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I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
AnnexeB
Posts: 92
Joined: 13 Jun 2009, 12:23
Gender: Male

I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by AnnexeB »

I ask, as i note that a big office i work in the North West, no-one uses trolleys, but people are under pressure not to book overtime, or to cut off. Last week at a local smaller office two guys were suspended (reinstated the day after) for bringing mail back, tho they both told manager they couldnt work over there time etc ..... I asked if the office were using the trolleys, and nobody does cos "it puts an hour on delivery" Like i asked, i thought their use in offices after a revision, were mandatory. What the hell is the union doing about this ?
If i was suspended for failing to complete, and i used a trolley and nobody else did, surely its the manager who is at fault ??? I despair, i really do !
pokos27
Posts: 657
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by pokos27 »

bikes are still used in our office
ronpetetrevchris
Posts: 503
Joined: 30 Oct 2007, 17:55

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by ronpetetrevchris »

AnnexeB wrote:I ask, as i note that a big office i work in the North West, no-one uses trolleys, but people are under pressure not to book overtime, or to cut off. Last week at a local smaller office two guys were suspended (reinstated the day after) for bringing mail back, tho they both told manager they couldnt work over there time etc ..... I asked if the office were using the trolleys, and nobody does cos "it puts an hour on delivery" Like i asked, i thought their use in offices after a revision, were mandatory. What the hell is the union doing about this ?
If i was suspended for failing to complete, and i used a trolley and nobody else did, surely its the manager who is at fault ??? I despair, i really do !
Mate, nobody is using them (using offices as a whole) its a myth, one lie against another. Your dom will say well such and such an office is doing ok, but if you dig you will find they arent either and are going through the same difficulties you are. This company is one big lie.

Union, pff, we have now, 1 year on, turned away from trolleys. We are sick of the arguments, reps, managers, doms and members. We decided we were on our own and made a common sense call of abandoning trolleys and carving loops into twice the amount (6 to 12) to reduce weight. We mwouldnt do anything without approval from above (rm and cwu) and guess what? we got it!
hans solo
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by hans solo »

love my trolley costs rm fortune in ot :nana :nana :nana :nana
banner18
Posts: 636
Joined: 05 Sep 2008, 19:10
Gender: Male

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by banner18 »

If you make the loops right, you don't need trolleys. If you need to use a trolley at any point you should try and look at putting more loops in. Using trolleys takes an extra 50% of time sometimes and there isn't any provision for this in the planning. The plans should be based on small enough looping so that you don't have to use trolleys, apart from on specifically heavy days where there is no choice.

Can you not talk to planners about this?
TrueBlueTerrier
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

banner18 wrote:If you make the loops right, you don't need trolleys. If you need to use a trolley at any point you should try and look at putting more loops in. Using trolleys takes an extra 50% of time sometimes and there isn't any provision for this in the planning. The plans should be based on small enough looping so that you don't have to use trolleys, apart from on specifically heavy days where there is no choice.

Can you not talk to planners about this?
The idea behind using trolleys is so that addresses only get one visit per day even when they have a big packet and letters. Dumping the trollies will of course make the individual loops quicker, especially so if you cut them down. But is it more efficient overall as without the trolley you can't take packets any bigger than you used to take on bag duty. Is there any time saved and by getting the driver to go back over the loops and deliver them.

As I see it the only way it can work is that the non driver has more walking to do, and the driver has more driving to do. Is it really more efficient, or is it down to us doing it the way we are used to. :hmmmm

Thoughts.
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ronpetetrevchris
Posts: 503
Joined: 30 Oct 2007, 17:55

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by ronpetetrevchris »

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
banner18 wrote:If you make the loops right, you don't need trolleys. If you need to use a trolley at any point you should try and look at putting more loops in. Using trolleys takes an extra 50% of time sometimes and there isn't any provision for this in the planning. The plans should be based on small enough looping so that you don't have to use trolleys, apart from on specifically heavy days where there is no choice.

Can you not talk to planners about this?
The idea behind using trolleys is so that addresses only get one visit per day even when they have a big packet and letters. Dumping the trollies will of course make the individual loops quicker, especially so if you cut them down. But is it more efficient overall as without the trolley you can't take packets any bigger than you used to take on bag duty. Is there any time saved and by getting the driver to go back over the loops and deliver them.

