1st special count im nervous

[Gotrope]

Anytime a counter questioned my speed, I told them I can go slower. There are days your body is tired and sore, don't overtax your body as it is your responsibility to work safely ?.Load at the speed you normally do. Walk your hampers out at the normal time when there are obstacles to avoid on the workroom floor. Never do your walking times after the workfloor has been cleared of parcels and pallets. Safe loads only - no loading conveyance too high to easily see over or too heavy for ramps. Box holders are allowed to be timed if placed directly into conveyance for street delivery. Additional time is required to pick up parcels off the floor around parcel hamper. If you do it during any other time, get paid for it during count. Any end of day parcel lookups, where's this package notes, etc. All billable hours people. Also, a prepaid package is worth 9 seconds. But, a package you must mail for a customer is 4 minutes. An online customer COA is 17 seconds but a physical COA is 2 minutes. Any apartments? Have forms ready....

There is not a 15 minute limit on loading as some mgrs believe. After 15 minutes, the counter must state why the time went beyond 15 minutes. Parcels, parcels and more VW sized parcels.

 

[hockey94]

The 15 minute max on loading is BS, mgt does not want to have to explain why to district chair sitters !

 

[Gotrope]

Because of tight office spaces, there is an office I know of that requires carriers to use the little ucarts to load the vehicle. Anything wider won't fit down the aisles. Last special count one carrier had 14 trips with ucart to load vehicle. It takes more than 15 minutes just walking that many time to the vehicle. If no credit for edit book, tell them you will no longer touch it. And mean it.
Your counter is required to document anything you disputed. Sometimes it's number of pieces, other times it's dimensions. It's hard to get credit, even at a later time, without documentation. Confirm daily count numbers BEFORE you leave to deliver. It's easy to catch a mistake if the mail is still there to verify. Do a test count as you case random and verify your count is what you received credit for. Never trust a counters numbers. Even an honest one makes mistakes.

 

[oi veh.]

Stress sweat smell like the bionic hog. Even got to hear 3..2...1.. GO.. So stressful

i understand. My first PM, along with my regular, trained me for my first count. I was the aux carrier, so we all were in the office. I rushed to the throwback case and they both said, "Sloooooooooow down." We then had a long talk about how we are being timed for what we do, not racing AGAINST the clock. I never forgot their lessons.

And have never let any counter after my 1st PM stress me out. it's OUR paychecks and OUR money is not coming out of their pockets.

 

[Edison Masters]

Hi
I have a special count coming up. ive never done a count and im wondering what i should be aware of to get the max number of points to not lose 2 hours pay since im on the edge of changing L status im at 44k now the route was incorrect for years at
42k because no one updated the edit book when i updated it it triggered the count .
A large portion of my DPS upsidedown with wrong towns a few days a week is this helpful?
could the pre count dps review hurt or help me?
amazon started delivery last year so my packages are down
any helpful pointers on what i should keep my eyes on?
thank you!
Huntress

Just don't bend over and pickup the bar of soap

 

[neciat]

Also, when you load your vehicle, DO NOT let them tell you that you cannot sequence your mail and parcels. The 603 says this :

Loading Vehicle
262.1
General
Load all mail in the vehicle so that it is
in sequence of delivery to ensure that
no time is lost on the route searching for the proper bundles and parcels or
containers.

The M-38, which is management's handbook, says this :

362 LOADING
The mail must be loaded in the vehicle in order of delivery. It is essential that carriers
maintain the delivery sequence of mail in the vehicle. This permits ready identification and
retrieval of mail to be delivered and contributes to an efficient delivery operation. Safety is an
important factor and the task of replenishing mail or obtaining the next parcel for delivery is
only done when the vehicle is stopped.

Pretty much every count, management thinks that just slinging stuff into the vehicle is "loading". This is CLEARLY not the case and they just want to keep the actual time way down to some bogus number that is nowhere near indicative of the actual loading process. Do not allow this to happen to you or anyone else in your office being counted. You have the reference material, print it out and keep it with your count guide at your case.

 

[Huntress]

I'll take a guess why you are being counted.

Did you become an L route based on book submissions?

Your a great guesser!
The 4003 wasnt updated for a few years and was under evaluated for years. after I won the route i updated the book and gained 2 hours plus went to 12.18 boxes per mile changing my L status
On top of that I found out today that we are on the amazon discontinue list starting this wednesday so I will lose all my package volume just in time for the count also.
Its frustrating we are a 3 route office my route is the longest and heaviest and will be evaluated the lowest after this count ( im pretty sure this will be the outcome since im the only one getting counted)
im feeling hopeless and I have no idea what Im doing I have only been regular for a few months and none of the regulars in the office have a clue either. Im the only one who even reads the contract
anyway thank you so much for the info its great stuff

I am almost done reading the manual and I have a few questions
For the record Im a 44k at 43.58 miles 531 boxes on a pov route

what is a detached label mailing?
What is DPS Riffle time? is that the time it takes to pull out forwards and holds?

