• Everyone, please help make our jobs easier and choose the correct category. Thank you

Anyone on a POV Route would have to be an idiot to vote yes

I didn’t say it was so great. Hardly anyone in my office can afford to pay for or upkeep on a “Daily Driver” & a route vehicle. Our POV routes are 10-30 miles so they do make a little extra on it. Some areas are just too expensive to live in to keep 2 vehicles. Most of the RCAs have only 1 vehicle for everything and 1/2 are single so no spouse vehicle to help. You should see the car seats that sit in hampers while these guys are working. It is what it is.
Yes, that does sound like a pretty good testimonial for what a sad situation it is to have to provide a route delivery vehicle for a *supposedly* professional delivery outfit.... FedEx, UPS, Amazon.... if they can do it, why not the USPS... just another reason that so many RCA's quit the USPS... having to leave child seats in parcel hampers to deliver the routes.... pitiful and very sad... if these conditions existed in the border immigrant facilities, the press would be outraged... js... :oops:

After thinking about your post, I remembered you said you have a lot of Table 2 & 4 carriers there... so that explains a lot also... so many reasons this job is flat @$$ going down the tubes... ?
 
Started with POV. Then LLV.

DPS 43PPM. Sucks to be a USPS LLV. I wouldn't beat on my POV like I do the LLV.

Making that time up somewhere. If the LLV breaks down, not my problem.
I have always believed that the higher LLV standards are ALL about just recovering some of the extra $$$ money it costs the USPS to put an LLV on the route -vs- paying the EMA.... in a way, a tacit acknowledgement that LLVs are much more expensive than EMA... jmho... :unsure:

There was a nearby office that went all LLV a few years back... and they all lost a couple of hours per route.... so there goes a few $$$ thousand dollars per route... it's all about the Benjamin's.... ?
 
I saw a 1960s kaiser postal van on my local craigslist. There you go, i can put my ema into that?

Little crate diesel, manual trans. Update brakes. Paint it dark blue with the amzn pkg. But with an upside down smile.

I could sell my jeep, build this, and still not make out on ema?
 
Last edited:
Altoonaflyer et al -- " Talked to the vmf mechanic in to fix it the other day and he says worst problem is poor parts quality of Chinese made junk replacements..."

-- The real problem is that the USPS is buying those poor quality replacement parts.
That really isn’t the issue so much anymore. It’s not just usps buying these cheap parts, it’s becoming that’s all that’s available..... top brand names we all recognize and trusted just a few years ago all are now junk Chinese parts.....
We are hard pressed to find good quality parts anymore.....
I remember not to long ago, Walmart’s policy was “only made in USA items sold”.... now a days, when was the last time you seen a “USA” made item in Walmart? Auto parts shops are the same way. USA made parts are few and far between.
 
That really isn’t the issue so much anymore. It’s not just usps buying these cheap parts, it’s becoming that’s all that’s available..... top brand names we all recognize and trusted just a few years ago all are now junk Chinese parts.....
We are hard pressed to find good quality parts anymore.....
I remember not to long ago, Walmart’s policy was “only made in USA items sold”.... now a days, when was the last time you seen a “USA” made item in Walmart? Auto parts shops are the same way. USA made parts are few and far between.
So true...used to buy NAPA almost exclusively because most made in America...now all Chinese and Mexican parts just like the other stores.
 
Yes... this has been what I've usually heard from peeps who now have LLV's but previously had to deal in the EMA POV world... most have said it sucks to have to provide the USPS with a delivery vehicle for the paltry EMA, and glad to not be doing it anymore... thanks for your honesty.... (y)

Don't forget about having to accommodate a proper size vehicle to handle all these packages, we have been hearing about new hirees and in their interview insisting they have to have a van or near that size. Apparently, SUV is getting too small for the PO packages. We will never get any RCA's at this rate. Our Union is stating that all RCA's no matter if in LLV station have got to have a vehicle anyone hearing about this.
 
Don't forget about having to accommodate a proper size vehicle to handle all these packages, we have been hearing about new hirees and in their interview insisting they have to have a van or near that size. Apparently, SUV is getting too small for the PO packages. We will never get any RCA's at this rate. Our Union is stating that all RCA's no matter if in LLV station have got to have a vehicle anyone hearing about this.
Only one rt in our office POV now, still carrying in suv...but I suspect parcels are left in office regularly. No way volume on the other routes would fit anymore, barely fitting in an LLV this time of year and will be 2 trips soon. Our new RCA was told to have vehicle and showed up in LHD Cherokee, gonna be tough for that big fellow to straddle and deliver. One rca delivers that route in a pickup..parcels just go in back..no topper?
 
