DPS to Street

[Maillady2024]

I’ve been a carrier for over 10 years and have always cased everything and marked all parcels. Marking parcels is something I definitely want to continue to do. I feel like now we are being rushed and I wanted to take dps to street. Any suggestions on how to set up truck and different things I can do?

 

[IDPOSTAL]

I have a LLV. 3 trays fit. From windshield to back door of LLV-- front tray is chunks ( If I have a large boxholder (which I don't case anything if I don't have to) (chunks go on floor between mail tray & backdoor) In the middle is flats, then the DPA goes on the farthest to the back. I do case my businesses & sometimes my CBU'S. If I don't case my CBU'S I band them up.

 

[FirstclassPITA]

Make a list instead of marking the big parcels. I take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. First half of route and last half of route. As i sort parcels in the morning i list them in delivery sequence. So far it has worked out well. The issue with marking parcels without casing dps is i would have like 4 or 5 markers on top of each other and it didn't do anything for me. Some people write the addresses on the markers themselves but i feel it more efficient to just make a list. The list is for anything not in my trays of delivery sequenced sprs.

You in a pov or llv/metris? In my pov i would take a half tray and load it up with dps. Flat tub on the drivers seat, small tray of dps on passenger seat and my tray of sprs was tucked behind the drivers seat in the back. With the metris it is just a tray of sprs a tray of dps and my tub of stuff i cased up front with as many dismounts as i can squeeze up there with me.

 

[btdtret]

Maillady2024 -- "I’ve been a carrier for over 10 years and have always cased everything and marked all parcels. Marking parcels is something I definitely want to continue to do. "

-- That is how I did it on my LLV route. I used numbered 5 x 7 cards. Put the number on the parcel and the card at the address. Much easier looking for a big number than small print. No number on the card, that meant it was a small parcel in a tray between the seat the the tray platform. Of course, that was before one could scan parcels while loading and hope the scanner would alert you later on. Or have a great memory!

"I feel like now we are being rushed and I wanted to take dps to street."

-- If you are meeting your evaluation, you could tell manglement that rushing leads to mistakes - or worse!

-- This will be a BIG step for you after years of casing mail. But it can be done as there were carriers in my last post office taking DPS to the streets while using a POV!

-- Setting up your "truck" will depend on what you have - a POV, LLV, Metris, or Platypus.

-- Probably best taking one tray of DPS to the street. Or dive right in by taking them all. Your choice! Just give it an honest effort - which may last for weeks or months. Just a few days is not nearly enough time to find a "system" that works best for you. If other carriers take DPS to the street, ask them how they set up their vehicle.

-- It will take time to find a set up, as noted in previous postings, and a "system" that works for you. That will include a way to keep track of customers on hold or have recently moved as well as where to put the DPS mail for them. Same for mail pieces of the "3-Letter" variety! I used what the city carriers called a "sculch" tray, which was basically a cardboard half-tray with multiple dividers, which I made myself, but apparently they are in the supply system. But with EOS time, might as well toss those items in one tub and sort them out when you get back to the post office. Out going mail went in a tub under the tray platform while the "sculch" tray was behind the seat. To each his/her own when setting up the vehicle.

-- Good luck.

 

[Rural-life-0323]

Read the DMM and PO 603.

We have the right to go through our mail. For example, we are instructed in the DMM to turn a letter backwards to indicate that we have a parcel. I could go on and on but essentially if management wants you to take the trays out without touching them there is a TON of things you could cite in your grievance(s) to fight them.

Just the turning letter around thing would drive them all up a wall and defeat their purpose since it would take a LOT longer to leave the office, since probably none of us does it that way.

 

[Kozaks]

i put DPS in plastic half trays( 1 ft. trays) and then 2 half trays in a tub.
Instead of casing DPS , i'll put parcel markers into the DPS . Easier to do that with half trays on case instead of the 2 ft trays . Mondays i'll put parcel markers in case because nearly everyone has something. i never case any SPRs, just use a hard tray on the floor and overflow in white tubs.

I did mostly have an LLV for last 32 years( POV for about 2 yrs early on) , just got the new duck mobiles and the setup with half trays for DPS is even more convenient.

 

[Old Fart]

Make a list instead of marking the big parcels. I take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. First half of route and last half of route. As i sort parcels in the morning i list them in delivery sequence. So far it has worked out well. The issue with marking parcels without casing dps is i would have like 4 or 5 markers on top of each other and it didn't do anything for me. Some people write the addresses on the markers themselves but i feel it more efficient to just make a list. The list is for anything not in my trays of delivery sequenced sprs.

You in a pov or llv/metris? In my pov i would take a half tray and load it up with dps. Flat tub on the drivers seat, small tray of dps on passenger seat and my tray of sprs was tucked behind the drivers seat in the back. With the metris it is just a tray of sprs a tray of dps and my tub of stuff i cased up front with as many dismounts as i can squeeze up there with me.

If you decide to list parcels make a simple spreadsheet with your streets in first column top to bottom 11" . If you have too many streets don't list those that rarely get parcels. Leave a blank to fill in if needed. The other streets are preprinted and all you have to do is put the house number for a parcel on the sheet.

I've made these about ten years ago for one of our offices with about 30 routes. I subbed them all so made them for every route. Some are still using them as routes haven't changed.

