Over shoulder bags

[yubin282]

does everyone here use a trolley, my office have been looping for 4+ years but i only use a trolley when its really busy, i personally just split each loop into 1 bundle and have nothing but packets in my bag (on my shoulder), i take mot of the weight off my shoulder i don't really see the difference between this and using a trolley

[mancpat]

In my office there are only a handful of these trolleys and they are dumped in a corner somewhere.

When we had our revision the planners worked alongside the posties. Most of our office worked using small loops before the revision. The planners decided that the loops were now going to be huge and using a trolley would allow this.

However most posties said that it was likely to cause delays. For example if you and your partner are doing 20min loops and one is particularly busy it may add a minute or two. If the loops are over an hour then the busier loop could add 15 mins or so of waiting time for the other postie.

So most of our office worked with the planners to make lots of smaller loops using a satchel rather than a couple of big loops using a lwt. Not once was any of us told that using a lwt was compulsory.

I've seen things on here saying that they are compulsory though but then on induction days they are teaching new starters how to carry a satchel safely. So it just shows that there is no clear message about what we should be doing. No wonder most people are confused.

[Trolleyed]

I use an lwt almost every day. My round is completely on foot so it makes sense. I can do more before I have to head back to the office and refill. However, I do have blocks of flats on my round. Only thing I can do there is take the trolley in the lobby whilst I go upstairs and deliver (It's only 3 floors, 6 flats in each building ). Does mean I'm leaving my mail unattended for 1 or 2 minutes tho. There's another loop where I have to use a bag cos the lwt doesn't fit on the pavement. Nothing official on the walk log but I'm not pushing it up the main road on blind bends or continually crossing a busy road and that's that.

Nobody else in my office will use one. It's like there's some sort of stigma attached or they moan that it takes longer. It doesn't bother me at all but on the rare occasions when I can fit a loop in one pouch, I'll just carry it as long as it's not too heavy.

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

I use an lwt almost every day. My round is completely on foot so it makes sense. I can do more before I have to head back to the office and refill. However, I do have blocks of flats on my round. Only thing I can do there is take the trolley in the lobby whilst I go upstairs and deliver (It's only 3 floors, 6 flats in each building ). Does mean I'm leaving my mail unattended for 1 or 2 minutes tho. There's another loop where I have to use a bag cos the lwt doesn't fit on the pavement. Nothing official on the walk log but I'm not pushing it up the main road on blind bends or continually crossing a busy road and that's that.

Nobody else in my office will use one. It's like there's some sort of stigma attached or they moan that it takes longer. It doesn't bother me at all but on the rare occasions when I can fit a loop in one pouch, I'll just carry it as long as it's not too heavy.

If I recall correctly, you can officially only leave LWTs unattended for 1 minute, just posting letters for 6 flats will be cutting it fine. Any attendance calls, virtually no chance.

[cubanpete]

I always use a trolley. It takes longer than carrying bags, but surely that's a good thing?!? It means the delivery is unachievable on busy days and you have to leave loops in the frame for some other sucker to do. Less work for the same days pay makes sense to me. Those that rush around with bags on their shoulders so they can finish early are encouraging managers to put more work on to their rounds. Madness!

[Postie45]

I always use a trolley. It takes longer than carrying bags, but surely that's a good thing?!? It means the delivery is unachievable on busy days and you have to leave loops in the frame for some other sucker to do. Less work for the same days pay makes sense to me. Those that rush around with bags on their shoulders so they can finish early are encouraging managers to put more work on to their rounds. Madness!

I dont think working "less" is the aim for people who use trolleys, firstly LWTs were implemented by the "high ups" in RM as delivery standard and also carrying pouches is probably bad for most peoples backs and is a pure h&s benefit. Most managers of course turn a blind eye to runners carrying heavy bags as it can be quicker....

[bustedflush]

There are few people in our office that use the trolleys. I don't need to go into the reasons mentioned already. Most people now have broken the rounds down to 10-16 small bags or bundles to avoid trolleys. this means with just the one bundle in your hand for that loop, you can carry larger but lightweight boxes the driver would deliver from the van. Therefore the driver does more walking and has less packets to drop, and very few bags have much weight to them, if you need one at all.

