Learning The Case

[RCAPatrick]

So far in my whole 3 month career I've had the opportunity to learn 2 routes, one of which no longer needs me so I'm after more work. Learning to drive the route is a piece of cake for me but learning the case, so I get get out by 9am, has been very difficult . Anyone who has any tips or words of advice on Case Learning Technique may feel free to contribute to this post. One catch is that in every case I will be going to an office where I don't know the people at all and will have to rely soley on the address instead of their names.
Please do this part first before you read the next part.
Next for you gamers!!!
One of my way far out ideas would be to create a game where you could load the addresses, vacancies, etc, from the edit sheet data base for a given route into a game where you would simply hit the enter button and an address would pop up, at random, that you must place on the screen which would be a duplicate of the case. So you first design the case from a template then load in the data and practice, practice, practice!

[Clark]

Pay no attention to the names.  Just read the address. (Believe it or not PO-603 tells you to stand at the case and read the address, mentions nothing about names). I've been a regular for years doing the same route for almost 10 years, and still do not know names of the people who live there.  Only names I know are those who put in a change of address.  The Post Office took names away from the case years ago because they are not needed to do the job right.

[RCA]

The only way to learn a case is just to keep doing it...day after day...there is no miracle trick. I've been doing this very steady for about (5) years. Hate to tell you, but the party is about over for us RCAs. The Regs don't like me saying this and boo-hoo to them....they don't like it because they want to suck you totally in to stay and be there when they need a day off here and there, vacation, long weekend...without us, they get denied time off. You did know, Patrick, that things are grim for us RCAs, right? With sorted flats, route cutting, combining offices and excessing of RCs to other offfices ain't good. Even if you can get a day here and there in other offices, the amount of time to learn the route(s) just are not worth it without the promise of steady work. I am currently holding down a route, RC is out for who knows how long and you know what? Once he comes back, my hours will plummet to like nothing. Also, with NO WAY of becoming a Regular for at least a good couple of years ahead...there is going to be no way to financially keep this job. If you can stick it out and don't have bills, say you live at home or something, then go for it and stay. But if you are looking at this as a career to pay the bills? I would suggest you start looking at real jobs like the rest of us RCAs. Hope it works out for you.

[RCA]

Oh yeah...your idea for a game of learning a case? How much Green Card time is the PM going to give us to play and learn? Because I absolutely do NOT work for free. If a case needs to be learned, you do NOTHING for free...ever. RCAs make their money the same as everyone else...we work and we get paid for that work. As far as making your 9AM leave time...forget about that and just do the best you can to get out when you can without killing yourself. Also, you said driving the route is "a peice of cake". Bear in mind that most accidents for RCAs happen within their first 6 months....false confidence. You may think you know that LLV, but trust me....you don't. Wait til' the wet leaves start soon and the snow starts flying...you will be lucky to do a route in under double the alotted time....and you as an RCA can just suck up that time for free, too. Too many times stuck in a snow bank? Discipline and finally the block. One accident during your 90 WORKING days probation and you will be no longer working for the USPS. Slow down, learn and be accurate. No games during your 90 working days probation, OK?

[cj]

The really dissappointing thing is that with the number of days i am being utilized even on two routes it will be well over one calendar years time before i get my 90 days in. So you can bet I do not worry about getting back in the eval time....I always say to the pm and oic..."Yes i made it back alive, no accidents and before the outgoing truck. What a great day!"

[Casca]

cj wrote:

The really dissappointing thing is that with the number of days i am being utilized even on two routes it will be well over one calendar years time before i get my 90 days in. So you can bet I do not worry about getting back in the eval time....I always say to the pm and oic..."Yes i made it back alive, no accidents and before the outgoing truck. What a great day!"

just to be clear:
It is 1 year or 90 working days, whichever comes first.  If a year goes by before you get 90 days, your probation time is done.

[RCA]

You have both an OIC and a PM? How many routes in your office and are they all Rural?

