dead-head...

today was an interesting morning...it started off with...

6414...bike down.
6719...work other job(expected).
6686...sick. the flu is making a second round in case it missed a few.
6700...lost radio although called around 3ish to say she found it and was willing to work for about an hour.
6707...works a late job after messengering. late show, didn't get out till about 4am...needed sleep(completely understandable).

so there...im down five cats right off the bat. these are very good riders and they were missed tremendously...i still had very solid cats show up. also, i had a few late starts...also understandable but very stressful for the dispatcher, me. three riders for the first hour...six riders the following hour...eight riders by ten o'clock. as i've stated before we usually dispatch 20+ cats so this hurt on-time deliveries for the first half of the day.

i understand that its been slow and the days have been cold but if i had just a few more riders show up on time i/we might of had a chance to make most deliveries on time. either way, i/we spent most of the day playing catch up. im sure most riders were happy cause it kept everyone busy for a change. then one pm hit and we hit a wall of sorts...no packages were being called in. not much i can do...i was forced to begin "spreading the love".

at times i had all my riders stuck in the loop which meant i had to dead-head some cats. dead-head(not sure if anyone else uses it) is a term used by the city board dispatcher who also happens to be a dead-head. it basically means that you send a messenger to a delivery all the way at one end to be dropped all the way at the other end with nothing in-between. the good thing about my dead-head pick-ups is that i tried to sit on a couple to give messengers time to get to the pick up so that they had more than one to drop. this meant that i ran the risk of having late deliveries but at this point im looking out for my riders...we made the drops on time so it wasn't a big deal.

on another note, one of my messengers lied to me when i asked him if he had a few pick ups on board. the client called and was wondering when someone would make the delivery...at this point we're running late on them so we apologize for that part. anyway, we begin to tell the client that the envelope will be dropped within five minutes and the second drop within ten...not a big deal except for the fact that the messenger never picked up...wtf? now i look like an idiot...we're forced to do the whole apology bit and get the messenger over there to take care of the drops. i really wish cats wouldn't lie to me. i wear a headset so management doesn't hear what messengers tell me...conversations can be a bit silly at times. that being said, just tell me the truth and let me come up with something to tell the client and/or the management...make your deliveries and i'll take care of the rest. i have no problem taking the heat but please, please, please be honest with me so im not stuck with my pants around my ankles...peace.

pop-n-lock...

this year is alot slower than expected. i wasn't around at this company last year but every messenger company knows that this time should and usually is busy around the tax season. unfortunately, this isn't the case this year...i have 20+ riders and not enough work to keep everyone moving. im forced to "spread the love" as much as i can but its annoying to show up to a pick up and see other packages laying there but you cant pick them up cause your dispatcher is "spreading the love". it's gotten to the point that it's a bit hard to keep track of every single one of my guys(guys includes ladies also). i forget when i have one guy dropping in a building and realizing it late and sending someone else to pick up where the other is dropping. i mean, i gotta spread the love but i also have to keep everyone happy...this means i have to give each cat a good set every once in a while. anyway, that aside, it wasn't that bad of a day today...not high numbers in deliveries made but i kept guys moving around enough that it made the day go by somewhat fast...or at least i'd like to think i kept everyone moving...

6719...300 south riverside, standing by.

j.dot...ten-four.

6719...wait. i just realized i got only a few minutes on that orleans.

j.dot...wait. what? damn...im sorry. im going crazy here and i forgot about you. sorry. ya, get that off and we'll go from there.

6719...forgot? im gonna pop-n-lock all the way there.

j.dot...haha! i definitely wont forget you now. the image of you popping and locking all the way there is too much there is no way i can forget what you're doing.

it's come to this...my messengers are telling me funny jokes so that i dont forget what they are up to...ha!

on another note, 6721 had a drop at a messenger center...rather not say which one. anyway, the lady at the center signed and also placed the time the messenger arrived according to their clocks. 6721 takes the manifest back and before putting it away scratches off the time cause its one minute off...ha! the reason i am telling you this is cause the lady at the center called to complain because she felt that the messenger was placing a fake time and not the true time. i understand her, she's just covering her side of the package in case someone says that the package was dropped at a specific time. either way, i had to deal with the issue and my manager was having trouble understanding that although the package made it there with plenty of time regardless of the due time 6721 most likely scratched it off cause he is using his wrist watch and/or because the center is messing with his time. how dare day say it took 8 minutes and not 7 minutes to drop...oh messengers. you gotta love them...there is so much pride that people dont see. if it was me...i would do the same...peace.

prayers...

i didn't know him and he wasn't a messenger(i think)...he was a cyclist and today the chicago community has lost matthew...my condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends. my prayers also go out to the driver...ride safe-everyone...peace.


edit: i found these words by jeff perkins at cuttin'crew to help...

a couple of vids...

i should say that i dont have permission to post these vids but hope i am forgiven...chicago messengers...oh yeah, the first one is from o.b.1...he left us but still communicates from south america...