[2pints]

Sometimes my bags weigh a silly amount but there is no trolley in the van for me to use.When i asked a manager for one he said he will order me one... still waiting.There is a woman in our office that refuses to carry heavy bags and she has a trolley now.There is a stigma with them,but they will save alot of problems down the line with knees and back etc im sure.

[JeremyFisher]

Generally I use a shoulder bag if it's say under 5kg, any more and I use a trolley, I've been in the business long enough to see how much long term damage carrying heavy bags does to people, those who still do it despite the trolleys being here usually end up on long term sick.

[frankieboy]

I would say that in our office about 95% are still using over the shoulder bags simply because we are still using bikes.

[rambo1]

Why would anyone NOT want to use a trolley? Allot of our loops we have two bags on the lwt, we take any packets for that loop we can fit into two bags to work more efficiently. When someone else works with me and I get the trolley out the van for them and they say no I don't need one, I say think again you have two bags! The only reason I can think of not using one is coz by and large it's quicker on your shoulder, however, why do you need to be quicker, if you can't do the job in time properly, looking after your long term health, then work to time or claim more overtime. All these posties running around with a 16kg bag all day will totally regret it later in life. You only get one back. Look after it.

[mancpat]

Why would anyone NOT want to use a trolley? Allot of our loops we have two bags on the lwt, we take any packets for that loop we can fit into two bags to work more efficiently. When someone else works with me and I get the trolley out the van for them and they say no I don't need one, I say think again you have two bags! The only reason I can think of not using one is coz by and large it's quicker on your shoulder, however, why do you need to be quicker, if you can't do the job in time properly, looking after your long term health, then work to time or claim more overtime. All these posties running around with a 16kg bag all day will totally regret it later in life. You only get one back. Look after it.

I suppose it depends on the size of your loops. As mentioned earlier we do small loops. One of yours is probably done by 2 of us.

I find doing these smaller loops gives me more energy. I know it sounds silly and is probably mental but getting in and out of the van and doing small loops then moving along seems to make my day go quicker and keeps me refreshed. As opposed to a few long loops.

The time difference is probably very little, if anything at all. But it feels better. Also getting to the van more often is handy when the weather is unsettled especially in the summer.

A quick loop before it rains beats walking round with a big coat on. Or getting caught without it.

[Chewster]

Why would anyone NOT want to use a trolley? Allot of our loops we have two bags on the lwt, we take any packets for that loop we can fit into two bags to work more efficiently. When someone else works with me and I get the trolley out the van for them and they say no I don't need one, I say think again you have two bags! The only reason I can think of not using one is coz by and large it's quicker on your shoulder, however, why do you need to be quicker, if you can't do the job in time properly, looking after your long term health, then work to time or claim more overtime. All these posties running around with a 16kg bag all day will totally regret it later in life. You only get one back. Look after it.

I suppose it depends on the size of your loops. As mentioned earlier we do small loops. One of yours is probably done by 2 of us.

I find doing these smaller loops gives me more energy. I know it sounds silly and is probably mental but getting in and out of the van and doing small loops then moving along seems to make my day go quicker and keeps me refreshed. As opposed to a few long loops.

The time difference is probably very little, if anything at all. But it feels better. Also getting to the van more often is handy when the weather is unsettled especially in the summer.

A quick loop before it rains beats walking round with a big coat on. Or getting caught without it.

The van share duty I do, one duty is big loops while the other is small loops, and I totally agree with you about small loops feeling much better

[hampshireman]

We do have those yeah. Use it very rarely if I'm on a vanshare duty and we don't work together, but even then I usually have a bag slung over my shoulder. I just really don't agree with the rule. People's safety and health comes first I suppose but just doesn't seem very efficient. I'd guess that a lot of managers out there probably agree with me judging by how many of are still trained to use the bags. But hey ho, change is a'coming I suppose.


btw, I think I would have chucked out that parcel if I was him!

What a sad thing to say.

So, if it is not efficient....... then health and safety does not count?

And BTW ; change has already come and gone. The fact that people ignore the way to work ..... is ...well why in many instances we are fecked

[peshwaarinaan]

I get dropped off with a HCT and loop from my trolley using a shoulder bag (I move the trolley a couple of times......). I'm having problems with my back and my Achilles tendons and don't think carting all this weight around is helping.