Non drivers should be doing more work!

[eastie]

any parcels that are shoebox size get thrown out regardless if they are doubles or trebles. The large parcel driver gives the list of addresses for the large parcels to the 2 on P/L and we throw out any doubles for him to save the locker room getting double 739's for the same address

[Dayman!]

Perhaps I'm missing something but if you're working together and finishing at the same time then surely it's in both your interests to help each other out

[cpsteve]

We should be doing the same work as near as dam it but some non drivers think its not work delivering packets and reg so they do not want to do a extra loop while the driver does the reg.

[fishtank]

The driver's loop should be planned to allow the delivery of a model week's large parcels.
Anything above that is Christmas pressure and should be resourced as such.
If you're silly enough to think that you can take out all these excess parcels and still finish your loop at the same time as the non driver that's your mistake. If you think the non driver should do a bit of your loop to just to make "wrong" work you're even sillier. If you want the overtime deliver the excess parcels at the end. If you don't, put them in a York and push them towards a manager. Stop blaming others for your own weakness.

[Dorset Plodder]

Apart from the fact that no two duties are the same within Royal Mail, are these Non-Drivers using the correct delivery methods i.e a LWT? We had a case of one postie choosing not to use a LWT, "Because I prefer to just carry a bag, it's easier", because of this he couldn't take any packets and expected the Driver to take them all.

If he used a LWT he'd have been able to take an extra bag, full of smaller packets, and I used to use a Bungee on the top so you could even take a larger parcel. It helps over the entire duty.

I agree that a Van Share should work as a Team but within Royal Mail "Team Work" is not a strong point. Most older Posties have never had to think about it until the Van Share system was forced on them. Due to some of them not having enough seniority to get a single van duty I believe a few are still very resentful. This doesn't foster Team Work.

[ripio]

Of course, if a van had two keys that start the van, rather than one, and a key that unlocks only, then whoever got back to the van first could pop and do some additional packets...

As far as I am aware all van keys will unlock and start the vans, unless the key is faulty and the security ignition sensor in the fob doesn't work.
But even so, only the designated driver for the shift should be driving the van, otherwise the logbook would have to be filled in and vehicle checks done each time the driver changes.

[Acca Dacca]

Our non drivers loops are 1/3 bigger than drivers so driver can do the bulk for each loop when finished mail

Your planner was problem not the non driver

[Kings Norton]

any parcels that are shoebox size get thrown out regardless if they are doubles or trebles. The large parcel driver gives the list of addresses for the large parcels to the 2 on P/L and we throw out any doubles for him to save the locker room getting double 739's for the same address

The bit I don't understand in my office is people get big and small parcels taken off them for the surplus staff yet still finish one hour before their time while the rest of us are struggling to finish on time, same old faces gets it taken off in-laws and relations and union reps....

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

You can't possibly compare the workload balance fairly between the driver and non-driver loops when many OPGs are making rods for their own backs by cutting corners, not following the Utopian dream of a national standard of how we all deliver because OPGs don't want the daily agro of having the lino/DOM's crosshair on their back by demonstrating most walks on most days have pie in the sky 318s.

In my depot...
A lot of vans don't even have two LWTs in them to use on loops that don't include blocks of flats where LWT use would be an issue, pouches are being carried that are far heavier than the 5Kg limit for blocks of flats
Most OPGs flick through their working bundle of mail to get the mail for the next address while walking, risking a trip and not spotting missorts
Many OPGs don't give occupants one minute to answer the door for attendance calls
Some OPGs are leaving non-signature attendance parcels in insecure places by informal arrangement with the occupants, such as inside an unlocked porch; wheelie bin; under flowerpot etc.
Some OPGs don't use all of their paid break, or account for what they have not taken, when they come to sign off i.e. some are taking no break when they are allocated 40 minutes, but they are not finishing 40 minutes early
etc.

Driver loops are supposed to be designed with less delivery points than passenger loops, giving the driver time to deliver the oversize/overweight parcels before the passenger finishes a loop, based on the wonderful "model week" figures. But if the passenger cuts corners while the driver delivers closer to the Utopian dream, the passenger will very likely be twiddling their thumbs at the end of each loop.

So in the above scenario, should the passenger be doing more work? Or should there be much stronger enforcement of national standards, including paid breaks being used, meaning a lot of walks need reducing in size for the amount of general indoor work they are currently doing (or far more use of over-running procedure and a consequent massive increase in overtime budgets)?

[Newbie001]

Unfortunately over the years posties cut up, change loops or even swap (if one partner is slower). Mostly in the summer. So that all loops are even.
So in busier months drivers generally feel they are doing more and in reality probably are.
If you're partner is unwilling to come and help you out on some loops, leave all o/sizes till the end, and get them to deliver half. They'll soon get the message.

[mark.cup]

Without getting in to this too much the drivers roll is one with a lot more responsibility.. You hit the van you get a driving ban,you're solely responsible for the drivers checks that basically will try and place any blame for a faulty vehicle on you as if you were a fully qualified mechanic,the walker casually says I can't do the last 4 specials as I won't get there by 1!
Then when your partner is off you literally have to babysit anyone else and not that I mind as such as we have all been there but when you add that to the above it's slightly taking the p#ss!

Basically as a driver you are team leader without any financial reward

[greengiant]

any parcels that are shoebox size get thrown out regardless if they are doubles or trebles. The large parcel driver gives the list of addresses for the large parcels to the 2 on P/L and we throw out any doubles for him to save the locker room getting double 739's for the same address

Which is fine, unless the large parcels get sorted at a different location...

[Dorset Plodder]

If you're partner is unwilling to come and help you out on some loops, leave all o/sizes till the end, and get them to deliver half. They'll soon get the message.

That's a good tactic Newbie. I've used it before. It does stop the "throwing out to the driver to save me time" attitude of some.

My mates partner was really taking the piss, expecting him to deliver nearly all the packets & ANYTHING that need signing for, including smaller packets (i.e DVDs)! He also used to do all of the long drives, and isolated houses (which to be fair made sense). However his Partner was always waiting for him at the end of every loop, and he was getting really stressed. I suggested to him that they swap over on a weekly basis, as they're both drivers. His partner decided that perhaps he could start using a LWT and take a few more packets, and signed fors, strange that isn't it?

[Judgee]

With p & L you are supposed to work as a team. Discuss it between yourselves and try and come up with a fair solution. If you're sharing a van then you have to finish at the same time so you both suffer if someone isn't pulling their weight!

If your partner won't compromise then leave the packets til last and make them come round with you while your delivering them and make them take a turn in jumping in and out of the van with them!

[Dorset Plodder]

With p & L you are supposed to work as a team. Discuss it between yourselves and try and come up with a fair solution. If you're sharing a van then you have to finish at the same time so you both suffer if someone isn't pulling their weight!

If your partner won't compromise then leave the packets til last and make them come round with you while your delivering them and make them take a turn in jumping in and out of the van with them!

Yeah and life's meant to be fair Judgee but it aint! When P & L came in a lot of these "Pairs" were just thrown together with no consideration to the clash of personalities. I realise it's a hard concept for Dim RM Managers to grasp but if you're working closely together for a busy 5-6 hour day then it's a good idea if you actually get on together!

How many van shares do you know where they're not working as a Team? We've had one who goes out when he's ready (and the Reserve's not) and starts HIS duty. When he finishes HIS "Side" he drives them both back to the DO (wasting time) and the Reserve has to drive back out (wasting further time) to finish his "Side" of the duty. You'll say the DOM should stop this, but he doesn't and it's allowed to go on!