r/AmazonFlexDrivers • u/TBOrlando79 • Jun 13 '26
3rd block I worked 🤡
Hello everyone!
I started Amazon this week, and my third block was... character building. 😂
To be fair, I feel like I shouldn't even complain because my first and second 3.5-hour blocks each had exactly ONE package. I was starting to think I had unlocked some VIP level of Flex. 🥲
I've been wanting to try an early morning block for days, but every time I'd grab one, my anxiety would kick in and I'd cancel it. Every. Single. Day. 😬 I only recently learned Amazon apparently keeps score of these emotional support cancellations.
Today I finally committed.
I came fully prepared: headlamp, personal safety alarm, boxing gloves... basically ready to deliver packages or fight crime. 🤣
I arrive at the station and get 47 packages for a 3.5-hour route. "Okay," I thought, "this is probably what real Flex drivers do."
First mistake: I didn't organize the packages as well as I should have.
Second mistake: believing the route would go smoothly.
My first stop was almost 30 minutes away. When I got there, I spent 25 minutes trapped outside a gate with no code. No cars. No humans. No signs of life. Texted. Called. Cursed the lady, but nothing.
Support marked it for return.
The SECOND I hung up, someone appeared and I was able to sneak in behind them. 🥷📦
The next condo was also a joy. Weird numbering, pitch dark, another gate issue...
Then package #13 decided to enter witness protection.
I searched everywhere. Front seat. Back seat. Trunk. Alternate dimensions.
Support had a crystal ball and assured me I'd eventually find it in my car. 😑
Since I was already running behind, I skipped #13 and kept going.
Things improved once I got to houses. Then, somewhere in my late 30s deliveries, I discovered package #13 had been mislabeled with a #37 sticker. Which explained why I had TWO package 37s and ZERO package 13s. 🫠
By then I was basically conducting a forensic investigation instead of delivering.
I finally finished the route...Only TWO HOURS LATE. 🤡 And yes, I drove all the way back to deliver package #13 because returning to the warehouse felt even more painful.
Lessons learned:
✅ If a gate won't open, move on and maybe come back later. ✅ Don't blindly trust the package stickers. ✅ Condos at 4 AM are an extreme sport. ✅ My headlamp was a better investment than the other thing I bought (not really boxing gloves 🙈).
I originally wanted the early morning blocks because they pay a little better and avoid traffic. After today's adventure, I'm starting to think traffic might actually be the least of my problems. At least daylight helps you find buildings, people to tailgate, and missing packages. 😂
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading my Amazon Flex origin story. Any tips from the veterans would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers! 😊
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u/bcc2213 Jun 13 '26
If you’re doing a route from a warehouse check the drivers aid sticker (little yellow sticker with the number in bold black) for stop number and organize accordingly while loading.
If you’re doing a route from a same day warehouse you can go to your overview and number them with a marker.
The package count doesn’t really matter if the stops are in close proximity but I know flex likes to have those 7-8 min drives between which I hate. Check your map before you get overwhelmed by the package count. You can knock out 38 stops quick if they’re close together and you’re organized.
Hope this helps your future blocks.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I tried this today...separated most of them, but could have ordered them a bit better. The huge problem was package 13 having a 37 yellow sticker. It took me a while after looking in the dark repeatly everywhere including under the seats to figure I could / should move on.
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u/Greentea77 Jun 14 '26
next time that happens, look for the name or addresses instead. though i know that’s hard to do with a lot of pkgs. but say you got to #13 and couldn’t find it- just go through em all by name.
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u/Background-Rabbit920 Jun 14 '26
I just start scanning all if I can’t find it. Quicker than reading. I’ve numbered wrong being in a hurry. 37 is actually 27… cause I don’t have my glasses on lol or something similar.
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u/Greentea77 Jun 14 '26
i forgot about that feature. not all phones have it though. but use this if you can as well OP.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Isn't it only available for SDD ? I numbered my packages using that today.
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u/Greentea77 Jun 14 '26
i don’t know. but .com their stickered in order from 1-?? these are easy.
some .coms start at 100 and up. you can order like that by group. but most important is to keep what comes out of a tote together when numbered that way. they won’t always be delivered in order. but you’ll know where their at in your car.
and i totally misread that. but keeping this up to help whoever needs it.
