HCTs

[SpacePhoenix]

Do they update the Route Planner very often? If they don't then your sequencing must be wrong where the out of date data gets used when updating the sort plans

No. Management appear to be too imbued with daily issues that the frames are forgotten about and left with the posties to sort out. The sequencing is often out of sync with the frames but the biggest issue is the fact that the walks are just unachievable for most posties.

Why don't DOs have half yearly purges on updating both the frames and the Route Planner data? OK the walks will still be completely f****d but surely it'd make it easier for delivery staff if both the frames and sequencing were correct

[mwalker88]

Do they update the Route Planner very often? If they don't then your sequencing must be wrong where the out of date data gets used when updating the sort plans

No. Management appear to be too imbued with daily issues that the frames are forgotten about and left with the posties to sort out. The sequencing is often out of sync with the frames but the biggest issue is the fact that the walks are just unachievable for most posties.

Why don't DOs have half yearly purges on updating both the frames and the Route Planner data? OK the walks will still be completely f****d but surely it'd make it easier for delivery staff if both the frames and sequencing were correct

'Make it easier for delivery staff' has never been a part of Royal Mails vocabulary.

"Just wing it" would be a more fitting statement.

[DGH]

Why don't DOs have half yearly purges on updating both the frames and the Route Planner data? OK the walks will still be completely f****d but surely it'd make it easier for delivery staff if both the frames and sequencing were correct

Because updating frames and Route Planner data is far more time consuming than you would believe. Managers simply are not prepared to release staff for the amount of time it would take. Doing a 'purge' every six months, would be far less efficient than reviewing individual walks six-monthly (not the same thing at all) - which is what's meant to happen: Route Manager, ORA and frame labels for every route being updated every six months on a rolling program (so if you have, say, 24 walks in your office, you'd do one a week. Which would take about 3-8 hours, depending on the current state of the walk.

[funkflex55]

But doesn't keeping frames and route planner up to date and accurate actually save hours? In our office pretty much every frame has errors either on the frame or the sequencing of mail. It means reserves really struggle on anything they haven't done several times already.

[DGH]

But doesn't keeping frames and route planner up to date and accurate actually save hours? In our office pretty much every frame has errors either on the frame or the sequencing of mail. It means reserves really struggle on anything they haven't done several times already.

Yes it would. But only in the long run. Managers are more concerned with the here and now, Their strategic thinking tends to be the next 72 hours at best.

[SpacePhoenix]

But doesn't keeping frames and route planner up to date and accurate actually save hours? In our office pretty much every frame has errors either on the frame or the sequencing of mail. It means reserves really struggle on anything they haven't done several times already.

Yes it would. But only in the long run. Managers are more concerned with the here and now, Their strategic thinking tends to be the next 72 hours at best.

These days it seems like all they do is implement whatever they've been ordered to implement by higher up. I do wonder if they're allowed to make any decisions without getting the OK from higher up

[yellowbelly]

But doesn't keeping frames and route planner up to date and accurate actually save hours? In our office pretty much every frame has errors either on the frame or the sequencing of mail. It means reserves really struggle on anything they haven't done several times already.

Yes it would. But only in the long run. Managers are more concerned with the here and now, Their strategic thinking tends to be the next 72 hours at best.

These days it seems like all they do is implement whatever they've been ordered to implement by higher up. I do wonder if they're allowed to make any decisions without getting the OK from higher up

Doesn't seem like it and considering they're paid in the region of 40k there's room there for some budget savings I reckon.

[Navalron]

We're about 40% HTC, worth noting that my office serves a fantastically flat town. I suspect the van Vs HCT opinion divide would be around 50/50 in my office. My personal preference would be HTC as there is much less nonsense involved for example when a wheel falls off a manager is out with screwdrivers and zip ties within 15 minutes. And if the worst comes to the worst your no more than about 30 mins walk away from the office.

Get a puncture or other breakdown in the van and your stranded until the RAC gets round to you, completely abandoned by managers, and the poor maintenance ("doesn't matter if it would fail an MOT, doesn't matter if the fumes are filling the cab and making the driver sick, we can only take it in once it's completely broken down."- local workshop) makes ours clearly dangerous to the health of those driving.

As a no longer driving postie (medical reasons) I would be fully in favour of a small supplement being paid to those who do or could reasonably be expected to take the responsibility on a regular basis

What do you mean, driver allowance, which we used to get paid but that was done away with in 2000 along with PHG, and jv5.

[crazyshrew]

...
As a no longer driving postie (medical reasons) I would be fully in favour of a small supplement being paid to those who do or could reasonably be expected to take the responsibility on a regular basis

What do you mean, driver allowance, which we used to get paid but that was done away with in 2000 along with PHG, and jv5.

Yes. That was was all before my time, but looking at the additional personal risks the drivers take each day going out in to the extremely poorly maintained fleet I genuinely believe that the drivers absolutely should get a supplement.
I know it will never happen. But when I know I can be home at 3pm no matter what, and they have no idea if the vehicle will get them home in time to have tea with the kids, one of us deserves additional compensation....and it ain't me