# Flex Delivery Tips



## gaj (Nov 11, 2014)

I have seen a lot of posts from new people getting scared about "how can I deliver 40 packages in 4 hours??" so I thought I would offer my tips and see if anyone else has their own tips to add.

My my limited experience (10 or so blocks) I have learned quickly how to maximize my time and handle issues, if anyone else has something to add please share!

In addition, don't be afraid about the number of packages. I my experience, the addresses are tightly packed in a relatively small radius. (Think several houses on the same block, only blocks apart.) Of all the blocks I have had, distance between first and last stop has been 13-20 miles, average of 15 miles. Number of packages has ranged 35-45 per block.

1) Loading your car- probably one of the most important items. If you arrive at a delivery and can get the package out of your car quickly each time instead of searching through a ton of packages, the time saved adds up quickly.

- The carts they give you are supposed to be somewhat in order by shelf (load from bottom up)- in my experience, this works somewhat well (they still tend to put larger packages on the top shelf no matter where they are in the delivery route.)

- When loading, look at the upper right hand corner in a box where will be a code "LL.NNNN" (LL=two letters, NNNN=four numbers), load the higher "NNNN" values first. When delivering, the lower "NNNN" numbers get delivered first.

- Note in the middle of the label, it will show the first 5-8 letters of the address in a large font, so you don't have to scan the full address in tiny print.

- Get a tote or mailbin to put all the loose envelopes and book-size boxes in. Sort these by address (insert vertically) when you load the bin.

- When loading boxes, look at the general address range. When putting the packages in your car, put the lower numbered addresses on the left and higher numbered addresses on the right.

Now, when delivering all you have to do is scan the bin of envelopes (easy, they are in address order), then scan packages from left to right by address (again, easy, they are somewhat in address order and should be stacked in layers for route.)

I can usually find a package in under 10-15 seconds at each stop. Yep, I still have to dig through the pile from time to time, especially near the beginning of the route.

2) Driving- not really to save time, but to save wear and tear on my car.

- Drive slowly and methodically, no fast starts and stops. I rarely get over 15-20 mph in a neighborhood. Obviously, moving from neighborhood to neighborhood on a major street I go faster.

- 95% of the time, my transmission is either in Park or Drive. I avoid reversing whenever possible (safety and possible less wear on transmission.) I will drive an extra block to make a U-turn rather than a 3-point turn.

- 95% of the time, car stays running. When out of the car, I lock it (if necessary) using my extra keyfob on my belt. The only time I turn the car off is if I am in a sketchy neighborhood and I have to go find an apartment and will be out of view of my car.

- For houses, park at the curb, not in driveways.

- For apartment leasing offices, they usually have "future resident parking" spaces up front. For smaller complexes or if I have to deliver in larger places where I have to go to an individual apartment, I don't use parking spaces- I stop as close as I can get to a curb and flip the hazard lights on.

3) Deliveries-

- Apartment complexes- All packages go to the leasing office. I am not traipsing through your 2-acre complex to look for an apartment, only to find there is no secure location to leave the package. (Again, note package density- most apartment complexes will have multiple packages for multiple residents in one drop off.) If you have more than one package, it sometimes saves time to go into the office and ask if they accept deliveries for residents first. If they do not accept deliveries for residents, get a map from the leasing office and mark all the unit numbers on the map that need delivery so you can do it most efficiently.

- Small apartments without leasing offices (or large apartments that won't accept deliveries for residents) get delivered to the apartment, not much you can do there.

- Houses- I will ring the doorbell and wait 20-30 seconds, maybe less if it is obvious that no one is home. If it is obvious that old or handicapped people live there I will give it a little longer. Find a place to stash the package out of view (behind column by door, under doormat, etc.) If I have to stash the package in a non-obvious place (behind bush not immediately viewable by resident when coming home, over the side gate, etc) I will always leave a "We Missed You!" tag with the location noted on it.

So far, I have never had to return any packages to the warehouse, although I have gotten creative a few times in order not to do that...  I haven't received any of the dreaded "a customer reports their package was not delivered" messages from Amazon yet.

Keep water and snacks in the car so you don't have to make any unnecessary stops. If you feel stressed out take a 5 minute break, stretch, smoke, listen to the radio, whatever you need to do.