[RCAPatrick]

I have a PM and no OIC but only two rural routes, an H and J, I'm a sub for the H doing vacations and sick leave only so I'm looking at other offices in the area for more work. So far I've only been in one other office on a huge K route and did the delivery OK but was too slow on the casing and the regular sub returned from sick leave so I was ushered out without a thankyou. The frustrating part is that I had 3 more days scheduled and committed to, but as soon as the regular sub said she was OK I was cut. I thought a commitment was a two way street. The funny part is she worked two days and couldn't handle it, so they had to call me back, too bad I was busy.

[RCA]

Patrick, it seems that you want to be a good employee and also, take on the work that others refuse for one reason or another. There's the unfortunate catch for not only you but all subs...."work that others refuse". If you do not belong to an office as "their" RCA, then you will only be called when needed and forget about any thank-yous...you will be lucky to be paid correctly (keep very, very good track of your hours...we do nothing for free...if it doesn't pertain to the route you are on, then give me a Green Card or I don't do it). The sub of record for an office/route has the right to do the tour regardless of an "outsider" RCA being booked, or even an in-house sub can be changed at managements descretion. I applaud your wanting to work in other offices, but we are all in the same boat here. Other RCAs are doing the exact same thing as you are as all hours are being and will be cut soon enough. I feel even though you are enthusiastic, you are not going to get the work you are trying for...other subs are clawing there way for work, also. Keep trying, but don't get your hopes up too much.

I noticed you had a post for getting other offices emails, etc.,. NEVER email a PM unless asked. They hate it. Sure, if you get permission but if you get the email addie from someone other than the PM, don't email. You can call or go into the office and give them your number, but with only the little experience you have, PMs are shy about hiring you....it's the LLV thing always in the back of their mind and a possible accident with a "Freshy" such as yourself with under 90 or one year. Don't take it personally...ever...keep trying if you like but honestly, there is no future anymore for us subs in this as a career position except for the very lucky few. Good luck : )

[middle of nowhere]

     it was a long time ago now, but the postmaster i had when i started allowed me to video tape the case a week or two before trying to learn it. i would start  in the top left and go around on each row, announcing the address and names for each cell.  when i had extra time in the evening, just pop in the vcr, and watch it a couple of times.  i don't remember going over evaluated time more than once on a new route.  the time spent watching the tape, was more than made up for in the first couple of times carrying a route.  and a lot more enjoyable watching a tape than standing in the post office trying to case a route that you didn't know.  several times on the first day of carrying a new route, i was able to get out before half of the regulars.  it worked well for me, but you need to get approval from your postmaster first.

[maddogdrake]

I have found that learning where the route goes...driving the route..helps me learn the case faster, because then I know where on the case it should be.  And I locate places on the case if I know the names rather than the addresses, as the addresses here all have similar numbers and few people can get the addresses correct if the streets are mostly numbered streets..I also learned that to hum or softly sing or listen to music helps. And I set aside those pieces I cannot find immediately...they turn up sooner or later...and that way I do not waste time hunting. And if there is another sub in the office who knows the route as a last resort ask that person for help. Being embarrassed for asking for help makes you remember it better. I also took the edit sheets and marked on them where each thing was on the case...case a,b,c,etx and shelf 1,2,3,4,5,6...etc..and studied them at home. Lotsa luck.

[RCA]

So, how much Green Card time did any of you get for "video taping" a case (totally illegal by the way...those are peoples personal names and addresses....HELLO?) and stuff? RCAs do NOTHING for free....if we need to learn a case, we stay and do it. By the way, anything over 40 hours, no matter how many offices you work in to add up hours and you go into overtime. So, going over your eval is no big deal....if your route eval is say a 41 H and you work the 6 days. Go ahead and work the 41 hours (Order of Consideration, Andrea Wilson and MOUs) back me. You will get the 40 straight time and the 1 hour overtime....if you actually work the hour OVER 40. If you work under your eval for the week, you will only get straight time for the week.

