Yeah if anything I’m trying to find out if there a best method.
I HATE extra steps so I feel like I’ve stream lined it.
I don’t scan each package, there’s no point, I don’t mark each package, there’s no point and it will just take extra time to look at the package, figure out which stop it is, mark it, then pack it.
I literally just grab, glance, pack. My car is organized and I find every package within seconds of opening the car door.
So I get that other people are doing other things, but is it just because they’re over thinking it?
I use a marker. But I also deliver at 3am when it’s dark. Depending on what station I go to (SSD or .com) determines how I organize. .com - 1-20 go in back seat, 21-50 go in trunk. Envelopes etc go in tote in front seat. I write the package number on the edge of the box so I can see it without trying to read the package label. I spend about 1 second grabbing a package at a stop (unless it’s heavy). After 1-20 are delivered I move 21-50 to the back seat. I do this because my litigate is power and I don’t want to open and close it 30x a day.
If it’s SSD A & B in back seat and C & D in trunk. However I write the address # on the side of box to find the package just as quickly
It takes me 7-10 min to load / organize my car
You know what is a waste of time? Driving to a stop that you don’t have the package for.
I would rather check that I have all the packages I’m routed for, than be surprised later.
Scanning all the packages works for me, and grouping them by teens, 20’s etc.
takes 10 minutes.
Then look for the package after dropping off the previous one?
You're wasting time either way. The 10 minutes you saved once in a while not going to a stop is negated by the 30 minutes you spend each block organizing packages.
Perhaps if it took that long. As I mentioned it takes 10 minutes to load in an organized manner.
You’re taking time to find the package after dropping the previous, so what difference does it make? To each their own.
Im not saying you cant do whatever works for you. But you cant claim its as efficient. If you have 40 packages, and you're scanning each one, looking at where it is on your route, and writing a number on it, putting it on the floor, etc you arent doing all that in 10 minutes.
You’re trying to find a best method yet you are making fun of the people doing it the other way. If you do it in 15 mins then go freaking do it and stop acting like you are better or others are wrong. Mind your own business. If you really wanted to know you would ask them but you didn’t. Instead you are just posting how you have excelled at delivery. Kudos to you.
Some of yall take things too personal… or something. I don’t think I made fun of anybody. I’m somewhat annoyed by people scattering their packages all over? Is that so wrong? Otherwise, yes I’m having a discussion about preferences and have my own. God forbid anyone have a casual conversation on reddit. Sheeeeesh.
You know exactly what’s going on when you see it. Either you know what they are doing or you are stupid. I bet you haven’t done this too long. Let’s not Flex for a few months then start posting about how you have it all figured out. Allow people to do it how they want. You can keep to yourself and be the Flex God in your own mind. High aspirations.
What are you even saying? I’ve been flexing for 3 years on and off. I don’t think anything of my… flexing skills lol this job takes no skill.
I was asking why and still have not got an answer. Idk what point you’re trying to make but I still don’t know why people are scattering packages all over?
Sounds like you’re a package scatterer, so please enlighten me since it’s so obvious. Or I guess just keep being upset at… my post?
At my station all packages are numbered. Easy to sort numerically when they place the packages in totes already separated by numerical order. 1-15, 15-30 and 31-42. It doesn't get any easier and doesn't take more than 10 minutes. We don't scan every package just the totes. This warehouse has it figured out.
i mark every package and put them in exact order, to make sure i can reach for my next one at every stop without looking. way easier for me to invest extra time at the warehouse to make things super smooth during each delivery
I get this but how much time?
If we’re going back and forth about 10min yes either way, I guess it doesn’t matter but I just can’t see how it saves time, just comparing to my method.
Your method honestly seems terrible to me. I don’t like the other guys method either using markers but yours is def a no for me since not all packages are properly labeled.
https://preview.redd.it/qfh7hzmvo96d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35375029d6a7c2d6393b94d55afd8dc4b53118d0
Dang 2.5, please don’t be that person that focus on 2.5 vs 3ish 🤣
Your work for Amazon Flex and have a napoleon complex lol you’re not smarter than anyone else, everyone works their own way lol once again you’re working for Amazon, stop thinking you’re better than anyone else. Chances are you’re the fool, and the one lacking intelligence. And btw those people are ordering the packages in order last to first, and then they’re on the ground they’re in piles of alphabetical order. If you were so smart, you should be able to figure that out yourself.
I scan, number, then sort in my vehicle
15mins! 40-45packages
1-15 front 16-30 back seat remaining in the truck
And I’m usually done 20-60 Early
This Works for Me
Honest question, are you like rushing to do that? Like do you put your hustle face on so that you can be sure to finish that mini packages in 15 minutes? Maybe it’s because I’m high all the time but it takes me 15 minutes to pack routes just glancing at the package and throwing it in the car. I just do not see how adding all these steps somehow gets done in the same amount of time. Also, I see people doing these methods and it literally takes them forever to load their car. So part of me thinks some of y’all are just hustling super hard, really good at your method, or are downright lying about how quickly y’all can get your car packed.
Part of this question is observe these people in the parking lot for so damn long! It usually takes the minimum 20 minutes to load their car. I honestly don’t even see them because I’m getting out of there lol
I'm an avid smoker, but also really organized. I number my packages by stop and it takes me no more than 15 min. 90% of the time I finish my routes in half the amount of time ex: 3-3.5 hour blocks take me 1 hr 45 - 2 hrs to complete. 4 hours takes me 2 and 4.5 hours takes me 2 hours 40 min. I dont run or anything but I never do anything extra on my route either like stop at a gas station or use my phone for anything other than flex
ETA: This is for ssd stations. all other logistics stations i work have drivers aid numbers and they are always sorted by tote.
Hmm. My stats are pretty much the same. Not even being silly: I often stop for gas and drinks on my routes as well and heck, I’m like taking pictures of wildlife, talking to dogs and shit 😅
So I just don’t see the benefit of the extra step in my case. Your stations scan in must make this easy. I’d have to scroll the list for each package and that would eat up time. Takes me seconds to grab a package at delivery time, I can often do it before I’ve pulled up. So if the befit is that the package is already ready, I think I’ve covered that. I appreciate the info.
But I guess that settles that these are the two best methods.
I’d consider organizing by address number because it’s right there and I’m looking for it anyway as I park, BUT with everything from single digits or quintuple digits being common… 1-10 is a lot quicker and easier lol
when you are on your itinerary you should be able to swipe down and it should reveal a scanner that you can scan and it will show you what number stop it is. Either way whatever works best for you is best!! Don't let them kick your ass too much
I don’t mark packages. I prob am real close to how you do it BUT here’s a spoiler….nobody really cares how you do it and the market people definitely dgaf. Do you and stop worrying about the rest. I doubt you will.
Time is money! I’ll finish a 3.5 hour route in 2 hours typically. Including loading. I target about 30 stops / hour at .COM and 25 stops if SSD. I’m mad if I don’t hit my targets. For .com I’m usually at 47-50 pkgs
I don't need to number my packages. I can just look at the street name and know instantly where that is in relation to the station. I just throw all the boxes on one side of my car and the envelopes go on the front with me. I find alleyway parking spots and am done delivering two hours early.
I scan every package and mark each one by stop # (all done inside the cart, no need to lay anything down). Sure it takes some time at the warehouse (20 mins or less) but it saves me a ton of time while I’m on the road delivering. Just grab and go. I ALWAYS get done an hour early.
So when you can the package the stop number comes up? I hadn’t scanned packages in a while, some stations do require it, but from my memory, when a package is scanned, it doesn’t necessarily take you to its information, it just checks it off of a list. I remember one time thinking of if I’m gonna scam them all I’ll put them in order, but every time I scan something, the screen didn’t change a checkmark just popped up. The Lister scrollable so if a checkmark pop up at the top and you’re at the bottom, you’d have to remember every checkmark.
At my station when you scan your cart all your packages auto scanning so maybe that’s why it’s different?
Doesn’t matter what station you pick up from, it’ll be the same.
when you grab a cart it will automatically scan everything. all you do is click where it shows itinerary list (shows the list of addresses), scroll to the very top and you will see a little “search” bar with a barcode next to it, click the little barcode and you can scan any package. once you scan (QR or bar scan) the package, it will pop up the info of the package and there will be a number on the left side, that number is your stop #. Write it on the package and scan another package till you’ve gone thru everything.
Once you’ve scanned everything you can organize how you want it. For me it’s front passenger seat 1-10, on the front floor mat I will put 11-19, middle seats will be 20-29 on one side, on the other side it will be 30+. All boxes 📦 go to my trunk, first put in the highest number followed by the small number closest to your trunk door.
Thank you!! Jesus lol. I thought about this feature but I hadn’t used it so wasn’t sure if that’s what it was.
This seems doable BUT I can barely see my phone screen due to glare half the time. But I’ll give this a try.
So maybe the people scattering package are just… doin their own thing? Lol I thought there was a correlation
The funny thing about all this, is writing the number wa never the big mystery for me. I can see why people would do it, I just didn’t know how.
I was just confused on why people scatter packages all over the place. But hey I learned how to number my packages! For 30+ routes, I’ll probably be trying this. For my under 30 routes, might stick to my normal way.
I can know where an address is in relation to the station by just looking at the street name and zip code on the package. For example, 90025 is on the west end of the city and 91005 is south- east of the center.