That is a lot longer than I thought it would be, but it gives you the general idea. Basically, this is Uber for packages (low wages, high expectations), so I treat it as such. I try and work as quickly and efficiently as possible, giving the best experience to the customer (I always smile and be nice when they answer the door, but if they don't my priority is getting the package dropped and getting to the next destination as quickly as possible.)

Any questions, feel free to ask or if anyone else has tips to share, please do!

g


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## nighthawk398 (Jul 21, 2015)

I never sort by address number just by street name. When I load my suv I have my sears down and load A address on left thru Z address on right 

Envelopes go in front seat also sorted by street name


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## Sdftrans (Apr 20, 2016)

gaj said:


> I have seen a lot of posts from new people getting scared about "how can I deliver 40 packages in 4 hours??" so I thought I would offer my tips and see if anyone else has their own tips to add.
> 
> My my limited experience (10 or so blocks) I have learned quickly how to maximize my time and handle issues, if anyone else has something to add please share!
> 
> ...


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## Sdftrans (Apr 20, 2016)

I will do my 3rd block today my first day took me 4.5 hours 2nd day took 3.5 my problems have been large apartment complex and gated comunity . my question how long should I wait at gate if no key code on app and can't reach Customer. And yesterday I waited 15 minutes at a complex leasing office and no one there to leave packages with plus gated to all buildings so I had to take 7 packs back to warehouse. I would like not to go not go back to warehouse but can't wait all day any good advice is appreciated juction


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

gaj said:


> Keep water and snacks in the car so you don't have to make any unnecessary stops.
> If you feel stressed out take a 5 minute break, stretch, smoke, listen to the radio, whatever you need to do.


With all the driving I seem to be doing these days (and I do enjoy driving), one of my other
favorite past-times has been a bit neglected: reading books. So, I've taken to books on CD.
It makes the route seem to go by faster and I'll look forward to it. It's not distracting at all.
No more so than talk radio or sports radio. I'm in the middle of one now by William Shatner
about Leonard Nimoy. It's about a 6 hour book and it's cool having Captain Kirk ride along
with me while delivering Amazon packages. Can't really do that with Uber pax in the car.


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## FlexDriver (Dec 5, 2015)

Sdftrans said:


> I will do my 3rd block today my first day took me 4.5 hours 2nd day took 3.5 my problems have been large apartment complex and gated comunity . my question how long should I wait at gate if no key code on app and can't reach Customer. And yesterday I waited 15 minutes at a complex leasing office and no one there to leave packages with plus gated to all buildings so I had to take 7 packs back to warehouse. I would like not to go not go back to warehouse but can't wait all day any good advice is appreciated juction


Leasing agents sucks, if you call them they have no interest at all to come just for collecting a package. I use other/spare phone to call them and pretend as a future resident and ask "I am interested in leasing an apartment and I will be at your office in few a mutes" most of the time they show up immediately lol
I do write gate codes on my note book for future reference, but that dont work all the time!


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## tee hee (Nov 24, 2015)

do you enjoy driving for amazon flex? i'm waiting for my bg check to come through... they said we are limited to 1 shift per day.?


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## nighthawk398 (Jul 21, 2015)

I enjoy it it gives me exercise I otherwise would not get


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## gaj (Nov 11, 2014)

Update-- looking at the A, B, C is not a reliable way of loading (I noticed I only had "A"'s today)

I asked a warehouse guy today, and the part of the label you want to look at is in the upper right hand corner in a box where will be a code "LL.NNNN" (LL=two letters, NNNN=four numbers), load the higher "NNNN" values first. When delivering, the lower "NNNN" numbers get delivered first.

g


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## MacDriver (May 6, 2016)

nighthawk398 said:


> I never sort by address number just by street name. When I load my suv I have my sears down and load A address on left thru Z address on right
> 
> Envelopes go in front seat also sorted by street name


With an SUV, do you load from left rear door, tailgate, or right rear door?


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## nighthawk398 (Jul 21, 2015)

MacDriver said:


> With an SUV, do you load from left rear door, tailgate, or right rear door?


I load from tailgate


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## FlexDriver (Dec 5, 2015)

MacDriver said:


> With an SUV, do you load from left rear door, tailgate, or right rear door?


From Sun/Moon roof window !lol


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## UTX1 (Dec 7, 2015)

FlexDriver said:


> From Sun/Moon roof window !lol


Shooting from the 3-point line.


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