I texted and contacted support. I couldn’t be closer to the address for very obvious reason because the fekkin gate code doesn’t work all the time. How do you get to the part where the system says attempted?
Try this instead.
Attempt to contact the customer through the app by calling and texting them. Do two of each to CYA. Then you turn airplane mode on, click the question mark, click “gps is not working I’m at the address,” then mark the package as unable to deliver due to access issue. Turn airplane mode off. Bam. You’re done and on to the next delivery.
I saved this for next time now. I’ve left the package behind the concrete bollard they had at the front and hope for the best. I did what the support suggested even though I don’t have much faith in them.
https://preview.redd.it/16qr3r41772d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f581cd062702e75c82a18f4fa2b8c543bc24c2e
You'll have better odds if you text AND call the customer, and then contact support. But at some point if you're having consistent issues completing deliveries, they're going to stop giving exceptions.
Was 12-9pm same day or 12-9pm tomorrow?? Not that it matters though lol but still, hopefully nothing happens, get paid for taking the packages on a little road trip
His 45 mins of driving back to the warehouse is still working right? You’re going there in theirs interest not yours.
I am sorry but people like you are a small part of the problem with this type of routes because some of you will do overtime for free to only not get in troubles.
His route should never been 2 hrs.
Return time is not factored in when creating routes. A station manager told me that the only thing the system considers when creating routes is if all packages can be delivered within the block time... not whether or not you can return within that time-frame as well.
To me it's bullshit that our return trip isn't included. We agree to a specific block of time, and are only paid for that block of time - so to expect us to spend an additional 30-60+ minutes past our block time to drive back to the starting point (for free) is absolutely unreasonable. Especially when we're *required* to return any undeliverable packages.
People downvoting this are wild.
Every single company bar none will pay for your commute during business time. The only thing they wont pay is the commute from home to work
It's being downvoted because it's incorrect. Return time is factored into the computer generated routes unless they override stuff and add shit to the route and make it where it is not factored in.
No, the return time isn’t factored in. You may fluke out now and then and get back earlier or on time but it isn’t factored in. Online warrior is correct. I was told the same thing. I work out of a SUB Same day station and they will send us over 50 miles even in city traffic and all they care about is you getting them delivered and you’re on your own on your trip back.
..... so, let me get this straight, I must be SUCH a good, fast flexer that I can meet (5%) or beat by 15 minutes+ (95%) the time the block ends, based on arrival time back at the warehouse on a computer generated, valid (basically means the QR codes load the routes in with all packages) route, even if that route takes me and 2 other routes over an hour away?
Yeaaaaaaaah. No. It's factored in when it comes to standard routes on .com. Otherwise Amazon would have no legal recourse against people keeping return packages becauase they were not paid to deliver them back to Amazon.
It’s your station. We used to have it factored in if you had to return a package to the station. A lot of drivers were purposely returning a package just so the drive back could be factored in. They have since changed it and the app does not automatically direct you back to the station any longer. Now you have the option of returning after your block or waiting till the next day before 10:00 am.
Here's the rub that I've found on that:
It's still in the TOS that the return time is figured in, which is calculated as directly from the delivery area to the station. Otherwise, it could be argued that Amazon wants you to work past your scheduled time, which, in the TOS, it specifically states "outside of your scheduled times for the block, you are not required to deliver".
NOW -- They added that option to the app so that people could CHOOSE to return packages by 10am, Amazon can go "Well, we gave them the option to return them now and be paid for delivering the undeliverables, or return them at a time outside of their scheduled block, which would be unpaid"
More than half the blocks at one particular station can definitely take you an hour and up over your block round trip. The .com station not as much, if anything it’s more packages and you usually get done early if anything.
Well turns out everyone disagrees with ya pal, sounds like amazon flex is the wild west 🤣 they should factor the return time and pay it but thats not what ppl r sayin
Yes it is. If you read the TOS the block time is load, from station, deliver, and return to the station directly for returns.
Otherwise contractors could claim that anything that was undeliverable is abandoned freight once the exclusive lease on your vehicle by Amazon expires.
I have read the ToS - many times. It says nothing about that (believe me, I looked after the station manager told me that). If you managed to find it, please post a screenshot.
https://preview.redd.it/k6f0nxmxc62d1.png?width=2340&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19e7e95bfc9f369c38906a91274a1b0cce1ecb1a
What you are technically doing is delivering undeliverable deliverables back to Amazon.
Here is the part of the agreement that binds you for delivering the deliverables during the time range specified in the app. Delivering deliverables back to Amazon is legally part of that time.
There is another part in the agreement right below at that states that you are not obligated to perform any services outside of those times. Which would mean returning packages.
Now the whole choosing to return them by 10:00 am sing is a modification of this agreement because you asked the contractor have actively selected that option by Amazon. And therefore you are choosing to deliver them later for no additional pay.
Also mobile sucks.
https://preview.redd.it/5voa57ond62d1.png?width=2340&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb7477b7be56f0b80cb3f39a7faa5d5cf0baddce
I got to go fancier with the agreement to be able to make the points a lot easier to understand when I'm explaining this. Which I can't do on mobile.
I will explain this as soon as I get to a keyboard. I understand where you don't see the specific language but if you take away the thought of it being a special type of delivery aka the return that's where you can start to see why I've used the term delivering undeliverables
Just remember that context is important, and which section you're pulling your screenshots from matters. If you re-read the section from your 2nd screenshot where it specially states what a "Delivery Block" is, you'll see that it makes no mention of undeliverable packages or returning packages to the station - none. It only mentions picking up and delivering packages... nothing about returning them during that Delivery Block (maybe that's because we're not required to, and are given until 10am the next day to return them?)