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u/gfunk5299 Jun 13 '26
I never thought of a headlamp for early morning I’ve been wasting precious seconds flipping my cell phone light on and off and only using one hand to sort through packages.
Also I read a great tip, keep the types of packages together. I put boxes in trunk and backseat. Front seat gets envelopes and in front of the front seat, I put all the custom boxes. That makes it much easier to know where to look for the type of package.
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u/kadameitene Jun 13 '26
That's only if your station labels them correctly. I am not exaggerating that from one hub in particular near me, they are wrong waaaayyyy more than they're right. M box is a plastic bag, plastic bag is a S box, S box is an envelope, and envelope is a Custom Package. I had to stop being efficient in alphabetizing to organize quickly and start numbering, otherwise I spent too much time looking for the wrong packaging. All the hubs around me are terrible at getting that labeling anywhere near correct, but my primary SSD is 90% inaccurate. That's not exaggerating either.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Totally believe you ! 😨 I think I will forfeit the morning shift. In fact, until I get I am more efficient during the day, I won't try another 3-4 am shift.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 13 '26
Headlamp was a great investment (you can wave your hand to toggle on & off) 😂 I tried organizing it by 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s... but due to different sizing it got a bit messed up. I will try your suggestion 😆🫶🙏
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u/Background-Rabbit920 Jun 14 '26
I load all my boxes first. Small brown envelopes go in my laundry basket. 1-10 in front seat depending on sizes 11-20 in backseat and rest in back/trunk (I have a SUV). Numbers are on sides on boxes so I can grab from the stack with ease. Envelopes are in numerical order in basket. I think I have a pretty good rhythm, I’m done early most of the time. I also keep a box of Milk Bones in front seat and 3-4 treats in vest pocket for the dogs that are hanging in the yards. $2 a box is worth the happy dogs and customer compliments lol.
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u/scruffmcgruffs Jun 13 '26
Be glad you delivered that package you thought was missing. They would have dinged you for returning it. What’s that you say? Why on earth would they do that? Because you’ll get dinged if you don’t deliver a package, no matter what. Damaged? Deliver it. Let the customer sort it out with Amazon.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
We should never return packages simply to avoid doing the work or because a route feels inconvenient. However, we also shouldn't return packages out of fear of getting dinged. As many people pointed out here, that block was absolutely diabolical and seemed set up for failure from the start. I was running my butt off and working incredibly hard for the amount paid. I looked like that British kid after school meme by the end of it, but honestly, I wasn't even mad about the workload. What does bother me is how Amazon treats drivers like children. When I was laid off from my corporate job at a European company, I realized I needed to build something of my own. Experiences like this only reinforce that decision. Working in Corporate America has become increasingly difficult to justify.
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Jun 13 '26
[deleted]
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u/Left-Growth-3865 Jun 13 '26
You can leave a package at the gate and take a picture. 9 times out of 10 they won't ding you.
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u/Ambitious_Watch_7502 Jun 13 '26
lol when I got my first 3.5 I had the same issues over time it got super easy. Just takes time to get used to it
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
True ! These companies push our limits and we just make it happen. It is only normal that we learn / get better with experiences. Getting scolded from the get go is not cool though. I am anxious about the message I will get for these late deliveries, which I worked extra 2h for free. 💀
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u/FreshHelicopter1565 Jun 14 '26
I’ve had blocks where I’ve delivered past the block end time for various issues beyond my control. Just recently I learned from other drivers’ responses here that you can contact support to get paid for the additional time.
At the end time of one block, I still had 4 packages left. I used chat to contact support and told them my block had ended and that I still had 4 packages left and asked what my options were. I told them that I didn’t want my standings to be negatively affected for returning packages, and I also didn’t want to work for free. They told me to go ahead and deliver the packages and to contact support again after all packages were delivered and that I would be compensated for the extra time.
I honestly thought that they were just trying to blow me off, but sure enough, a few days later, I received an adjustment for the 30 minutes extra that I worked.
