Not enough time to complete the workload in

[annem]

I managed to complete delivery of all my packets today (took me 4 hours) but getting in and out of the van so often is already taking a toll! Also, I had some really small packets and it was soooo ridiculous walking up long paths to deliver packets that are smaller than a bloody letter
Are we supposed to take such small parcels (they would easily fit in the frame)?

[Celgar]

As previously stated - concentrate on specials and tracked as priority ( same as every day ), it's difficult doing 'parcel runs' esp when most people are used to doing them alongside mail.

I managed around 130 in just under 4 hours but that's over 2 walks I know pretty well ( previously done parcel deliveries for another company and it's a slightly different operation and mindset required ).

Don't beat yourself up over this - it's going to be hard for a while, but eventually it will return to 'normal'.

Hopefully after a few weeks RM will realise that there is so much time wasted and it's an inefficient method esp when taking into acccount we will have 2 days of mail to prep on Monday plus the huge backlog of packets/parcels.

Chin up ( it's all good experience - so I'm told ).

Plus d to d to prep into your frame Monday morning and all on shorter day ( in our office anyway) 7hr 30.

Yes Monday is set as a shorter day in our DO as well. Far as I know the plan was for D2D to all be prepped on Saturdays and no overtime for Saturdays or Mondays. God knows why the CWU agreed to this crazy trial. I think I probably went over duty time today so the perception that posties would be finishing before duty time on Saturdays is ill conceived.

[k979aaa]

Listen to this whilst the CEO who hides in his humble abode in Switzerland and expects you and I to die for his recompense and has profited at the expense of COVID-19 live the vultures of capitalism do in their ivory towers and lake side homes while we die in the name of profit for capitalist pigs who don't give two figs about you and me. It is not what you or I don't do but the interaction of what we could have done and we could all give some more time for the elderly folk and those in need even talking helps people who else goes round a community? It is time to take stock and it is not the volume of letters packets you deliver but your kindness and humanity to your community and with that will benefit your mind while others will move their counters and buy shares and look how well they have done out of this while screwing us all pity them!

[Zicomurphy]

Got told that my hours (part-timer) would be from today:
Start: 9:30am
Finish: 14:15pm and that I will be delivering parcels (including oversize) for 2 duties.

Had 6 packet bags in total (3 per walk), each full to the brim, so in total, well over 80+ packets to deliver plus 5 specials. I didn't actually start delivering until around 11am due to faffing around, trying my best to put each parcel in order.

Managed to get rid of roughly 60 packets, might have been able to do more but as I had no idea where I was going on both duties, I was pretty much blind. Had to cut off at around 2pm and bring back well over 30+ packets, some were tracked but the majority were normal ones.

I'm sorry, but how on earth are Management expecting people to deliver that amount in such a short time?

The document that was posted on here said expected delivery rate should be 20 parcels per hour. If you had 3 hours delivery time and got 60 done that’s pretty much spot on. You done all you can, any work left is managements problem not yours, just enjoy your weekend.

[sindba]

Work your hours, take your breaks, and stay safe ( remember to return to the office to use the toilet and wash your hands)

Do not risk your life and do not let these Royal Mail bastards grind you down.

[k979aaa]

Got told that my hours (part-timer) would be from today:
Start: 9:30am
Finish: 14:15pm and that I will be delivering parcels (including oversize) for 2 duties.

Had 6 packet bags in total (3 per walk), each full to the brim, so in total, well over 80+ packets to deliver plus 5 specials. I didn't actually start delivering until around 11am due to faffing around, trying my best to put each parcel in order.

Managed to get rid of roughly 60 packets, might have been able to do more but as I had no idea where I was going on both duties, I was pretty much blind. Had to cut off at around 2pm and bring back well over 30+ packets, some were tracked but the majority were normal ones.

I'm sorry, but how on earth are Management expecting people to deliver that amount in such a short time?

The document that was posted on here said expected delivery rate should be 20 parcels per hour. If you had 3 hours delivery time and got 60 done that’s pretty much spot on. You done all you can, any work left is managements problem not yours, just enjoy your weekend.

expetition is one thing how can you or anyone detirmine a work rate per hour unless you have done it. In MY DAY It was 15 per hour but high rise and one way streets made it lower some of the clowns who manage your all cannot do the job at all so call them out!