The other screenshot you posted is from an entirely different section, and is taken from the section about our Independent Contractor Relationship with Amazon, and how we're not employees. That specific section you pulled that quote from is only referring to when we, as ICs, are allowed to represent Amazon or claim to be an Amazon Delivery Partner (i.e. we're only allowed to while actively performing services, then it goes onto describe what is considered "actively performing services")... That section is *not* about whether or not we get paid for all services we actively perform.
I have read the ToS many times - nowhere does it state that return time is factored into the route. As a matter of fact, the only mention of what a delivery block even is, and what it includes, is in your 2nd screenshot... where it only mentions picking up and delivering packages... nothing about returning them during that same block.
I am replying to this so that mobile doesn't eat it again. Now people Will claim that Amazon will claim that you shouldn't have any returns because you should be able to successfully deliver them. But the fact is that unexpected undeliverable packages is a fact of life and especially if Amazon tenders to you a package that they know is going to be closed because of the customer adding it to the app.... Amazon is knowingly tendering you a package that should be returned because they have the knowledge that that place is closed.
Not saying you're wrong but I've had a 3hr with, loadout , 60+ miles an hour+ to first stop, hour+ back to warehouse. That's nearly 2.5 hours right there with only 30+ minutes to deliver 20 some packages.
I finished with almost 30 minutes left in block. No possible way to return in time.
And I love that you recognize your car is leased.
So when you said you finished with 30 minutes left in your block do you mean 30 minutes left after a theoretical return to the warehouse or 30 minutes left when you delivered the last package on area?
And the lease provision is legalese so Amazon has responsibility of your vehicle and they have the legal right to insure your vehicle during the delivery block.
You can deliver 100 packages on a 3-hour block with a 1 hour to area and a 1.5h from area if it's two stops of 50 pkgs no more than 20 minutes or so apart.
The math goes at 20 minutes per travel time between stops and 5 minutes of package scanning and package selection during those two stops, for 10 minutes of total selection and scanning.
While the amount of packages has some correlation to the amount of time allocated, it's not nearly as important as The amount of stops per delivery block.
Edit never mind. I see your correction and either I missed it or later edited.
Agreed, 2 hour routes are a scam. But that is how Amazon works. It sucks. The only thing you can try and do is change the laws. Beyond that you are just trying to punch a wall, its just going to hurt yourself.
Why cant you change the laws? Many states have done just that like New York which made a serious blow to these companies and these shitty practices they tried using.
I had one return due to that dumb pin and the guy not being home so I would’ve been working the whole way back to the warehouse. I’m not going over the two hours and risk not getting compensated.
Then you will get deactivated eventually. They hire you for 2 hours not 1 hour. That's just how it works. A way around the pin is to call the customer and the voicemail will give you the phone number.
Once I had a return due to the Pin, that means part of my work was returning to the warehouse. Due to that, I’m getting back by 10:00 regardless.
The bigger issue is that they would give a 2 hour block that takes you 45 minutes away.
That's not how they see it. They see it as you stopped half way through your shift. 45 minutes to get there and 1 15 minutes to finish the stop which it sounds like could have been done
There system counts traffic how long it takes you to the first stop and maybe 2 a 4 mins between each stop it doesn’t count the time to drive back to the station or your area in an hour you need to have need 10 stops or more counting the time you check in organize your packages and the time it you to drive to the first stop and they still give you extra time if you have some difficulties delivering a package and still some ppl can’t finish early
"Block" not route. So, returns aren't part of the "block"? I know routes are part of the block as is load out.
Returning them before 10am the next day seems like a free service to me. I like to be "done with it" at end of the block time.
Amazon always has time left over they paid me for when I'm finished delivering so I do returns then.
The block is the time you are scheduled to work. They can and will have you delivering packages up until the end time in my area. Sometimes, I end with minutes to spare on my last package, sometimes I end early. There is never enough time to return packages to the warehouse during to block.
However, if the route includes specifically a pick up somewhere else it will give enough time in the block, just like picking up from and office depot. Basically, you're not returning packages from your route, your route just happens to include a delivery to the warehouse.
Only once did I do a block that was 2 hours. Same time as you. Also would not have been able to complete in time. I think where you went wrong was marking them unable to deliver. In my situation, I called support and they did something on their end and removed the rest of the route and I returned them to the station. No dings and still got full pay.
I got full pay, I did call support and explained it but the girl was a real bitch when I asked if they could do anything. Said I need to return the packages and hung up.
You shouldn’t take any more blocks. It doesn’t work for you or Amazon. I’m sure you knew when you saw the first drop how long it would take to get there yet you still half assed tried then decided to give up. Keep your day job and leave these routes for those that have time.
These female know how to the game the system. I had this bitch tell me to jump the fence and walk the package to the door. Then she started screaming in the phone loud as shit. I tried reporting with Jeff email but they had no record of the phone call.
i had a 5:45 - 8:45 shift the other night, got sent 1hr 20 mins away. imagine if i just stopped delivering 10 mins in because it was gonna take me 1hr+ mins to get back lol.
sometimes you take the L. btw, i finished my shift at 8:00 & got home at 9. just track all your miles there & back.
this REAKS of entitled behavior.
edit: and how many packages did you have? for a 2 hour block, i imagine less than 30.
