HALFWAY THERE
50 PHASE 1 FSS MACHINES NOW IN OPERATION
The Postal Service now has 50 flats sequencing system (FSS) machines in operation — half of the 100 machines scheduled to become operational during phase 1 of FSS implementation.
According to FSS Executive Director Rosa Fulton, the 50th machine, located in San Jose, CA, became fully operational this week. An additional 40 machines are installed and ready for testing. “The schedule for system burn-ins and activations is aggressive, with 10 machines starting up every 3 weeks,” said Fulton. All 100 machines are scheduled to be sorting flats by July.
More than 14,000 letter carriers now are receiving sequenced flat mail each day. Route adjustments — made possible with FSS — are ongoing, with more than 500 city routes eliminated since the first FSS machine went online.
Bringing an FSS machine online requires an orchestrated quality process — one that takes a few weeks to implement. In the first week, zones are added to the machine. Over the next 2 weeks, acceptance tests are conducted. After the machine has met acceptance criteria, the Postal Service begins to ramp up to full FSS operations.
We are leaving maybe 10 to 15 minutes earlier, but street time has increased by 30 to 45 minutes. This is in an office that already had 6:15 to 7:00 street times on routes with 700 to 950 deliveries. FSS simply is a waste in a high delivery/low volume environment. Our office is only projected to receive 52% of total flat volume as FSS, which is either 1 or 2 FSS trays/route…Hardly worth the millions spent.
Another smooth move on their part. There are days where each route gets maybe 10 to 40 flats in FSS. …take 10 pieces as a third or fourth bundle…what a joke.
if mail volume is supposedly on the decline????? why spend millions on these machines…hmmm…..
great for the fss machines. the sports illustrated came in ripped to shreds the time mag was bent and torn the thin flats are doubled over some flats are upside down and sideways and backwards. the flats shift in the tray and have to be adjusted every few minutes and you know what? were still getting out at the same time! but according to the management all is well. ps i cant beleive the mail volume is that low, yesterday we had, altogether for the station maybe 25 ft of flats. if the machines arent be used to thier capacity shame on those mgrs running it. put it all through and stop trying to control the mail.
So when are we getting FSS here is Las Vegas?
Flats dont come in size order,small behind larger flats. Sometimes adress at bottom of tray,mangled magazines and many backwards. Hate to see all the rejects at the plant. All time saved sorting presort lost and then some on the road. Brillant plan USPS
IT amazing that so many supervisors on details are standing around with their thumbs up their A@#! One carrier was approached on the street on his lunch break and they we concerned why his lap belt wasn’t on! GMAFB! And why can’t just one higher level go and supervise and yet it’s always two! WTF! Can’t wait to see them back in the craft to actually work again as of MArch 25! Too much dead weight in EAS!