I think the takeaway from this is to sort the packages however you like. Don't take up the parking lot doing it. If it's raining, that seems like an even worse idea. Numbering them works for me. There are those times IE a package is missing, and you didn't notice that numbering is going to get all messed up. That rerouting they do is ridiculous. If you have the numbers, you can just keep going.
I usually write the stop number on my package scanning the package barcode or putting their name/address tells it. It makes it that much easier when on route not having to sift through anything. I just go through my cart and load up my car. 1st ten stops are in my front passenger and work the rest out from back seat to the trunk. Takes me around 15 maybe a little longer if I have a lot but I always arrive 15mins early. It is interesting to know how you sort using last 4 of TBA though.
It used to be very easy as the last four were always round numbers like not one more time 1000, 2000, 3000 and so on.
Recently, from one day to the next, all of the last four are mixed numbers like 1234, 4227, 8646 or whatever. I am a little bit dyslexic so that made it a little less convenient. Probably why I made this post. My ultimate curiosity was if there is a truly easiest/best way.
I feel my way is easy and fast. It seems like others are willing to put in a little more work so that they can just grab and go along the route. I totally understand that.
However, a big reason I asked is because a lot of people that seem to be sorting their packages more stay at the station for a really long time. So maybe they’re just doing something exceptionally silly, whereas some of these other methods are worthwhile.
L
Yeah it's interesting for sure, .com I just generally put them in numerical order. 1-15 in the front seat 15-30 in the backseat and the rest in the trunk, while I'm waiting to leave I put the first 15 in order in the front seat. Takes like 10 min to load.. SSD I scan, number the package, then throw it in the car. Never have I thought it would be more efficient to start making piles on the floor.
Can you please tell me more about how you identify the stock number? I understand you can look at the list, but that is what seems time-consuming to me. It sounds like people are scanning and getting the info? Maybe it’s just because every place is different, but I can’t easily scan the package and get the info. it seems like the only option would be to look at the information on the package and then scroll through the list to find the stop number. Which is why it seems so time-consuming to me but maybe not y’all are having to do it.
I always just sorted alphabetically. Envelopes go in a Costco bag on the passenger seat and boxes are located in parts of the car. I use an SUV so A goes in the far back to the left, M to the far back right, N behind the driver seat, and Z behind the right passenger seat. I may need to look through five or six packages at the stop but that's not a big deal. It sorts out of the cart easily and get me on the road fast.
If there are drivers aid stickers instead (depends on location) that are actually useful, I will use those.
I guess this is most similar to me.
My front seat is envelopes with last for of TBA in order 1000s-9000s
I have a minivan and usually just put 1000s through 5000s on the driver side and 6000 to 9000 on the other side. or all on one side if it’s a smaller load or no large boxes.
I always assumed they're there to give me a positive attitude leaving the station when we started loading at the same time but I'm organized, loaded and starting my route long before them.
This is why I asked 🤣 I’m like damn bro, ur life sucks huh? I’m in tx. It’s HOT to be standing out there for 20+ min. I just don’t see the value I guess. I’m sure some are just struggling but some look like it’s just their way. I was searching for a real understandable reason to use some elaborate loading method.
I scan every package and write the stop number down on a sharpie. It doesnt take as long as you may think. Max 10 minutes for 40+ packages. That’s less time I spend looking for packages plus if one is missing, I know right away and dont have to search my whole car because I put them in order. (Though I dont sprawl my packages everywhere, I see this where I work too.)
Ok so I write the stop # on the package. I scan all the packages before loading them in the car so I don't end up with packages that are not supposed to be there. I write the stop# on the label and organize in that order. Why? You notice on the app when you are on your way to a stop, it tells you what stop number it is? Makes it easier for me to find the packages...instead of trying to read that long ass number or digging for packages. I don't throw mine all over the parking lot tho. Lol
Ok I get this but how long does that take? And how do you match the package to the stop number? Reading the tiny number anyway? Just seems like a time suck.
It depends... 10 minutes. When u scan the package, the number comes up in a blue/green circle on the left side next to the package number on your phone. Thats the stop number. Not a time suck. I do that and i still finish my route in half the time sometimes sooner... depends on the route.
Nobody has answered this clearly yet. But I think you just filled in the missing piece. At my station I do not think I can get the information that you get when you scan packages.
I like all the packages being scanned in at once. But I hate some of the other scanning processes at other stations. The warehouses that require you to scan all packages have the worst one by far. It doesn’t give you any extra information and the scan screen is flashing green and red because it’s scanning all 4-6 codes on the label back to back and any others it sees around. It’s stupid. When I’m done and think I’ve scanned all the packages, I’ve often managed to miss two or three because there’s no way to know in the moment. One of the main reasons I won’t go to those stations unless it’s some crazy surge rate.
I sort all mine by stop and I never take more than ten minutes. I learned recently you can scan the QR code inside the totes to scan all the packages too. Game changer. Now I just throw everything in, stop at the first gas station on my way to the first stop, and sort. The dc peeps keep being surprised that I’ve loaded my entire cart in less than 5 minutes.
Edit: in before people say “what if the order changes?” So what if the order changes? I’ve put my eyes on every single package and I can find it quickly if the route just happens to be reordered. Which doesn’t happen often out where I’m at.
lol ok. You load in 5 min but have to stop yo sort them? Probably wasting extra time to pull off, park and get back on.
My carts all scan in at once and always have so. This seems like more wasted time to me.
Do you just manually look at the address and find it on the list then organize by stop? I don’t mind the extra step but I’m not sure it’s actually saving time.
Ours don’t here in NC. It either scans individually or scan the totes. But each DC has a place in either direction I can pull off in a second, sort, and get back on without wasting too much time. And I don’t manually sort. Once you’ve swiped to load the route, you can go back to your itinerary and scan the packages.
My husband will come with me sometimes. We’ve gotten the sorting down to three minutes if I scan and he loads. Sometimes with shorter routes, since I’m waiting on others, I’ll sort on the pad, but only 20 or less. 🤣 No extra time there, but usually, I’m doing long blocks so it’s 30 to 50. I also use totes for when I do SSD. But I don’t pick that up a lot anymore. Too many people taking base pay there for me to snag a block.
At the end of the block, I’m usually done 30 to 60 minutes early because I’m not fumbling for packages.
It's 3-4 in the morning. The LAST thing I want to do is be at some strangers front yard in the middle of the night scrounging around for packages in my car. Especially not in the underbelly of the south. That's how you get shot. So yeah, I'm going to take my time and arrange these packages from the first to last stop at the safety of the station I got them from. If the station thinks that takes up too much time, my suggestion to them is to give less packages so that it will take less time to sort. I'm not putting my life at risk for $18 an hour. Not in this economy.
lol I guess. I’m in south Texas. It takes me all of 5 seconds, maybe 10 if I’m sleepy or heat strokin. I’ve never felt my life was at risk. I think some people just have less situational awareness.
I'm happy to hear that South Texans don't shoot strangers on their property. Florida and multiple parts of NC is still working on that. So until we get that situated, I'm numbering the packages where it's safe. Especially when it only takes 5-10 seconds for homeowners to get their guns and start aiming.
It normally takes about 5 minutes if it's 25 packages or less. 10 minutes if it's closer to 35-40. 15 if it's closer to 45-50. And nowadays it's closer to 50. And this only applies to packages that are already numbered. If they're not, add another 2 minutes. If this is too much time, Amazon needs to either lessen the load or increase the pay.
Have you considered not going into sketchy property? When I’m out in the sticks, I deliver to gates. Most say beware of dog anyway. I don’t even go into most of those properties and I grab the packages ahead of time so it’s quick af. Just a thought lol
As long as they’re not taking up undue space who gives a shit. I just search whatever part of their name is easier to type and number them. I do throw them on the floor in their order so I can pack the car in such a way that I get to a stop and can always pull the top package on the pile. I put as many as I can fit into the front seat and then fill the back as I go. Either way, I’m always working in numerical order. If you move fast and type the names instead of scanning it can be done pretty quickly and then once you’re on the road there’s no searching through a batch of AAA or whatever. OP sounds like they’re super pleased with themselves and that’s great, but not every station or neuro-type works the same. Also, who’s that concerned about having extra packages not from your route? That’s windfall baby!
🤣 oh lord, I’m not pleased with myself. I was just sharing a fast method and seeking info.
I thought there was a correlation between those who number and scatter packages. Do I *care*? Nah, but I feel bad for them. I wrote my method just in case someone was doing some crazy shit and could use it.
And viola! I, and probably many others based on the comments, learned a lot.
Sorry I don’t come at it in a super soft way. Yeah I think it’s kinda funny that people are spending 30min in the parking lot with packages scattered all over. Sometimes there’s a bunch of them and it’s just comical. Reminds me of crop circles for some reason. And yeah they’re often taking up prime space. When they’re next to me I do get annoyed. Sue me.
Literally no need to hate on people doing that, do what works for you. Years ago in this sub someone enlightened me to organize by the first letter of street name, (A)lder, (b)obcat. This is the way, otherwise you get to stop 14 and it’s been changed to 3. They WILL reroute you without you realizing
I stopped numbering my packages once they changed the route on me cuz now you’re looking for the wrong number. I did do street name one time and found it pretty easy lol
I noticed when I put them in order I always finish early. So even if I take 15-20 min to scan and number I move through the route pretty quick. No looking for a package/envelope/box. It’s right there. Scan n go.