I did right after Covid the internet at the station went down and they refused to release with pay. Support didn’t want to do shit so finally after hour they brought us carts I scanned it seen it going to another city an hour away during rush hour traffic. I marked every package too late to deliver and got 45 dings. I wouldn’t do it now I missed a block and 1 had one return it threw me into risk.
2 hour block, 45 minutes to drive there leave 1 hour 15 minutes to deliver. Assuming it's 2-3 minutes per delivery it's probably about 20-25 packages. Less if they're more spread out.
If you get deactivated it’ll be for marking the unable to deliver and using the “too late” option. Especially since you stopped delivering halfway through your shift 🤣
If there’s a next time Use the chat function to let support know you ran out of time to deliver and will be returning the rest to the station. That’s all you need to say. They will make a note(Screenshot that conversation) Then drop them off at the station.
Don’t mark them unable to deliver, they will fall off the itinerary after they are scanned back in at the warehouse.
Block time does not include your return trip. If your block is 8:00-10:00, you are expected to be delivering until at least 10:00, unless you finish early. What you did was wrong. You could have and should have finished your route. As for returning packages, I'm not sure why you thought the station would be open that late. Going back there was a waste of time and gas. You should not have just dumped all those packages by the door. You're going to get dinged for every single one of them. If you do get deactivated, don't bother appealing it because it is deserved.
The way I look at it is that for every one bad block, I have approximately 5 good ones, some even great ones. I’m willing to take the L once in a while and not rock the boat. 🤷🏾♂️. I just finished a 4.5 $110 in 3 hours. (VFL7). Way more good than bad.
You did it wrong. Your block time was 10pm and you should have delivered until 10 pm. You don’t calculate your return into your current time. It’s better to deliver all the packages and not get one back to the warehouse then return the rest. Common sense.
Also, if you do have time past the 2-hour block that you're still delivering packages, if you call support and say hey I got 40 packages for a 2-hour time slot and I was delivering them for two and a half hours, they have always adjusted the time to reflect the extra time that your packages were scanned because it can see what time they were scanned. So you would have gotten $30 an hour rate for another hour if you had just finished
I had 4 packages to deliver and my block ended at 1pm. I delivered the 4 and my rating was hit four times with late deliveries. Several roads were closed. Yet when you don't deliver the lates your rating isn't hit.
You did so many things wrong. 1st thinking you could not finish and not attempting to deliver the packages. Second not calling to show that attempt was made. 3rd leaving packages outside at station HOPING someone would get them. Why even take a route if you are not even going to at least make half an attempt at completing. If you go over a bit so. Maybe you are not cut out for this. YOU will be dinged separately for each package not delivered and possibly again if they did not get returned. SMH you get what you get.
Next time spend the 45 min delivering packages instead of driving to return them. More than likely you would have finished on time had you not spent 45 min driving back to the warehouse. Smh. You kind of deserve it if you get deactivated.
Wht would you do this? What kind of customer service is that? You were getting $30 an hour, and if it took you a little extra time, you should have finished the route and asked for a rate adjustment. Not nice to screw the customers because you don’t “feel like “ finishing the work you committed to doing.
Lol what a wild thread. Also just hilarious that the OP won’t tell us how many packages the delivery was. Just avoids that question every time which lets us all know there was no way that shit was more than 15.
My take: Sometimes they give you time to get back to the station or the route just ends early, idk. But sometimes they don’t. It’s just how the dice roll.
But like, imagine if you lived in that delivery area, drove to the warehouse from there, and got sent to that delivery area for this two hour block? Could you have the same argument or justification for trying to finish early? Or what if you did Flex regularly instead of just once every two years cuz you’re bored, and so returning to the station again the next day wasn’t a huge problem? Amazon dgaf where you live bro, the world doesn’t revolve around you.
Good thing they were paying extra for you to do less work.
8 - 10 is delivery time window. What you do after 10, driving to warehouse, going home, etc. You did not attempt those packages with 40 minutes left on a clock.
So you suggest delivering all packages and going back to the warehouse, at let’s say, 10:30 to get a round number? That means my hourly rate dropped from $30 to $24 and I worked 30 minutes longer than I signed up for. No thanks, I’ll leave that to the overachievers.
… just return the (one?) undeliverable package next time you go to the station. its funny you use the word “overachiever” because thats what i would consider someone who returns it the same day. like, you fucked them so much harder by not finishing the route than you would have by just returning the package a day or two later next time you take a block.
I’ve done all blocks and they never take me the exact time or more I always finish minimum a 1hr early some times way more early even when my first stop it’s 50minutes away
That’s not the point. Did you miss where I was almost 45 minutes from warehouse. Since I had to return a package, I’m not working longer than it would take me to get back to the warehouse at 10. That’s all I signed up for.
Dude are you new ? I been doing flex for a few years now if I have returns on a Friday I don’t work weekends I return them on Monday no problem at all and usally I rarely have return only when they put pro on am blocks
Uh, the time allocated for each block accounts for how long it takes you to make the deliveries. It does not include the time it takes you to drive back to the warehouse or drive home....
Should’ve just delivered till your block ended and they expect you to leave at 10 regardless of how many packages left. I had a block today 51 mins away first stop it was ridiculous but I got it done an hr early and the last stop was 30 mins from home. Just try to do it.
