' Idling ' the only concern.

[eldritch1987]

I wouldn't eat anything in the van with the threat of covid.

[NewPostieUK]

Quick question for delivery staff. If you take half your break whilst on delivery, presumably in the van, are you not allowed to have the engine running to keep yourselves warm in winter?

What you are doing inside the van is irrelevant. Stationary vehicles shouldn't have the engine running. Obviously not including junctions, red lights etc.

If keeping warm on your break is an issue, discuss it with your manager and come up with a solution that doesn't cost money and harm the environment.

[DICKIEG]

If Royal fail didn't want us to have the engine idling when stationary, and be enviromentely friendly why on earth have we got vans that have to have the dpf cleaned, which means the vehicle is still for up to 10 minutes with the engine running full pelt

[Celgar]

If Royal fail didn't want us to have the engine idling when stationary, and be enviromentely friendly why on earth have we got vans that have to have the dpf cleaned, which means the vehicle is still for up to 10 minutes with the engine running full pelt

I don't think those (Fiat?) vans have the Trimble fitted on them unless it has been done afterwards.

[Celgar]

It was because a customer wanted to talk and I won't be rude to people.

You don't consider it rude to keep the engine running while talking to someone?

At the particular location it was going to take less than a minute to deliver the letters and return to the van. The occupant saw me coming and then came out and started talking. In future I am going to turn the van off there as a matter of course to prevent an ' idling' incident occurring again.
Your point is noted. I turn the van engine off at most delivery points nowadays due to being allocated a new van with Trimble a while ago. If it is going to take less than a minute to deliver & get back to the van I tend to leave the engine running. Old habits die hard and all that.
The main reason for this OP was to compare the attention RM gives to issues like ' idling' versus other problems in the company such as the current policy of not replacing staff that leave, awful PDA software issues, and the litany of other problems that plague this company from top to bottom. I get the environmental message more than most as someone who has spent years ' on the frontline' on these issues in earlier years. When it comes to RM though this issue can be perceived as meaning something else in the minds of the bosses of RM rather than an actual care for the environment.

[xPandabear1992x]

It was because a customer wanted to talk and I won't be rude to people.

You don't consider it rude to keep the engine running while talking to someone?

At the particular location it was going to take less than a minute to deliver the letters and return to the van. The occupant saw me coming and then came out and started talking. In future I am going to turn the van off there as a matter of course to prevent an ' idling' incident occurring again.
Your point is noted. I turn the van engine off at most delivery points nowadays due to being allocated a new van with Trimble a while ago. If it is going to take less than a minute to deliver & get back to the van I tend to leave the engine running. Old habits die hard and all that.
The main reason for this OP was to compare the attention RM gives to issues like ' idling' versus other problems in the company such as the current policy of not replacing staff that leave, awful PDA software issues, and the litany of other problems that plague this company from top to bottom. I get the environmental message more than most as someone who has spent years ' on the frontline' on these issues in earlier years. When it comes to RM though this issue can be perceived as meaning something else in the minds of the bosses of RM rather than an actual care for the environment.

I'd be more inclined to say that if you leave the engine running, let alone the key in the ignition for any amount of time you run the risk of the van and all of its contents being stolen. Security of the post has got to be more important than any of those highlighted issues?

I've had people trying the locks on my van when I've just parked up to deliver a parcel more than I'd care to talk about. As ridiculous as the scrotes saying "I was just checking that you've locked your van mate" is, imagined if I'd just left the engine on or the van open.

[HTPostman]

It was because a customer wanted to talk and I won't be rude to people.

You don't consider it rude to keep the engine running while talking to someone?

At the particular location it was going to take less than a minute to deliver the letters and return to the van. The occupant saw me coming and then came out and started talking. In future I am going to turn the van off there as a matter of course to prevent an ' idling' incident occurring again.
Your point is noted. I turn the van engine off at most delivery points nowadays due to being allocated a new van with Trimble a while ago. If it is going to take less than a minute to deliver & get back to the van I tend to leave the engine running. Old habits die hard and all that.
The main reason for this OP was to compare the attention RM gives to issues like ' idling' versus other problems in the company such as the current policy of not replacing staff that leave, awful PDA software issues, and the litany of other problems that plague this company from top to bottom. I get the environmental message more than most as someone who has spent years ' on the frontline' on these issues in earlier years. When it comes to RM though this issue can be perceived as meaning something else in the minds of the bosses of RM rather than an actual care for the environment.

