UPS eliminating left turns

[TheTony]

I'm not sure why all the references to future savings.

UPS has been doing this for a while.

Link

It's a neat concept, but not breaking news. Perhaps they widened their use of the software or published some release noting their savings.

 

[Steve]

They should equip their trucks with oversized tires on the left side.

 

[Anubis]

im curious to the size of the server farm the have crunching this data, they deleiver millions of packages a day to millions of basicially random places, even if you break it down by city some place like NYC you are looking at a 10000+ packages to a 10000+ ramdom location calc, thats no small task

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: jjsole
I find the idea of the whole thing fascinating. Its such a simple concept but has been overlooked for ages, probably because implementation wasn't feasible until recently. It will be interesting to learn how much impact it has on reducing expenses.

Exactly right. This would be considered a constrained "traveling salesman" problem with millions of stops that must be connected. It would take me about 10^8 years to solve such a problem on my PC.

 

[ElFenix]

Last year, according to Heather Robinson, a U.P.S. spokeswoman, the software helped the company shave 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes, which has resulted in savings of roughly three million gallons of gas and has reduced CO2 emissions by 31,000 metric tons.

damnit can't we figure out one type of measurement and stick with it?

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Last year, according to Heather Robinson, a U.P.S. spokeswoman, the software helped the company shave 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes, which has resulted in savings of roughly three million gallons of gas and has reduced CO2 emissions by 31,000 metric tons.

damnit can't we figure out one type of measurement and stick with it?

That must be at least a hundred courics!

 

[Juno]

zoolander, is that you?

 

[hypn0tik]

Originally posted by: K1052
Perhaps with these savings they can eliminate the machine that seeks out fragile shipments and compacts them by 50% in a 20-ton hydraulic press.

One can only hope.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Anubis
im curious to the size of the server farm the have crunching this data, they deleiver millions of packages a day to millions of basicially random places, even if you break it down by city some place like NYC you are looking at a 10000+ packages to a 10000+ ramdom location calc, thats no small task

I'm sure the route tracking is broken down into smaller areas. Its much much easier to route 1,000 groups of 1,000 packages than it is to route 1,000,000 packages all at once.

 

[daveshel]

Glad to know they'll be able to more efficiently deliver my package to the puddle in my neighbor's driveway.

 

[Daishiki]

As long as they don't play ding-dong-ditch with "attempted" delivery slips at 5pm.

This reminds me of a mapping/routing software program from my old company. It had an option to use right turns when necessary, but hardly anyone ever used them.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: K1052
Perhaps with these savings they can eliminate the machine that seeks out fragile shipments and compacts them by 50% in a 20-ton hydraulic press.

:laugh:

 

[Phokus]

Does the software take into account "No right turns on red light" signs?

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Daishiki
As long as they don't play ding-dong-ditch with "attempted" delivery slips at 5pm.

This is a bit off topic, but I once had UPS delivery driver leave the package at my home front step (outside) and sign my name. Neither of my parents were home, and I checked the signature image online and it certainly wasn't mine (being 150 miles awhile helped, too). I was pretty pissed at this as it was an item costing me around 250 bucks and they just left it outside when it was signature required. UPS has been the only company to do this to me - I've used FedEx, USPS, and DHL in the past and had no problems.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: Phokus
Does the software take into account "No right turns on red light" signs?

I doubt that.

 

[sierrita]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: sierrita
Why does the writer keep referring to "left-hand" turns?

Doesn't "left turns" suffice?

It will no doubt still seem redundant to you, but if refers to the hands of the driver of the vehicle, and harkens back to the day before turn signals, when a left turn was signified by a driver with his left hand pointing out of the driver's side window.

Next up: Why do they call it dial up internet when most phones even by that time were push button?

B.S.

If you knew anything about hand signals you would know that a right turn is ALSO signaled with the left hand.

 

[markgm]

Turns are fun.

 

[lupi]

Saw something about this on 48hrs or a similar show about a year ago. Must be fun having a job where you literally have every minute preplanned for you.