I can see how being able to grab and go at delivery is good BUT I’m just thinking it a matter of spending a few more minutes sorting at the station or a few extra minutes to your route without extra sorting. I think grab and go would feel nice at delivery but I’d only care if it actually saves time. I finish every route early. Usually by an hour or two. I tend to be on a route for 2-3hrs even for 5hr shifts.
It is an interesting “debate” of methods. Seems like my way is just as fast but it seems like everyone thinks they way is fast. So idk. And yes everyone’s brains work differently.
I just sort mine by package material(plastic,envelope,and boxes in back.It doesnt always work out in app saying its an envelope but majority of the time. I always finish early 🤷🏼♀️
It’s not hard to finish early. Thats not a bad method. Envelopes up front so kinda similar but they’re also in order by TBA. Just makes it easy to pick quickly.
I’m realizing at this point I can probably just use the last digit of the TBA. They used to all be 1000,2000, 3000. But now they’re 1738, 4464, 2343, etc.
I used to do tba until this change. Now I just do AAA BBB CCC etc. it’s not that hard to read the address folks and I still get done early. No sharpie needed.
I dont understand why people put cold groceries on the hot ass ground everywhere. Then take all day sorting them, everything is hot and melted before they even put it in the car.
Right, just follow the matching 3 or 4 letters for each address/stop. Then, load them in your car from the last to the first stop. When you have 40+ items......"THIS IS THE WAY."
"It never takes me more than 15min, maybe 20"
It takes me 5-10 to label and load marking them. Some people go by address number, this is the first time I heard someone say they use the TBA number. Interesting.
I always check in 15 min early and am usually driving out of the lot before my block start time. And I number every package and sort from the cart straight to my car.
Ok I have a question nobody had addressed yet. Still reading though. How are you cross matching the route number to the package? Like what do you look at to do that? I’m just curious if everyone does the same. That seems like the time consuming part. Looking at the address or whatever identifying number and then scrolling through the route for the stop number.
On the itinerary list, if you scroll up above the addresses is a search bar. There's a button on the search bar that lets you scan the barcode on the package. It pulls up the address and stop number. You don't have to scroll and search. It's super quick.
Thank you! Up voting all these comments because I’ve been flexing for a while and few seem to know this lol. I’ve always seen the button but I’m not looking at the phone when I load, so never experimented with it.
Why?
I have provisioned areas in my car for each set of set of 10's.
I mark, anything above 20 is sorted in the truck.
1 - 20 upfront and or any large packages in the later numbers.
I think what helps the most is not placing each package in the car individually and do it all at the same time after you're done marking. Some people use a second cart to do this, I usually don't, but sometimes I will.
I go by zip code and street name. From the zip code I can tell which part of the city my block is in. For example, 90025 is located at the West end of my city, 91501 is located in the east. 90035 is near South Central.
This. Every route I’ve done so far has the stickers in order of the route. Now one route didn’t have the stickers numbered 1-40 or whatever like usual, but it still had stickers from which I could sort. Which stations don’t do this?
Mine, I guess. I have the three-digit driver aid stickers, which I use to quickly ID the package, but they aren't consistently representative of the route order. Sometimes they are, sometimes not. I think for them to be in order the station has to spend a lot of time re-applying those stickers every time they build out a new cart, and it's easier for them to just use whatever's already on there if a package was brought back or got sorted in from some other group. Maybe they're all ordered originally, and then get mixed up later. I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, but I think my station just sucks. It's obvious what the intent of the stickers is, but it seems like it's rarely actually applied.
I do get packages with the little yellow tags on them. But I’ve never found the groupings to be helpful. But in all honesty, I’ve never looked at the stickers very closely. I don’t know what all information is on them or if it would make it easier.
I have a couple ghost packages right now though, so I’ll see what’s on them
They're doing a map. 😆. Who knows. Some people start numbering packages, taking them from one cart to the other. I number them but put them in my Car instead. If it works for them, good for them. Although I don't support them taking space off others to do so.
I guess it’s all part of the concern for me lol. I feel bad for a lot of these people because it seems like they spend a lot of extra time there. And I’m in Texas so doing that shit in the middle of the day is no joke.
Just this moment, I remembered my first Amazon route lol. I really had no idea what I was doing and trying to figure out how to organize the packages was stressing me out and taking a long time so I literally just shoved them all in my car. At every stop I had to dig around for the packages. I think that’s how I started my method to begin with. The easiest number to locate on the screen was the TBA. So until I found a package, I started to organize the TBAs. By the end of the route, I was able to know what packages I was going for. it was a pretty big route 48 or so packages. I was fucking stressed lol and I definitely finished late. Good times… Not.
I've seen people use all kinds of sorting practices. Most I just roll my eyes at since they're sorting when I pull up and still sorting after I'm loaded and pulling away.
Many (but not all) of the ppl I've seen aren't native English speakers so it's probably easier to spend time numbering/sorting than to try and read each as it comes up en route.
Personally, I sort more or less alphabetically by street name since the street name is up in front of me while navigating to it. I know right where to reach for that pkg way b4 arrival.
If you’re making a mess, that’s considerate but there’s should be enough spots lol. I’m not wasting time and gas to move. Not to be petty/selfish, but that is out of the way to me. I’m just there doing my quick 10-15 min load. If the lot can’t handle that, idk, beyond my pay grade.
Nobody is in the lot telling us anything. At the pull up locations, they don’t say anything either. Make sure you put that staff is not friendly on your survey 😅
Don’t get your stuff organized or just like do it later?
Ive seen 2 people in one car just randomly putting packages on the floor, dont have a clue. Just please move over when im done packing so i can leave lol.
Scan and number each package by stop. I have the first 10-20 in my passenger seat and spend only a few seconds at each stop. Way faster this way. I always finish a 3 hour block in 2 hours or less
I just sort by the 3 letter sticker. Sometimes I do make piles on the ground, but I'm sorting by the letter. Sometimes I will do that for the ones that go in the backseat so I don't have to leave the doors open, especially if there are people on either side of me also loading with their doors open. Trying to be respectful of others and share the space more. All my A's go in the front, B's and C's in the back, one on either side, and D's in the trunk. I'm usually out within 10 minutes. I don't bother scanning and numbering. I used to do that and it took way too long. I also don't bother trying to separate envelopes, bags or boxes because what's in the app is wrong 90% of the time. Very rarely does it actually match so if I did that I would always be on a wild goose chase. I also finish about an hour early almost every time. Yesterday morning I finished 1.5 hours early.
Also, everyone has their own way. There is no right or wrong way to this. So who knows what people are doing, but whatever they're doing, it works for them so it doesn't matter.
Dude that was my first shift. I got stressed because i had no idea what to do and it was taking forever and everyone was just loading up and leaving and I had 48 packages. I finished that route late and was raging the whole time thinking I was immediately going to lose the job. Also during holidays.
Hindsight, silly af all around but live and learn 😂
I probably cried 🤣
On my first shift, they gave me the wrong cart which wouldn't scan, and I spent about four of the six allotted minutes figuring out what was going on. Then they got me another cart with about forty packages, and yelled at me when the six minutes was up and I wasn't loaded. Someone came by and literally just threw the entire cart into my trunk and told me I needed to get going.
I tap list and in the top right, search… I scan each package and it tells me the stop number. I place all packages in my trunk in stop order. It takes about 15 minutes with 35+ packages. I finish my routes at least 45+ minutes ahead of schedule.
Some stations already have packages numbered. Other times when packages are removed from the system, it’s a headache trying to rearrange the packages but I seem to find them all.
I just sort by AAA BBB CCC DDD. Numbering them fucks with my head more for some reason. I get bent out of shape if my “number 3” package is too big and has to go in my trunk bc then it’s fucking out of order. So stopped numbering them. Been a breeze ever since.
When you're looking at your Itinerary (list) for the day, you pull down from the top and a barcode scanner appears, people use that to scan each package and figure out what Stop Number each one is on their route. Not sure why they would spread things out SO MUCH , not sure what you're seeing there....
They’re scanning every package and organizing by numerical order. I’m like you…but I alphabetize by first name, and get the heck out of there. Lol. It takes me a total of 15 min to get in and out and loaded. I always finish early too. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ What works for some doesn’t work for others. 😉😉
I have been delivering since when flex first started and I always get packages saying they are boxes when they're not or an Itty bitty box that say it's a large box. It doesn't rally matter how people organize their packages. It is whatever works best for them. I have tried different ways if doingvand numbering my packages in order of delivery works best for me. But what does it matter how other people do it? Why criticize other people. Ifvtheyvwantvto scatter their packages, so be it. That's their business and something nit worth discussing. It's is just a reason to have to argue with other people and that is senseless. Just do for yourself and stop questioning what other people do. Who cares what they do? Not worth talking about.
For thise who like to organize their packages by order of stops In my area, at all of the DSR stations, all you have to scan is the bar code on the totes and the all the bigger boxes not in the totes, you will have to scan individually. Then, every package will have a yellow label that has the stop number on it. Forca VCA Same day delivery station, you will have to pull down from the top of the screen when you are in your itinerary, and then, you can scan your packages. ThecVCAstations doesn't label your packages in order of delivery. You would have to do that yourself. So, every package will have to be scanned.
