How UPS Delivers Faster Using $8 Headphones and Code That Decides When Dirty Trucks Get Cleaned (technologyreview.com) 109
With Amazon's imminent plans to launch a low-cost package delivery service, UPS is about to face intense competition from a company with top customer-tracking capabilities and even artificial-intelligence expertise. To tackle it, the company is turning to advances analytics. From a report: In 2016, it began collecting data across its facilities. Today there are about 25 projects based on that data, grouped under the acronym EDGE (which stands for "enhanced dynamic global execution"). The program has sparked changes in everything from how workers place packages inside delivery trucks in the morning to how the vast army of temporary hires that UPS recruits during the busy holiday season are trained. Eventually, data will even dictate when UPS vehicles get washed. The company expects to save $200 million to $300 million a year once the program is fully deployed.
[...] Another project tells seasonal workers where to direct the outbound packages that UPS vehicles pick up throughout the day and bring to the company's sorting facilities. UPS hires nearly 100,000 of these workers from November through January. Typically, these people would need to memorize hundreds of zip codes to know where to place parcels, but last winter UPS outfitted about 2,500 of them with scanning devices and $8 Bluetooth headphones that issue one-word directions, such as "Green," "Red," or "Blue." The colors correspond to specific conveyor belts, which then transport the packages to other parts of the building for further processing.
[...] Another project tells seasonal workers where to direct the outbound packages that UPS vehicles pick up throughout the day and bring to the company's sorting facilities. UPS hires nearly 100,000 of these workers from November through January. Typically, these people would need to memorize hundreds of zip codes to know where to place parcels, but last winter UPS outfitted about 2,500 of them with scanning devices and $8 Bluetooth headphones that issue one-word directions, such as "Green," "Red," or "Blue." The colors correspond to specific conveyor belts, which then transport the packages to other parts of the building for further processing.
obligatory, by now (Score:5, Interesting)
http://marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm
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You beat me to it. That is the first thing that came to mind.
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Next best thing would be Charles Stross' "Antibodies", with the 'borged cops.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:3)
Lol, too funny. But it's great! Good to see Amazon giving UPS and Fedex some competition. This will all result in lower prices and higher efficiency. More savings for stockholders (thats us), more savings for consumers (us again).
Fantastic. I'm interested in how they managed to convince the higher ups to spend the money on these projects, and how they outlined their ROI. Project Justification was never really my strong suit.
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It's so cute when someone thinks private industry will pass on cost savings to consumers.
Remember many, many years ago, during the Bush administration, when gas was ~$4/gallon and both FedEx and UPS raised their rates claiming it was because of higher fuel costs? When gas fell to ~$2/gallon, did you see them lower their rates?
It's like when people think giving companies a tax break will mean all their employees will get a rise in their wages.
Naivety is so cute.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:2)
What are you, high? They obviously will when amazon comes out with "unlimited shipping for..."
Besides, if you think they wont, buy some shares. The savings go somewhere.
Just wait and see.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:5, Insightful)
It's so cute when someone thinks private industry will pass on cost savings to consumers.
Check out the price of a 70" 4k LED TV in 2015 vs now. Let me know what you find.
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Or for that matter the cost of shipping it. Even in the surgical case costs have come down over the years.
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Check out the price of a 70" 4k LED TV in 2015 vs now. Let me know what you find.
That's right, everyone's economic problems are solved, because we have bigass thin TVs now! We can eat those TVs. Build houses on those TVs. Support families with those TVs. Inches of TV = prosperity.
Wait, you mean they're just good for watching shows!? WTF kind of garbage is this!?!? Can I trade this TV in for a 17" CRT tube with bad colors and faux wood paneling, and get back all that other stuff!? I CAN'T!?!?! >:(
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:2)
Pretty sure you replied on the wrong website. Amazon product reviews are on Amazon.com.
Cheers.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:4, Insightful)
It's so cute when someone thinks private industry will pass on cost savings to consumers.
If they are in a competitive industry, they have no choice. If they don't pass on the savings, their competitors will. For instance, when grocery stores can cut costs, they pass nearly all savings along as lower prices. Tech companies are protected from competition by IP laws, so they pass on far less. You can only buy an iPhone from Apple.
when gas was ~$4/gallon and both FedEx and UPS raised their rates claiming it was because of higher fuel costs? When gas fell to ~$2/gallon, did you see them lower their rates?
This is an example of "implicit collusion". That is what you get with a duopoly. More market participants make that much harder.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:4, Insightful)
It's like when people think giving companies a tax break will mean all their employees will get a rise in their wages.
Naivety is so cute.