Huntress in despair

 

[hockey94]

Riffle time is the time you get to check your trays of DPS to see if the letters are in sequence, ppl usually look at one letter for every few inches of DPS letters. If case your DPS, I do not think you get that time for obvious reasons, but it is the PO so who knows. I got a lot of time last count because I would get 6 trays of DPS and I would easily combine them into 2 or 3 trays, I would bring the DPS to the street. Of course, mgt tried to f me over on it, but that didnt happen.

 

[Gotrope]

I wouldn't despair over the parcels. It's likely you will still receive more than your last official count. We don't deliver for only Amazon.

 

[btdtret]

Huntress -- Now is not the time to be in despair!

-- So you are in a small office with little help from the other regulars. Take heart -- you have an almost unlimited supply of regulars here. Ask away!!

-- The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask.

-- You've got almost 3 weeks to study and ask questions. Put that time to good use.

-- DPS riffling time, as "hockey94" noted is the ACTUAL time it takes to do a quick look through your DPS trays for mail pieces out of order and possibly not even for your route. Also note inverted pieces. If the entire run is inverted, have manglement send it back to be run properly. If they refuse, be sure to get 1 DPS letter credit for each inverted DPS piece. Count them yourself or use the EOR - End of Run Report.

- Check pages 17 and 34 of the 2018 Mail Count Guide.

- Step 4 ( R-166 ) deals with a "hard riffle". A "hard riffle" is when manglement requires a piece by piece review of DPS trays. Compensations is ACTUAL TIME and in the form of auxiliary assistance or payment via the 8127. Normally it is done for DPS being taken directly to the street. But maybe your manglement members are not aware of that!

" I found out today that we are on the amazon discontinue list starting this wednesday so I will lose all my package volume just in time for the count also. "

-- That certainly creates a vacuum!!!

-- If you don't agree with the final numbers / outcome of the mail count, you can state your reasons in a letter or memo to the PM. As with ( all ) written dealings with manglement, have it round-dated ( it is the hand stamp clerks use ) and make copies, in case your document gets "lost" in the mail system. Probably just one of those "postal coincidences" that Amazon is stopping shortly before the start of count.

" For the record I'm a 44k at 43.58 miles 531 boxes on a pov route."

" what is a detached label mailing? "

-- See page 15 of the 2018 Mail Count Guide.


-- What is your route's Volume Factor? There is a block on the 4241-A in the Route Book for Volume Factor. What is the date on the 424-A?

-- Any Parcel Lockers and or Cluster Boxes ( NDCBU or CBU )?

ALL -- anyone out there who could provide a picture of a mail count "ruler" and what items are measured its length and the notches?

 

[Huntress]

Huntress -- Now is not the time to be in despair!

-- So you are in a small office with little help from the other regulars. Take heart -- you have an almost unlimited supply of regulars here. Ask away!!

-- The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask.

-- You've got almost 3 weeks to study and ask questions. Put that time to good use.

-- DPS riffling time, as "hockey94" noted is the ACTUAL time it takes to do a quick look through your DPS trays for mail pieces out of order and possibly not even for your route. Also note inverted pieces. If the entire run is inverted, have manglement send it back to be run properly. If they refuse, be sure to get 1 DPS letter credit for each inverted DPS piece. Count them yourself or use the EOR - End of Run Report.

- Check pages 17 and 34 of the 2018 Mail Count Guide.

- Step 4 ( R-166 ) deals with a "hard riffle". A "hard riffle" is when manglement requires a piece by piece review of DPS trays. Compensations is ACTUAL TIME and in the form of auxiliary assistance or payment via the 8127. Normally it is done for DPS being taken directly to the street. But maybe your manglement members are not aware of that!

" I found out today that we are on the amazon discontinue list starting this wednesday so I will lose all my package volume just in time for the count also. "

-- That certainly creates a vacuum!!!

-- If you don't agree with the final numbers / outcome of the mail count, you can state your reasons in a letter or memo to the PM. As with ( all ) written dealings with manglement, have it round-dated ( it is the hand stamp clerks use ) and make copies, in case your document gets "lost" in the mail system. Probably just one of those "postal coincidences" that Amazon is stopping shortly before the start of count.

" For the record I'm a 44k at 43.58 miles 531 boxes on a pov route."

" what is a detached label mailing? "

-- See page 15 of the 2018 Mail Count Guide.


-- What is your route's Volume Factor? There is a block on the 4241-A in the Route Book for Volume Factor. What is the date on the 424-A?

-- Any Parcel Lockers and or Cluster Boxes ( NDCBU or CBU )?

ALL -- anyone out there who could provide a picture of a mail count "ruler" and what items are measured its length and the notches?

Thank you
I read page 15 for detached labels still dont get it. is it standard catalogs with addresses?

For what its worth I take dps to the street and take the time to organize the dps, i pull holds, forwards and po boxes and organize it into half trays so it can fit in my front seat in front of full trays of flats and small packages

My volume factor is 2.75
no parcel lockers or cbus on my route its all curbside
4241-A Date is 7/2/20

Huntress

 

[Gotrope]

If you know the last year the route was counted, it can tell you if you've been carrying Amazon for free. If you have, it's lose is no big pain.

