To give you a different view, our offices are good places to work. Our carriers are generally content, can take time off as needed, get help when they're overloaded, and currently has management that's helpful and values them. Most have had their routes for 10 years or more, and they share route information with their RCA's about forwards, anything they'd need done. RCA's are valued and earn respect from the carriers, as they try to do their best also. No "gotcha's" or tattletales. We give each other heads up when we can. Postmaster even lets us know when he thinks District might be out doing carrier evaluations.
Academy vs. The Real Deal
- Thread starter Morty
- Start date
Thanks. Remember, ask us for help any time.
Jiminy Christmas
Well-known member
Here's a tip for new RCAs:
Go to USPS.com® - Every Door Direct Mail and put in your zip code
You should be able to move your cursor over an area of the map and it will highlight the route (purple) and tell you the route number in the top left.
Or you can click the drop down box "Show Table", select a listed route, click "Hide Table", and the route will be highlighted. (blue)
Go to USPS.com® - Every Door Direct Mail and put in your zip code
You should be able to move your cursor over an area of the map and it will highlight the route (purple) and tell you the route number in the top left.
Or you can click the drop down box "Show Table", select a listed route, click "Hide Table", and the route will be highlighted. (blue)
This is a great tool for route knowledge, whether for stewards, rca's, transfers or bidding.
www.melissa.com
USPS Carrier Route Maps | Melissa Lookups
Use this Carrier Route Maps lookup to look up a ZIP code and see a carrier route maps with the boundaries and additional data.
Haychica
Well-known member
When I was hired, there was NO academy..we had 3 days to hang with the regular you'd be subbing for.
You learned the primary route by doing the first half the first day, the second half the second day, and with help, you'd carry the whole thing on the third day...if you were smart and lucky enough, you'd drive the route on your time off to look for any questionable spots and become proficient...
Haychica
Well-known member
EXACTLY why I did NOT apply for the academy position...if you won't acknowledge my experience then why would I be teaching YOUR agenda...like everything the p.o. dies, it fails...miserably.
Just out of curiosity, has anyone who trained an rca ever used the OJI training book WITH CHECK LIST that comes with them? The check list covers casing, cfs, markups, parcels, marking, sorting, prioritizing, and many other things. It is there to be certain all areas they should have received training on were covered. As they say, some of us are more thorough than others. The list helps to guide the office employee training that new kid. Sometimes we can forget or think we'll get to a Topic later and it never happens. Anybody use the checklist?
flash
Well-known member
Yes. On every RCA I trained. But it’s just that, a list that you go through and they nod yes I was trained on that and that...
problem IMO is this is the the very beginning of their postal career and yes all this information has been thrown up on them.. yes they are mentally trying to remember it all and be a good employee. But then the reality of the job sets in ... this is a one man job, so now they must retain book loads of info and apply it while facing a mountain . The training isn’t all that bad, it’s just seriously lacking time wise....but the post office doesn’t pay for mentoring long term. And that , again IMO, is really what is needed to create career employees.
Supposedly regular carriers are supposed to have an RCA, it’s in the contract. If said RCA was a person whom you mentored for their whole RCA position, retentions would be high percentage.
I remember my academy training. 2 hours was devoted to safety videos. Lecturing, and fake case training with half an hour to learn to fill out forms I’ve never even used once. That was day 1. Day 2 and 3 didn’t really amount to much more than learn a scanner that was replaced 6 months later, and pretend to deliver to boxes with some strange road hazards. No LLV training.
I learned far more useful skills by failing repeatedly at the job, than the academy taught me. For instance I actually learned trays are superior to straps, how much volume a Chevy cavalier has, what to do if a box is blocked (drive past it), how to use the dog spray correctly, not to carry forms I don’t use, and of course do not fold when on a presort envelope is more like a suggestion (you know which ones...)
Yup, learn by mistake. That's how one fosters a sense of professionalism by becoming their own worst critic. My management knows that they need to get in line behind me when I screw something up.
Academy had some value, but first taste of primary should be a couple days longer. Orientation was a joke and should get cut those 2 days. Spent the morning one day touring the plant. Even had a break halfway in the huge break room where somebody was peddling baked goods.
Voglio-il mio
Well-known member
I've never seen one!
I tell every rca that starts here, if you can't accept failure then you'll never succeed here. I can't agree more - we are wired to learn from failure. That's the human condition. Those who can understand where and why they failed will have much more success than those who blame others for their defeats. The tricky part is accepting you failed and learning from that failure. When I get one that keeps nodding and says yes, I understand, I make them explain the procedure to me. Best way to learn is to teach someone else.?
The OJI time at the office can be expanded to 40 hours if needed. Most mgrs are still trying to short kids at 24 hours but, it was approved at national to expand training. I make every rca load and deliver twice at academy. They all get at least two different accountable pieces per run. I try to make them fail as much as I can at the academy ( in a good way) to take that lesson into the field. Like walking to a door for an Express a) did they recognize it as an accountable? B) did they know the time commitment? C) did they take a scanner to the door? Pen? 3849? Dog spray( if not I send our robot dog after them) did they take the keys? ( Again, if they leave vehicle running or keys in- i steal it)
I tell them to name the scanner, they will be less likely to leave it behind if they think of it like a baby.
There are lots of things trainers can do to get the most out of the time available. Like dropping cones randomly when the rca's attention is elsewhere. They run them over every time. I want them to know where the problems are and to look out for them.