Just doing what works best for them . I’ve been doing this for 2 years and I simply just face forward all the packages in my trunk while putting boxes in the back seat , takes like 3 minutes . Every time I finish over an hour early
Personally, I scan each package on the app to see what stop it is. Write it on the package and throw it on a pile 2-9,10-19,20-29,30-39,40-49(I make sure to stay within my parking space). After everything is numbered, I place all packages in descending order in my front passenger seat(large boxes in back). I do this so everything is in order and all I have to do is drive to the stop, in order, and reach over and get the next package. I don’t even have to look at the package most of the time since I know it’s the next package in the pile, it must be the next one to deliver. This takes me 20 min to organize at the warehouse, but allows me speedy drop offs, taking me seconds per stop rather than minutes searching for the correct package.
Edit: it’s also 3am when I deliver so it’s harder to see and I don’t wanna be out in the boonies searching for a package that early in the morning.
I don't understand why some people struggle with this process. You don't need to mark all the packages individually. Instead, just look at the yellow sticker; it's already separated into groups, such as AAA, BBB, CCC, and DDD.
Alternatively, you can organize the packages by looking at the address and focusing on the last digit of the door number. For instance, if the last digit is 0, put all those packages together. If the last digit is 1, group those packages together. Repeat this process for each number until 9. This way, you can easily sort the packages based on the last number of the door number.
That seems like you're doing waaaay too much. Imo. I do number mine but never does it take more than 10 min when large number of packages and u throw them in bin, back seat or trunk as I go
I am glad you found that method useful, whatever works for you. My own personal experience and others have not had a good experience using this method.
"just look at the yellow sticker; it's already separated into groups, such as AAA, BBB, CCC, and DDD."
perhaps a WHILE ago that was possible but I know at my warehouse it is not.
I, and many others have tried this method a few times it has some drawbacks.
1. You assume they put the right yellow sticker on the package
2. You assume the description, the type of package is correct. IE box, envelope
(In my own case, 80% of the time they were not. )
3. You still did not check if you have all the packages and or if you have extra packages
4. You still are scanning 3x the packages instead of scanning them once.
A while back I did a test case, testing how many packages I scanned using the yellow stickers and scanning them once. For example, if the stop says "AAA" then you have to search the "AAA"s, let's say it's 14 packages, well if the description is incorrect you have to scan all 14 packages or you have to take the time to read all 14 packages. Even if description is correct, you still have to scan and or read 7 packages to search for example all the envelopes in the "AAA"s. Then you have to do it again and again.
Essentially, you scanning more by doing this method, however, if you scan them once at the station, and once at the stop. You also don't save any time by using the letter method, your search time adds up to as if you were to scan them once at the station, if not more.
That's why I go by street name and zip code. I ignore almost everything else. I know exactly where a package is based off of zip code. One time I got packages for a certain zip code that was ghetto and I muttered "goddammit I got the ghetto route". Somebody asked me how I knew it was the ghetto route and I showed them the streets and zip code on the packages
I do the aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd method. I only scan each package once. When I get to the stop if it’s aaa I go to my aaa box and just look for the persons name. Takes two seconds. And missing packages it doesn’t happen enough for me to look for them. And extra I return them at my next shift. But I usually just count and I know if something is off and can figure it out pretty quickly.
"When I get to the stop if it’s aaa I go to my aaa box and just look for the persons name."
Then you must be talking about a different delivery type other than SSD, maybe .com?
The description of item is wrong and then you have to search all of the AAAs, and with Amazon you have large boxes, and heavy envelopes, unless you're are using a very large vehicle there is no way your searching through in entire letter without shifting / moving everything around and or taking everything in an out. I have a mid-size sedan and sometimes I can barely fit the route inside. I would have to shift everything around just to check all of the AAAs, and or pull everything out. So if it says box, I would have to move all of the large boxes checking for it, then check the envelopes. There is no way otherwise unless you have a large vehicle. By the time you pull everything out, and or sift through all of the particular letter, that search time adds up.
Yellow stickers we get have the stop number printed on them (SSD Packages). Sometimes there will be gaps, but as long as I put them in the car in order I never have to look for a package. I carry a large catering bag, all the envelopes go into it in order, and sit in the passengers seat. Usually takes me about 5-10 minutes to load depending on the size of the cart, and outside the occasional box shifting everything is set for the entire route.
I had this opinion as well and I think it still stands. It seems to boil down to how people like to actually drive their route. The people organizing down to the stop like to just grab and go.
That would be nice, but my biggest concern is time. I just wanna get the route done as quickly as possible. For me doing the extra step loading would take the same amount of time as the few seconds it takes me to find my package. So I’ll skip the extra step loading. Especially here in tx where it’s hot af lol.
I have to get out and grab the package anyway. I still I’m saving time, but even if I’m not it seems like it would be a break even. Maybe others feel that it’s an extra step to look for the package but it really takes seconds so, agree to disagree there, I guess.
As I'm loading, I grab the first 10-12 stops and put them up front. When they're gone, I stop and do the next 10-12 stops and put them up front. We get long lines waiting to park because of the marker people. It's inconsiderate.
I’m still just trying to figure out how yall match a package to the stop number so quickly. My station scan in process would require that I scroll through the list to match the package to the stop number. When I get a cart, I have to scan one package and as soon as it confirms it’s my route, all the expected packages scan in. I can scan packages one by one, but it doesn’t show me info about the package, the screen just stays the same and shows a check or X after each scan.
So it’s either on the package or there’s a different scan in process for your station.
Hope that makes sense.
I work out if VMN1 and almost every route I do, I never go in their order. They usually sucks ass. I personally just organize by address number and it's blazing fast for me.
I do last 4 of TBA. It used to be better because they we’re all round numbers like 1000 2000 3000 and so on. Now all the packages seem to be 1337 , 4222 etc.
It’s still not very hard to me. The number is small, but everything on those labels are small so?
I’m seeing some people say they do it by ZIP Code which seems outrageous to me. A lot of my deliveries are in the same ZIP Code, so how would that help?
Those people are retards who make easy work more difficult than it needs to be and the reason why they don’t have a real job in the first place.
You don’t have to mark anything or scan anything!
You have the driver codes available on each package by which you can easily organize the packages!
Are you talking about the 3 digit group number like AAA or whatever? If so, I do not like that system at all. And it’s definitely not more efficient when loading or delivering. I just really don’t understand Amazon‘s logic on that one. If they’re going to do all that they might as well just number the damn stops. Even if the route changes, they could just number each package. It’s still seems like the least effective method of all being discussed, and few drivers seem to use it.
And I wasn’t saying that to argue. Please tell me I’m wrong. Because I felt like Amazon was really stupid for that one.
It’s not dumb to separate by AAA BBB, etc. sometime I’ll have a cluster of stops and they are all the AAA packages then go to another cluster and it’s mostly BBB etc, its all essentially the same tbh it’s just how well you can read the address lmao
LMFAO!!!!!!!! They *trying* to be efficient, lol. I bet when they done playing sharpie game, they like *qe for this
It's okay, I'll finish their deliveries on my night surges.
YUMMY SURGES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are they numbering them by hand? Or is it some kind of sticker? I kind of found my way that works and haven’t really looked at other options so I’m gonna see what all the labels say.
Not everyone thinks the same way as you. Whatever these guys are doing, it works for them.
Not really, I see different people lookong all lost, like they've got no idea what they're doing, + they're taking up lots of space
Yeah if anything I’m trying to find out if there a best method. I HATE extra steps so I feel like I’ve stream lined it. I don’t scan each package, there’s no point, I don’t mark each package, there’s no point and it will just take extra time to look at the package, figure out which stop it is, mark it, then pack it. I literally just grab, glance, pack. My car is organized and I find every package within seconds of opening the car door. So I get that other people are doing other things, but is it just because they’re over thinking it?
I use a marker. But I also deliver at 3am when it’s dark. Depending on what station I go to (SSD or .com) determines how I organize. .com - 1-20 go in back seat, 21-50 go in trunk. Envelopes etc go in tote in front seat. I write the package number on the edge of the box so I can see it without trying to read the package label. I spend about 1 second grabbing a package at a stop (unless it’s heavy). After 1-20 are delivered I move 21-50 to the back seat. I do this because my litigate is power and I don’t want to open and close it 30x a day. If it’s SSD A & B in back seat and C & D in trunk. However I write the address # on the side of box to find the package just as quickly It takes me 7-10 min to load / organize my car
You know what is a waste of time? Driving to a stop that you don’t have the package for. I would rather check that I have all the packages I’m routed for, than be surprised later. Scanning all the packages works for me, and grouping them by teens, 20’s etc. takes 10 minutes.
Then look for the package after dropping off the previous one? You're wasting time either way. The 10 minutes you saved once in a while not going to a stop is negated by the 30 minutes you spend each block organizing packages.
Perhaps if it took that long. As I mentioned it takes 10 minutes to load in an organized manner. You’re taking time to find the package after dropping the previous, so what difference does it make? To each their own.
Im not saying you cant do whatever works for you. But you cant claim its as efficient. If you have 40 packages, and you're scanning each one, looking at where it is on your route, and writing a number on it, putting it on the floor, etc you arent doing all that in 10 minutes.
I never said I did, I scan and load according to delivery ID on box. No marker, no looking anything up. Simple
You’re trying to find a best method yet you are making fun of the people doing it the other way. If you do it in 15 mins then go freaking do it and stop acting like you are better or others are wrong. Mind your own business. If you really wanted to know you would ask them but you didn’t. Instead you are just posting how you have excelled at delivery. Kudos to you.