As I see it the only way it can work is that the non driver has more walking to do, and the driver has more driving to do. Is it really more efficient, or is it down to us doing it the way we are used to. :hmmmm

Thoughts.
I suppose the way we are used to - posties and drivers at our d.o never really got the 'walking postman delivering oversize or large packets in an extra bag on the trolley' it just didnt seem to compute, and the drivers also felt it was their role to take them, in the small number of weeks we used trolleys i never once saw a trolley with a bag on both sides.
banner18
Posts: 636
Joined: 05 Sep 2008, 19:10
Gender: Male

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by banner18 »

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
banner18 wrote:If you make the loops right, you don't need trolleys. If you need to use a trolley at any point you should try and look at putting more loops in. Using trolleys takes an extra 50% of time sometimes and there isn't any provision for this in the planning. The plans should be based on small enough looping so that you don't have to use trolleys, apart from on specifically heavy days where there is no choice.

Can you not talk to planners about this?
The idea behind using trolleys is so that addresses only get one visit per day even when they have a big packet and letters. Dumping the trollies will of course make the individual loops quicker, especially so if you cut them down. But is it more efficient overall as without the trolley you can't take packets any bigger than you used to take on bag duty. Is there any time saved and by getting the driver to go back over the loops and deliver them.

As I see it the only way it can work is that the non driver has more walking to do, and the driver has more driving to do. Is it really more efficient, or is it down to us doing it the way we are used to. :hmmmm

Thoughts.


It is still quicker to use smaller loops with no trollies. What I have found is that it takes so much extra time rifling through the bags and using trollies. Also, as long as both guys are drivers, when one guy gets back to the van before the other due to variations in mail, he can cut off and do oversized items and farms etc.. thus costing very little extra time. If you have a non driver in the pairing, you can identify which are the longer loops in general and assign these to the non driver, then the driver can nip and do the packets when they get back to the van first. Have tried the trolly method and the smaller looping method, and the smaller looping method is much quicker and only a little weight on the shoulder.
wookie
Posts: 319
Joined: 30 Dec 2011, 12:38
Gender: Male

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by wookie »

But surely making the loops smaller, thus being able to complete quicker, will open the door for absorbtions when they clock you are making time?
Rennie
Posts: 50
Joined: 11 Dec 2008, 14:50
Gender: Male

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by Rennie »

Surley the whole point of using trollies is so that the job is made safer. If it takes longer surely that is a positive? why do posties still rush? We are our own worst enemy sometimes. Just do your job properly!!
fishtank
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by fishtank »

I can't believe this conversation.
Quicker is good....explain that statement?
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clashcityrocker
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by clashcityrocker »

Also, as long as both guys are drivers, when one guy gets back to the van before the other due to variations in mail, he can cut off and do oversized items and farms etc..

I thought only the one who signed the van out could drive it?
The drivers loops should be clearly identified and time should be built in for oversize packets.
The planner plans it. You do it. Just like he planned it.
If you want to do it quicker, volunteer to lose your job when the next round of cuts comes.
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Himaggen
Posts: 993
Joined: 09 Oct 2007, 23:40

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by Himaggen »

Unless the planner has designed your delivery as mini loops and stipulated that it isn't designed for LWT use, the LWT is mandatory. You can do whatever you want with it and design it yourself in loops of twenty delivery points but the mandatory equipment is still mandatory. It is safer not to carry a bundle of mail destined for other addresses up to someone else's door. That problem has been catered for with the LWT, you leave it in there and remove it when it is required!
Failure to use the equipment supplied as mandatory for health and safety is gross misconduct and as such can be dealt with in immediate dismissal. A Manager who knowingly allows breaches of health and safety can also be given the same punishment.
banner18
Posts: 636
Joined: 05 Sep 2008, 19:10
Gender: Male

Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by banner18 »

I think the point has to be made here, when I say quicker, I'm not meaning early finishing. I'm meaning that smaller looping can be done in time whilst larger looping with trollies cannot as has been made clear by many on here. As long as the weight is low it is quite acceptable to carry the mail. Also, there are many places where the trolly cannot be used due to terrain and paving issues and the trollies still won't take many oversized items so multiple calling is still necessary.
I don't see the problem with not using the trollies as long as you aren't carrying more than 10kg, not running etc and also can get the job done on time?

I have heard managers going out and telling people off who weren't using trollies. That's fine, the first time that happens to me, half a round will be getting returned to the delivery office.
They haven't made any provision for trollies to be used so anybody who has to use them is going over or cutting off.
Last edited by banner18 on 28 Sep 2012, 17:57, edited 1 time in total.
Hitcher
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Re: I Thought Use Of Trolleys Were Mandatory ?

Post by Hitcher »

How can smaller loops be quicker than larger when you've got all that extra time added for refilling?