Park and Loop it's all the Mind.

[OnAFlyer]

We started it recently and most walks have been completing within time (the first 'revision' that took a year was binned before it even started as the walks were never going to be completed).

What I have noticed is that my walk has got 30 mins extra on - yet done between 2 of us it takes more than an hour longer. P&L is just slower, regardless of how well the loops are worked.

The good thing is weight off the shoulder, we don't use trollies as the bags are well under 8kg - most loops are 2 bundles.

I have no idea how some of you are doing 4.5-5hr deliveries with P&L though,ours are 3.5hrs and we aren't making anything.

Why are you not using the trolleys?

With 2 bundles a bag and next to no packets? I'm not pulling a trolley around with 1 bundle of mail on it. Yeah a trolley takes up more time, but so do short loops - we're up to time doing 3.5hr deliveries anyway, and let's be honest they ain't going to make them any shorter.

If everyone was carrying overweight bags then it would be a problem, but I don't really see an issue as we're carrying almost nothing.

[OnAFlyer]

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

That's not the reason why we don't use trolleys. They can't be any slower than doing loads of loops with tiny amounts of mail.

The commercials use HCT's and trolleys as obviously they're taking a fair bit of weight, even with short loops. Our residentials are shithole sink estates where the only mail is debt collection letters and a few bits of crap from fleabay.

[Stormproof]

I am trying to determine why working Park and Loop is having such a detrimental effect on my current state both physically and mentally...Because in all reasoning the current P&L walk I do is probably only about 10 to 15mins longer than when I was out on a push bike...
But here's the point. It's because P&L is incessant, relentless, regardless of mail volumes..
You finish one loop and like some red and yellow impatient monster, there's the van ready to take you to another section of the round..
(I bloody hate the term burst, like your suppose to explode from the van like Bodie and Doyle) and there is no let up.
So although my walk is not much longer, TIME WISE, (it certainly is distance) the psychological feeling of not being in control of your own day and the feeling of constant fatigue has started to really get me down..
With P&L, your only as fast as the slowest guy and have no problem with that. I am not slow at all, but I will not run around for anybody, I use trolleys and do the job as instructed. So it doesn't help when your partner is Mr Panic and is desperate each day to complete like he's on trial for next years Olympics. Of course the DIM loves this behaviour.
Even though our revision is being looked at again because rounds in our office have been planned too large and we pathetically stumble on until a new strategy is on the table.
So there you have the reason. When it was one round per Postie, you could manage your own work load, have a proud and personable connection with the residents on your walk, go at an even pace one day then perhaps step up a gear if needed the next.
I find now when a member of the public stops to ask you how your day is or even a Royal Mail related question you find yourself backing away from them because subconsciously your constantly thinking about the time. It's a master stroke by Royal Mail, and though I read the original economic desirability of P&L is failing you have to admit it has you looking at your watch daily trying to book an appointment to scratch your Arse.
You've basically been turned into a machine. An operative that should not complain, get tired or think objectively or feel any obligation to the general public. Like the Terminator with a PDA...And quite frankly I'm an inch from breaking point.
I just wanted to get this off my chest.
Hasta La Vista Baby...I won't be back!!!

Well put Larry and so true.

[Lateagainpostie]

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

That's not the reason why we don't use trolleys. They can't be any slower than doing loads of loops with tiny amounts of mail.

The commercials use HCT's and trolleys as obviously they're taking a fair bit of weight, even with short loops. Our residentials are shithole sink estates where the only mail is debt collection letters and a few bits of crap from fleabay.

They are doubling up the loops into less pouches, it's so blatant, some of them don't even take the trolleys out anymore, and the LM's and DOM just ignore it.

[R@YAL F@IL]

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

That's not the reason why we don't use trolleys. They can't be any slower than doing loads of loops with tiny amounts of mail.

The commercials use HCT's and trolleys as obviously they're taking a fair bit of weight, even with short loops. Our residentials are shithole sink estates where the only mail is debt collection letters and a few bits of crap from fleabay.

They are doubling up the loops into less pouches, it's so blatant, some of them don't even take the trolleys out anymore, and the LM's and DOM just ignore it.

How stupid, NO MORE bags on shoulders for me, trolleys are the future, why rush round your delivery as you should finish as your duty states.

[robin977]

just started p and loop last week did two days and i was knackered too much dead walking involved even on a lite day u still do same amount of walking .its a farce

[OnAFlyer]

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

That's not the reason why we don't use trolleys. They can't be any slower than doing loads of loops with tiny amounts of mail.

The commercials use HCT's and trolleys as obviously they're taking a fair bit of weight, even with short loops. Our residentials are shithole sink estates where the only mail is debt collection letters and a few bits of crap from fleabay.

They are doubling up the loops into less pouches, it's so blatant, some of them don't even take the trolleys out anymore, and the LM's and DOM just ignore it.

If you're referring to my office, then you're completely wrong. One of my loops today had 18 letters for 72 houses. Others had half a bundle.

Would you pull a trolley around with nothing in the bags, or one bundle? (two at the most?) I'm sure some people probably would, determined to show that P&L can never possibly work.

