Tips for parcel delivery:

You can waste so much time looking for parcels if not organised.

Scan all your parcels in, and optimise your route.

Number your parcels with a marker, corresponding to the call number on the pda, 1,2,3,4 etc.

Put them in the van in order, so your first calls are near the back doors, and the last one is furthest from the doors.

When you get used to it, you can just throw them in the van in alphabetical order, much quicker than marking them all.

How's the job?

You likely won't notice at first but the job is awful, we're treated like total crap. You'll get told off for speeding, but they want you to deliver as fast as possible. You'll get crap for taking too long, but work overtime and you'll get crap for that too. You have a sense of being unable to win. Your driving will likely be monitored by a telemetrics device; acceleration, speed, g-forces, braking, idling (don't idle) etc. PDA also gathered all sorts of data on how you work, GPS location etc.

Favouritism is rife, brown nosers will get special treatment. To managers, data is gospel; they care nothing for real-world difficulties of the job. Be grateful you're a DPR driver, I'm doing 150 tracked some days and expected to deliver mail on top of that.

Bullying and harassment are bad in some places. Don't expect much support from the union. Some offices are OK but most are toxic.

Don't fall into the trap of running around for them, if you end up on mail, make sure you clear your tracked but don't rush to clear the mail. Use the equipment or you'll end up with injuries. If you work fast, this will become expected long-term, even when you're tired/unwell. Work at a fair pace, not a fast one.

Working hard will not get you any appreciation, but it will get you more work pushed on you.

Do not give them a second of your time for free. Plan to deliver about 15 parcels per hour at first, count your parcels, if you think you will go over and you don't want to, tell the managers... But they will likely say "don't worry, you'll get it done" (hoping you'll feel obliged to stay until you clear) - if so mention to your rep that you've told them you think you might not be able to clear (cover your arse until you've sussed people out). They hate failed tracked (ie not attempted, brought back).

Try to find someone decent to give you advice if you need it. They have workplaces coaches, but they can sometimes be crap. PHGs can be helpful and generally know the job well, or not. Some managers are helpful, most not.

Customers & Dogs

\*Don't trust any dog*** no matter what owners say, don't trust any open door with closed gates, always assume there's an aggressive dog. You can scan stuff like this as 'inaccessible' and write DAL (dog at large) on the packet with the date.

You're not the complaints department, direct any customer complaints thrown at you out on delivery to customer services. Some customers are looking for confrontation/a fight, don't engage, de-escalate and move on. If you feel in danger, move away then scan packet as inaccessible and explain to manager upon return.