[TheGoodRebel111]

I was delivering the packets for two walks - and there was no way I would be able to be done on time were I to deliver everything (09.15-15.15). What struck me was the sheer amount of small packets that - in size terms - might as well have been letters. Absolutely baffled why - at my office at least - we were expected to deliver those where by "packets only Saturday" I'dve thought only packets of shoebox size upwards plus tracked/specials/etc. Given the amount of small packets on my walks, I was almost doing full walking loops in some instances.

This idea has clearly not been thought through in the slightest.

[k979aaa]

I was delivering the packets for two walks - and there was no way I would be able to be done on time were I to deliver everything (09.15-15.15). What struck me was the sheer amount of small packets that - in size terms - might as well have been letters. Absolutely baffled why - at my office at least - we were expected to deliver those where by "packets only Saturday" I'dve thought only packets of shoebox size upwards plus tracked/specials/etc. Given the amount of small packets on my walks, I was almost doing full walking loops in some instances.

This idea has clearly not been thought through in the slightest.

Every letterbox is different is it not the question of delivery has a dual presupposes does it not attempted and successful and in that end we should rejoice. As for the other duplicity and it's not so finer points it is within the definition of causing undue harm by definition by putting us in harm's way we could have a case for a class action BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SIGN!

[hans solo]

our problem is walking postmen expected to deliver packets only on sat
lw trolley rammed with every type of packet ,parcel over more than 1 duty
monday is going to be horrendous

[cpsteve]

In normal times the 90+ packets i delivered (one walk) would have taken me four hours give or take, it took me two and a half hours only one 739 but its harder for those who are not used to doing packet runs lots of going back on yourself. Doing two walks would be hard to complete i doubt id be able to given it would take up to an hour to prep and load. We will be back to normal very soon tomorrow will be tough

[Celgar]

I was delivering the packets for two walks - and there was no way I would be able to be done on time were I to deliver everything (09.15-15.15). What struck me was the sheer amount of small packets that - in size terms - might as well have been letters. Absolutely baffled why - at my office at least - we were expected to deliver those where by "packets only Saturday" I'dve thought only packets of shoebox size upwards plus tracked/specials/etc. Given the amount of small packets on my walks, I was almost doing full walking loops in some instances.

This idea has clearly not been thought through in the slightest.

I expect as the MCs were not sorting or delivering letters I guess they cleared everything else out they had. There were more small packets on one day than I have had for a while. It isn't uncommon nowadays for Saturday to be the busiest day of the week and yesterday was a case in point. Rico Backs master plan also wanted us to prep the D2Ds but as far as I know none have arrived YET. I only had one or two customers yesterday saying they didn't expect to receive any postal delivery on Saturday but I was expecting to have to explain the situation to lots of people.

[blacov]

Don't bother trying to sort parcels in order at the start.

Sort your tracked first, then other parcels sort by street.
Take a couple of bags with you for shorter stretches where you have a few smaller parcels.
Have a set street you start at and have that nearest the vans back door.
Head out to starting street (you should know which will be your first address), and deliver whatever parcels (sorting into order as you go).
As you finish a street, pull your next street nearer the door and sort it into some kind of order (or bag it up if appriopriate).
If you're getting pushed for time, forget anything that isn't a special or tracked.
If you don't know the round, then consider doing all tracked first, then going back doing other parcels if you have time.

It must be said though that the vans the majority of us use for transporting mail to our walks are not fit for the purpose of pure parcel deliveries. They don't have enough space for some of our current volumes (it's damned hard finding stuff you know is there until you've cleared a lot of it), and getting in and out every few seconds isn't doing anyone any good (hence the occasional stroll with a bag of parcels that are in a small area).

Last thing (and most important): you can only do what you can do. Don't rush, and don't panic about not getting finished.

I agree that vans are not fit for purpose. Not big enough for most walks given current volumes of parcels. I must strongly disagree with not putting things in order. I believe and it worked many times that extra 10-20mins in the office getting your delivery read saves a lot of time while you're out on your round. I must stress that its is especially important with parcels. Once you know what you got then load your van in sections. If you have to make another layer ( early drops on top) and work your way through the lot. Knowledge of the area certainly helps but even if you have to prioritise tracked and SDs at least try to put untracked for the same street close by or if you have multiple items for one address tie them up together.

[SpacePhoenix]

Don't bother trying to sort parcels in order at the start.

