UPS no left turns. http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/12/13/n_cs_ups_no_left_turn.fortune/?iid=OSMA

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I didn't know that; I wonder if there are trucks stuck driving around in circles someplace?

While the miles saved are probably a drop in the bucket to them, it still is a real time and fuel savings, besides being safer. kudos to them. Now if they could just quit sending all my packages that come from the west on a three day vacation/layover in Chicago, I would be happy.

Extrapolate the savings over the thousands of trucks they have over the course of 12 hours a day, 310 days a year for years and it really adds up.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

It's all about efficiency. Our regular driver was "complaining" about them changing his route around a few months ago. It appears to be working out.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

This was explained a few years ago. The UPS driver doesn't have to WAIT to make a left turn (cross an oncoming lane of traffic), wait for traffic in front to turn left before HE can even get in cue to turn left and he isn't just sitting there blocking traffic behind him waiting to do the same.

By having their routes computer designed to only make right turns, they cut out the waiting, the challenge of crossing a lane or three of oncoming traffic and even reducing the possibility of being rear-ended by nimrods that aren't paying attention as they should be.

Many states/towns/municipalities have "Right Turn On Red" regulations, so even that speeds up the routes for the drivers.

Less time idling in traffic, means less gas/diesel used/wasted, less time exposed to potential accidents and more stops completed per day due to getting to and from locations without waiting on traffic patterns to clear up so you can make a left turn if you have to.

EDIT: One other thing they don't have to worry about. When pulling out of a driveway/alley, they aren't trying to turn left...again, crossing over a lane, or three, of traffic and attempting to merge with traffic coming from the right. Turn right coming out of the driveway/alley, you only have to wait for the traffic coming from the left to clear, then you're on your way.

Makes a lot of sense. Sorta' anti-NASCAR when you think about it.

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
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“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Optimizing routes is not a trivial problem. The well know "traveling sales problem" has been around for decades. I believe it is one of the current Clay Mathematics Institute Millennium Prize problems.

http://www.tsp.gatech.edu/

Many years ago while working at a major distributor, we did something like this.
Not nearly as advanced, but trucks were routed and loaded accordingly.
Drivers were complaing that they had to wait while rear pallets were removed to get to the drop off. These were Semi's.

I had heard about UPS doing this as an efficiency method, never really considered the Safety issue. Thats they big plus IMHO.

Now UPS one more minor savings.

Get a shipment, 1 of 2 today and 2 of 2 tomorrow.
Just hold 1 till tomorrow and save a stop.

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

UPS is a great company, they also do a lot more than just delivery packages.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah, they pick up packages as well!!

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

They still warehouse all my west-to-east bound MB parts in Chicago over the weekends. Drives me nuts to track the shipments and see stuff sit there for days. I try to ship FedEx now.