And it's so easy to fool them with crumbs. Like when Trump organized the current redistribution of wealth to the 1%, companies gave about 3.3% of the money they received from corporate tax breaks to workers as one-time bonuses, and most workers lapped it up - "5 stars, would cut taxes for the ownership class again!" they thought. They even got offended when someone pointed out that 3.3% is crumbs.
It's almost difficult to blame the 1% for playing these people like the fools they are for every penny they're worth. Almost.
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... and let's see how said people feel when they see their 2018 tax returns, without a bunch of deductions. Many people who have historically itemized will get less back.
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You're probably right - but what income class itemizes rather than taking the (now larger) standard deduction?
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Anyone with a mortgage or medical expenses.
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Aside from "squant", what other colours are there?
Re:obligatory, by now (Score:4, Interesting)
Definitely. However in the book the owners of the Manna systems network them and share data. Wouldn't that put them at a competitive disadvantage, it would also most likely be illegal given how little you can ask former employers about workers.
But yeah, headsets with indoor mapping via WiFi... machine learning managing fast food supplies and routines... it's getting VERY doable these days.
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After google or Walmart buys UPS the sharing internal to the company will get easier.
Re:obligatory, by now (Score:4, Insightful)
They never will. Reality corporations are basically psychopathic dicks. They will never service all areas unless forced to, focusing all efforts on the most profitable locations and then competition and greed will always create cabals to eliminate that competition and hugely inflate profits margins. This would kill town after town and well, you can see the problems.
This is exactly why government needs to do essential services because more uniform provision of service across the community ensuring a more distributed society across the country, run on a more fair basis.
Of course with US politics the way it is, entering it from the outside seems more like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com], if there is a greedily stupid way of doing things badly the US will find it.
Re: obligatory, by now (Score:2)
Sounds like someone is confused about the difference between UPS and USPS. Amongst many other things.
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Well, the owners of more and more places are consolidating into ever larger conglomerates, so two companies that you think may be competing against each other may actually have the same parent company. This is especially true in the quick-service food industry where t
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so two companies that you think may be competing against each other may actually have the same parent company.
... or the same shareholders. Many, many corporate board members come from investment companies, such as Fidelity, Vanguard, KKR, Blackstone, etc. If Fidelity owns 5% of UPS and 5% of Fedex, the last thing they want is a price war that will drive down the profits of both companies. Since they have seats on both boards, they can ecourange implicit collusion by arguing for "price stability".
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Outside of North America, FedEx and UPS are bit players - everyone uses DHL if they want to mean anything
You made me curious. According to the numbers I could find, FedEx International ships about twice as many packages as DHL.
http://s1.q4cdn.com/714383399/... [q4cdn.com] (p. 13)
http://wap.dhl.com/info/compan... [dhl.com]
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I suggest you ask KFC just how well using DHL is working out for them in the UK at the moment.
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Definitely. However in the book the owners of the Manna systems network them and share data. Wouldn't that put them at a competitive disadvantage, it would also most likely be illegal given how little you can ask former employers about workers.
Well companies have been salivating over the idea of a universal shared employment blacklist since approximately forever, so they don't seem to think it would put them at a competitive disadvantage.
As for being illegal? An easy problem to fix in the age of #MAGA!
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the owners of the Manna systems network them and share data. Wouldn't that put them at a competitive disadvantage,
It would make more sense if it was positioned more like the credit agencies and payroll services are; other employer wouldn't be buying the data from Burger G, but rather and Experian or ADP.
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This is getting funny and unnerving.
Musk's Caves are Terrafoam (Score:2)
Perhaps the high speed bypasses for the Elven elite that the Boring company is drilling will be repurposed as underground caves for housing the jobless after no has to drive to work anymore.
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Wish I had karma, this was my first thought.
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That is really optimistic about people following directions. I think the author under appreciates vandalism, or simply not following directions out of spite.
If one of those Help buttons was pushed repeatedly, for example. Or if one of the employees didn't do what it was told. Or the employees attempted to outsmart "manna" by probing for it's logic weaknesses, and, then finding them, exploit them.
One of the reasons that employees are reluctant to exploit human mangers is because of the guilt they'd feel.
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One of the reasons that employees are reluctant to exploit human mangers is because of the guilt they'd feel. There'd be less guilt in exploiting the oversight weaknesses of an AI, and it'd become a game.
Aren't you forgetting the employees' other motivation -- wanting to keep their jobs?
People will put up with a lot in return for a steady paycheck, and it's unlikely that employees looking to "exploit the system" would go undetected for long.
Half-way finished. (Score:4, Insightful)
This is just the halfway point between human based systems and total automation. Right now, the computers are the brains and the humans are the brawn. After they have the brains part worked out, they'll start replacing the brawn with robots. If they are this far advanced into automation then they are already working on the robotic component.
