1st drop Glasshoughton, then a few drops in Lincoln, South Elmsall, few drops in Barnsley and last drop was Pontefract.
But, it was the M62 side of Pontefract, was only 1/2 pallet, was on a street with parking restrictions upto 6pm but I turn up at 8pm. From Barnsley to there was around 15-20 miles, from there to our depot around 45-50 miles, from Barnsley to our depot around 35 miles.
From 1st drop to last drop would’ve been 2 miles, and 1 mile return to motorway - approx.
So, why do office bods rely on these ■■■■■ computers to ruin… I mean ‘plan’… our day?
Some of the crap runs I’ve had since I’ve come back to this job, a job I did and loved about 5yrs ago, is unbelievable, it’s like the computer does it’s best to get max hours out of you, even if the run could be done more efficiently.
I know what you mean,our so called computer is about the same,we have 4 shops in Hull all within 2 miles of each other but they send 3 of us to deliver there even tho 2 are in the same building.
1 of us do the 1 on the roof and another does the one on the road.
It’s 3 hours to Hull from Wolverhampton and the best of it is we have an out base at Billingham lol.
waynedl:
So, why do office bods rely on these [zb] computers to ruin… I mean ‘plan’… our day?
As thats what they are told to do by the suits above them. The suits have been flogged this software and invested silly money in implementing it, so don’t want to hear that it’s not working.
waynedl:
So, why do office bods rely on these [zb] computers to ruin… I mean ‘plan’… our day?
Some of the crap runs I’ve had since I’ve come back to this job, a job I did and loved about 5yrs ago, is unbelievable, it’s like the computer does it’s best to get max hours out of you, even if the run could be done more efficiently.
Why do you assume they don’t know what they’re doing? We get day runs done out of what seems a sensible order sometimes. Its done that way because that is when the depots want us there to deliver due to the way normal daily custom is. Go out of those planned hours and you usually find you can’t get in for builders vans.
waynedl:
So, why do office bods rely on these [zb] computers to ruin… I mean ‘plan’… our day?
As thats what they are told to do by the suits above them. The suits have been flogged this software and invested silly money in implementing it, so don’t want to hear that it’s not working.
Happy memories of Yodel and Quintiq(sp) When we dumped it as it was not compatible with the DHL system, as a former debrief oppo, there was a sharp downturn in “Unable to locate” queries.
Go figure
If a planning computer plans automatically for a 15 hour default - don’t do any days there, since what’s the point of doing say, 11am start to 02:00 finish - and not being paid lates or night rate for it?
…If you’re on a lower rate - the hours ‘magically extend towards 15’ is what I’m saying here…
Alot of our drops are timed. Before 10am, before 1pm etc so that is the order we do them. Yesterday I ran out of Immingham, over to Eccles for a collection followed by another in Trafford Park, finally back to Doncaster for a drop. The collection were AM while Donny is timed between 13:00 and 17:00.
The best one though is our load planning system. The planners punch in the size of the pallet and weight and the computer works out how much I can put on. Doesn’t always work as pallets aren’t always the correct size or weight and it doesn’t take into account for variations in loading. Quite a few times I’ve got to places and had to phone my planner with the news that this pallet won’t fit on. I’ve had to send photos because he can’t believe the computer was wrong.
we have a lady that types postcodes and delivery windows into a computer, clicks the button and the route pops out. It’s a no brains approach, it would be imposible to finish up for a reasonable time if I didn’t reroute it as I went.
human cannonball:
we have a lady that types postcodes and delivery windows into a computer, clicks the button and the route pops out. It’s a no brains approach, it would be imposible to finish up for a reasonable time if I didn’t reroute it as I went.
We have one of these systems in our place…honestly
The best one though is our load planning system. The planners punch in the size of the pallet and weight and the computer works out how much I can put on. Doesn’t always work as pallets aren’t always the correct size or weight and it doesn’t take into account for variations in loading. Quite a few times I’ve got to places and had to phone my planner with the news that this pallet won’t fit on. I’ve had to send photos because he can’t believe the computer was wrong.
Nightfreight had one of these systems years ago…It also didn’t allow for customers bumping the “weight” either up or down so as to change the cost and value of the GIT insurance, hence ensuring all values entered were, in fact, complete ■■■■■■■■…
Place im working at said drivers dont know anything and not to change the route. So everyone happily drives up and down or round and round past drops. Then when it gets to 4ish ring up and say ive run out of time
Plus today on bank hoilday money its making the day longer and pay packet bigger.
hiya a firm i was driving for (megga job and pay in Chester) got taken over by Peter lane tsp. this chap said were
moving into the new age of electronic routing…he said give me one of your routes, i gave him
the run id just done Birtley… Felling… a couple of others nr the Tyne tunnel Stockton Darlington.
this chap played with his laptop saying you’d start at Darlington and finish in Birtley. getting home wednesday.
i said WELL the firm in Felling has 16 tons and doesn’t take deliveries after 12.30 why drag all that
weight round with you… get rid first… the shop in Darlington stays open until 5.30 pm and is only 4x5 gallon cans
and you can unload yourself. PLUS i was back here for 7am Tuesday…this chap said you need to tell us all this
information so it can be entered into the computer…i said its all in my head and taken years. tell your laptop
to do the same…it was nt long after i left…one day id done close on 900 klicks finishing at 8pm when he was
expecting me me back at the yard at 6 am the following morning for a 10am delivery in London when i was
still an hour and half away.talk about cowboy companies.
leave the cleaver stuff to the drivers. we know the fork truck drivers and the lunch breaks…
John
As above,
We got asked not to start so early on a Friday, soon changed when all the places we delivered to had the wagons still loaded with trucks coming back full as the customers shut early or half day on a Friday
Interesting concept, ordered by someone with no clue whatsoever and run by a computer illiterate numpty that uses it for planning his holidays before running it for HGVs meaning that you’re expected to run at 70 mph to achieve the times set. Allows a ridiculous amount of time for quick drops and only a few minutes for time consuming ones. Never discusses curfews/ opening times with the drivers that have been managing their own routes for years and doing them in a particular order/ at certain times for a bloody good reason.
Depot manager at my last place was always complaining that most of the vehicles were back in the yard after 8 hours, but the job was done, everything delivered, everyone (except him) happy. Just before I left the line was “you’re being paid for 48 hours a week so we’re timing the routes so that you do it” add to that a high percentage of compliant & obedient drivers that “make it work” so that this moron looks good on the figures seen by the higher ups and it becomes untenable.
Right at the beginning of the new system I had “an early” to be told by a 3rd/ 4th tier of almost management that I’d ruined it for 9 other drivers he failed to explain just what I’d ruined as there was no benefit whatsoever to anyone beyond the depot manager for a high percentage of on time deliveries, none of which have anything to do with slots or the customer, all set by the DM on a whim.