 

[Huntress]

If you know the last year the route was counted, it can tell you if you've been carrying Amazon for free. If you have, it's lose is no big pain.

I dont know the last count date my edit book was turned in over a month ago I am still waiting to get it back and thats where the count info is kept I think??
but im pretty sure it was counted with heavy amazon

 

[Altoonaflyer]

Anything you pull from DPS for ANY reason, hold, fwd. , old name (f.o.e.) missort, missent, missequence, etc. is considered RAW letter mail and DOES NOT get deducted from the DPS count. Also, look for anything that is taller than 6 1/8 in the DPS as that is considered a flat and DOES get deducted from the DPS letter count as it isn't suppose to be in there anyway. C$$ posted the link for the count guide. Print it out, study it, have it with you at all times and refer to it early and often. There is a TON of stuff to be looking for to maximize the standard hours. There is also a section on this site dedicated for the sole purpose of mail count. Refer to it early and often as well as there is a wealth of information there. We all wish you the best and if you even THINK you have a problem, just ask us here and we will help you !!!!

Correct...and one of the items that can really help...there is a huge difference between dps credit and raw letter. Convert every piece from dps you can!

 

[ruralfool]

Just the mention of a "count" makes my palms sweat and my heart race, always felt it was "us" against "them"

 

[Gotrope]

last count related 4241-a should be in route book not edit book. Your DR should know.

 

[btdtret]

Huntress -- " I read page 15 for detached labels still don't get it."

-- "Include detached address labels (specifically addressed) for sample merchandise, magazines, and catalogs in the letter count."

- Back in the day ( oh, no - not another "back in the day" reply ) Yep!

- We used to get small boxes that were samples of such items as cereal, a bar of soap, or personal hygiene products. There would be an addressed card to go along with the sample material. No one took the time to count each sample, to just grabbed handfuls, hoping they grabbed enough. If not, they's grab some more for the next day.

- Publishers used to send out a sample magazine or catalog, trying to get people to subscribe.

- What is now RETAILMENOT EVERYDAY ( who comes up with such titles? ) used to be Valassis, ADVO, Red Plum and probably a few more names, depending on location. Back then carriers had several names for it, none suitable for publication especially when there was an ad stapled to the spine - called a "pig tail". The rubber band would tear off the "pig tail" when removing an address's mail from a bundle, so carriers took the time in the afternoon to fold the "pig tail" inside the "taco". But I digress. It was also known as "marriage" mail because there was an addressed card which would be cased along with the unaddressed ads ( a box holder ) -- hence "marriage" when joining the two. The USPS was not above running the addressed cards in the DPS.

- The fecal material really hit the circulating device with the 2002 National Mail Count because just after the PMG's visit to ADVO's HQ in CT, the previously addressed ads ( a flat ) came with no address, thus becoming a lower value "boxholder". Just passed off as another "postal coincidence", similar to Amazon stopping drop offs just be for count.

-- Pay attention to the "3/8" inch mentioned on page 15. There is a 3/8th inch notch on the count "ruler" to measure such items. The item should EASILY fit into the notch, and NOT FORCED. Same for the notch to measure boxes of checks - measure on the end, not the middle. If you suspect an item is taller than 6 1/8th inch, there is a notch for that! With the item on the notch, if you can't see the ruler, the item is over the 6 1/8th limit of a DPS letter. Set it aside to be properly recorded. If I remember correctly if the ruler is fully extended, that is 18 inches. Anyone else remember other in's and out's of the count "ruler"?

-- Anything pulled out of DPS such as mail pieces which are not for your route, on hold, moved, inverted, etc are NOT subtracted from the DPS total.

 

[Tank]

Just found out my route will be counted. I've never participated in a count and after having read the comments here, I might want to buy stock in Johnson & Johnson considering the amount of Vaseline I'll be using. I do not see this going well at all.

 

[Windindaface]

What do you mean by ... just found out? The 30 day pre notify window is closed.

Don't sweat it. If it seems wrong more than likely it is. I am sure there will be many questions about this count. Just post your concerns and many will guide you along.

 

[w2e2w2e]

-- Actual time for tending to the Edit Book and Pink Cards ( well, there used to be! ). Inform the counter that you will be checking the Edit Book and or the Pink Cards to get timed. ( time yourself ). Stop watches used to be the timing piece, but cell phones have taken over that task.

-- Point out any large sections of DPS that are not yours to the "counter". A "counter" may be your member of manglement or a retired postal person. Be sure to ask if your "counter" attended a "Count School", preferably recently.

BTDRET ---what about if you do not have your edit book and have to walk over to the AMS office to request it? Shoudl that count as a timed event as it should be at my case?

Also, I am getting cut literally the week before the count...why would I point out large sections of DPS that do no belong to me? EIther way I will get credit for that DPS both coming into my route and leaving my route tothe hot case as a misthrow...right??