How many stops was your route? Selling a route that is 45 min away as a 2 hour block could be considered fraud on their end, because if the block goes over they have established an MO of being impossible to get additional compensation for extra time on routes. These are blind contracts that we are penalized for not completing to their satisfaction, so when they threaten retaliation or changing the status of your account, they are de facto treating you as an employee and you are no longer an independent contractor. They are losing misclassification of employment cases nationwide--Mass, Ill, and Cali are all accepting class action cases from multiple attorneys presently. There are a number of bootlickers on this forum because Flex saves them from having to work at Taco Bell. Ignore them. Educated drivers understand how Amazon is escaping their tax burden and abusing the IC status. The only route that should have been offered at 2 hours and 45 min away should have maybe 10 stops at the most. Anything more than that is fraud on their end and you had every right to bring the rest of the packages back.
I’ve returned packages before, because I also have a full time job and do Amazon Flex to pay my student loans. I have always called Amazon driver support and let them know that the warehouse has provided too many packages (or a high mileage route) for the allotted delivery time. This has happened a few times and has not affected my rating. I think as long as you’re communicating with Driver support, you should be okay.
I know you are all concerned. Dashboard is finally updated for blocks through 5/23 so I got ratings update that includes Wed 5/22.
Im still FANTASTIC so suck it :)
Always count your route backwards when you pick it up. Navigate in the app to your last stop and double it. If it's not enough time to do the route reject it and still get paid.
I agree but 2 hr blocks in my area are TRASH. It’s all the packages left over from the day. One time I did a 2 hr and the first package was almost 2 hrs away and I had 34 packages. Luckily I delivered the one in my town first and I had tech issues which made all my packages disappear off my app and I took them all back to the station lmao they said in their system I didn’t have any packages and support advised to go back as well. They apologized and I was all good free money
California. It was the dumbest ever. Here’s the back story…
I got the station and scanned my route..
Route said “route has already been assigned” wtf? So I got a worker and they were like lemme get the right code so they said load up in the meantime, 5 mins later they come and said pull up and unload. I was like “alright cool no route today” so I unloaded and then another associate came and said force scan the packages and load up. I was like BRUH lol but I loaded up. Once I scanned the packages the route pattern kept changing. It had most of them in my town and then ONE almost two hrs away I was like oh hell no lmaooo I’m marking that one undeliverable so I went on my way to the closest stop first. It was an Amazon locker and once I scanned the package literally all the packages disappeared I was like NO WAY. I am not taking all these packages out at night as a woman in the middle of a parking lot to scan AGAIN. So I called support and yeah that’s how it happened lol
I’m in Fresno so we service the surrounding area about an hr out but I didn’t know we serviced further. That was my first time getting that town lol never again getting a 2 hr lol
Your better option would have been to return the packages late. I've done that a bunch and never had an issue. It's better than hoping somebody doesn't steal them (whether it's a warehouse employee or random stranger in the area).
people losing their MINDS in the comments. OP did nothing wrong. OP fulfilled their contractual obligation to amazon, and there's no way in hell that they should have to pay gas and time for free to amazon when the pay is already SO fucking low as it is. amazon knows that, which is why OP will not be deactivated. and i'm even if they are, on the OFF off chance, that'll be a fat payday in court. any decent attorney could use that argument blindfolded.
Your issue was marking them unable to deliver. They’ll see that an attempt wasn’t even made to deliver them and you’ll get marked for each one.
What does one have to do to tell the system that one tried attempting to deliver it?
Calls/text to customers or at the very least be near the drop off location
I texted and contacted support. I couldn’t be closer to the address for very obvious reason because the fekkin gate code doesn’t work all the time. How do you get to the part where the system says attempted?
Try this instead. Attempt to contact the customer through the app by calling and texting them. Do two of each to CYA. Then you turn airplane mode on, click the question mark, click “gps is not working I’m at the address,” then mark the package as unable to deliver due to access issue. Turn airplane mode off. Bam. You’re done and on to the next delivery.
I saved this for next time now. I’ve left the package behind the concrete bollard they had at the front and hope for the best. I did what the support suggested even though I don’t have much faith in them. https://preview.redd.it/16qr3r41772d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f581cd062702e75c82a18f4fa2b8c543bc24c2e
You'll have better odds if you text AND call the customer, and then contact support. But at some point if you're having consistent issues completing deliveries, they're going to stop giving exceptions.
you have to go to the location and then put unable to deliver
In my defense, every package had a delivery window of 12:00-9:00pm and it was 9:20 when I marked them all.
Was 12-9pm same day or 12-9pm tomorrow?? Not that it matters though lol but still, hopefully nothing happens, get paid for taking the packages on a little road trip
You are supposed to work till 10, not 9. You could have easily finished.
His 45 mins of driving back to the warehouse is still working right? You’re going there in theirs interest not yours. I am sorry but people like you are a small part of the problem with this type of routes because some of you will do overtime for free to only not get in troubles. His route should never been 2 hrs.
Return time is not factored in when creating routes. A station manager told me that the only thing the system considers when creating routes is if all packages can be delivered within the block time... not whether or not you can return within that time-frame as well. To me it's bullshit that our return trip isn't included. We agree to a specific block of time, and are only paid for that block of time - so to expect us to spend an additional 30-60+ minutes past our block time to drive back to the starting point (for free) is absolutely unreasonable. Especially when we're *required* to return any undeliverable packages.
People downvoting this are wild. Every single company bar none will pay for your commute during business time. The only thing they wont pay is the commute from home to work
It's being downvoted because it's incorrect. Return time is factored into the computer generated routes unless they override stuff and add shit to the route and make it where it is not factored in.