Some trainers are strictly classroom. Our district is fortunate to have 2 mgrs that let us do our thing. They see the numbers, they know we are bleeding money on new hires. They let us get creative as long as we cover the material.
But...it's a long day for any trainer in our district. You leave about 5 am to drive to district office and you're lucky to get home before 6pm. It's like pulling teeth to get anyone to commit to stupid long days with no additional pay.
The OJI time at the office can be expanded to 40 hours if needed. Most mgrs are still trying to short kids at 24 hours but, it was approved at national to expand training. I make every rca load and deliver twice at academy. They all get at least two different accountable pieces per run. I try to make them fail as much as I can at the academy ( in a good way) to take that lesson into the field. Like walking to a door for an Express a) did they recognize it as an accountable? B) did they know the time commitment? C) did they take a scanner to the door? Pen? 3849? Dog spray( if not I send our robot dog after them) did they take the keys? ( Again, if they leave vehicle running or keys in- i steal it)
I tell them to name the scanner, they will be less likely to leave it behind if they think of it like a baby.
There are lots of things trainers can do to get the most out of the time available. Like dropping cones randomly when the rca's attention is elsewhere. They run them over every time. I want them to know where the problems are and to look out for them.
Some trainers are strictly classroom. Our district is fortunate to have 2 mgrs that let us do our thing. They see the numbers, they know we are bleeding money on new hires. They let us get creative as long as we cover the material.
But...it's a long day for any trainer in our district. You leave about 5 am to drive to district office and you're lucky to get home before 6pm. It's like pulling teeth to get anyone to commit to stupid long days with no additional pay.
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Gotrope -- you are teaching some valuable lessons!
" I tell them to name the scanner, they will be less likely to leave it behind if they think of it like a baby. "
-- I am sure many carriers have named their scanners - just nothing suitable for a baby -- or saying out loud!
" Our district is fortunate to have 2 mgrs that let us do our thing. They see the numbers, they know we are bleeding money on new hires. They let us get creative as long as we cover the material. "
-- Maybe reminding manglement that the USPS is spending in the neighborhood of $10,000 to get an RCA somewhat familiar with what the job entails. Might as well let both parties get their money's worth.
-- Or let the local PM who is getting the RCA know that if the RCA quits within a specified time frame, some of that $10,000 will becoming out of the PM's budget ( or the PM's bonus ).
" I tell them to name the scanner, they will be less likely to leave it behind if they think of it like a baby. "
-- I am sure many carriers have named their scanners - just nothing suitable for a baby -- or saying out loud!
" Our district is fortunate to have 2 mgrs that let us do our thing. They see the numbers, they know we are bleeding money on new hires. They let us get creative as long as we cover the material. "
-- Maybe reminding manglement that the USPS is spending in the neighborhood of $10,000 to get an RCA somewhat familiar with what the job entails. Might as well let both parties get their money's worth.
-- Or let the local PM who is getting the RCA know that if the RCA quits within a specified time frame, some of that $10,000 will becoming out of the PM's budget ( or the PM's bonus ).
Thanks, we try. We have one office that accounts for 68% of the rca training budget from 15 rural offices. They are so incompetent, the district just tells new kids, " do your probation and transfer. The PM can't hold you." Not exactly a ringing endorsement of that office. Most quit after not getting paid the first check from that office. They see it for the omen it is.
Mostly it's the cost of living out here that does them in. Almost 100% gov vehicles because no one stays at $4500-7000 a year in commercial vehicle insurance which our state mandated in 1996. But, we need to get more creative with the process. And teach them failure is the only way to move forward.
I've trained outside of the PO for other careers that actually required life and death decisions. I try to follow more that hands on style than the video format the USPS pushes. It helps if you think of the rca's as an alien life form that dropped in. They know nothing, they can't speak the language and they can't navigate.
It's a wonderful thing they are never privy to my thoughts ?
Mostly it's the cost of living out here that does them in. Almost 100% gov vehicles because no one stays at $4500-7000 a year in commercial vehicle insurance which our state mandated in 1996. But, we need to get more creative with the process. And teach them failure is the only way to move forward.
I've trained outside of the PO for other careers that actually required life and death decisions. I try to follow more that hands on style than the video format the USPS pushes. It helps if you think of the rca's as an alien life form that dropped in. They know nothing, they can't speak the language and they can't navigate.
It's a wonderful thing they are never privy to my thoughts ?
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flash
Well-known member
I don’t understand the state mandated commercial insurance... we are federal and our rules supersede and insurance can not deny you coverage... wtf?
In our wonderful leftist State, they require anyone whom uses their personal vehicle to transport goods, services or people for financial gain to have commercial vehicle insurance. That would include Uber and lift and pizza drivers. The same that large big rigs must carry is required. There is no exclusion for federal employment as the individual is traversing public state roadways. Just another great idea from my State?
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flash
Well-known member
Well that’s total crap. If someone is involved in a motor vehicle accident w a postal worker, THEY have to claim it under the tort act, and good luck.. it’s trying to win a lawsuit against the United States.
Makes no sense
Didn't say it makes sense. It was to get more money to insurance groups. You know, the same insurance groups with large PAC's? For donating to their YES men, women and binary candidate of choice?
I'm editing because I realized some of you may not have states that recognize the third gender, " binary."