Re:Half-way finished. (Score:5, Funny)
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I wouldn't worry about robotic overlords. Not if their conquest depends on Bluetooth.
The Bluetooth is there because humans occasionally put packages on the wrong truck.
Robots never would, so robots wouldn't have / need the Beepy Bluetooth gadget.
I'm not worried about robot overlords (Score:2)
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It doesn't. The human interface is what relies on Bluetooth and humans are going to be removed from the process. Therefore, Bluetooth will also be removed from the process.
Total automation is coming quickly and it will be putting many millions of people out of a job.
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Sounds like somebody has never seen Doctor Who [wikipedia.org].
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Re:Half-way finished. (Score:4, Informative)
You've got that a bit wrong there: as you say, the computer is already the brains, AI is good enough. Humans are already the brawn - which means that to replace us, they need automated brawn of comparable utility. And human hands and bodies are impressively nimble and versatile. It's robotics that aren't good enough yet, but they're advancing rapidly.
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Robots only need to be able to handle some cases as long as they can offload work they are unable to do onto humans. If they can only handle 50% of stuff, that's a huge savings already. It far more likely that they will be able to handle 95% of things right out of the gate.
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True - though it depends very much on what part of the job needs human skills. For example, if you need a human to take a package up the stairs and ring the doorbell for delivery, then it probably doesn't do you much good to automate the delivery truck and render the delivery person into an idle passenger riding between stops.
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You have made the same mistake that all the other doomsday soothsayers.
Computers do not have brains and are not intelligent. They have logic processors and are fast. There is a huge difference.
Logic processors lists the fastest route and also the one that burns less gas. Brains tell you to whether to try for the fastest route or the route with less gas.
Computers are really really good at answering math related questions (and a lot of questions are math related). They really really suck at deciding which
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Re:Half-way finished. (Score:4, Insightful)
If I may? I do understand computers. Many of the concerns about AI are not from designed or evolved malice on the part of the AI. It's from excessive trust in a system that responds in nanoseconds and may have enormous power, power that was granted them by accident or because of excessive trust in a fallible architecture.
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Give it up. AI nutters don't really understand computers. They just think it is magic and that AI is going to appear.
I deeply understand computers, don't think it is magic, and do think that AI is going to appear.
It won't appear magically, but through experimental research into how cognition works. I don't expect strong AI to come until we understand how to build it, but anyone who says that's never going to happen is engaging in supernatural thinking. There's nothing magical about our brains, therefore there's nothing -- other than lack of knowledge -- preventing us from building strong AI.
And it is abundantly clear
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You have made the same mistake that all the other doomsday soothsayers.
I have not because it was a metaphor, jackass. Brain and brawn are the fleshy analogs of CPUs and robotics. I'm not saying they will be smart, I'm saying they'll be able to perform the same task repeatedly without pay and thus displace millions of workers.
Computers are really really good at answering math related questions (and a lot of questions are math related). They really really suck at deciding which question to ask.
I'm sure they can recognize metaphors better than you.
Had a lot of bad UPS experiences (Score:2)
To me it seems like the biggest problem UPS has, is that they are the worst at understanding where a package is in their system.
At this point I've had four or five packages shipped via UPS that essentially "disappeared" within the system, some of them packages with over $1k worth of camera gear. I eventually got all of them, but sometimes up to a week after the expected delivery date - even though I had opted for two-day shipping.
Also going to a distribution center to pick up packages from both FedEx and U
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Sometimes its better to not know, I had a package go from Orlando FL to Louisville Ky THOUGH Seattle Wa, or another one that went from New York to Canada via Los Angles
its amazing how blithering incompetent they are at their ONE job, its not just an occasional oops, its every single package just wandering for days or weeks to hopefully end up in the correct area by sheer luck
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Having been in a UPS sorting facility or two... that is probably a seasonal worker placing a destination sticker on the wrong bag (small items are sorted into bags).
That whole back went to the wrong place... then got shipped back to WorldPort the main UPS air hub in the US to figure out where it should have went...
Re:Had a lot of bad UPS experiences (Score:5, Interesting)
I haven’t had this problem with either UPS or FedEx.
Amazon delivery, on the other hand... a couple weeks ago, I had to return a package that had been thrown into the grass inside a fenced yard (not for the first time). It was out there a couple days because the Amazon delivery driver had recorded “handed directly to a neighbor” - some of my neighbors have odd hours, so it takes a while to make contact with all of them. I finally happened to notice a small yellow corner of an envelope poking up amid a bunch of tall grass..
I’ve had Amazon drivers stuff boxes into trees (“left in a secure location”, the delivery note said - thank God the imbecile actually took a delivery photo that time!); in the grass; sitting in the rain, right underneath a laminated 8”x11” sign stating “please deliver packages to the back door”; all sorts of ridiculous locations. I’ve complained every time, and been told each time that I can’t exclude Amazon delivery from my options.