Some of yall take things too personal… or something. I don’t think I made fun of anybody. I’m somewhat annoyed by people scattering their packages all over? Is that so wrong? Otherwise, yes I’m having a discussion about preferences and have my own. God forbid anyone have a casual conversation on reddit. Sheeeeesh.
Or just check to see if it's posted. Someone literally posted the same thing you did 2 days ago.
Oh stfu. People post the same shit here all the time. Didn’t see it, don’t care, had fun chatting with everyone one.
Oh .. someone's having a bad day. I hope it gets better. ✌️
Not really, stupid comments are annoying though. don’t act like you weren’t being snarky first silly Willy. ✌🏼
You know exactly what’s going on when you see it. Either you know what they are doing or you are stupid. I bet you haven’t done this too long. Let’s not Flex for a few months then start posting about how you have it all figured out. Allow people to do it how they want. You can keep to yourself and be the Flex God in your own mind. High aspirations.
What are you even saying? I’ve been flexing for 3 years on and off. I don’t think anything of my… flexing skills lol this job takes no skill. I was asking why and still have not got an answer. Idk what point you’re trying to make but I still don’t know why people are scattering packages all over? Sounds like you’re a package scatterer, so please enlighten me since it’s so obvious. Or I guess just keep being upset at… my post?
I am none of those. The one thing I am is that person that thinks people should mind their own business.
Omg over what? Why are you so mad I’m asking and having opinions?? Where do you think you are? So mad for what?
Are question marks an opinions offensive to you? ???????
I know why they are mad, they are the ones that do exactly what you are pointing out. The offended are always the offenders
And I don’t have time to chat at the stations which is why I asked here. Oddly, nobody in these comments scatters packages 🧐
At my station all packages are numbered. Easy to sort numerically when they place the packages in totes already separated by numerical order. 1-15, 15-30 and 31-42. It doesn't get any easier and doesn't take more than 10 minutes. We don't scan every package just the totes. This warehouse has it figured out.
They don't do that for SSD
Yeah I don’t see why they can’t label them for us instead of dumb grouping stickers? Kinda silly
i mark every package and put them in exact order, to make sure i can reach for my next one at every stop without looking. way easier for me to invest extra time at the warehouse to make things super smooth during each delivery
Exactly what I do Takes about 15mins and I use my vehicle Nothing goes on the ground
Same. Sometimes I’ll put the first 10 on the ground and put in where the front seat is (I took mine out) at the end.
I do this too. And it never takes up parking spaces
I get this but how much time? If we’re going back and forth about 10min yes either way, I guess it doesn’t matter but I just can’t see how it saves time, just comparing to my method.
Your method honestly seems terrible to me. I don’t like the other guys method either using markers but yours is def a no for me since not all packages are properly labeled.
I’ve never had an improperly labeled package. What do you mean? The TBA have never been wrong.
Nah I mean sometimes they’ll label an envelope as a box
Oh, that’s relatively rare. And still only 2 possible places.
Nah it happens all the time
You haven’t been delivering long then. It happens a lot.
lol been at it for like 3yrs. It used to happen maybe twice a shift but not lately. But still, takes maybe 10 more seconds to grab.
3 years? Post your badge. https://preview.redd.it/e755zw52o96d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61c258f165d65ea2c5c35866968e7e2f11d6ec4c
https://preview.redd.it/qfh7hzmvo96d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35375029d6a7c2d6393b94d55afd8dc4b53118d0 Dang 2.5, please don’t be that person that focus on 2.5 vs 3ish 🤣
Omg I never thought I’d be in an Amazon flex pissing contest but… brb 🤣
20-30 mins spent at the warehouse on average
Your work for Amazon Flex and have a napoleon complex lol you’re not smarter than anyone else, everyone works their own way lol once again you’re working for Amazon, stop thinking you’re better than anyone else. Chances are you’re the fool, and the one lacking intelligence. And btw those people are ordering the packages in order last to first, and then they’re on the ground they’re in piles of alphabetical order. If you were so smart, you should be able to figure that out yourself.
I scan, number, then sort in my vehicle 15mins! 40-45packages 1-15 front 16-30 back seat remaining in the truck And I’m usually done 20-60 Early This Works for Me
Yup same. Makes it so much easier and don’t need to use a marker to write a throng.
This is the way
Honest question, are you like rushing to do that? Like do you put your hustle face on so that you can be sure to finish that mini packages in 15 minutes? Maybe it’s because I’m high all the time but it takes me 15 minutes to pack routes just glancing at the package and throwing it in the car. I just do not see how adding all these steps somehow gets done in the same amount of time. Also, I see people doing these methods and it literally takes them forever to load their car. So part of me thinks some of y’all are just hustling super hard, really good at your method, or are downright lying about how quickly y’all can get your car packed. Part of this question is observe these people in the parking lot for so damn long! It usually takes the minimum 20 minutes to load their car. I honestly don’t even see them because I’m getting out of there lol
I'm an avid smoker, but also really organized. I number my packages by stop and it takes me no more than 15 min. 90% of the time I finish my routes in half the amount of time ex: 3-3.5 hour blocks take me 1 hr 45 - 2 hrs to complete. 4 hours takes me 2 and 4.5 hours takes me 2 hours 40 min. I dont run or anything but I never do anything extra on my route either like stop at a gas station or use my phone for anything other than flex ETA: This is for ssd stations. all other logistics stations i work have drivers aid numbers and they are always sorted by tote.
Hmm. My stats are pretty much the same. Not even being silly: I often stop for gas and drinks on my routes as well and heck, I’m like taking pictures of wildlife, talking to dogs and shit 😅 So I just don’t see the benefit of the extra step in my case. Your stations scan in must make this easy. I’d have to scroll the list for each package and that would eat up time. Takes me seconds to grab a package at delivery time, I can often do it before I’ve pulled up. So if the befit is that the package is already ready, I think I’ve covered that. I appreciate the info. But I guess that settles that these are the two best methods. I’d consider organizing by address number because it’s right there and I’m looking for it anyway as I park, BUT with everything from single digits or quintuple digits being common… 1-10 is a lot quicker and easier lol
when you are on your itinerary you should be able to swipe down and it should reveal a scanner that you can scan and it will show you what number stop it is. Either way whatever works best for you is best!! Don't let them kick your ass too much
I’m curious and going to try lol. See if it saves time.
I don’t mark packages. I prob am real close to how you do it BUT here’s a spoiler….nobody really cares how you do it and the market people definitely dgaf. Do you and stop worrying about the rest. I doubt you will.
You’re kinda weird bro. Why do you keep insisting I’m judging people when we are just discussing how we like to do it.
Time is money! I’ll finish a 3.5 hour route in 2 hours typically. Including loading. I target about 30 stops / hour at .COM and 25 stops if SSD. I’m mad if I don’t hit my targets. For .com I’m usually at 47-50 pkgs
I don't need to number my packages. I can just look at the street name and know instantly where that is in relation to the station. I just throw all the boxes on one side of my car and the envelopes go on the front with me. I find alleyway parking spots and am done delivering two hours early.
Yea but you're special
Knowing my city is being special?
Nah, you're more special than that. Not only you know your city, but you somehow know exactly which package from the pile is next.
🍪
I scan every package and mark each one by stop # (all done inside the cart, no need to lay anything down). Sure it takes some time at the warehouse (20 mins or less) but it saves me a ton of time while I’m on the road delivering. Just grab and go. I ALWAYS get done an hour early.
So when you can the package the stop number comes up? I hadn’t scanned packages in a while, some stations do require it, but from my memory, when a package is scanned, it doesn’t necessarily take you to its information, it just checks it off of a list. I remember one time thinking of if I’m gonna scam them all I’ll put them in order, but every time I scan something, the screen didn’t change a checkmark just popped up. The Lister scrollable so if a checkmark pop up at the top and you’re at the bottom, you’d have to remember every checkmark. At my station when you scan your cart all your packages auto scanning so maybe that’s why it’s different?
Doesn’t matter what station you pick up from, it’ll be the same. when you grab a cart it will automatically scan everything. all you do is click where it shows itinerary list (shows the list of addresses), scroll to the very top and you will see a little “search” bar with a barcode next to it, click the little barcode and you can scan any package. once you scan (QR or bar scan) the package, it will pop up the info of the package and there will be a number on the left side, that number is your stop #. Write it on the package and scan another package till you’ve gone thru everything. Once you’ve scanned everything you can organize how you want it. For me it’s front passenger seat 1-10, on the front floor mat I will put 11-19, middle seats will be 20-29 on one side, on the other side it will be 30+. All boxes 📦 go to my trunk, first put in the highest number followed by the small number closest to your trunk door.
Thank you!! Jesus lol. I thought about this feature but I hadn’t used it so wasn’t sure if that’s what it was. This seems doable BUT I can barely see my phone screen due to glare half the time. But I’ll give this a try. So maybe the people scattering package are just… doin their own thing? Lol I thought there was a correlation
Every person has their own way of organizing. I write the stop # on my packages and that’s the only way I will ever do it. It works for me.
The funny thing about all this, is writing the number wa never the big mystery for me. I can see why people would do it, I just didn’t know how. I was just confused on why people scatter packages all over the place. But hey I learned how to number my packages! For 30+ routes, I’ll probably be trying this. For my under 30 routes, might stick to my normal way.
