No left turns rule (UPS does it. Is it a useful fuel saving tactic?)

[ASV]

I am a UPSer
the entre route is pre planned on a computer
and is tracked with GPS its all in the little computer that you get handed to write your name on
its called a diad
yur also not suposed to back up

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

They can flout the law, but short of having a big, brown truck, we can't do the same.

Don't worry; they can't either.

Parking fines a big cost for delivery firms - U.S. business- msnbc.com

[instarx]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

I'm tellin' ya, UPS has told their drivers not to make any turns, any more than are absolutely necessary. (Just as with hypermiling, one doesn't accelerate more than absolutely necessary, eh?)

GPS may know where they are, but it doesn't know whether they park at the curb or not. What galls me is that usually they could easily park at the curb, barely turning the wheels to get to it, but they don't, even when there are hardly any cars parked curbside. (Refer to the first paragraph to understand the UPS company policy.) ...

It's a lot more likely they don't pull in because the driver might get blocked in while he's away from the truck - not because they don't want to turn the wheel because it wears the suspension some infinitely small amount. I guess the next theory is that they all wear shorts in the summer because it saves weight?

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by instarx

It's a lot more likely they don't pull in because the driver might get blocked in while he's away from the truck - not because they don't want to turn the wheel because it wears the suspension some infinitely small amount. I guess the next theory is that they all wear shorts in the summer because it saves weight?

Absolutely untrue. I'm in the metro NYC area and the UPS trucks won't park at the curb even when there are more available spaces than cars parked at the curb. There's no way anyone gets blocked in with few or no cars parked curbside. That's a fact.

But since you work for UPS (and not in a city environs in the Northeast) I wouldn't expect you to admit or even know why they all do it here. I read somewhere around 20 years ago about UPS's findings about steering wear; if it weren't true they wouldn't always be leaving their trucks in the middle of the street.

Yes, if you never have to turn your vehicle's wheels hardly, your steering will last a lot longer.

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Clev

Don't worry; they can't either.

Parking fines a big cost for delivery firms - U.S. business- msnbc.com

In a suburban area it's not likely for a cop to come along. If you were to call about a parking violation the cops might come by in an hour or two. It's near zero priority on the scale of infractions.

A typical UPS delivery truck parks and moves on within 5 minutes - very small window of opportunity of being caught.

[wdb]

I have pretty much always planned excursions from the perspective of avoiding making left turns; I do it for the purpose of saving time, but yep I guess it would save fuel too. I think it would make a fine addition to a hypermiler's arsenal.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

Absolutely untrue. I'm in the metro NYC area and the UPS trucks won't park at the curb even when there are more available spaces than cars parked at the curb. There's no way anyone gets blocked in with few or no cars parked curbside. That's a fact.

But since you work for UPS (and not in a city environs in the Northeast) I wouldn't expect you to admit or even know why they all do it here. I read somewhere around 20 years ago about UPS's findings about steering wear; if it weren't true they wouldn't always be leaving their trucks in the middle of the street.

Yes, if you never have to turn your vehicle's wheels hardly, your steering will last a lot longer.

I don't work for UPS and I lived in Westchester for 5 and Manhattan for 10 years. I'm sure you have absolutely positively convinced yourself of this bit of legend, but I just don't buy it. The drivers are simply trying to avoid getting blocked in for 10 or 15 minutes by other deliveries.

When you thought I was a UPS driver you said you wouldn't expect me to "admit it". Sheesh, what's not to admit? It wouldn't be some huge corporate conspiracy thing even if it were true.

BUT, I'm willing to have my mind changed. If you have some actual information other than you simply know it to be true.... maybe a deathbed confession from an ex UPS driver?

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by instarx

I don't work for UPS and I lived in Westchester for 5 and Manhattan for 10 years. I'm sure you have absolutely positively convinced yourself of this bit of legend, but I just don't buy it. The drivers are simply trying to avoid getting blocked in for 10 or 15 minutes by other deliveries.

When you thought I was a UPS driver you said you wouldn't expect me to "admit it". Sheesh, what's not to admit? It wouldn't be some huge corporate conspiracy thing even if it were true.

BUT, I'm willing to have my mind changed. If you have some actual information other than you simply know it to be true.... maybe a deathbed confession from an ex UPS driver?

I'm not in Manhattan, or even Westchester. Here in suburbia it's mostly residential and double parking is non-existent. I'd need to carry my camera with me at all times, but next time I see a UPS truck parked in the street with plenty of available room to park at the curb, I'll photograph it and post it.

Meanwhile, since being blocked in is a virtual impossibility here, I'd like to hear a better rationalization for them not wanting to park at the curb.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

Meanwhile, since being blocked in is a virtual impossibility here, I'd like to hear a better rationalization for them not wanting to park at the curb.

Maybe you're over thinking this. It could just be a simple matter of time. Park in the street you don't have to wait to get in or out. Rude, but these guys work some pretty long hours.

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

Maybe you're over thinking this. It could just be a simple matter of time. Park in the street you don't have to wait to get in or out. Rude, but these guys work some pretty long hours.

Sometimes I work long hours, too. But I don't park my car in the middle of the street when there's room to park at the curb. IMHO, it's inexcusable, not to mention hazardous - and not merely "rude", it's also illegal.