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Heavy and light days joke

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
mr hil.
Posts: 403
Joined: 19 Sep 2007, 18:22
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by mr hil. »

We too have not been able to get a definitive answer about the downstream access mail. The only thing that I have been able to provisionally confirm is that just about all DSA mail will be classed as second class. ( I believe there is a new "1st class" version of DSA that is due in 2 days)

That would confirm that if it's not got a coincidental item then it wouldn't be released unless it's reached it's time limit, but if it's release coincides with a non 2nd class day I am presuming it would be still held and go the next day(except possibly a Saturday where no 2nd class is due, but I believe coincidental mail will be sent for delivery points that have a first class item).That is because Saturday will be a national "light day" and the new USO doesn't require 2nd class to be delivered on a Saturday so DSA mail would not be due.

I would hope the algorithm is tweaked to only count due days so Saturday shouldn't be included.

Just my take/hopes for how it will work going forward. I may post on here when we go live with DM26 and see for myself.
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12061
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Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by SpacePhoenix »

mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
We too have not been able to get a definitive answer about the downstream access mail. The only thing that I have been able to provisionally confirm is that just about all DSA mail will be classed as second class. ( I believe there is a new "1st class" version of DSA that is due in 2 days)
Yep, just about all DSA is classed as 2C. The new 1C DSA is classed as 1C and is next day like any other 1C. It has caused quality issues in MCs where the machines see all DSA as 2C, AFAIK RM haven't yet programmed the machines to be able to tell the difference.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
That would confirm that if it's not got a coincidental item then it wouldn't be released unless it's reached it's time limit, but if it's release coincides with a non 2nd class day I am presuming it would be still held and go the next day(except possibly a Saturday where no 2nd class is due, but I believe coincidental mail will be sent for delivery points that have a first class item).That is because Saturday will be a national "light day" and the new USO doesn't require 2nd class to be delivered on a Saturday so DSA mail would not be due.
That's how we believe it's meant to work.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
I would hope the algorithm is tweaked to only count due days so Saturday shouldn't be included.
For any DOs that have gone over (a couple locally have gone over ahead of schedule) only 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released. For a wave 1 we might put 14 trays through the machine but less than a trays worth gets released across all the walks in a batch. The algorithm works with full works only, not part walks. Apart from Saturdays either all 2C due for release for the WHOLE walk gets released if it's a 2C day. If it's not a 2C ONLY 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released.
Perseus
Posts: 1000
Joined: 21 Feb 2024, 16:45
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Perseus »

Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
Pfrizzy10
Posts: 127
Joined: 07 Aug 2022, 21:00
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Pfrizzy10 »

Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:01
Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
I’d be happy enough just doing parcels on a Saturday to be honest 😂
A2B
Posts: 1907
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 19:34
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by A2B »

Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:01
Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
To give the carrot of more Saturdays off
Perseus
Posts: 1000
Joined: 21 Feb 2024, 16:45
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Perseus »

A2B wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:23
Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:01
Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
To give the carrot of more Saturdays off
For units that will be able to staff the Saturdays to get more off (believe it or not it has now softened from 'more Saturdays off' to 'shorter Saturdays' in some places), sure, that looks to be the outcome but it doesn't make sense when you consider the issues it creates at the start of the next week - 3 days mail on Mon/Tues. Some things just aren't worth it for a lot of people.
Perseus
Posts: 1000
Joined: 21 Feb 2024, 16:45
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Perseus »

Pfrizzy10 wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:12
Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:01
Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
I’d be happy enough just doing parcels on a Saturday to be honest 😂
Until what time?
tramssirhc
Posts: 1689
Joined: 04 Sep 2012, 20:19
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by tramssirhc »

SpacePhoenix wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:58
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
We too have not been able to get a definitive answer about the downstream access mail. The only thing that I have been able to provisionally confirm is that just about all DSA mail will be classed as second class. ( I believe there is a new "1st class" version of DSA that is due in 2 days)
Yep, just about all DSA is classed as 2C. The new 1C DSA is classed as 1C and is next day like any other 1C. It has caused quality issues in MCs where the machines see all DSA as 2C, AFAIK RM haven't yet programmed the machines to be able to tell the difference.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
That would confirm that if it's not got a coincidental item then it wouldn't be released unless it's reached it's time limit, but if it's release coincides with a non 2nd class day I am presuming it would be still held and go the next day(except possibly a Saturday where no 2nd class is due, but I believe coincidental mail will be sent for delivery points that have a first class item).That is because Saturday will be a national "light day" and the new USO doesn't require 2nd class to be delivered on a Saturday so DSA mail would not be due.
That's how we believe it's meant to work.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
I would hope the algorithm is tweaked to only count due days so Saturday shouldn't be included.
For any DOs that have gone over (a couple locally have gone over ahead of schedule) only 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released. For a wave 1 we might put 14 trays through the machine but less than a trays worth gets released across all the walks in a batch. The algorithm works with full works only, not part walks. Apart from Saturdays either all 2C due for release for the WHOLE walk gets released if it's a 2C day. If it's not a 2C ONLY 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released.
The non-pod singletons are sent as part walks. The algorithm is set to do 50/50 and the frames are set up with a fillet showing where the 50/50 split is. On IPS the non-pod singletons clear down and the traffic is sorted at the frame. More or less everything other than DSA letters is the days work expect on Saturday when it's everything that has to go that day.
"The leadership will sabotage the fight and only make the slightest move under fear of powerful working class action" - Des Warren
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12061
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by SpacePhoenix »