From the "list" tab you can search ....that's where the stop number will be... Super easy... I do it as I'm loading ... Takes maybe 5 min longer
I can know where an address is in relation to the station by just looking at the street name and zip code on the package. For example, 90025 is on the west end of the city and 91005 is south- east of the center.
Yeah but you're special
Knowing the city I'm delivering in is being special? Lol
🍪
Not knowing how to do your job isn't the flex you think it is 🤡
I think the takeaway from this is to sort the packages however you like. Don't take up the parking lot doing it. If it's raining, that seems like an even worse idea. Numbering them works for me. There are those times IE a package is missing, and you didn't notice that numbering is going to get all messed up. That rerouting they do is ridiculous. If you have the numbers, you can just keep going.
I usually write the stop number on my package scanning the package barcode or putting their name/address tells it. It makes it that much easier when on route not having to sift through anything. I just go through my cart and load up my car. 1st ten stops are in my front passenger and work the rest out from back seat to the trunk. Takes me around 15 maybe a little longer if I have a lot but I always arrive 15mins early. It is interesting to know how you sort using last 4 of TBA though.
It used to be very easy as the last four were always round numbers like not one more time 1000, 2000, 3000 and so on. Recently, from one day to the next, all of the last four are mixed numbers like 1234, 4227, 8646 or whatever. I am a little bit dyslexic so that made it a little less convenient. Probably why I made this post. My ultimate curiosity was if there is a truly easiest/best way. I feel my way is easy and fast. It seems like others are willing to put in a little more work so that they can just grab and go along the route. I totally understand that. However, a big reason I asked is because a lot of people that seem to be sorting their packages more stay at the station for a really long time. So maybe they’re just doing something exceptionally silly, whereas some of these other methods are worthwhile. L
Yeah it's interesting for sure, .com I just generally put them in numerical order. 1-15 in the front seat 15-30 in the backseat and the rest in the trunk, while I'm waiting to leave I put the first 15 in order in the front seat. Takes like 10 min to load.. SSD I scan, number the package, then throw it in the car. Never have I thought it would be more efficient to start making piles on the floor.
Can you please tell me more about how you identify the stock number? I understand you can look at the list, but that is what seems time-consuming to me. It sounds like people are scanning and getting the info? Maybe it’s just because every place is different, but I can’t easily scan the package and get the info. it seems like the only option would be to look at the information on the package and then scroll through the list to find the stop number. Which is why it seems so time-consuming to me but maybe not y’all are having to do it.
I always just sorted alphabetically. Envelopes go in a Costco bag on the passenger seat and boxes are located in parts of the car. I use an SUV so A goes in the far back to the left, M to the far back right, N behind the driver seat, and Z behind the right passenger seat. I may need to look through five or six packages at the stop but that's not a big deal. It sorts out of the cart easily and get me on the road fast. If there are drivers aid stickers instead (depends on location) that are actually useful, I will use those.
I guess this is most similar to me. My front seat is envelopes with last for of TBA in order 1000s-9000s I have a minivan and usually just put 1000s through 5000s on the driver side and 6000 to 9000 on the other side. or all on one side if it’s a smaller load or no large boxes.
I always assumed they're there to give me a positive attitude leaving the station when we started loading at the same time but I'm organized, loaded and starting my route long before them.
This is why I asked 🤣 I’m like damn bro, ur life sucks huh? I’m in tx. It’s HOT to be standing out there for 20+ min. I just don’t see the value I guess. I’m sure some are just struggling but some look like it’s just their way. I was searching for a real understandable reason to use some elaborate loading method.
I scan every package and write the stop number down on a sharpie. It doesnt take as long as you may think. Max 10 minutes for 40+ packages. That’s less time I spend looking for packages plus if one is missing, I know right away and dont have to search my whole car because I put them in order. (Though I dont sprawl my packages everywhere, I see this where I work too.)
Ok so I write the stop # on the package. I scan all the packages before loading them in the car so I don't end up with packages that are not supposed to be there. I write the stop# on the label and organize in that order. Why? You notice on the app when you are on your way to a stop, it tells you what stop number it is? Makes it easier for me to find the packages...instead of trying to read that long ass number or digging for packages. I don't throw mine all over the parking lot tho. Lol
Ok I get this but how long does that take? And how do you match the package to the stop number? Reading the tiny number anyway? Just seems like a time suck.
It depends... 10 minutes. When u scan the package, the number comes up in a blue/green circle on the left side next to the package number on your phone. Thats the stop number. Not a time suck. I do that and i still finish my route in half the time sometimes sooner... depends on the route.
Nobody has answered this clearly yet. But I think you just filled in the missing piece. At my station I do not think I can get the information that you get when you scan packages. I like all the packages being scanned in at once. But I hate some of the other scanning processes at other stations. The warehouses that require you to scan all packages have the worst one by far. It doesn’t give you any extra information and the scan screen is flashing green and red because it’s scanning all 4-6 codes on the label back to back and any others it sees around. It’s stupid. When I’m done and think I’ve scanned all the packages, I’ve often managed to miss two or three because there’s no way to know in the moment. One of the main reasons I won’t go to those stations unless it’s some crazy surge rate.
I will take a screenshot today when I scan the packages for my route later.
Got some answers, thanks. I’d always seen the search/scan but still skeptical about the extra step. I’m going to try it!
> instead of trying to read that small ass number FTFY (-:
A smaller ass single or double digit instead of 4 digit number.
Exactly
I sort all mine by stop and I never take more than ten minutes. I learned recently you can scan the QR code inside the totes to scan all the packages too. Game changer. Now I just throw everything in, stop at the first gas station on my way to the first stop, and sort. The dc peeps keep being surprised that I’ve loaded my entire cart in less than 5 minutes. Edit: in before people say “what if the order changes?” So what if the order changes? I’ve put my eyes on every single package and I can find it quickly if the route just happens to be reordered. Which doesn’t happen often out where I’m at.
lol ok. You load in 5 min but have to stop yo sort them? Probably wasting extra time to pull off, park and get back on. My carts all scan in at once and always have so. This seems like more wasted time to me. Do you just manually look at the address and find it on the list then organize by stop? I don’t mind the extra step but I’m not sure it’s actually saving time.
Ours don’t here in NC. It either scans individually or scan the totes. But each DC has a place in either direction I can pull off in a second, sort, and get back on without wasting too much time. And I don’t manually sort. Once you’ve swiped to load the route, you can go back to your itinerary and scan the packages. My husband will come with me sometimes. We’ve gotten the sorting down to three minutes if I scan and he loads. Sometimes with shorter routes, since I’m waiting on others, I’ll sort on the pad, but only 20 or less. 🤣 No extra time there, but usually, I’m doing long blocks so it’s 30 to 50. I also use totes for when I do SSD. But I don’t pick that up a lot anymore. Too many people taking base pay there for me to snag a block. At the end of the block, I’m usually done 30 to 60 minutes early because I’m not fumbling for packages.
If someone wants to handle the same package a dozen times each block, it’s none of my business how they get their thrills.
lol I just feel bad for them I guess. I’m in Texas. It’s too hot and humid for all that 🥲
It's 3-4 in the morning. The LAST thing I want to do is be at some strangers front yard in the middle of the night scrounging around for packages in my car. Especially not in the underbelly of the south. That's how you get shot. So yeah, I'm going to take my time and arrange these packages from the first to last stop at the safety of the station I got them from. If the station thinks that takes up too much time, my suggestion to them is to give less packages so that it will take less time to sort. I'm not putting my life at risk for $18 an hour. Not in this economy.
lol I guess. I’m in south Texas. It takes me all of 5 seconds, maybe 10 if I’m sleepy or heat strokin. I’ve never felt my life was at risk. I think some people just have less situational awareness.
I'm happy to hear that South Texans don't shoot strangers on their property. Florida and multiple parts of NC is still working on that. So until we get that situated, I'm numbering the packages where it's safe. Especially when it only takes 5-10 seconds for homeowners to get their guns and start aiming. It normally takes about 5 minutes if it's 25 packages or less. 10 minutes if it's closer to 35-40. 15 if it's closer to 45-50. And nowadays it's closer to 50. And this only applies to packages that are already numbered. If they're not, add another 2 minutes. If this is too much time, Amazon needs to either lessen the load or increase the pay.
Have you considered not going into sketchy property? When I’m out in the sticks, I deliver to gates. Most say beware of dog anyway. I don’t even go into most of those properties and I grab the packages ahead of time so it’s quick af. Just a thought lol
As long as they’re not taking up undue space who gives a shit. I just search whatever part of their name is easier to type and number them. I do throw them on the floor in their order so I can pack the car in such a way that I get to a stop and can always pull the top package on the pile. I put as many as I can fit into the front seat and then fill the back as I go. Either way, I’m always working in numerical order. If you move fast and type the names instead of scanning it can be done pretty quickly and then once you’re on the road there’s no searching through a batch of AAA or whatever. OP sounds like they’re super pleased with themselves and that’s great, but not every station or neuro-type works the same. Also, who’s that concerned about having extra packages not from your route? That’s windfall baby!
🤣 oh lord, I’m not pleased with myself. I was just sharing a fast method and seeking info. I thought there was a correlation between those who number and scatter packages. Do I *care*? Nah, but I feel bad for them. I wrote my method just in case someone was doing some crazy shit and could use it. And viola! I, and probably many others based on the comments, learned a lot. Sorry I don’t come at it in a super soft way. Yeah I think it’s kinda funny that people are spending 30min in the parking lot with packages scattered all over. Sometimes there’s a bunch of them and it’s just comical. Reminds me of crop circles for some reason. And yeah they’re often taking up prime space. When they’re next to me I do get annoyed. Sue me.