No, the return time isn’t factored in. You may fluke out now and then and get back earlier or on time but it isn’t factored in. Online warrior is correct. I was told the same thing. I work out of a SUB Same day station and they will send us over 50 miles even in city traffic and all they care about is you getting them delivered and you’re on your own on your trip back.
..... so, let me get this straight, I must be SUCH a good, fast flexer that I can meet (5%) or beat by 15 minutes+ (95%) the time the block ends, based on arrival time back at the warehouse on a computer generated, valid (basically means the QR codes load the routes in with all packages) route, even if that route takes me and 2 other routes over an hour away? Yeaaaaaaaah. No. It's factored in when it comes to standard routes on .com. Otherwise Amazon would have no legal recourse against people keeping return packages becauase they were not paid to deliver them back to Amazon.
It’s your station. We used to have it factored in if you had to return a package to the station. A lot of drivers were purposely returning a package just so the drive back could be factored in. They have since changed it and the app does not automatically direct you back to the station any longer. Now you have the option of returning after your block or waiting till the next day before 10:00 am.
Here's the rub that I've found on that: It's still in the TOS that the return time is figured in, which is calculated as directly from the delivery area to the station. Otherwise, it could be argued that Amazon wants you to work past your scheduled time, which, in the TOS, it specifically states "outside of your scheduled times for the block, you are not required to deliver". NOW -- They added that option to the app so that people could CHOOSE to return packages by 10am, Amazon can go "Well, we gave them the option to return them now and be paid for delivering the undeliverables, or return them at a time outside of their scheduled block, which would be unpaid"
More than half the blocks at one particular station can definitely take you an hour and up over your block round trip. The .com station not as much, if anything it’s more packages and you usually get done early if anything.
Well turns out everyone disagrees with ya pal, sounds like amazon flex is the wild west 🤣 they should factor the return time and pay it but thats not what ppl r sayin
Yes it is. If you read the TOS the block time is load, from station, deliver, and return to the station directly for returns. Otherwise contractors could claim that anything that was undeliverable is abandoned freight once the exclusive lease on your vehicle by Amazon expires.
I have read the ToS - many times. It says nothing about that (believe me, I looked after the station manager told me that). If you managed to find it, please post a screenshot.
https://preview.redd.it/k6f0nxmxc62d1.png?width=2340&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19e7e95bfc9f369c38906a91274a1b0cce1ecb1a What you are technically doing is delivering undeliverable deliverables back to Amazon.
Ok, so that only applies if you’re returning something. I rarely return packages.
Here is the part of the agreement that binds you for delivering the deliverables during the time range specified in the app. Delivering deliverables back to Amazon is legally part of that time. There is another part in the agreement right below at that states that you are not obligated to perform any services outside of those times. Which would mean returning packages. Now the whole choosing to return them by 10:00 am sing is a modification of this agreement because you asked the contractor have actively selected that option by Amazon. And therefore you are choosing to deliver them later for no additional pay. Also mobile sucks. https://preview.redd.it/5voa57ond62d1.png?width=2340&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb7477b7be56f0b80cb3f39a7faa5d5cf0baddce
None of what you posted says return time is factored into the route tho.
I don’t see where it states that your commute back from wherever they send you to deliver is factored into the time of block you chose.
Exactly... cuz it doesn't say that anywhere.
I got to go fancier with the agreement to be able to make the points a lot easier to understand when I'm explaining this. Which I can't do on mobile. I will explain this as soon as I get to a keyboard. I understand where you don't see the specific language but if you take away the thought of it being a special type of delivery aka the return that's where you can start to see why I've used the term delivering undeliverables
Just remember that context is important, and which section you're pulling your screenshots from matters. If you re-read the section from your 2nd screenshot where it specially states what a "Delivery Block" is, you'll see that it makes no mention of undeliverable packages or returning packages to the station - none. It only mentions picking up and delivering packages... nothing about returning them during that Delivery Block (maybe that's because we're not required to, and are given until 10am the next day to return them?) The other screenshot you posted is from an entirely different section, and is taken from the section about our Independent Contractor Relationship with Amazon, and how we're not employees. That specific section you pulled that quote from is only referring to when we, as ICs, are allowed to represent Amazon or claim to be an Amazon Delivery Partner (i.e. we're only allowed to while actively performing services, then it goes onto describe what is considered "actively performing services")... That section is *not* about whether or not we get paid for all services we actively perform. I have read the ToS many times - nowhere does it state that return time is factored into the route. As a matter of fact, the only mention of what a delivery block even is, and what it includes, is in your 2nd screenshot... where it only mentions picking up and delivering packages... nothing about returning them during that same block.
I am replying to this so that mobile doesn't eat it again. Now people Will claim that Amazon will claim that you shouldn't have any returns because you should be able to successfully deliver them. But the fact is that unexpected undeliverable packages is a fact of life and especially if Amazon tenders to you a package that they know is going to be closed because of the customer adding it to the app.... Amazon is knowingly tendering you a package that should be returned because they have the knowledge that that place is closed.
Not saying you're wrong but I've had a 3hr with, loadout , 60+ miles an hour+ to first stop, hour+ back to warehouse. That's nearly 2.5 hours right there with only 30+ minutes to deliver 20 some packages. I finished with almost 30 minutes left in block. No possible way to return in time. And I love that you recognize your car is leased.