tramssirhc wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:50
SpacePhoenix wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:58
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
We too have not been able to get a definitive answer about the downstream access mail. The only thing that I have been able to provisionally confirm is that just about all DSA mail will be classed as second class. ( I believe there is a new "1st class" version of DSA that is due in 2 days)
Yep, just about all DSA is classed as 2C. The new 1C DSA is classed as 1C and is next day like any other 1C. It has caused quality issues in MCs where the machines see all DSA as 2C, AFAIK RM haven't yet programmed the machines to be able to tell the difference.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
That would confirm that if it's not got a coincidental item then it wouldn't be released unless it's reached it's time limit, but if it's release coincides with a non 2nd class day I am presuming it would be still held and go the next day(except possibly a Saturday where no 2nd class is due, but I believe coincidental mail will be sent for delivery points that have a first class item).That is because Saturday will be a national "light day" and the new USO doesn't require 2nd class to be delivered on a Saturday so DSA mail would not be due.
That's how we believe it's meant to work.
mr hil. wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 16:19
I would hope the algorithm is tweaked to only count due days so Saturday shouldn't be included.
For any DOs that have gone over (a couple locally have gone over ahead of schedule) only 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released. For a wave 1 we might put 14 trays through the machine but less than a trays worth gets released across all the walks in a batch. The algorithm works with full works only, not part walks. Apart from Saturdays either all 2C due for release for the WHOLE walk gets released if it's a 2C day. If it's not a 2C ONLY 1C and any coincidental 2C gets released.
The non-pod singletons are sent as part walks. The algorithm is set to do 50/50 and the frames are set up with a fillet showing where the 50/50 split is. On IPS the non-pod singletons clear down and the traffic is sorted at the frame. More or less everything other than DSA letters is the days work expect on Saturday when it's everything that has to go that day.
Based on what gets released Mon-Fri the algorithm is still doing it as whole walks only. Anything that has been released by the DTS be it 1C, 2C or DSA is due for delivery that day. On any 2C day Mon-Fri if there's no 1C for a DP, the 2C will only be released if it has hit the time limit for the product used.
Mr Rush
Posts: 3135
Joined: 05 Aug 2011, 14:27
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Mr Rush »

A2B wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:23
Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 17:01
Anyone shed any light on why Saturday has been chosen as the day for 1C and parcels only?
Having that one day at the end of the week creates a rush then the inevitable 3 days mail on Monday/Tuesday. Dare I say it, a Wednesday would make more sense, and in the future a Wednesday AND Saturday to make things far more easily divisible.
To give the carrot of more Saturdays off
Exactly. Single Daily Delivery also used favourable arrangements on Saturday (earlier finishes) to get people onboard with that change.

But also, while Tuesday would make more sense in terms of traffic profile, research going back to around the time of privatisation indicated Saturday would be the most amenable day for reduced service to both the public and businesses (who would not appreciate a weekday being dropped).
The machine stops.
A2B
Posts: 1907
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 19:34
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by A2B »

Also you still have people who suddenly find another gear on Saturday and rush around forgetting they are here till finish time anyway
Perseus
Posts: 1000
Joined: 21 Feb 2024, 16:45
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by Perseus »

If you take the last few years adjustments though, units will have gone from 1 or 2pm finishes on a Saturday, to 4pm, to 4:30pm once DM26 comes in, but you might get a handful more Saturdays off per year in return for total chaos Mon-Fri with up to 6 hour delivery spans. That's a very small carrot.
60091
Posts: 94
Joined: 15 Jul 2009, 17:15
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by 60091 »

zacattack wrote:
07 Jul 2026, 14:09
At one depot we used to put all the d2d in on Monday morning, unfortunately with the new way of working Monday and Tuesday will have 3 days of post so that's going to make the bags even heavier. Using a trolley is all well and good if your're delivering in a nice suburban road with off street parking but if you're delivering to a road with cars parked all over the pavement then you've got no choice but to drag the trolley out into the middle of the road and some of those roads are main roads with arrogant, impatient drivers. I've lost count of the amount of times a driver has decided to squeeze past me rather than wait until he/she can give me a wide berth.
I put all mine on sat much easier then no problem in the week
A2B
Posts: 1907
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 19:34
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by A2B »

Perseus wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 19:20
If you take the last few years adjustments though, units will have gone from 1 or 2pm finishes on a Saturday, to 4pm, to 4:30pm once DM26 comes in, but you might get a handful more Saturdays off per year in return for total chaos Mon-Fri with up to 6 hour delivery spans. That's a very small carrot.
Your connecting a lot of dots to get a blanket 4/430 Saturday finish across the whole of the UK

As for the chaos we've had that since COVID and I and others have become immune, I will be going home at my finish time
A2B
Posts: 1907
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 19:34
Gender: Male

Re: Heavy and light days joke

Post by A2B »

60091 wrote:
09 Jul 2026, 19:47
zacattack wrote:
07 Jul 2026, 14:09
I put all mine on sat much easier then no problem in the week
Erm where does the time come from to allow you to do that?