You're comparing offices like for like when in reality the difference in mail volumes from area to area is massive. I'm getting well under 40kg per day at the moment and my partner's walk is the same. I've had 7 driver drops in total over the last 3 days (tracked/specials/large packets).

How does that compare to your office? I'm betting it's completely different - so why use the same methods when they're not needed.

When it's a day with a bulk posting of housing association statements etc, and the bags are heavier then i'll use a trolley. Until then we'll stick with the 8 loops per walk with 1-3 bundles in and less than 5kg in the bag.

[R@YAL F@IL]

18 letters for 72 houses ........ my duty would have 72 items for 18 houses even on a Tuesday

[Stormproof]

18 letters for 72 houses ........ my duty would have 72 items for 18 houses even on a Tuesday

I think the real world will be coming to the Flyers duty soon. I can't believe he's managed to get away with it for so long. Brigadoon DO?

[OnAFlyer]

18 letters for 72 houses ........ my duty would have 72 items for 18 houses even on a Tuesday

I think the real world will be coming to the Flyers duty soon. I can't believe he's managed to get away with it for so long. Brigadoon DO?

We started the new P&L walks a few weeks ago. We've got walk sequencing, etc etc and have had £800 of the bonus payments

If you've delivered to an area with professionals/firms etc and an area full of dolites then you'll know what a massive difference there is in mail volumes. Today was exceptionally light, I had 8 bundles for 700 houses.

We had a planned P&L revision that was binned because the walks were too long. They were replanned at 3.5hrs and that's what we're doing now. They take between that and 4hrs on a bad day. We get out around 10am, finish around 1.45-2pm, back to office and sign out around 2.15-2.30pm.

We do the job properly and work our hours, the walks are long enough. If others are getting 5 hour walks thrown at them and sending half of it back it's not really my problem, it's RM's.

If RM want to show me the 'real world' as you put it, then fine. But i'll be working the same hours and delivering the same amount of mail, so I couldn't really care less.

[boogyman]

We started it recently and most walks have been completing within time (the first 'revision' that took a year was binned before it even started as the walks were never going to be completed).

What I have noticed is that my walk has got 30 mins extra on - yet done between 2 of us it takes more than an hour longer. P&L is just slower, regardless of how well the loops are worked.

The good thing is weight off the shoulder, we don't use trollies as the bags are well under 8kg - most loops are 2 bundles.

I have no idea how some of you are doing 4.5-5hr deliveries with P&L though,ours are 3.5hrs and we aren't making anything.

Why are you not using the trolleys?

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

the job is simple USE THE TROLLEYS if you can't complete then leave the mail, stuff the overtime let the managment take it.

[R@YAL F@IL]

We started it recently and most walks have been completing within time (the first 'revision' that took a year was binned before it even started as the walks were never going to be completed).

What I have noticed is that my walk has got 30 mins extra on - yet done between 2 of us it takes more than an hour longer. P&L is just slower, regardless of how well the loops are worked.

The good thing is weight off the shoulder, we don't use trollies as the bags are well under 8kg - most loops are 2 bundles.

I have no idea how some of you are doing 4.5-5hr deliveries with P&L though,ours are 3.5hrs and we aren't making anything.

Why are you not using the trolleys?

The trolly's slow you down, and stop you taking short cuts, the only way some are completing in our office is by not using them, and still carrying overweight bags, and these are the same people who are moaning the walks are too big.

the job is simple USE THE TROLLEYS if you can't complete then leave the mail, stuff the overtime let the managment take it.

Could not agree more

[OnAFlyer]

the job is simple USE THE TROLLEYS if you can't complete then leave the mail, stuff the overtime let the managment take it.

No, it's even simpler. Why would anyone use a trolley when you have a bag with 1 or 2 bundles in? The only explanation is that you were purposely trying to take longer so you could cut off.

You call it 'doing it properly', I call it being obstructive because there's no need for it. Carrying 3-5kg in a bag is not going to affect you physically, unless your bones are made from spaghetti.

Plus anyone pulling a trolley looks like a special school reject.

[R@YAL F@IL]

the job is simple USE THE TROLLEYS if you can't complete then leave the mail, stuff the overtime let the managment take it.

No, it's even simpler. Why would anyone use a trolley when you have a bag with 1 or 2 bundles in? The only explanation is that you were purposely trying to take longer so you could cut off.

You call it 'doing it properly', I call it being obstructive because there's no need for it. Carrying 3-5kg in a bag is not going to affect you physically, unless your bones are made from spaghetti.

Plus anyone pulling a trolley looks like a special school reject.

Well I will be using a trolley

[larry42]

the job is simple USE THE TROLLEYS if you can't complete then leave the mail, stuff the overtime let the managment take it.

No, it's even simpler. Why would anyone use a trolley when you have a bag with 1 or 2 bundles in? The only explanation is that you were purposely trying to take longer so you could cut off.

You call it 'doing it properly', I call it being obstructive because there's no need for it. Carrying 3-5kg in a bag is not going to affect you physically, unless your bones are made from spaghetti.

Plus anyone pulling a trolley looks like a special school reject.

Totally understand with colleagues who say having two bundles in their bag, will shoulder, as pragmatically there is little weight . ....Fair play.
Now when you trip, slip OR injure yourself and it is found by management it was on your shoulder...Good luck in your defence.