 

[Old Fart]

If you have city carriers in your office look at how several set up their LLV's. I started as a dual so had to do city routes and swings which helped me understand best layouts. As a rural, I rarely take DPS out, but our routes are high volume suburban so we almost always have some coverage or backer to separate and several thousand DPS for only perhaps 500 boxes, so it's far easier to case in the office.We have some CBU's which some carriers take out, but most is curbside individual boxes all standard sized in planned developments. It REALLY depends upon YOUR route, the type of mail and packages YOU get. I've visited maybe 30 offices and each one has it's differences.

 

[stillfirstclass]

now we are being rushed

if you don't want to take dps to the street, you don't have too

 

[Atimm693]

On lighter flat days I have been pulling my flats and markers down into the DPS. Seems like those days are more and more common now, doing it the old way just results in a bundle of red markers with no context, not all that helpful.

I don't know why anyone would case the DPS unless you have time to kill. You're handling it two extra times that way, huge waste of time. Let the machines do the work for you.

In my POVs that don't have a tray, I lay the drivers seat down flat, can fit two full size trays on it, one for flats (or flats/DPS together), and the other for Sprs. I don't mark those so I need to be able to see them easily. I usually lay a tray of DPS down in the drivers side floorboard.

Some day I'd like to make a flat table top sort of deal that I can lay on top of the seat, maybe cut slots so it locks into the headreast, with a couple dividers to keep trays from sliding around.

 

[TheMailman302]

I'm like rain man, I remember all my parcels after I tell myself the address while sorting. Its a blessing and a curse. I also check the lookahead like a crackhead looking for a fix.

 

[stingrayiii]

I'm like rain man, I remember all my parcels after I tell myself the address while sorting. Its a blessing and a curse. I also check the lookahead like a crackhead looking for a fix.

I do the same thing. lol. It's hard to teach people how to do it that way.

 

[Rural-life-0323]

I'm like rain man, I remember all my parcels after I tell myself the address while sorting. Its a blessing and a curse. I also check the lookahead like a crackhead looking for a fix.

Seriously,

All this talk of markers reminds me of my first 6 months before I was potty trained, but I never used them after that. My routes super easy now but before I was a regular if I did a route more than a week I never marked anything. I loaded the truck by sections and literally organized stuff as I went. Also with Lookahead, markers are pretty much pointless any more.

The time wasted with markers is better spent in Lookahead looking up the next 3-5 or 10 packages, finding them and having them ready to go. Once you know a route well enough you should be able to load stuff in order without even thinking much or looking them up other than to double check whether you missed something.

 

[jsthere723]

I utilize TACO casing ( if I have a suitable coverage ) only in rainy days . Semirural suburban southern California all CBU routes . Otherwise it goes to street —- I would say at least 95% of the days . I don’t know what I would have done if I had all curbside route though .

 

[jsthere723]

Seriously,

All this talk of markers reminds me of my first 6 months before I was potty trained, but I never used them after that. My routes super easy now but before I was a regular if I did a route more than a week I never marked anything. I loaded the truck by sections and literally organized stuff as I went. Also with Lookahead, markers are pretty much pointless any more.

The time wasted with markers is better spent in Lookahead looking up the next 3-5 or 10 packages, finding them and having them ready to go. Once you know a route well enough you should be able to load stuff in order without even thinking much or looking them up other than to double check whether you missed something.

Beyond training I probably have used markers for maybe a week . That was 24 years ago

 

[OnePiece]

Maybe I am in the minority here, I like using markers. I can do any other ways too but I don’t want to use my brain when I am out on the route. My route is mainly curbside. No marker, keep going, no need to look at the scanner or think which house has this or that. If there’s a marker I know it got something. The look ahead is great and all until you get one with the wrong number and street. Then you waste time looking for it just to realize you have been screwed. I always told the subs, there’s no right/wrong ways to do things. Just use whatever suit you and you can do it the fastest.

As for taking DPS to the street, I always believe people that can do it are the fastest. However not everyone can do it. What I can see nowadays is most subs took everything to the street. Even for route they are on the 1st time. Why? Then when they are in need of help, the people that went to help are at a lost too. In the end they brought everything back. Managements are mainly to blame, I want you to be back by such and such. The way I see it, if you are not over your evaluation then they can’t force you to take it to the street. Let’s stop here before I bring the Union into this mess too.

 

[She mails rural]

I so agree with you one piece. I can't believe I found someone that thinks just like I do about marking packages and dps both. I'm old school and what my carrier that trained me said that's always stuck with me is you do the work in the office so when your on the street your work then is safe driving because your mind can relax. Whatever time it may of take longer in the office you will make up on the street. She has always been right after all these years.

 

[oi veh.]

i use markers as well on my mostly on curbline route for the same reasons as @OnePiece and @She mails rural.

put my stuff in order and write the markers all at the same time, no different than scanning the package in, writing on it and putting in order or writing down on a piece of paper and numbering packages.

what happens when both technology and your brain fail? the major problem i have been seeing with the new subs is their brains glitch when they don't have a package in the lookahead. had one that when the lookahead didn't download, literally couldn't get the packages in order on a route well known to her because she never had to - she had relied on the technology.

also take DPS to the street. i ain't paid to handle it twice.