Sort your tracked first, then other parcels sort by street.
Take a couple of bags with you for shorter stretches where you have a few smaller parcels.
Have a set street you start at and have that nearest the vans back door.
Head out to starting street (you should know which will be your first address), and deliver whatever parcels (sorting into order as you go).
As you finish a street, pull your next street nearer the door and sort it into some kind of order (or bag it up if appriopriate).
If you're getting pushed for time, forget anything that isn't a special or tracked.
If you don't know the round, then consider doing all tracked first, then going back doing other parcels if you have time.

It must be said though that the vans the majority of us use for transporting mail to our walks are not fit for the purpose of pure parcel deliveries. They don't have enough space for some of our current volumes (it's damned hard finding stuff you know is there until you've cleared a lot of it), and getting in and out every few seconds isn't doing anyone any good (hence the occasional stroll with a bag of parcels that are in a small area).

Last thing (and most important): you can only do what you can do. Don't rush, and don't panic about not getting finished.

I agree that vans are not fit for purpose. Not big enough for most walks given current volumes of parcels. I must strongly disagree with not putting things in order. I believe and it worked many times that extra 10-20mins in the office getting your delivery read saves a lot of time while you're out on your round. I must stress that its is especially important with parcels. Once you know what you got then load your van in sections. If you have to make another layer ( early drops on top) and work your way through the lot. Knowledge of the area certainly helps but even if you have to prioritise tracked and SDs at least try to put untracked for the same street close by or if you have multiple items for one address tie them up together.

Long term they might need to go for high-sided sprinters fitted out with shelving

Found this example: https://www.syncro-system.biz/A-Sprinte ... or-a-tiler" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The shelving might not end up the same but it illustrates the idea.

[Pumpernickel]

Don't bother trying to sort parcels in order at the start.

Sort your tracked first, then other parcels sort by street.
Take a couple of bags with you for shorter stretches where you have a few smaller parcels.
Have a set street you start at and have that nearest the vans back door.
Head out to starting street (you should know which will be your first address), and deliver whatever parcels (sorting into order as you go).
As you finish a street, pull your next street nearer the door and sort it into some kind of order (or bag it up if appriopriate).
If you're getting pushed for time, forget anything that isn't a special or tracked.
If you don't know the round, then consider doing all tracked first, then going back doing other parcels if you have time.

It must be said though that the vans the majority of us use for transporting mail to our walks are not fit for the purpose of pure parcel deliveries. They don't have enough space for some of our current volumes (it's damned hard finding stuff you know is there until you've cleared a lot of it), and getting in and out every few seconds isn't doing anyone any good (hence the occasional stroll with a bag of parcels that are in a small area).

Last thing (and most important): you can only do what you can do. Don't rush, and don't panic about not getting finished.

I agree that vans are not fit for purpose. Not big enough for most walks given current volumes of parcels. I must strongly disagree with not putting things in order. I believe and it worked many times that extra 10-20mins in the office getting your delivery read saves a lot of time while you're out on your round. I must stress that its is especially important with parcels. Once you know what you got then load your van in sections. If you have to make another layer ( early drops on top) and work your way through the lot. Knowledge of the area certainly helps but even if you have to prioritise tracked and SDs at least try to put untracked for the same street close by or if you have multiple items for one address tie them up together.

I'm not talking of completely unordered parcels (in case you got that impression). I just sort them into boxes by street in the office, and sort my first street into some sort of order. I then go through a street at a time as I deliver (including cul-de-sacs as appropriate) by pulling the appropriate boxes forward with the oversize.

I don't get too hung up on it all being sorted because the oversized and special parcels will be a bit disruptive to whatever order you sort the smaller stuff into.

That said, I'm on a walk where I don't even have time to sort all the parcels in the morning so usually end up pulling out all the tracked/oversize and leaving a large number of parcels behind. If I put more time into ordering it I'd never even get out of the office, and have no way of completing even "just" the parcels on my walk, let alone the other walk I need to do the tracked/oversize/specials for.

Obviously I'm really looking forward to tomorrow given that I've been unable to do more than a loop of mail a day by stopping back a bit just to get some mail done, doing 3 days a week, now with only 5 days a fortnight the mail and untracked parcels are going to pile up that much quicker.

[Grumpyoldmailman]

Long term they might need to go for high-sided sprinters fitted out with shelving

Found this example: https://www.syncro-system.biz/A-Sprinte ... or-a-tiler" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The shelving might not end up the same but it illustrates the idea.

Blokes up here would have a nervous breakdown if they were told they had to drive something that big, the struggle with the car sized combos as it is an bash them up on a regular basis.