caseyjones -- " I’m a new rca .."
-- Welcome to the circus, the fray, or other less than complimentary names for the USPS. How long have you be an RCA?
"From what I understand we have an aux rt that is 6.20 a day and if it’s 7 hrs a day it’ll be full time."
-- That is correct, when an AUX reaches 42 hours, it will be converted to a regular route.
-- However, if you don't have 1 year of continuous service as an RCA, you won't be able to bid on the new route.
-- As an aside, your probationary period is 90 work-days ( no matter how many or few hours you worked ) or one calendar year. During your probationary period, manglement can fire you for just about any reason they can come up with -- so do the job by the book and to the best of your ability. Don't make it easy for them. Once you have completed the probationary period, the NRLCA, such an an office steward, can represent you in dealings with manglement.
"What are ways that cause a route to grow? "
-- Adding new homes, either singly or having a project build on the route. Having an apartment complex build on the route would work as would a strip mall.
-- Unfortunately, large AUX routes sometimes end up as a source of territory for other routes in the office.
"I’m shy and I don’t know my coworkers well enough to ask these questions and not feel dumb about it."
-- You'll have to get over the shyness or manglement will be on you like a shark that smells blood in the water!
-- Start reading the contract ( it's here somewhere at RI ( poke around the site as there is a wealth of info here ) to download ) and the PO-603 ( should be a copy in the Route Book at the case. Ask manglement for a spare copy ) When you start citing Articles from the contract and / or Sections from the PO-603, manglement will seek someone else to bother.
-- Most carriers, be they RCA's or regulars, are willing to answer your questions. Ask away in the office as well as here. Observe your coworkers while they work. You may see some method that will make your work easier and faster.
-- Should manglement come around, hinting that you should be working faster, just say "Thank you for your input. Could you show me how to get faster." That will usually send them elsewhere -- in a hurry!
-- The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. There is a lot of experience here at RI, so ask away.
-- No rail road jobs available in your area?
What are ways that cause a route to grow? It isn’t my route obviously, I just know that any step forward is good. I’m shy and I don’t know my coworkers well enough to ask these questions and not feel dumb about it.