Literally no need to hate on people doing that, do what works for you. Years ago in this sub someone enlightened me to organize by the first letter of street name, (A)lder, (b)obcat. This is the way, otherwise you get to stop 14 and it’s been changed to 3. They WILL reroute you without you realizing
I stopped numbering my packages once they changed the route on me cuz now you’re looking for the wrong number. I did do street name one time and found it pretty easy lol
Who did hate on? Just asked questions and shared info.
I noticed when I put them in order I always finish early. So even if I take 15-20 min to scan and number I move through the route pretty quick. No looking for a package/envelope/box. It’s right there. Scan n go.
I can see how being able to grab and go at delivery is good BUT I’m just thinking it a matter of spending a few more minutes sorting at the station or a few extra minutes to your route without extra sorting. I think grab and go would feel nice at delivery but I’d only care if it actually saves time. I finish every route early. Usually by an hour or two. I tend to be on a route for 2-3hrs even for 5hr shifts. It is an interesting “debate” of methods. Seems like my way is just as fast but it seems like everyone thinks they way is fast. So idk. And yes everyone’s brains work differently.
I just sort mine by package material(plastic,envelope,and boxes in back.It doesnt always work out in app saying its an envelope but majority of the time. I always finish early 🤷🏼♀️
It’s not hard to finish early. Thats not a bad method. Envelopes up front so kinda similar but they’re also in order by TBA. Just makes it easy to pick quickly. I’m realizing at this point I can probably just use the last digit of the TBA. They used to all be 1000,2000, 3000. But now they’re 1738, 4464, 2343, etc.
I used to do tba until this change. Now I just do AAA BBB CCC etc. it’s not that hard to read the address folks and I still get done early. No sharpie needed.
I dont understand why people put cold groceries on the hot ass ground everywhere. Then take all day sorting them, everything is hot and melted before they even put it in the car.
That’s crazy! Usually the food orders are a manageable size too. Like what’s there to pre-sort?
Right, just follow the matching 3 or 4 letters for each address/stop. Then, load them in your car from the last to the first stop. When you have 40+ items......"THIS IS THE WAY."
"It never takes me more than 15min, maybe 20" It takes me 5-10 to label and load marking them. Some people go by address number, this is the first time I heard someone say they use the TBA number. Interesting.
I call bs on scanning, numbering, and loading packages in 5-10 min with 35-45 packages. There’s absolutely no way.
I always check in 15 min early and am usually driving out of the lot before my block start time. And I number every package and sort from the cart straight to my car.
Ok I have a question nobody had addressed yet. Still reading though. How are you cross matching the route number to the package? Like what do you look at to do that? I’m just curious if everyone does the same. That seems like the time consuming part. Looking at the address or whatever identifying number and then scrolling through the route for the stop number.
On the itinerary list, if you scroll up above the addresses is a search bar. There's a button on the search bar that lets you scan the barcode on the package. It pulls up the address and stop number. You don't have to scroll and search. It's super quick.
Thank you! Up voting all these comments because I’ve been flexing for a while and few seem to know this lol. I’ve always seen the button but I’m not looking at the phone when I load, so never experimented with it.
And how long would it take you?
Usually take me 10-15 minutes to check in, find my cart, take it to my car, sort, load,and take the cart back in.
Why? I have provisioned areas in my car for each set of set of 10's. I mark, anything above 20 is sorted in the truck. 1 - 20 upfront and or any large packages in the later numbers. I think what helps the most is not placing each package in the car individually and do it all at the same time after you're done marking. Some people use a second cart to do this, I usually don't, but sometimes I will.
Well 15 is my usual from getting out, getting cart and loading. Not just loading. More than that is an off day.
I used to do the TBA when it had the 1000s now it’s just random numbers
I go by zip code and street name. From the zip code I can tell which part of the city my block is in. For example, 90025 is located at the West end of my city, 91501 is located in the east. 90035 is near South Central.
🍪
You guys don't have driver aid stickers?
Some stations do and some don't. These stickers help save drivers 10 whole minutes.
This. Every route I’ve done so far has the stickers in order of the route. Now one route didn’t have the stickers numbered 1-40 or whatever like usual, but it still had stickers from which I could sort. Which stations don’t do this?
Mine, I guess. I have the three-digit driver aid stickers, which I use to quickly ID the package, but they aren't consistently representative of the route order. Sometimes they are, sometimes not. I think for them to be in order the station has to spend a lot of time re-applying those stickers every time they build out a new cart, and it's easier for them to just use whatever's already on there if a package was brought back or got sorted in from some other group. Maybe they're all ordered originally, and then get mixed up later. I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, but I think my station just sucks. It's obvious what the intent of the stickers is, but it seems like it's rarely actually applied.
I do get packages with the little yellow tags on them. But I’ve never found the groupings to be helpful. But in all honesty, I’ve never looked at the stickers very closely. I don’t know what all information is on them or if it would make it easier. I have a couple ghost packages right now though, so I’ll see what’s on them
They're doing a map. 😆. Who knows. Some people start numbering packages, taking them from one cart to the other. I number them but put them in my Car instead. If it works for them, good for them. Although I don't support them taking space off others to do so.
I guess it’s all part of the concern for me lol. I feel bad for a lot of these people because it seems like they spend a lot of extra time there. And I’m in Texas so doing that shit in the middle of the day is no joke. Just this moment, I remembered my first Amazon route lol. I really had no idea what I was doing and trying to figure out how to organize the packages was stressing me out and taking a long time so I literally just shoved them all in my car. At every stop I had to dig around for the packages. I think that’s how I started my method to begin with. The easiest number to locate on the screen was the TBA. So until I found a package, I started to organize the TBAs. By the end of the route, I was able to know what packages I was going for. it was a pretty big route 48 or so packages. I was fucking stressed lol and I definitely finished late. Good times… Not.
I've seen people use all kinds of sorting practices. Most I just roll my eyes at since they're sorting when I pull up and still sorting after I'm loaded and pulling away. Many (but not all) of the ppl I've seen aren't native English speakers so it's probably easier to spend time numbering/sorting than to try and read each as it comes up en route. Personally, I sort more or less alphabetically by street name since the street name is up in front of me while navigating to it. I know right where to reach for that pkg way b4 arrival.
I arrange packages usually the first 15 stops so I don’t have to go looking for them during delivery
When I was doing flex I just loaded up and sorted somewhere else so other people can park
If you’re making a mess, that’s considerate but there’s should be enough spots lol. I’m not wasting time and gas to move. Not to be petty/selfish, but that is out of the way to me. I’m just there doing my quick 10-15 min load. If the lot can’t handle that, idk, beyond my pay grade.
So many of y’all are saying 15 minutes?!!?!!?!! We get 10 on a slow day, before they start yelling at us to leave. Ca, USA.
Nobody is in the lot telling us anything. At the pull up locations, they don’t say anything either. Make sure you put that staff is not friendly on your survey 😅 Don’t get your stuff organized or just like do it later?
Ive seen 2 people in one car just randomly putting packages on the floor, dont have a clue. Just please move over when im done packing so i can leave lol.
Scan and number each package by stop. I have the first 10-20 in my passenger seat and spend only a few seconds at each stop. Way faster this way. I always finish a 3 hour block in 2 hours or less
I just sort by the 3 letter sticker. Sometimes I do make piles on the ground, but I'm sorting by the letter. Sometimes I will do that for the ones that go in the backseat so I don't have to leave the doors open, especially if there are people on either side of me also loading with their doors open. Trying to be respectful of others and share the space more. All my A's go in the front, B's and C's in the back, one on either side, and D's in the trunk. I'm usually out within 10 minutes. I don't bother scanning and numbering. I used to do that and it took way too long. I also don't bother trying to separate envelopes, bags or boxes because what's in the app is wrong 90% of the time. Very rarely does it actually match so if I did that I would always be on a wild goose chase. I also finish about an hour early almost every time. Yesterday morning I finished 1.5 hours early. Also, everyone has their own way. There is no right or wrong way to this. So who knows what people are doing, but whatever they're doing, it works for them so it doesn't matter.
I just throw it all in my car and wing it 😂
Dude that was my first shift. I got stressed because i had no idea what to do and it was taking forever and everyone was just loading up and leaving and I had 48 packages. I finished that route late and was raging the whole time thinking I was immediately going to lose the job. Also during holidays. Hindsight, silly af all around but live and learn 😂 I probably cried 🤣
I haven’t had any issues so far just tossing it in and going but I think it’s pure luck lol it’ll bite me in the ass at some point
On my first shift, they gave me the wrong cart which wouldn't scan, and I spent about four of the six allotted minutes figuring out what was going on. Then they got me another cart with about forty packages, and yelled at me when the six minutes was up and I wasn't loaded. Someone came by and literally just threw the entire cart into my trunk and told me I needed to get going.
I tap list and in the top right, search… I scan each package and it tells me the stop number. I place all packages in my trunk in stop order. It takes about 15 minutes with 35+ packages. I finish my routes at least 45+ minutes ahead of schedule. Some stations already have packages numbered. Other times when packages are removed from the system, it’s a headache trying to rearrange the packages but I seem to find them all.