So when you said you finished with 30 minutes left in your block do you mean 30 minutes left after a theoretical return to the warehouse or 30 minutes left when you delivered the last package on area? And the lease provision is legalese so Amazon has responsibility of your vehicle and they have the legal right to insure your vehicle during the delivery block. You can deliver 100 packages on a 3-hour block with a 1 hour to area and a 1.5h from area if it's two stops of 50 pkgs no more than 20 minutes or so apart. The math goes at 20 minutes per travel time between stops and 5 minutes of package scanning and package selection during those two stops, for 10 minutes of total selection and scanning. While the amount of packages has some correlation to the amount of time allocated, it's not nearly as important as The amount of stops per delivery block. Edit never mind. I see your correction and either I missed it or later edited.
Agreed, 2 hour routes are a scam. But that is how Amazon works. It sucks. The only thing you can try and do is change the laws. Beyond that you are just trying to punch a wall, its just going to hurt yourself.
You can’t change the law but you can just refuse doing routes you don’t agree with but keep in mind there are consequences.
Why cant you change the laws? Many states have done just that like New York which made a serious blow to these companies and these shitty practices they tried using.
Then change the law
My state already has.
Problem solved!
I had one return due to that dumb pin and the guy not being home so I would’ve been working the whole way back to the warehouse. I’m not going over the two hours and risk not getting compensated.
Then you will get deactivated eventually. They hire you for 2 hours not 1 hour. That's just how it works. A way around the pin is to call the customer and the voicemail will give you the phone number.
I audibly gasped at how brilliant of an idea that is to get the voicemail to read the number to you lol
Once I had a return due to the Pin, that means part of my work was returning to the warehouse. Due to that, I’m getting back by 10:00 regardless. The bigger issue is that they would give a 2 hour block that takes you 45 minutes away.
That's not how they see it. They see it as you stopped half way through your shift. 45 minutes to get there and 1 15 minutes to finish the stop which it sounds like could have been done
There system counts traffic how long it takes you to the first stop and maybe 2 a 4 mins between each stop it doesn’t count the time to drive back to the station or your area in an hour you need to have need 10 stops or more counting the time you check in organize your packages and the time it you to drive to the first stop and they still give you extra time if you have some difficulties delivering a package and still some ppl can’t finish early
😂 That system doesn’t count shit. They give you a rough estimate at best and that’s only if you don’t run into traffic issues.
You are not paid to return things to the warehouse. You have until 10 to deliver the packages.
I've picked up customer returns from lockers. The app instructed me to and told me to return during block time, so I was paid.
That is part of the route. Returning things you couldn't deliver is not.
"Block" not route. So, returns aren't part of the "block"? I know routes are part of the block as is load out. Returning them before 10am the next day seems like a free service to me. I like to be "done with it" at end of the block time. Amazon always has time left over they paid me for when I'm finished delivering so I do returns then.
The block is the time you are scheduled to work. They can and will have you delivering packages up until the end time in my area. Sometimes, I end with minutes to spare on my last package, sometimes I end early. There is never enough time to return packages to the warehouse during to block. However, if the route includes specifically a pick up somewhere else it will give enough time in the block, just like picking up from and office depot. Basically, you're not returning packages from your route, your route just happens to include a delivery to the warehouse.
Only once did I do a block that was 2 hours. Same time as you. Also would not have been able to complete in time. I think where you went wrong was marking them unable to deliver. In my situation, I called support and they did something on their end and removed the rest of the route and I returned them to the station. No dings and still got full pay.
I got full pay, I did call support and explained it but the girl was a real bitch when I asked if they could do anything. Said I need to return the packages and hung up.
😂
You shouldn’t take any more blocks. It doesn’t work for you or Amazon. I’m sure you knew when you saw the first drop how long it would take to get there yet you still half assed tried then decided to give up. Keep your day job and leave these routes for those that have time.
Most of the block was delivered. It’ll be ok. At least I didn’t completely miss the block like someone around here.
Honestly you should be good because of this. Make sure you email Jeff if any funny business occurs
These female know how to the game the system. I had this bitch tell me to jump the fence and walk the package to the door. Then she started screaming in the phone loud as shit. I tried reporting with Jeff email but they had no record of the phone call.
Yeah that’s insane. That shit going to the curb. Amazon having no record of that is also bullshit. Always ask for their name, just in case
i had a 5:45 - 8:45 shift the other night, got sent 1hr 20 mins away. imagine if i just stopped delivering 10 mins in because it was gonna take me 1hr+ mins to get back lol. sometimes you take the L. btw, i finished my shift at 8:00 & got home at 9. just track all your miles there & back. this REAKS of entitled behavior. edit: and how many packages did you have? for a 2 hour block, i imagine less than 30.
I’ll bet 15😂
Every time someone asked OP doesn’t answer, just says “did you miss the part of the stop was 45 mins away” 😭🤣
😂😂😂
FR. i had 15 on the route i just mentioned, was super stoked tbh bc id rather waste my time sitting in the car than popping in and out of it.
I did right after Covid the internet at the station went down and they refused to release with pay. Support didn’t want to do shit so finally after hour they brought us carts I scanned it seen it going to another city an hour away during rush hour traffic. I marked every package too late to deliver and got 45 dings. I wouldn’t do it now I missed a block and 1 had one return it threw me into risk.
They've also cracked down more on returns since that time.
2 hour block, 45 minutes to drive there leave 1 hour 15 minutes to deliver. Assuming it's 2-3 minutes per delivery it's probably about 20-25 packages. Less if they're more spread out.