Don't forget about having to accommodate a proper size vehicle to handle all these packages, we have been hearing about new hirees and in their interview insisting they have to have a van or near that size. Apparently, SUV is getting too small for the PO packages. We will never get any RCA's at this rate. Our Union is stating that all RCA's no matter if in LLV station have got to have a vehicle anyone hearing about this.
This is just so sad. My old(new) sub quit (within a month of being hired) because he didn’t feel he had a vehicle appropriate for this route. He has a Honda Element. It’s not the best for this route, but it’s appropriate.....
Anyways, I have an 02 explorer, and have to make 2nd trips maybe once or twice a month. I’m now in the market for a back up vehicle, and am looking for something BIGGER than an explorer..... I’m looking into getting something along the lines of a Ford Expedition, or a chevy Tahoe...
Pretty sad, an ex sub felt his Honda Element wasn’t sufficient, and I, using an explorer, already am looking for something BIGGER.....
Where do we draw the line as to what’s appropriate??? Some days, I feel like I need a ups sized box truck to make 1 trip......
 
Rcflyn et al -- "Where do we draw the line as to what’s appropriate [ regarding vehicle size ]??

-- Section 141.3 of the PO-603. Your personal vehicle must be LARGE ENOUGH to accommodate the NORMAL MAIL VOLUME and constructed to protect the mail from loss or damage. ( N.B. -- the carrier who uses a pick-up truck with no topper )

-- Section 224.1 of the M-38 - Vehicle Equipment. In part: Managers must assure that, when required, rural carriers furnish a vehicle which is of SUFFICENT CAPACITY to accommodate the NORMAL MAIL WORKLOAD and constructed to protect the mail from loss or damage.

-- Step 4 ( V-2 ( from 2005 ) ) Adequate Size Vehicle. The parties agree that the above provision indicates that a rural carrier, who is required to furnish a personal vehicle, should provide a vehicle of SUFFICIENT SIZE that will NORMALLY carry ALL of the mail for the route. The parties agree that generally, the carrier's personal vehicle may be of ADEQUATE SIZE to ACCOMMODATE ALL THE MAIL for the carrier's route in one trip, but there may be occassions on which there are unusually large and/or numerous parcels that would prevent the carrier from loading all of the mail intended for delivery in the carrier's personal vehicle

-- The goal should be to get manglement to agree what is the route's "normal mail volume" or "normal mail workload."

-- At my last post office, we were fortunate to get manglement to agree that the mail during Count was the "normal mail volume". Good luck at getting that today!

-- Presenting manglement with the paper work from the route's last count which showed the number of parcels, etc, and compare the numbers to what is being received today. ( not that manglement will accept it or care )

PS -- for those offices where LLV routes are making second ( or more ) trips a day, tell manglement you'll get larger vehicle when the USPS gets bigger vehicles for the LLV routes.
 
i haven't bothered to figure the breakeven point lately, but quite a few years ago, i calculated everything that went into keeping a pov vehicle in good shape, depreciation, maintenance, along with insurance, etc., and i figured with all the costs, and expenses, it takes a 70 mile route to have enough ema, to break even. the shorter the route, the more out of pocket it would take. i never figured if a very short route, 10-15 mile range, with 40 mile ema pay, could come close, but i doubt it. the advantage of a short route, would be in only using a gallon an hour of fuel, since there isn't much acceleration to a high speed, and little brake wear, since stopping from low speed, even if it's a greater number of times, wouldn't be as great as stopping from a higher speed.

this was done with figuring doing maintenance, shocks, brakes, oil changes, etc. myself. i have a route near 140 miles now, and can cover everything, including purchasing the rhd jeeps every couple years, but fuel now costs a larger percentage compared to just a few years ago, when i could get everything in a rhd saturn wagon, and run the route on 6 gallons of fuel a day, compared to 12 gallons with a jeep.
 
Rcflyn et al -- "Where do we draw the line as to what’s appropriate [ regarding vehicle size ]??

-- Section 141.3 of the PO-603. Your personal vehicle must be LARGE ENOUGH to accommodate the NORMAL MAIL VOLUME and constructed to protect the mail from loss or damage. ( N.B. -- the carrier who uses a pick-up truck with no topper )

-- Section 224.1 of the M-38 - Vehicle Equipment. In part: Managers must assure that, when required, rural carriers furnish a vehicle which is of SUFFICENT CAPACITY to accommodate the NORMAL MAIL WORKLOAD and constructed to protect the mail from loss or damage.