...




...hope you cats enjoy...peace.

F*CK YOU HANCOCK!!!

not sure what is going on but the hancock has been only using one freight elevator lately. maybe companies are moving in or out...maybe there's construction...maybe...i just dont know. the building is getting very annoying.

prior to september 11th the building was fairly quick. you were able to take the regular elevators along with the regular people. all you had to do was write your name and number on a sheet of paper and then you were up and running. after 9/11 security had to be bumped up...i understand why but still frustrating. they installed a messenger center of sorts at the dock where packages could be dropped and picked up. the pick up usually took longer than dropping cause the drop literally just consists of getting quick signature. for some reason the messenger center was taken out of the building and then messengers had to check in through the dock and they are given a key card to the floor they are supposed to go through. once the key card was in your hands you make your way to the back where there are two freights you can take.

a couple of problems with the situation of the key card. if the company has several floors and you go to the wrong one you basically have to go all the way down and get another key card to go to the correct floor. the same happens if the company has moved to a different floor. also, reception is pretty bad at the building especially when the messenger is waiting for the freight...we are basically at no communication and hopefully things are getting done.

now...like i said, they only have one freight the messengers can use lately(not just bike messengers...all messengers). this kills time like crazy...i have guys waiting anywhere from 10 to 30 mins for an elevator to show up...thats ridiculous. this causes messengers to be late on packages and causes the messenger to lose out on other runs cause of no communication and time wasted waiting. we are keeping track of the wait and are charging for it but it still frustrates me, the client, and more importantly, the messenger. if a messenger is frustrated then he/she cant think straight...i dont need a messenger riding in downtown chicago not thinking straight.

on another note, at least its not 135 south lasalle...messengers go through a similar process but have to leave their bag at the dock. wtf? anyone can pretty much take it cause security doesn't really keep a close eye on the bags. its ridiculous...peace.

balloons, stolen bikes, and broken fingers...oh my...

so, as some of you might have read...we had a client call and request to meet a messenger at thompson center to deliver some 30 balloons upstairs to lisa madigans office. we ended up taking the job because...well, not sure. anyway, the job actually payed alot of money...we charged a van solo which is pretty much as expensive is it got. so, who do i choose to take care of the sillyness...triple-six-five. she hasn't been to work in a while and could use the loot. she shows up and tries to deliver the balloons...apparently the client, which really isn't a client but instead used his/her credit card, was a protestor of sorts. he/she sent the balloons as a jab at lisa madigans office for some police brutality case. needless to say...they were not happy and sent 6665 back down holding the balloons...

6665...hey julio?

j.dot...what up? you got the balloons off?

6665...no man. its part of some protest or something and they wouldn't take them...what should i do?

j.dot...i dont know. is the person still there?

6665...nope. im gonna let them go...what should i do?

j.dot...well, i need you to get to your marsh sweep so let them fly...

seriously, what do i tell her? i wish i would've been there to photograph the whole thing or, at least witness the event. either way, six-five was happy to make money, the client was able to protest, and i had the chance to laugh out loud during these winter daze.

on another note, 6629 got his bike stolen. he didn't quite tell me so i couldn't get the word out in time to get eyes on the street. either way, i call him...

j.dot...two-nine, two-nine.

6629...hey julio, im walking my last drop cause my bike just got stolen.

j.dot...what? when? serious?

6629...yeah. its no big deal. im walking this last one. its actually kind of funny...they took my bike and left me theirs.

j.dot...what?

