unconventional22
New member
Ok, will do! Thank you!
New RCA question
- Thread starter unconventional22
- Start date
Estima
New member
When I started out as a freshly-minted RCA 2.5 years ago, I had pretty strong feelings of inadequacy, and I for sure made some bad deliveries due to trying to get faster, quicker. Management handled that pretty well and tried as gently as possible to let me know when I effed up. Very soon - due to our desperate shortage of staff in our local PO - I was regularly working 70+ hours/week, and eventually learned to make fewer mistakes, even as I got faster. And they kept sending me out, day after day, night after night (not like they had much of a choice, lol)
Now that I'm a grizzled old veteran subbing on 12 different routes, here's something I like to tell our struggling new RCAs, as they come on duty and face the same struggles I did (as are you). That's "If you keep trying, they will let you keep trying."
That, and "You're making about $30/hour when you're in overtime."
I'm still right, on both counts.
Now that I'm a grizzled old veteran subbing on 12 different routes, here's something I like to tell our struggling new RCAs, as they come on duty and face the same struggles I did (as are you). That's "If you keep trying, they will let you keep trying."
That, and "You're making about $30/hour when you're in overtime."
I'm still right, on both counts.
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How long are you in the office?
Learn the route and the case follows. Drive it after hours if you're able. With time you'll be able to piece it together, if you have a letter/package for 123 South, you'll remember that South is right after College on row 4, just as an example. You'll get to the point where you can find an address almost without looking.
I have stopped using load truck, been burned too many times. Have had addresses that scan totally different than printed, won't show up at all, or packages that aren't even in your office. The sequence number is handy, especially for spurs on a route that you're not familiar with, if I do use it that's the only reason.
I started in September and run right along side the regulars, I didn't start really getting fast until Nov-Dec.
My biggest issues were just getting out of the office at a decent time, and wasting time looking for packages. If you're in an LLV where the tray slides, I will stage my packages on the left hand shelf, so all I have to do is reach back, grab and go, and reload occasionally. We have one with a broken tray that doesn't move, in that case I grab 2-4 packages at a time from the back and keep them up front with me, same in POV.
I would get in a hurry and just throw packages into the LLV, then spend 3-5 minutes looking for it. It's worth the time spent to organize them properly, and keep in mind that they will shift and slide around as you're driving, they may not be where you left them.
You are paid hourly at the beginning so it really makes no sense to try to beat eval, all you have to worry about is making truck. Slow and precise is better than fast and loose.
I typically group packages by case row or by street, and load them accordingly. Exceptions have to be made for very large packages.
I still mark spurs and bigs. I feel like the less I need to remember, the better, the little bit of time saved to stick a marker in the case is quickly eaten up if you have to turn around, especially on routes with a lot of miles between boxes.
Learn the route and the case follows. Drive it after hours if you're able. With time you'll be able to piece it together, if you have a letter/package for 123 South, you'll remember that South is right after College on row 4, just as an example. You'll get to the point where you can find an address almost without looking.
I have stopped using load truck, been burned too many times. Have had addresses that scan totally different than printed, won't show up at all, or packages that aren't even in your office. The sequence number is handy, especially for spurs on a route that you're not familiar with, if I do use it that's the only reason.
I started in September and run right along side the regulars, I didn't start really getting fast until Nov-Dec.
My biggest issues were just getting out of the office at a decent time, and wasting time looking for packages. If you're in an LLV where the tray slides, I will stage my packages on the left hand shelf, so all I have to do is reach back, grab and go, and reload occasionally. We have one with a broken tray that doesn't move, in that case I grab 2-4 packages at a time from the back and keep them up front with me, same in POV.
I would get in a hurry and just throw packages into the LLV, then spend 3-5 minutes looking for it. It's worth the time spent to organize them properly, and keep in mind that they will shift and slide around as you're driving, they may not be where you left them.
You are paid hourly at the beginning so it really makes no sense to try to beat eval, all you have to worry about is making truck. Slow and precise is better than fast and loose.
I typically group packages by case row or by street, and load them accordingly. Exceptions have to be made for very large packages.
I still mark spurs and bigs. I feel like the less I need to remember, the better, the little bit of time saved to stick a marker in the case is quickly eaten up if you have to turn around, especially on routes with a lot of miles between boxes.
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TuckersDad
Well-known member
If you have multiple SPRs for one address, use rubber bands and band them all together. This makes it less likely you'll miss one when you're at the box.
One of the regs in our office uses those spring loaded alligator clips, and clips them all together.
One of the regs in our office uses those spring loaded alligator clips, and clips them all together.