Anyway....who out there...and REGs really shouldn't be on this board....you guys have your own board...wants to case and work for free? Not me.

Patrick, just do the cases, take your time, be accurate and learn. There are no tricks.

Video taping? OIG would love to hear that. Geez....

[RCA]

Hold on...take the edit book HOME? OMG....no way is that supposed to be anywhere but your case, your PMs desk or down to central for new labels. Are you guys kidding me? GET CAUGHT TAKING THAT HOME AND KISS YOUR JOB GOOD-BYE.

OIG would love to hear that edit books are not only being written in by SUBs but taken HOME? You guys are kidding, right?

That book stays where it is....in office. Geez...

Patrick, leave the edit book alone. Don't touch it.

[middle of nowhere]

   RCA
   another rca who knows it all -- personal names and addresses...HELLO - thats the same type of stuff you might find in a phone book.  i didn't get any time for taping or learning a route this way, but i did get paid a couple of hours a day for time i didn't work, by knowing the route.  there are ways to look at everything - struggle on a route, maybe not get paid for time over evaluated if you don't work 40 hrs.
   i had permission to do this by the way, and have also seen the postmaster make copies of the edit sheets for rca's learning a route.  regulars shouldn't be on this board? - there might be alot of advise usable to rca's that comes from the experience  of someone that has gone through similar things.
    if you want to work 40 or more hours on a route that is eval. that way , thats fine - but i would rather get done quicker, and get paid the evaluated time.  you only get straight time, but on a 48 hour route, thats 8 hours time that your not working, but can be paid for.  i can always find something else to do.  oig ? is that the same as oic?

[RCA]

Nope. I don't know everything. But what I do know is plenty and you are not that informed, sweets. Lets see...you want to give us your PO name and your PMs name so I can give it to OIG about the edit book and taping the case names? OIG = Office Of the Inspector General...there is a whistle-blower site online...if you have nothing to hide...give me the information so I can ask them, OK?. Why do you think we don't even get the forwarding addie for a family/ind anymore? Huh? It's personal.

You mean to tell me you would rather "get out faster" on a 48 hour route than do the 40 AND get the 8 hours at OT? That's more money. Glad you afford to "get out faster". Just what is it that you are getting out faster for? So, you don't have the extra doe like I do because you are burning yourself out for nothing and going home to watch a daily dose of SPRINGER in a lazy boy? I would rather do my job accurately, have a perfect safety record, no misdeliveries and customers who are going to tip me very well for the great service I provide to them. Besides, the evaluated system will soon be going bye-bye along with the (5) day work week being instituted (read this months Concerned Carrier rag). Get used to punching a clock in the near future like the cities do. We Rurals will be going hourly and I will bet my teeth on it.

And regs can absolutely NOTgive me any advice that I don't already know. I've been doing this over and over and over for what seems a thousand years and there is NOTHING I don't know about this boring job. Decent pay....but boring as Hell. Plus, being a Stew for years helps. Most RCs don't know half of what I know about the Contract, DMM, PO-603, LLV Handbook (there is stuff ONLY found in there believe it or not about LLV pay...). Go stay on your own board, RCs.

So do us all a favor and go insult someone else. The City board is probably looking for comments like yours. Have a nice day : )

[maddogdrake]

Please note: message attached

From: "RCA (via Nabble) - No Reply" <[hidden email]>
To: maddogdrake <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: Learning The Case
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 13:07:44 -0700 (PDT)

In our office, as in most offices, we are allowed to take a COPY of the edit sheets home to study.  And to make notes on the day we are driven on the route...Not in yours???
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Hold on...take the edit book HOME? OMG....no way is that supposed to be anywhere but your case, your PMs desk or down to central for new labels. Are you guys kidding me? GET CAUGHT TAKING THAT HOME AND KISS YOUR JOB GOOD-BYE.

OIG would love to hear that edit books are not only being written in by SUBs but taken HOME? You guys are kidding, right?

That book stays where it is....in office. Geez...

Patrick, leave the edit book alone. Don't touch it.

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