6629...yeah, they left me theirs but its a pretty busted bike. im gonna have to head home after this. it isn't a big deal...i got another one at home.

again, what do i say? at least he was in good spirits but not much gets this man down. he's been around for a while and knows how things work...unfortunately.

one more thing...6688, the biker that got doored and broke his fingers but decided to not go to the hospital. apparently he decided to tape them up but they settled completely off so he had to go to the doctor where they re-broke the fingers so that they would settle correctly. fuck...these winter days are getting weird and funny...peace.

please...

everyday i have to figure out who's going to stick around late with me. i have the late start and stick around until six or a bit later. not too many jobs get called in from five to six but i still need at least three guys to stick around and help the car dispatch pick up jobs for the drivers. messengers get a cut for handing off the package plus its overtime pay at that time. anyway, when the temperature is 50 or higher its very easy to convince people to stick around but lately, this chicago weather has been making things difficult. i still find a few that'll help out but it takes alot of convincing(at times).

on another note, we got a call yesterday requesting a silly delivery. the client wanted a messenger to meet them at thompson center(100 w randolph)...not a big deal cause alot of cats hang out there anyway. the client was going to meet the messenger there with about 30 or more balloons...wtf? the client basically didn't want to deal with the security of the building and wanted us/the messenger to go through the entire 10 to 15 minute procedure to get the balloons up to lisa madigan's office. it actually isn't a huge deal and probably would be easy money for one of my guys but its annoying when clients request us to deal with the silly procedures of buildings just because they dont want to be treated like that. you take the time to get the balloons there why not just take care of the rest? oh well...the beat goes on...peace.

finally...

...my note pad. as they show up/call in i write their number down. then i begin the stand-by list if i have to. write their number when they are not working and scratch them off one by one as i dish them work. once they clean up and i have no work for them to scoop i write their number down again and location...mart, loop, north, and so on.


today finally felt like things were back to normal. as i stated...last week will be known as "hell week". i had to work from midnight to 8am and it was really hard for my body to adjust to the new sleep schedule. i also put in an extra 12 hours of overtime...not a huge deal but i started to feel the effects the last few days.

that being said, today finally felt like nothing ever happened. i was the only bike dispatcher...it isn't a big deal but can get a little hectic at times. as soon as i walked in i had to dispatch about 42 runs. alot of companies have sweeps...1 pick up location with various stops. i seperated the 42 runs in half and made two sweeps out of it...you get paid a bit less for each run but most of it is just envelopes and they are usually all going in the same direction. depending on how quick the messenger knocks them out the pay out can be nice. in between the sweeps, sometimes, i try to squeeze in runs in the areas the messengers are headed...this all depends on how bad the board is looking. i gave the sweeps to two very dependable cats...6664 and 6589. triple six four gets one because he's a work horse...he's in everyday and never says no. 6589, although we had a rough spot in the beginning, gets it for the same reasons at six-four...he might say no at times but he's at work everyday and bikes in from the hundreds...wtf?!

all day today was pretty steady...nice flow to things. i had most cats in the mid to late 20's in deliveries made for the day. not good but not bad either...plus, a few cats i had doing car work and there were enough super emergency packages to make a decent amount of loot for the day. i'm also dealing with alot of rookies...this was definitely not a factor. on a busier day i can see a few of them slowing up on me but today was perfect to become acquainted with them. they flowed the work perfect...very few mistakes. i also didn't have no drama from 6686 which was a big surprise...i think after our little spat things have cleared up and we both want whats best...to make money.

towards the end of the day i finally heard something i've been wanting to hear...

j.dot...six-five, six-five

6665...hey julio, you trying to call me?

j.dot...just checking up on you. what do you have left?

6665...203 lasalle

j.dot...cool, cool...after your done with that one have a goodnight and all that good stuff. safe ride home and i'll see you tomorrow, we'll do it all over again.

6665...hey man, i missed you. dont leave us like that again.

on another note, mayor daley has helped pass some nice laws for bikers...not sure on the details but its something like...must be 3ft from biker when passing and no left or right turns in front of biker. thank God...peace.

super tuesday...

woke up early to get in my vote for today. i have the late start so its not a big deal...got to work earlier than expected. haven't worked a normal shift in about a week and was hoping to get a "welcome back" from some of the guys but instead it was business as usual. it actually felt better this way cause we literally picked up where we left off.

anyway...the day was slow. i'm assuming that many people were out voting throughout the day...also, most people were probably trying to get work done early to allow them time to race home to avoid the snow storm headed our way as well as give them time to get into the polls. we decided to let a few guys go home early to give them the chance to cast their vote...also, this opens up the board for the rest of the crew and it doesn't make the day seem dead.

tonight we get hit with a snow storm...tomorrow we ride careful...peace.

broken record...

two lanes were one...people walking on the street cause sidewalk was not walkable...cars slidding/stuck everywhere...potholes hidden...friday, one of the busiest days in the messenger industry...snow predicted to end around six pm...lets just say, i predict a total of 13 runs being completed on time...













hope everyone rides safe...peace.