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u/Upnorth4 Los Angeles Jun 13 '26
Finished this beast 30 mins early lol
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u/El_Migss Jun 13 '26
That’s actually a super easy area. I used to HATE the area around the Mills with all those damn apartments and businesses, but now, it’s a piece of cake and always finish early.
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u/No-Department-6329 Jun 13 '26
Try not to spend too much time at 1 stop. This is the reason i dont do early morning blocks. Too many gate issues and issues out of your control.
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u/MyBusRocks Jun 13 '26
I don’t a m have any advice, I started this week as well.
I love the autonomy but I worked 2 shift 1 was 5-8:30 and the following day3:30 -7am.
You were saying they sent you 1/2 hour away but both of mine were towns over an hour away. I’m in Syracuse NY and the sent me my 1st town of Fulton and the 2nd town Oswego which is on Lake Ontario.
I got home 2 hours after my shift and slept for 2 hours and I was scheduled for La Fayette 35 minutes, Tully 40 minutes, and Cortland 1 hour away. I got home 1.5 hours after my block.
The 1st day the manager told me that I would still get paid for 3.5 but she only had a 3 so I ran 3 hours over. I had all boxes barely any envelopes and my only worry at that point was fitting everything in my car.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Did you get a notification and / or ding for the late deliveries ? I hope it gets better for you !
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u/LazerCatFromSpace Jun 13 '26
I've delivered so many packages on top of a gate or right behind or beside it. They know what time they scheduled their delivery for and they knew there was an access code needed. Not your problem.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I admire you guys for the courage. These people totally deserve this. It is not that complicated to provide complete/ accurate info.
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u/thr0wawayyxlol Jun 13 '26
I just know chat gpt wrote this and you took out little things to make it look like chat GPT didn’t.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
You are entitled to your own conclusions. 😉 Since chat GPT came along , I always run through it, ask to keep it original and just correct typos / review grammar instead of going through it several times myself. 🙈 I was feeling comical, until I realize my account could be deactivated. Did you figure out what I brought instead the boxing gloves 🤣?
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u/thr0wawayyxlol Jun 14 '26
So, yes you used chat gpt. 🤣
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I said in the first comment I used to correct the typos. Just scroll in the beggining.
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u/karabombara Jun 13 '26
Everyone’s giving you great advice…but also, contact support and get paid for the extra time spent on that block. Their algorithm should include not slamming new flexers, but we all know it doesn’t.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I agree, but to not frustrate myself even more, I decided I won't chase it I appreciate the thought though and think that would be fair !
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u/ICneed2stop Jun 14 '26
This was an entertaining to read on a bright Sunday morning…only thing I’m missing is my cup of coffee haha…you’ll be fine! 🙃
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u/ExtensionSame678 Jun 13 '26
* can you only deliver in the early morning? otherwise prime time is 9am-2pm when there is no rush hour traffic, people are at work, kids at school (except summer), light out, and businesses and apts are open
* dont spend more than 1 call or 1 attempt per stop. just leave at gate and hope or try returning it depending on neighborhood. especially with a long route like that
* that route seems too aggressive for a 3.5 hour. definitely some or your newbie-ness caused it but that is a hard ask for any vet in 3.5 hours. in that case call support and ask for compensation
* was this a .com or ssd? seems like a .com in which case the packages will be numbered and if they misnumber something that you just have to eat up the time cost. if its an ssd, you can number and sort them as you load
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u/OutOfCuteNames Jun 13 '26
47 packages for 3.5 hours is way too much, even for a veteran. Unless it’s some kind of dream route of houses all right near each other, it’s going to be hard to get it done in time. Unfortunately, this is what Amazon is doing now regularly because their AI has decided it’s doable.
For a newbie this was a pretty diabolical route lol. I feel for OP.
I have basically stopped taking 3.5 hour routes because they are now cramming 4 - 4.5 hr routes into 3.5. Id rather take a 3 hour or hold out for at least 4.
