Delivery operations information system with daily workload management feature and methods of use

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.

Description

PRIORITY [0001] Under provisions of 35 U.S.C. §119(e), this Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 602,592, filed Aug. 19, 2004, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 706,510, filed Aug. 8, 2005 and entitled “Delivery Operations Information System,” both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention generally relates to the field of tracking quantities of mail for delivery, monitoring their distribution, and scheduling and tracking the work force that distributes the mail. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for tracking mail volumes and distribution, and tracking and scheduling a mail carrier work force. [0004] 2. Background of the Invention [0005] The United States Postal Service (USPS™) is an independent establishment of the United States government that provides mail delivery and other services to the public. Th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system and methods for managing information related to a delivery service provider such as the USPS. The system tracks the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. The system includes a database that identifies routes for delivery, a database that identifies the volume of articles to be delivered along each route, and a database that identifies carriers and their availability and workload capacity. The system allows a delivery service provider to efficiently coordinate the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. The system provides display screens to selectively show the data from the databases and allows users to assign carriers to routes while adjusting the assignment to minimize the variance between the estimated work time for completing the routes and the carriers' available workhour capacity. The technical effects of the invention include improved efficiency in managing delivery service providers and better coordination with carrier resources.

Problems solved by technology

The previous delivery operations system was challenged by inefficiencies, outdated technology, and compliance with federal mandates and unionized labor rules.

A study of existing delivery operations systems used by the USPS™ identified several deficiencies: the existing system was DOS-based, making it difficult for a supervisor to interface with the necessary applications to properly perform the job; disparate legacy systems from the 1980's were redundant and could not effectively communicate; and supervisors and route examiners did not use the same system and so could not effectively share information.

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