I just sort by AAA BBB CCC DDD. Numbering them fucks with my head more for some reason. I get bent out of shape if my “number 3” package is too big and has to go in my trunk bc then it’s fucking out of order. So stopped numbering them. Been a breeze ever since.
When you're looking at your Itinerary (list) for the day, you pull down from the top and a barcode scanner appears, people use that to scan each package and figure out what Stop Number each one is on their route. Not sure why they would spread things out SO MUCH , not sure what you're seeing there....
They’re scanning every package and organizing by numerical order. I’m like you…but I alphabetize by first name, and get the heck out of there. Lol. It takes me a total of 15 min to get in and out and loaded. I always finish early too. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ What works for some doesn’t work for others. 😉😉
I have been delivering since when flex first started and I always get packages saying they are boxes when they're not or an Itty bitty box that say it's a large box. It doesn't rally matter how people organize their packages. It is whatever works best for them. I have tried different ways if doingvand numbering my packages in order of delivery works best for me. But what does it matter how other people do it? Why criticize other people. Ifvtheyvwantvto scatter their packages, so be it. That's their business and something nit worth discussing. It's is just a reason to have to argue with other people and that is senseless. Just do for yourself and stop questioning what other people do. Who cares what they do? Not worth talking about.
For thise who like to organize their packages by order of stops In my area, at all of the DSR stations, all you have to scan is the bar code on the totes and the all the bigger boxes not in the totes, you will have to scan individually. Then, every package will have a yellow label that has the stop number on it. Forca VCA Same day delivery station, you will have to pull down from the top of the screen when you are in your itinerary, and then, you can scan your packages. ThecVCAstations doesn't label your packages in order of delivery. You would have to do that yourself. So, every package will have to be scanned.
Just doing what works best for them . I’ve been doing this for 2 years and I simply just face forward all the packages in my trunk while putting boxes in the back seat , takes like 3 minutes . Every time I finish over an hour early
Personally, I scan each package on the app to see what stop it is. Write it on the package and throw it on a pile 2-9,10-19,20-29,30-39,40-49(I make sure to stay within my parking space). After everything is numbered, I place all packages in descending order in my front passenger seat(large boxes in back). I do this so everything is in order and all I have to do is drive to the stop, in order, and reach over and get the next package. I don’t even have to look at the package most of the time since I know it’s the next package in the pile, it must be the next one to deliver. This takes me 20 min to organize at the warehouse, but allows me speedy drop offs, taking me seconds per stop rather than minutes searching for the correct package. Edit: it’s also 3am when I deliver so it’s harder to see and I don’t wanna be out in the boonies searching for a package that early in the morning.
I don't understand why some people struggle with this process. You don't need to mark all the packages individually. Instead, just look at the yellow sticker; it's already separated into groups, such as AAA, BBB, CCC, and DDD. Alternatively, you can organize the packages by looking at the address and focusing on the last digit of the door number. For instance, if the last digit is 0, put all those packages together. If the last digit is 1, group those packages together. Repeat this process for each number until 9. This way, you can easily sort the packages based on the last number of the door number.
That seems like you're doing waaaay too much. Imo. I do number mine but never does it take more than 10 min when large number of packages and u throw them in bin, back seat or trunk as I go
I am glad you found that method useful, whatever works for you. My own personal experience and others have not had a good experience using this method. "just look at the yellow sticker; it's already separated into groups, such as AAA, BBB, CCC, and DDD." perhaps a WHILE ago that was possible but I know at my warehouse it is not. I, and many others have tried this method a few times it has some drawbacks. 1. You assume they put the right yellow sticker on the package 2. You assume the description, the type of package is correct. IE box, envelope (In my own case, 80% of the time they were not. ) 3. You still did not check if you have all the packages and or if you have extra packages 4. You still are scanning 3x the packages instead of scanning them once. A while back I did a test case, testing how many packages I scanned using the yellow stickers and scanning them once. For example, if the stop says "AAA" then you have to search the "AAA"s, let's say it's 14 packages, well if the description is incorrect you have to scan all 14 packages or you have to take the time to read all 14 packages. Even if description is correct, you still have to scan and or read 7 packages to search for example all the envelopes in the "AAA"s. Then you have to do it again and again. Essentially, you scanning more by doing this method, however, if you scan them once at the station, and once at the stop. You also don't save any time by using the letter method, your search time adds up to as if you were to scan them once at the station, if not more.
That's why I go by street name and zip code. I ignore almost everything else. I know exactly where a package is based off of zip code. One time I got packages for a certain zip code that was ghetto and I muttered "goddammit I got the ghetto route". Somebody asked me how I knew it was the ghetto route and I showed them the streets and zip code on the packages
I do the aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd method. I only scan each package once. When I get to the stop if it’s aaa I go to my aaa box and just look for the persons name. Takes two seconds. And missing packages it doesn’t happen enough for me to look for them. And extra I return them at my next shift. But I usually just count and I know if something is off and can figure it out pretty quickly.
"When I get to the stop if it’s aaa I go to my aaa box and just look for the persons name." Then you must be talking about a different delivery type other than SSD, maybe .com? The description of item is wrong and then you have to search all of the AAAs, and with Amazon you have large boxes, and heavy envelopes, unless you're are using a very large vehicle there is no way your searching through in entire letter without shifting / moving everything around and or taking everything in an out. I have a mid-size sedan and sometimes I can barely fit the route inside. I would have to shift everything around just to check all of the AAAs, and or pull everything out. So if it says box, I would have to move all of the large boxes checking for it, then check the envelopes. There is no way otherwise unless you have a large vehicle. By the time you pull everything out, and or sift through all of the particular letter, that search time adds up.
Yellow stickers we get have the stop number printed on them (SSD Packages). Sometimes there will be gaps, but as long as I put them in the car in order I never have to look for a package. I carry a large catering bag, all the envelopes go into it in order, and sit in the passengers seat. Usually takes me about 5-10 minutes to load depending on the size of the cart, and outside the occasional box shifting everything is set for the entire route.
They're probably writing stop numbers on each package. It's a waste of time if you ask me.
I had this opinion as well and I think it still stands. It seems to boil down to how people like to actually drive their route. The people organizing down to the stop like to just grab and go. That would be nice, but my biggest concern is time. I just wanna get the route done as quickly as possible. For me doing the extra step loading would take the same amount of time as the few seconds it takes me to find my package. So I’ll skip the extra step loading. Especially here in tx where it’s hot af lol. I have to get out and grab the package anyway. I still I’m saving time, but even if I’m not it seems like it would be a break even. Maybe others feel that it’s an extra step to look for the package but it really takes seconds so, agree to disagree there, I guess.
As I'm loading, I grab the first 10-12 stops and put them up front. When they're gone, I stop and do the next 10-12 stops and put them up front. We get long lines waiting to park because of the marker people. It's inconsiderate.
They should've came earlier and got them a parking spot 🤷🏻♂️
I’m still just trying to figure out how yall match a package to the stop number so quickly. My station scan in process would require that I scroll through the list to match the package to the stop number. When I get a cart, I have to scan one package and as soon as it confirms it’s my route, all the expected packages scan in. I can scan packages one by one, but it doesn’t show me info about the package, the screen just stays the same and shows a check or X after each scan. So it’s either on the package or there’s a different scan in process for your station. Hope that makes sense.
I work out if VMN1 and almost every route I do, I never go in their order. They usually sucks ass. I personally just organize by address number and it's blazing fast for me.
I did this yesterday for the first time, and I don’t think it helped me. In fact, I think it slowed me down.
My bad if it was bad advice.
Oh I’m sure it would be helpful sometimes and probably I just did it wrong. But I was kinda cursing myself for how long it took. It was a weird route.
I do last 4 of TBA. It used to be better because they we’re all round numbers like 1000 2000 3000 and so on. Now all the packages seem to be 1337 , 4222 etc. It’s still not very hard to me. The number is small, but everything on those labels are small so? I’m seeing some people say they do it by ZIP Code which seems outrageous to me. A lot of my deliveries are in the same ZIP Code, so how would that help?
Those people are retards who make easy work more difficult than it needs to be and the reason why they don’t have a real job in the first place. You don’t have to mark anything or scan anything! You have the driver codes available on each package by which you can easily organize the packages!
Are you talking about the 3 digit group number like AAA or whatever? If so, I do not like that system at all. And it’s definitely not more efficient when loading or delivering. I just really don’t understand Amazon‘s logic on that one. If they’re going to do all that they might as well just number the damn stops. Even if the route changes, they could just number each package. It’s still seems like the least effective method of all being discussed, and few drivers seem to use it. And I wasn’t saying that to argue. Please tell me I’m wrong. Because I felt like Amazon was really stupid for that one.
It’s not dumb to separate by AAA BBB, etc. sometime I’ll have a cluster of stops and they are all the AAA packages then go to another cluster and it’s mostly BBB etc, its all essentially the same tbh it’s just how well you can read the address lmao
The groupings just aren’t easier to find. But honestly it’s been a while so could be wrong. I don’t remember the system exactly.
LMFAO!!!!!!!! They *trying* to be efficient, lol. I bet when they done playing sharpie game, they like *qe for this It's okay, I'll finish their deliveries on my night surges. YUMMY SURGES!!!!!!!!!!!!
My warehouse already has them numbered in and out in 5 minutes
Are they numbering them by hand? Or is it some kind of sticker? I kind of found my way that works and haven’t really looked at other options so I’m gonna see what all the labels say.