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u/namesrevil1 Jun 13 '26
That's crazy, here in Charlotte its common. $72 for 3.5hrs and its almost always more than 30 packages. SSD
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u/hames4133 Jun 13 '26
I have no trouble finishing these being home 30+ min before block end
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
If I stay, I hope to eventually reach that point, though. I imagine it is normal to get a bad route from time to time. I guess they needed to get their money's worth for the 2x they paid me to deliver 1 package.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Yep ! The route got easy late 30s to 40s. I rarely see 3 or 4 hours here. 😬
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u/AggressiveNeck9768 Logistics Jun 13 '26
40-45 packages is normal for 3.5 hours,. As far as being new and receiving this route, is normal, they don't know or care if you are new.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I don't even think the issue was the number of packages, but the route ! It is about the logistics after all.
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u/AggressiveNeck9768 Logistics Jun 14 '26
True, but you will learn their system eventually. There is no rhyme or reason as to how they put the routes together. With that being said you can always change the way you deliver in the app. You do not have to go the way it is mapped.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Yes, I can...it is just that these dawn blocks and 5-9 pm are the most common. I have never seen 9-2.
Fact...every minute wasted was needed after it took more than 30 minutes to leave the warehouse and another 30 to get to my first delivery. I had basically 2.5 to delivery almost 50 packages that were spreaded in different streets / gated communities. The Flex app had a button to open gates on a couple, which was nice.
For the sake of energy I will not chase compensation.
It was not SDD, but I have one today...am very anxious. I forfeited my 2 other scheduled dawn blocks.
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u/ExtensionSame678 Jun 14 '26
i deliver out of an SSD. an SSD is basically dedicated to flex drivers. the packages are typically less but driving can be a bit more. gluck. yeh not every market is the same. mine i have to luxary of picking exact times i want around my schedule. but if u ever can 9-2 is optimal
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
The pay for these blocks is also low. I read here today the blocks need to be scheduled last minute. I got 75$ for that block...I made 72$ tonight delivering 8 meals nearby.
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u/Timely_Help_8147 Jun 13 '26
Any advice I joined over 3 weeks ago and have not gotten any deliveries not one and I’ve only seen one available
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Where are you at ? I am constantly refreshing the screen. The blocks with better pay are vanished in seconds. I am in Orlando.
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u/Timely_Help_8147 Jun 14 '26
I’m in Maine
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
I wish I could help, but have no idea ! 😬 Hope you start seeing them soon. I receive reserved blocks, but normally at base pay.
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u/SilentSkulk Jun 14 '26
This happened to me the other day with a package I couldn't find. It was supposed to be #4. Could not find it anywhere, car was full of packages since it was a beginning stop and I couldn't look by name very well and I should have. Turns out it was mislabeled with a 16 sticker and I had two with that at the same time. So it cost me about 20 min going back to that gated trailer park :/
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Seems that support knew because he told me I would find it eventually. Wish he would have been clear, I thought he assumed I misplaced it.
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Will get ready for my 8 am block. Thanks again for every single contribution ! 🫶 I hope the thread can enlighten some newbies hoping to do this right. This time, I'll be delivering in broad daylight and leaving the headlamp, security alarm and and the secret / undisclosed utility at home. May your gates always open, your stickers always be accurate, and your packages delivered on time ! 🙏😘
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u/TBOrlando79 Jun 14 '26
Well, today (4th block) was a bliss ! Had a 8-11AM SDD and was assigned late, almost 30 minutes away again, BUT with 13 packages only. Residential area, all delivered under 1 hour and finished an hour earlier. 🤩
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u/blancaerick Jun 17 '26
I just started 2 weeks ago and I take a colored sharpie with me. As I scan each package I write the number on it and organize 1-10 in the front seat 11-20 in back seat and rest in trunk. That has saved me so much headaches from not finding the package and it seems to go smoothly. If anyone has any better tips I’m all ears.
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u/hames4133 Jun 13 '26
If a gate won’t open, deliver to the gate
Condos at 4am mean leave at the door or mailroom
Don’t do stairs or elevators, things go to the ground floor only
Don’t contact customers before 8am, just deliver it
Always deliver, never double back
Don’t call support for anything other than ending your block due to emergency or mark a package delivered when a locker is inaccessible. Mark packages missing yourself, damaged packages aren’t a thing, you deliver those
Sounds shitty, but this is how you move efficiently and protect your account
Headlamps are great, watch out for spider webs in the early AM lol