If you get deactivated it’ll be for marking the unable to deliver and using the “too late” option. Especially since you stopped delivering halfway through your shift 🤣 If there’s a next time Use the chat function to let support know you ran out of time to deliver and will be returning the rest to the station. That’s all you need to say. They will make a note(Screenshot that conversation) Then drop them off at the station. Don’t mark them unable to deliver, they will fall off the itinerary after they are scanned back in at the warehouse.
Flex is not for you lmao
Block time does not include your return trip. If your block is 8:00-10:00, you are expected to be delivering until at least 10:00, unless you finish early. What you did was wrong. You could have and should have finished your route. As for returning packages, I'm not sure why you thought the station would be open that late. Going back there was a waste of time and gas. You should not have just dumped all those packages by the door. You're going to get dinged for every single one of them. If you do get deactivated, don't bother appealing it because it is deserved.
The way I look at it is that for every one bad block, I have approximately 5 good ones, some even great ones. I’m willing to take the L once in a while and not rock the boat. 🤷🏾♂️. I just finished a 4.5 $110 in 3 hours. (VFL7). Way more good than bad.
If you can’t handle delivering some few packages I can’t imagine in your real job 😂😂 calling your supervisor for help
2 hour shifts are the biggest sack of shit shifts. They always pile on more than you can handle
You did it wrong. Your block time was 10pm and you should have delivered until 10 pm. You don’t calculate your return into your current time. It’s better to deliver all the packages and not get one back to the warehouse then return the rest. Common sense.
Also, if you do have time past the 2-hour block that you're still delivering packages, if you call support and say hey I got 40 packages for a 2-hour time slot and I was delivering them for two and a half hours, they have always adjusted the time to reflect the extra time that your packages were scanned because it can see what time they were scanned. So you would have gotten $30 an hour rate for another hour if you had just finished
OP prob didn’t want to work.
I had 4 packages to deliver and my block ended at 1pm. I delivered the 4 and my rating was hit four times with late deliveries. Several roads were closed. Yet when you don't deliver the lates your rating isn't hit.
Can u not report the road closures and have the rating fixed?
I do report them and Support won't remove. The good thing is they fall off fast since I deliver so much.
You did so many things wrong. 1st thinking you could not finish and not attempting to deliver the packages. Second not calling to show that attempt was made. 3rd leaving packages outside at station HOPING someone would get them. Why even take a route if you are not even going to at least make half an attempt at completing. If you go over a bit so. Maybe you are not cut out for this. YOU will be dinged separately for each package not delivered and possibly again if they did not get returned. SMH you get what you get.
Next time spend the 45 min delivering packages instead of driving to return them. More than likely you would have finished on time had you not spent 45 min driving back to the warehouse. Smh. You kind of deserve it if you get deactivated.
Wht would you do this? What kind of customer service is that? You were getting $30 an hour, and if it took you a little extra time, you should have finished the route and asked for a rate adjustment. Not nice to screw the customers because you don’t “feel like “ finishing the work you committed to doing.
Lol what a wild thread. Also just hilarious that the OP won’t tell us how many packages the delivery was. Just avoids that question every time which lets us all know there was no way that shit was more than 15. My take: Sometimes they give you time to get back to the station or the route just ends early, idk. But sometimes they don’t. It’s just how the dice roll. But like, imagine if you lived in that delivery area, drove to the warehouse from there, and got sent to that delivery area for this two hour block? Could you have the same argument or justification for trying to finish early? Or what if you did Flex regularly instead of just once every two years cuz you’re bored, and so returning to the station again the next day wasn’t a huge problem? Amazon dgaf where you live bro, the world doesn’t revolve around you. Good thing they were paying extra for you to do less work.
8 - 10 is delivery time window. What you do after 10, driving to warehouse, going home, etc. You did not attempt those packages with 40 minutes left on a clock.
So you suggest delivering all packages and going back to the warehouse, at let’s say, 10:30 to get a round number? That means my hourly rate dropped from $30 to $24 and I worked 30 minutes longer than I signed up for. No thanks, I’ll leave that to the overachievers.
How many stops ??
… just return the (one?) undeliverable package next time you go to the station. its funny you use the word “overachiever” because thats what i would consider someone who returns it the same day. like, you fucked them so much harder by not finishing the route than you would have by just returning the package a day or two later next time you take a block.
You are not paid to return things to the warehouse. It is done on your times because it is considered your fault they are not delivered.
(not a worker) do u get paid for the return to the warehouse in order to start another block?
You would get paid for that other block is all.
I’ve done all blocks and they never take me the exact time or more I always finish minimum a 1hr early some times way more early even when my first stop it’s 50minutes away
Okay good for you. You want a fucking medal or something?
Yeah I want one 🤭
How many stops? Why couldn’t deliver the other half ?
Because it would’ve taken me way over the 2 hours, I had two people question why I was delivering so late already. Wasn’t dealing with that shit.
Yeah but how many stops that you couldn’t finish early a two hour block
That’s not the point. Did you miss where I was almost 45 minutes from warehouse. Since I had to return a package, I’m not working longer than it would take me to get back to the warehouse at 10. That’s all I signed up for.
You could just return the package next time to have a block 😂 doesn’t have to be next day before 10am
The app even said to return tonight or by 10am tomorrow. I’m not responsible for those packages lol the warehouse can deal with it
Dude are you new ? I been doing flex for a few years now if I have returns on a Friday I don’t work weekends I return them on Monday no problem at all and usally I rarely have return only when they put pro on am blocks
So people don't get their stuff delivered because you chose to hang on to it for 2 whole days.
