Royal Mail Vans - Why So Abused?
Discussion
Another point I would like to add. If a driver has a "minor" incident with the vehicle I.e. Knock a wing mirror off, the driver usually gets taken off of driving duties and then he/she has to go on a driving assessment with a AA driving instructor. The effect of that is that all these little knocks and scrapes fail to get reported. That's why the fleet are so damaged etc. Also most of the vans have many different drivers using them throughout the day and thus get badly treated.
egor110 said:
buzzer said:
I was a fleet manager for Royal Mail many years ago… The drivers were animals even back then…
And I mean animals… it was not unusual for a driver to take a s
t in the back of a van and leave it there…
Lots of reasons why it’s like it is…
No pride in the job, never has been for the majority.
highly unionised – the drives felt untouchable… as an example when I worked there I heard of a competition between a group of drivers to see who could wear out the rear tyres on a new Sherpa van the quickest… we had loads of reports of drivers spinning the wheels up every time they pulled away. My tyre budget went through the roof, but management would not do anything…
I was then contacted by a company who had CCTV at their premises and invited to come and look at some video footage. It showed a driver come into the yard, collect the mail, and then drive to the rear of the factory. Another camera picked him up with the front of the van hard against the wall, while he spun the rear wheels until they smoked and smoked! I took the District Head Postmaster to see the video, and we suspended the driver… Result, an all-out strike. 2 days later he was re-instated – no action taken
We had three vans at a rural outstation where the drivers REALY looked after the vans, even polishing them. They were immaculate. So I used to give them a new van each every year, and put their old one into the reserve pool. Union intervened and said it was favouritism.. I was forced to stop it.
I could go on and on…
Sherpa's ! when was that late 80's early 90's ?And I mean animals… it was not unusual for a driver to take a s
t in the back of a van and leave it there…Lots of reasons why it’s like it is…
No pride in the job, never has been for the majority.
highly unionised – the drives felt untouchable… as an example when I worked there I heard of a competition between a group of drivers to see who could wear out the rear tyres on a new Sherpa van the quickest… we had loads of reports of drivers spinning the wheels up every time they pulled away. My tyre budget went through the roof, but management would not do anything…
I was then contacted by a company who had CCTV at their premises and invited to come and look at some video footage. It showed a driver come into the yard, collect the mail, and then drive to the rear of the factory. Another camera picked him up with the front of the van hard against the wall, while he spun the rear wheels until they smoked and smoked! I took the District Head Postmaster to see the video, and we suspended the driver… Result, an all-out strike. 2 days later he was re-instated – no action taken
We had three vans at a rural outstation where the drivers REALY looked after the vans, even polishing them. They were immaculate. So I used to give them a new van each every year, and put their old one into the reserve pool. Union intervened and said it was favouritism.. I was forced to stop it.
I could go on and on…
Re your 2nd paragraph drivers don't have time to polish vans as we have bigger deliveries (yes even spdo's) and secondly your job would now be done by some bright young thing straight from uni who repairs/replaces vans purely on budgets rather on which posties are managers favourites.
Vans are now only replaced when it's no longer cost effective to repair them.
I don't think they had time to polish the vans back in my day, it’s just that some of the rural offices had a real pride in their vans and did it in their own time.
I am glad to see that they are now replaced when it’s no longer cost effective to repair... the old policy was to replace on a time only basis which was frustrating for the workshops… you would often fit a new engine and gearbox, replace numerous parts, and then it would be replaced a week after! They are much more commercial now days I hope.
I had 28 fantastic years with Royal Mail, the Post Office, Parcelforce, Cashco, Post Office Counters, Quadrant, it was a great company to work for. . Less so these days I am lead to believe…
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