I’ve had Prime for years... but, after the latest debacle, I cancelled all my subscribe and save deliveries and am spending the next ten months (till renewal time) exploring alternatives to Amazon. There are certainly a number of companies trying to get into that space...
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I haven’t had this problem with either UPS or FedEx.
Amazon delivery, on the other hand... a couple weeks ago, I had to return a package that had been thrown into the grass inside a fenced yard (not for the first time). It was out there a couple days because the Amazon delivery driver had recorded “handed directly to a neighbor” - some of my neighbors have odd hours, so it takes a while to make contact with all of them. I finally happened to notice a small yellow corner of an envelope poking up amid a bunch of tall grass..
I’ve had Amazon drivers stuff boxes into trees (“left in a secure location”, the delivery note said - thank God the imbecile actually took a delivery photo that time!); in the grass; sitting in the rain, right underneath a laminated 8”x11” sign stating “please deliver packages to the back door”; all sorts of ridiculous locations. I’ve complained every time, and been told each time that I can’t exclude Amazon delivery from my options.
I’ve had Prime for years... but, after the latest debacle, I cancelled all my subscribe and save deliveries and am spending the next ten months (till renewal time) exploring alternatives to Amazon. There are certainly a number of companies trying to get into that space...
Yeah, sadly if I had to have them delivered to my home I don't think I'd rely on Amazon nearly as much as I do. Too many debacles.
I'm lucky that I can have the stuff delivered to my office. Many people don't have that luck, however. It would be nice if Amazon could get their act together.
I hope you find a good alternative. Jet seemed promising, but I must say I've had more delivery debacles with them than with Amazon, even with my office as destination!
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It was a long time ago, but I once had a roll of drawings delivered by UPS with creases and tire tracks on them. Mostly used FedEx from then on.
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robots (Score:1)
Pickup package, scan sticker, place on designated belt. Why are they looking at people for this? A robot can do that tirelessly pretty much forever.
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Cheaper to keep a better margin than your competitor, make him swallow the costs of jumping in first, ride his slipstream.
They'll change when the numbers say to. At the most optimal moment.
It's what software would do.
Is it a good idea? (Score:2)
I guess UPS is trying (Score:2)
Late? (Score:2)
but last winter UPS outfitted about 2,500 of them with scanning devices and $8 Bluetooth headphones that issue one-word directions, such as "Green," "Red," or "Blue." The colors correspond to specific conveyor belts, which then transport the packages to other parts of the building for further processing.
I had this, sans Bluetooth, over 10 years ago working in Office Depot's Returns Consolidation Center in Kent, WA. Items would come off the pallet, I'd scan them, the wrist computer would indicate Yellow, Red, Green, or Blue, and down that line they'd go.
I didn't RTFA, but I do hope UPS is doing something more advanced, but TFS makes it sound like child's play.
Better handling of packages? (Score:1)
How about training their help to stop being gorillas. It's crazy, a lot of handlers don't seem to care. I've even had a package with tire tracks across it. If it's the least bit fragile, I never send it UPS.
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Re: Work Fit For Americans (Score:2)
Von Braun was an american you silly git.
BTW how's the German moon shot coming along?
Re: Work Fit For Americans (Score:2)
There's no such thing as an american name, dumbass. You're speaking about a nation built through immigration.
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Von Braun was an american you silly git.
Born in Germany, worked for the Nazis. Escaped to Austria in 1945 and surrendered to an American soldier, age 30.
Re: Work Fit For Americans (Score:2)
Correct. And Hitler was born in Austria. Moved to Germany at 23.
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Hitler was Austrian. What is your point exactly?
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Correct.
that seems to be a concession that you were in fact not right, von Braun was not American and the GGP was not a "silly git".
And Hitler was born in Austria. Moved to Germany at 23.
I don't get your point. It's very widely known that Hitler was Austrian.
Re: Work Fit For Americans (Score:2)
that seems to be a concession that you were in fact not right, von Braun was not American and the GGP was not a "silly git".
Incorrect. von Braun was definitely American.
I don't get your point. It's very widely known that Hitler was Austrian.
Hitler was German.
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Von Braun was German and Hitler was Austrian.
There was no doubt about the latter even in the Nazi Germany.
The difference was that back then many Germans and many Austrians considered Austria a part of Germany that was disallowed to be a part of Germany by the treaties of Versailles and St. Germaine. Nowadays, not so much.
Re: Work Fit For Americans (Score:2)
Von Braun was German and Hitler was Austrian.
There was no doubt about the latter even in the Nazi Germany.
That's cute. Tell me, then, what nationality was Napoleano di Buonaparte?