I'd be more inclined to say that if you leave the engine running, let alone the key in the ignition for any amount of time you run the risk of the van and all of its contents being stolen. Security of the post has got to be more important than any of those highlighted issues?

I've had people trying the locks on my van when I've just parked up to deliver a parcel more than I'd care to talk about. As ridiculous as the scrotes saying "I was just checking that you've locked your van mate" is, imagined if I'd just left the engine on or the van open.

I’d be just as worried about the RM police (can’t remember their official title) catching someone leaving the van unlocked and running. One person was caught simply carrying mail in the front, was told to lock the van, phone the manager to get him to collect the van and get the bus straight home. He was taken down the conduct route and was very close to losing his job, all because he had a tray of mail in the front. There’s another guy here who I believe posted that he was dismissed for driving into the yard without his seatbelt on.

Plus out here there has been a myhermes van stolen because the driver left it running.

Just not worth it. Anyway to the original poster, if idling is all RM have to complain about to you, I’d look at it as a positive thing - just switch the engine off at each stop (like we are meant to) and it’s problem solved. It’s actually one of the easier/simpler complaints to address.

[robbertwhitton]

I guess we’re all set in our ways and not one person delivering mail the same way,deviate from how exactly your supposed to deliver the mail be it van or hct,and happy to finish on time or before,do the job correctly and by the book,adhering to delivery methods and policy and procedures and then see where we are time wise,and see the boss implode cos I can’t complete as am doing it properly guided by the policies your supposed to support ,come out with and see,don’t just suppose you know how much time my delivery takes,all seems a bit one sided with technology trying to catch you out the minute you leave the yard,we’re lucky,if you can call it lucky we don’t see our manager to enforce the proper working practices,we bumble along on a wing and a prayer,I’ve seen many a post on here with people hell bent on trying to do the job properly and the bullying and grief that results from it!

[DICKIEG]

Can't speak for other offices, but ours have got Trimble fitted and they are fiats

[fb1969]

All of our Fiats have Trimble fitted. Last summer management were printing off the Trimble reports every day and questioning the drivers - the were only checking who usually used the van and several times the van was at the workshop when the long idling happened! After a couple of months, and wasting a few dozen printer cartridges, they just stopped asking people!

[bogstandard]

It was because a customer wanted to talk and I won't be rude to people.

You don't consider it rude to keep the engine running while talking to someone?

At the particular location it was going to take less than a minute to deliver the letters and return to the van. The occupant saw me coming and then came out and started talking. In future I am going to turn the van off there as a matter of course to prevent an ' idling' incident occurring again.
Your point is noted. I turn the van engine off at most delivery points nowadays due to being allocated a new van with Trimble a while ago. If it is going to take less than a minute to deliver & get back to the van I tend to leave the engine running. Old habits die hard and all that.
The main reason for this OP was to compare the attention RM gives to issues like ' idling' versus other problems in the company such as the current policy of not replacing staff that leave, awful PDA software issues, and the litany of other problems that plague this company from top to bottom. I get the environmental message more than most as someone who has spent years ' on the frontline' on these issues in earlier years. When it comes to RM though this issue can be perceived as meaning something else in the minds of the bosses of RM rather than an actual care for the environment.

I'd be more inclined to say that if you leave the engine running, let alone the key in the ignition for any amount of time you run the risk of the van and all of its contents being stolen. Security of the post has got to be more important than any of those highlighted issues?

I've had people trying the locks on my van when I've just parked up to deliver a parcel more than I'd care to talk about. As ridiculous as the scrotes saying "I was just checking that you've locked your van mate" is, imagined if I'd just left the engine on or the van open.

I’d be just as worried about the RM police (can’t remember their official title) catching someone leaving the van unlocked and running. One person was caught simply carrying mail in the front, was told to lock the van, phone the manager to get him to collect the van and get the bus straight home. He was taken down the conduct route and was very close to losing his job, all because he had a tray of mail in the front. There’s another guy here who I believe posted that he was dismissed for driving into the yard without his seatbelt on.

