I'll clean the van? what's all that about? Get a life!!

[rhino49]

We are now coming to the end of the fourth week - and today we all got the revision bonus as promised.

I personally am quite happy with the change although the generally later finishing time is not so convenient and I now go home from the office instead of straight from the end of my walk. As soon as we get a quieter day we are going to treat our van to a session in the car wash - it will be nice to see the Royal Mail logo again !!!

p.s. Does anyone know if we are allowed to "pimp" our vans - I fancy some fluffy dice and our names on the windscreen

It sounds like you will do anything management throw at you!!
I don't know anyone who is 'HAPPY' with the new P&L arrangement, later finish times, more walking, the hassle of a work colleague, either on your back, or not quick enough, there won't be many who are equal, much prefer to work on my own at my own pace.
As for 'if I finish early one day I'll clean the van? what's all that about? Get a life!!

Strange as it may seem to you banjo1t, I have got a life, but during the part of it that is paid for by my employer I am obliged to fulfil, to the best of my ability, the job they pay me for. I'm satisfied that I do that and that is something I take home with me that you probably don't - job satisfaction.
If I wanted to set my own terms and conditions or do the job "my way" - I would be self employed. Park and loop will and in fact does work once self discipline and participation comes into play. I have no hassle with my van partner and we have made adjustments to ensure we finish as near as possible to each other. After working on my own for 16 years I valued my independance before the revision but have had no problem adjusting to change and find working in a partnership not only more pleasant but a sure fire way of backing up each others overtime claims !!!

To refer to your opening line "It sounds like you will do anything management throw at you!!" - Quite simply I don't - I do my job as required and support my colleagues in doing theirs. If I go a little over due to a busy day then it becomes an earning opportunity and I am happy to take advantage of it. I take a rest day on my days off because I need one to live the life you seem to think I haven't got. I had a job for nearly 30 years where I worked every saturday, late nights and occasional sundays and was called up on days off and holidays for information. This job is still considerably better than that.

"As soon as we get a quieter day we are going to treat our van to a session in the car wash" - my words, is not the same as "if I finish early one day I'll clean the van" - your words !!!

I started this report to take people through a revision truthfully from it's implementation without favouring any point of view but my own relatively experienced one. If you wish to take shots at me for doing that it's okay by me - just don't apply to my office for a position - our dickhead quota is full.

[skull]

haha yes i know i love being really fast bcos sometimes im back at the van a good 20 mins before partner heeh but as hes driver hes the cut off planner :) honestly spend a good hour sitting in van haha

I worked with someone today who's suffering with a lame leg . If it had been summer it would have been worthwhile throwing a sun lounger into the van so I could catch a few rays in-between loops . We brought back well over half of one duty . Sorry RM management but one lame leg is now costing you twice what it used to .

[banjo1t]

haha yes i know i love being really fast bcos sometimes im back at the van a good 20 mins before partner heeh but as hes driver hes the cut off planner :) honestly spend a good hour sitting in van haha

I worked with someone today who's suffering with a lame leg . If it had been summer it would have been worthwhile throwing a sun lounger into the van so I could catch a few rays in-between loops . We brought back well over half of one duty . Sorry RM management but one lame leg is now costing you twice what it used to .

My point exactly!!

[fishtank]

I worked with someone today who's suffering with a lame leg . If it had been summer it would have been worthwhile throwing a sun lounger into the van so I could catch a few rays in-between loops . We brought back well over half of one duty . Sorry RM management but one lame leg is now costing you twice what it used to .

Did it not occur to you to help the guy with the dodgy leg?

[dvbuk55]

I worked with someone today who's suffering with a lame leg . If it had been summer it would have been worthwhile throwing a sun lounger into the van so I could catch a few rays in-between loops . We brought back well over half of one duty . Sorry RM management but one lame leg is now costing you twice what it used to .

Did it not occur to you to help the guy with the dodgy leg?

Fings ain't what they used to be...............