This is one of the most difficult aspects of the job for me. It’s difficult looking at a round, looking at the mail and packets, trying to remember if there’s any roadworks on the route, wondering if your van is good to go or if there’s another 6 vans blocking it in. And then once you get out there it makes a huge difference if everyone is in or if everyone has decided (like last Saturday) to head out for the day.
Honestly if things are against you, it can easily add an hour to the round - if you’re blocked in by 6 vans (10-15mins), van parked in our extra car park (20mins), roadworks (5-10mins), nobody in (30mins). And yet if you’re back early you’re told the round is obviously too easy or you should’ve taken more.
Maybe it’s just me and if I had my own round I’d be able to better gauge how much to take.