-- Step 4 ( V-2 ( from 2005 ) ) Adequate Size Vehicle. The parties agree that the above provision indicates that a rural carrier, who is required to furnish a personal vehicle, should provide a vehicle of SUFFICIENT SIZE that will NORMALLY carry ALL of the mail for the route. The parties agree that generally, the carrier's personal vehicle may be of ADEQUATE SIZE to ACCOMMODATE ALL THE MAIL for the carrier's route in one trip, but there may be occassions on which there are unusually large and/or numerous parcels that would prevent the carrier from loading all of the mail intended for delivery in the carrier's personal vehicle

-- The goal should be to get manglement to agree what is the route's "normal mail volume" or "normal mail workload."

-- At my last post office, we were fortunate to get manglement to agree that the mail during Count was the "normal mail volume". Good luck at getting that today!

-- Presenting manglement with the paper work from the route's last count which showed the number of parcels, etc, and compare the numbers to what is being received today. ( not that manglement will accept it or care )

PS -- for those offices where LLV routes are making second ( or more ) trips a day, tell manglement you'll get larger vehicle when the USPS gets bigger vehicles for the LLV routes.
If vehicle is good enough for mail count, when they hide everything, it’s good enough rest of year. PO can’t do jack about it.
 
This is just so sad. My old(new) sub quit (within a month of being hired) because he didn’t feel he had a vehicle appropriate for this route. He has a Honda Element. It’s not the best for this route, but it’s appropriate.....
Anyways, I have an 02 explorer, and have to make 2nd trips maybe once or twice a month. I’m now in the market for a back up vehicle, and am looking for something BIGGER than an explorer..... I’m looking into getting something along the lines of a Ford Expedition, or a chevy Tahoe...
Pretty sad, an ex sub felt his Honda Element wasn’t sufficient, and I, using an explorer, already am looking for something BIGGER.....
Where do we draw the line as to what’s appropriate??? Some days, I feel like I need a ups sized box truck to make 1 trip......

This Christmas is going to be just bananas in our office. No way to do the rural routes in one trip right now. Two trips is often loaded up to an unsafe degree. By Nov, the rural routes will likely be 3 trips a day everyday. Lots of extra miles and time, and no one back by dispatch without extra help. Wonder if that will get noticed?

I think the whole "get a bigger vehicle" thing is a ruse. If you're already driving a RHD Jeep....Mostly, when that language was put in the contract, working conditions/Amazon were materially different than today. An arbitrator would recognize that. That's without even mentioning the unpaid Amazon bit.
 
Our Union is stating that all RCA's no matter if in LLV station have got to have a vehicle anyone hearing about this.

I have actually heard the opposite. During the Ohio Contract Ratification Meeting a question was asked about forcing RCAs to other offices, the Union Rep (Patrick Pitts - Executive Committeeman) said that RCAs in an all-LLV office would not be required to purchase vehicles just so they could be made to work in other offices. Whether this actually means anything remains to be seen.
 
Really one would hope that the other office thing would be mostly handled by RCAs that want all the work they can get and are willing to travel to other offices to get it... when they start forcing peeps to go to offices when they don't want to go, then I would think that is where problems will occur... I suppose this is one that will have to play out also... but wasn't there supposed to be some new big focus on RCA retention??? :unsure:

The plus side to this tho... is that maybe an RCA is looking to transfer to another office... what a great way to check it out 1st hand to decide if they want to pursue a transfer... (y)
 
Our office is so short-handed--two subs for 9 routes--I can't imagine they could be sent elsewhere. We need them in our office pretty much every day. A reg is off every day and the other sub can run the aux route, then help somebody else after they're done. I guess that's one advantage (for the subs) to being short-handed--they're needed every day in their own office.
 
something to keep in mind, rca's. years ago, had there time served, count for retirement. not time worked, but time from date of hire. this went away with the po promising an rca for every route. now that were going back to the way of being denied time off, because the po has a shortage of rca's, the union needs to figure out what will be just compensation. were about to lose another rca in our office, so we will be down to three rca's covering an aux route, and 7 k's and an h. i can see in the near future, carriers thinking they need to put in for vacation over holidays 3-5 years in advance, and then being pissed when their demands aren't meant. also keep in mind, we have a carrier retiring in a year, with another having 30+ years in, and 2 others with over 20 years in. one of the 20 year carriers is over 65.

what is the solution for extreme lack of rca's? what are you doing in offices, already in this position?
 
So true...used to buy NAPA almost exclusively because most made in America...now all Chinese and Mexican parts just like the other stores.

I did not realize NAPA was a national chain. I assumed they were local and that the stores had failed. I assumed they went back to supplying auto shops with parts.
 
In a nearby town there's a AutoZone, Advance Auto, O'Reilly's, CarQuest, and NAPA all within a couple of blocks of each other... I sometimes wonder how they all stay in business??? :unsure:
 
Back
Top