UPS Ping Pong

Walter Mitty criticized the figures that I used, yet he still reports the following;

My (Walter Mitty) findings were as follows:-

These 6 drivers had a total of 24 Infringements (2 had zero infringements)

10 were failure to take a break before 6 hours (work period exceeded)

6 insufficient break (ranging from 22 minutes short to 9 minutes short)

7 NO break taken (2 of these driver worked just over 6 hours and 4 were actually on drivers at the bottom of your list, i.e. a low planned (and actual) day)

I am intrigued as to why you choose to use an internal planned day versus the actual drivers day, as any infringements would be based on the actual drivers working day,

Why were there any, you have to ask yourself. Why? In Mitty´s words, would drivers choose to break the law? These figures were 2 years after I had provided evidence at a Centre planning meeting that drivers were;

Failing to take a break before 6 hours

Taking an insufficient break

Not taking any break

Absolutely no surprise that these are the issues Walter Mitty listed.

These issues had been continuing throughout this 2 year period.

The internal planned day showed that we were planning to over dispatch drivers. If we were planning to over despatch drivers then we are expecting them to cut corners. To cut corners, one of the things that they might need to do is work through their legal breaks. This is not CHOOSING (Walter Mitty´s word) to be non-compliant.

How can you discipline a driver for being non-compliant, when you are giving him an impossible task?

I was showing the root cause, as we had to do on all out pointless action plans, of the problem, which was where we needed to start in resolving the non-compliance issues.

You are part of the solution as a member of the management team and as part of your responsibilities you need to tackle these issues at the root cause.

This is why the issues of over dispatching were raised with my Centre Manager. Preload (Loaders) blamed the Manager, the Manager blamed Preload. Walter Mitty´s e-mail was dated 17^th July 2011, the earliest proof that I raised issues was July 2009. Why did I have to do over my Manager´s head in relation to solving integrity issues? Nothing had changed in 2 years.

Where was my Centre Manager getting his directions? From his Division Manager. This wass Walter Mitty and his predecessor bullying Bob Burrows. Why did nothing change after conversations with Walter and Bob?

How could I change a culture driven by my Manager and his 2 Managers? When I took this higher up to Colaizzo & Miller there was still the same attitude. Where did their instructions come from? I never had this question answered but I can only assume that it came from the States.

When this is part of your OCS role?

It is quite true that it was part of my role as an on car supervisor to train drivers. It was not part of my role as an OCS to be on road delivering 5 days a week doing a full route. When I say full, I define this as 100% (or more) of the regular drivers dispatch. It is impossible to do any more than a bare minimum of OCS work when expected to do this level of on-road delivery. UPS expected 100% OCS work in addition to any delivery work being done. Why was I victimised and sent out on road so often, when OCS´s in other Centre´s weren´t even on road doing OCS work? How can an OCS do his work without doing any training rides?

It is Steves job to manage you and in turn it is your job to manage drivers.

See above.

I have spoken to Steve O’Donnell who advises he is also working through the list and advising the drivers of their requirement to take a break and equally that this break must be taken before they have completed 4.5 hours driving or 6 hours duty

Steve obviously didn´t understand the instructions.

No surprise, bearing in mind he destroyed the evidence that would have proved me right. I can still, however, provide the reports as generated by Tachomaster (already posted on here) that shows the level of fines that could have been levied on the drivers had they been pulled at any time by the Police or VOSA.

I will close reiterating my comments in my email of 17^th July; you are part of the solution as a member of the management team and as part of your responsibilities you need to tackle these issues at the root cause.

Ah, VOSA, that reminds me.