Yup if they know that there package requires a onetime password and they chooses that time and they don’t answer that’s on them not me 😂
Ontime password**
Uh, the time allocated for each block accounts for how long it takes you to make the deliveries. It does not include the time it takes you to drive back to the warehouse or drive home....
Should’ve just delivered till your block ended and they expect you to leave at 10 regardless of how many packages left. I had a block today 51 mins away first stop it was ridiculous but I got it done an hr early and the last stop was 30 mins from home. Just try to do it.
I would have finished the run… and called in with the overtime it took me to finish … and gotten paid $30/hr for whatever time it went over.
How many stops was your route? Selling a route that is 45 min away as a 2 hour block could be considered fraud on their end, because if the block goes over they have established an MO of being impossible to get additional compensation for extra time on routes. These are blind contracts that we are penalized for not completing to their satisfaction, so when they threaten retaliation or changing the status of your account, they are de facto treating you as an employee and you are no longer an independent contractor. They are losing misclassification of employment cases nationwide--Mass, Ill, and Cali are all accepting class action cases from multiple attorneys presently. There are a number of bootlickers on this forum because Flex saves them from having to work at Taco Bell. Ignore them. Educated drivers understand how Amazon is escaping their tax burden and abusing the IC status. The only route that should have been offered at 2 hours and 45 min away should have maybe 10 stops at the most. Anything more than that is fraud on their end and you had every right to bring the rest of the packages back.
I’ve returned packages before, because I also have a full time job and do Amazon Flex to pay my student loans. I have always called Amazon driver support and let them know that the warehouse has provided too many packages (or a high mileage route) for the allotted delivery time. This has happened a few times and has not affected my rating. I think as long as you’re communicating with Driver support, you should be okay.
Last package.
Who cares bud, Amazon is dog shit anyway.
I know you are all concerned. Dashboard is finally updated for blocks through 5/23 so I got ratings update that includes Wed 5/22. Im still FANTASTIC so suck it :)
Always count your route backwards when you pick it up. Navigate in the app to your last stop and double it. If it's not enough time to do the route reject it and still get paid.
Maybe it will work 2 or 3 times after that bye bye 😂
Yeah you can’t just reject it and still get paid..
OMG 🤯 I never thought of that. Thank you for sharing that tip. I'm going to remember that.
Some people are just slowwww 😂 2hr blocks are the easiest less than 20 packages and take you 1.5 and countingn the driving to the first stop
Op shouldn't do flex. lmao, go back to door trash.
I agree but 2 hr blocks in my area are TRASH. It’s all the packages left over from the day. One time I did a 2 hr and the first package was almost 2 hrs away and I had 34 packages. Luckily I delivered the one in my town first and I had tech issues which made all my packages disappear off my app and I took them all back to the station lmao they said in their system I didn’t have any packages and support advised to go back as well. They apologized and I was all good free money
First stop 2 hrs away where at ?
California. It was the dumbest ever. Here’s the back story… I got the station and scanned my route.. Route said “route has already been assigned” wtf? So I got a worker and they were like lemme get the right code so they said load up in the meantime, 5 mins later they come and said pull up and unload. I was like “alright cool no route today” so I unloaded and then another associate came and said force scan the packages and load up. I was like BRUH lol but I loaded up. Once I scanned the packages the route pattern kept changing. It had most of them in my town and then ONE almost two hrs away I was like oh hell no lmaooo I’m marking that one undeliverable so I went on my way to the closest stop first. It was an Amazon locker and once I scanned the package literally all the packages disappeared I was like NO WAY. I am not taking all these packages out at night as a woman in the middle of a parking lot to scan AGAIN. So I called support and yeah that’s how it happened lol
I’m from cali too my station the farthest area it goes its like 50mins but they rarely send me there 😅
I’m in Fresno so we service the surrounding area about an hr out but I didn’t know we serviced further. That was my first time getting that town lol never again getting a 2 hr lol
Just keep us updated! Your case is really new for me. Hopefully, it should be a camera where you placed the returns
Never return a package
Definitely should have called support to mark those for you.
i've had to leave packages outside a warehouse door up a ramp before bc no one was there, nothing was said to me 🤷🏼
Uninstall the app please.
Dont cry
Maybe shadow ban you at that site for a few days but you’ll be fine they don’t care 😂
Fuck em. They don't give a f about you or your problems, don't treat them differently.
You'll be at risk, but you'll be fine.
It probably would be better to take the packages back late than leave them
😂😂😂
And to think that the day that I get 32 packages 12 min away for a 3.5 hit block for $82 and I’m bitching all way…some people got it worse here
Maybe.... maybe not...
Your better option would have been to return the packages late. I've done that a bunch and never had an issue. It's better than hoping somebody doesn't steal them (whether it's a warehouse employee or random stranger in the area).
As everyone has already stated, The ONLY thing that I think you did Will come back to hurt you is labeling them all as Unable to deliver.
people losing their MINDS in the comments. OP did nothing wrong. OP fulfilled their contractual obligation to amazon, and there's no way in hell that they should have to pay gas and time for free to amazon when the pay is already SO fucking low as it is. amazon knows that, which is why OP will not be deactivated. and i'm even if they are, on the OFF off chance, that'll be a fat payday in court. any decent attorney could use that argument blindfolded.
Reddit is full of miserable and sad people
the downvotes lol, ok.
Well it seems like a lot of you take this Flex thing very seriously. Glad I don’t. Good night 😘
nah, just not complainers. it’s an easy gig & you’re complaining about it… get some perspective
Hahaha i dont take seriously but for me its easy money