Plus out here there has been a myhermes van stolen because the driver left it running.

Just not worth it. Anyway to the original poster, if idling is all RM have to complain about to you, I’d look at it as a positive thing - just switch the engine off at each stop (like we are meant to) and it’s problem solved. It’s actually one of the easier/simpler complaints to address.

The suggestion here is you do not switch your van off at ALL delivery points. Blimey, leaving it running and walk off to deliver mail as it takes less than a minute. That's the integrity of the mail compromised right there. If i were you i'd thank everyone for their input and change my habits. Dangerous just doesn't cover it.

[Your late today]

It was because a customer wanted to talk and I won't be rude to people.

You don't consider it rude to keep the engine running while talking to someone?

At the particular location it was going to take less than a minute to deliver the letters and return to the van. The occupant saw me coming and then came out and started talking. In future I am going to turn the van off there as a matter of course to prevent an ' idling' incident occurring again.
Your point is noted. I turn the van engine off at most delivery points nowadays due to being allocated a new van with Trimble a while ago. If it is going to take less than a minute to deliver & get back to the van I tend to leave the engine running. Old habits die hard and all that.
The main reason for this OP was to compare the attention RM gives to issues like ' idling' versus other problems in the company such as the current policy of not replacing staff that leave, awful PDA software issues, and the litany of other problems that plague this company from top to bottom. I get the environmental message more than most as someone who has spent years ' on the frontline' on these issues in earlier years. When it comes to RM though this issue can be perceived as meaning something else in the minds of the bosses of RM rather than an actual care for the environment.

I'd be more inclined to say that if you leave the engine running, let alone the key in the ignition for any amount of time you run the risk of the van and all of its contents being stolen. Security of the post has got to be more important than any of those highlighted issues?

I've had people trying the locks on my van when I've just parked up to deliver a parcel more than I'd care to talk about. As ridiculous as the scrotes saying "I was just checking that you've locked your van mate" is, imagined if I'd just left the engine on or the van open.

I’d be just as worried about the RM police (can’t remember their official title) catching someone leaving the van unlocked and running. One person was caught simply carrying mail in the front, was told to lock the van, phone the manager to get him to collect the van and get the bus straight home. He was taken down the conduct route and was very close to losing his job, all because he had a tray of mail in the front. There’s another guy here who I believe posted that he was dismissed for driving into the yard without his seatbelt on.

Plus out here there has been a myhermes van stolen because the driver left it running.

Just not worth it. Anyway to the original poster, if idling is all RM have to complain about to you, I’d look at it as a positive thing - just switch the engine off at each stop (like we are meant to) and it’s problem solved. It’s actually one of the easier/simpler complaints to address.

The suggestion here is you do not switch your van off at ALL delivery points. Blimey, leaving it running and walk off to deliver mail as it takes less than a minute. That's the integrity of the mail compromised right there. If i were you i'd thank everyone for their input and change my habits. Dangerous just doesn't cover it.

I’m on a rural farm only and have been told to turn engine off at every call as I was idle to long manager says if longer than 2 minutes it gets picked up. Watch the starter motor play up.

[SpacePhoenix]

Does the Trimble record the GPS location of any idling time?

[rambo1]

Just turn the engine of if you need to talk on the phone or with someone cutting costs this way can only be good, stop start should be on the vans to prevent this. As for talking and pottering about no problem but do not claim ot that is asking for trouble and taking the p.

The point is, the vans aren't stop start technology are they. They may save a few pennies in fuel but are gonna pay out more when batteries and starter motors start to prematurely fail. On a rural, you'd be switching van on and off over 100 times a day. Switch off ,even if you are down a farm and 5 steps from the letter box. That's what I'm told. So I do it. The day the starter motor goes though, I'll be coming back to the office, not waiting for rac and then finishing my delivery.

[claretandblue]

Another stupid Royal Mail initiative that will cost more than it saves, i said to a manager when it came in that vans would start breaking down (starter motors) we've had loads breakdown in our office, including mine, it wouldn't start after parking in front of a customers automatic gates, it wouldn't start when i got back in.