Rural routes

[joewyan]

At the end of the day a delivery is a delivery. If it has much in the way of rural then you should potentially have a day training so you know where delivery points/hazards are etc. But apart from that no reason why you shouldn’t be put onto that straight away.

A deep rural needs two days training, not one, and it's not about hazards it's about all the ambiguous addresses, knowing the surnames for same named cottages in a hamlet, knowing properties that have two or three addresses, knowing to put the post on the kitchen table or wherever where there's no letterbox, and all sorts of other things like that.
No a delivery is not a delivery.

If you say so. I’ve only ever needed one day training if that but maybe that’s just me?

You must have some very small and simple rurals if they only require one days training.

To the O.P. I can only echo what others have already said, rurals may seem daunting, especially to a new starter, but I'd snap their hands off and accept it... in the long term your knees, ankles, feet will thank you for it!

No just common sense and the ability to learn things once I’ve been shown once and not be told time and time again how to do something! Some very long and challenging rurals in my old office.

Twice is not time and time again.
And if you seriously think "At the end of the day a delivery is a delivery" then you know very little about deep rural duties.

Lounge lizard, you don’t know me. This is my experience and this includes deep rurals. I am giving my opinion. Obviously you require more training when learning a new job which is fine for you. Everyone learns different and some need/want more training than others. The OP may be completely different to both of us in their training needs and I hope their office allows them the proper training for them.

[robbertwhitton]

As usual the whole thing is wishy washy and no doubt varies from office to office,like everything about Royal Mail,nothing is done the same paid the same appreciated the same,our boss has got people trained,eventually only to never do the round for some time after,the short sightedness is laughable to say the least in getting people trained up,no money no time blah blah,even our new d o support guy gets little or no training to do his job,he can’t believe it,and so it goes on.

[LaggyBand]

My advice would be similar to what others have said... Get stuck in with it, you'll be pleased you know that duty in the long run.

As someone who has done both constant walking jobs and rurals, rurals typically I find to be easier:

1. Much more sitting;
2. Less time in the rain;
3. The radio;
4. Plenty of storage for your stuff;
5. Less delivery points typically means less mail;
6. Less door to doors;
7. Possible chance for retaining van at home if allowed/desired

Downsides:

1. More responsibility;
2. More chance you'll be moved last minute if you know specialist jobs

[wacko74]

No just common sense and the ability to learn things once I’ve been shown once and not be told time and time again how to do something! Some very long and challenging rurals in my old office.

Ah we've got ourselves a SuperPostie, every office has one doesn't it!

So rurals that you claim are ''long and challenging'' yet you have the ability to learn them entirely after only one days training. Utter rubbish

[wannabeek]

Lol. SuperPostie.

He learns routes at a glance.

He follows his supersonic nose to sniff out the next hidden delivery point down a secret alley, invisible to all else.

His SuperPostie-Sense starts twitching when he somehow knows that the neighbour three doors down is willing to take in the parcel but nobody else is.

Don't we all aspire to be like SuperPostie? What a guy.

[joewyan]

No just common sense and the ability to learn things once I’ve been shown once and not be told time and time again how to do something! Some very long and challenging rurals in my old office.

Ah we've got ourselves a SuperPostie, every office has one doesn't it!

So rurals that you claim are ''long and challenging'' yet you have the ability to learn them entirely after only one days training. Utter rubbish

Learn them entirely - well I know where the houses are and where to deliver the mail to if that’s what you mean! I’m sorry, I didn’t realise that was so difficult!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Another thread that descends into backbiting and pointless chest beating. It's sad and disappointing that people can't accept that others are different, is it any wonder why management do it, sometimes we do it to our selves.

[LaggyBand]

I think the frustration is understandable given the relentless battle with management over training, without reading on these lovely forums that any delivery needs a day only, any more and it must be the postie at fault..

Same battles over and over..

[Lounge Lizard]

My advice would be similar to what others have said... Get stuck in with it, you'll be pleased you know that duty in the long run.

As someone who has done both constant walking jobs and rurals, rurals typically I find to be easier:

1. Much more sitting;
2. Less time in the rain;
3. The radio;
4. Plenty of storage for your stuff;
5. Less delivery points typically means less mail;
6. Less door to doors;
7. Possible chance for retaining van at home if allowed/desired

Downsides:

1. More responsibility;
2. More chance you'll be moved last minute if you know specialist jobs

Laggy,
That sums it up very well.
And we must admit that we're all different. I took on the duty after two days training. A colleague didn't learnt it after five days and so has never done it. I have yet to meet a 'SuperPostie'.

[Dorset Plodder]

Ideally I'd like 3 days to train a Reserve (although I'd really like to tell the Work Place Coach to go and bloody train them, because they do bugger all else for their £30 a week ).

Day One Observe, sit next to me and make notes.... Day Two Prep the Duty indoors (with assistance if required) still ride shotgun and tell me where we're going next. Perhaps assist by doing a few loops/streets.......Day Three Prep and Deliver the Duty themselves, with me just along for any problems and perhaps assisting with a few loops/streets.

I personally believe that should be the minimum training. I've had to go out blind with maps and idiot guides and it's no fun. Even did one duty where the van partner (who didn't drive) literally had to draw me a little map everytime I dropped him off, about where I had to go to meet up with him! Guess what it didn't work and another van had to come and find me because I was delivering the next bag and hadn't picked him up. IMPO Reserves should be paid a lot more for their knowledge of countless duties, different ones everyday, sometimes different Delivery Offices.

[jetblack]

At the end of the day a delivery is a delivery. If it has much in the way of rural then you should potentially have a day training so you know where delivery points/hazards are etc. But apart from that no reason why you shouldn’t be put onto that straight away.

A deep rural needs two days training, not one, and it's not about hazards it's about all the ambiguous addresses, knowing the surnames for same named cottages in a hamlet, knowing properties that have two or three addresses, knowing to put the post on the kitchen table or wherever where there's no letterbox, and all sorts of other things like that.
No a delivery is not a delivery.

3

Agreed - 3 days training was always the way.
Or has that changed ? Not to my knowledge at least.

[Xr4]

Did my first ever rural route blind, tho I was lucky that someone had drawn a very detailed map. I still didn't find all the houses and farms, but it was a fun adventure. I was surprised that the office I was lent to put me on it as they knew Ive only been there twice before. The biggest problem was prepping the frame as it only had the names of the houses and not the villages, ended up leaving abit as it was a nightmare!
Another thing that surprised me was the use of the brand new partner trek, it was used on the town route while the normal partner scraped and banged over farm tracks

[97gaz]

G

[bluealbert]

Most of our rurals are over 50 miles at least 2 days training