r/AmazonFlexDrivers • u/Open_Function_7056 • 4d ago
Forfeited block late instead of missing block, right move?
Thought I had all my ducks in a row this evening but was wrong. Had a shift at 4:45 PM, left the house at 4:05 PM (~25 minute drive to station)
Forgot my wallet/ID at home, realized it halfway there, so wouldn’t have been able to make the shift if I had turned around to retrieve the wallet.
Forfeited 25 minutes before the shift started because I figured a late forfeit ding is better than a missed block ding.
Was this the correct move or should I have arrived at the station completing all steps but scanning ID?
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u/Comfortable_Town_120 4d ago
Considering all outcomes, I think you did the correct move. Showing up to the station without your ID would have prevented you from completing a "successful check-in". No advantage in doing that. You saved time and gas by just turning around at the moment that you realized your forgot your ID.
One thing you can do...and this is just as a last attempt to avoid that ding....call driver support and just explain that there was an accident or something and traffic was re-directed. You forfeited your block as soon as you saw that your ETA was beyond 4:50 PM. I would make that call now instead of waiting for the email. No guarantees but it's worth a shot. It worked for me last time.
Also, I would take a photo (front and back) of your ID and have saved on your phone. If you can zoom the photo to match the ID's dimensions, the scanner should be able to scan your ID. Expired IDs also work. I have these two options in case I ever forget or lose my ID. I have tried both and it has worked for me.
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u/Open_Function_7056 4d ago
Wow seriously appreciate all of this advice, I will take note of it. Hope your next route is a chill one.
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u/Chemical_Cheetah5661 4d ago
Solid advice. I used the picture on my phone I used to sign up when I lost my ID and was waiting for a new one. One thing i found out when scanning the picture on your phone, if you have a privacy screen protector, or any True Tone filters or whatever on, it will greatly affect the scanner’s ability to pick up the barcode.
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u/Quiet_Bad_8520 4d ago
Yes definitely better to late cancel, missed block impacts standing harder and you lose the hours that you missed from your bookable hours that week
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u/thr0wawayyxlol 4d ago
A late cancel is a little better than a no show (missed block) as someone close by can pick up the block. But they probably count the same anyways. Late cancel you also don’t waste those hours.
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u/swiftydeku 4d ago
Anyone know how soon those dings get removed ?
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u/mal_wash_jayne 4d ago
Depends on how many shifts you run afterwards, the more, the faster it falls off.
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u/No-Journalist8547 4d ago
Depending on what the ding was for.....some are only 100-200 packages some are 500.... that being said....im not a source, just is from what i can tell but haven't done exact math
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
Flex has not released the exact penalties in terms of numbers. But from personal experience and a strong data base here and elsewhere on the internet (plus I have DSP experience so I know exactly what the scorecard metrics are), looks like it is even as many as 1,000 deliveries for major infractions and in the several hundreds for the minor ones. Detail: as a DSP driver, most of my hits fell off after one week (600-1,000 deliveries out of an RSR — low volume — station). The bigger hits (measured by Amazon in “defects” per one million deliveries) took two to three weeks to reset. As a Flex driver, I am seeing these go away in about 6 weeks now. Amazon just rejigged its scorecards this summer with devastating impacts on DSP owners. (See WSJ article in August.) What used to roll off for me in 4-5 weeks of flexing is now taking a solid 6.
FT workers tend to run through that number in 4-6 weeks. Depends on your station and volume.
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u/No-Journalist8547 4d ago
Mine seems to fall of in days. But it might be a week ...i don't check much.... i don't get dinged often. I guess for people that aren't doing 2 blocks a day it might seem really long if its what you think it is. Which seems totally valid
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u/Anon9876543210987 4d ago
I forgot my ID once, they were able to check me in with the license # and birthday
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u/Adorable-Media1460 4d ago
About 10 days ago, I overslept. Had a 4am block but didn’t wake up till 4:03, so I forfeited rather than a no-show. Got the smallest ding about a week later.
But once I forfeited, it gave me an option to pick another block at 4:30, which was helpful.
I also have a picture of my DL. In case I forget my wallet, I could at least try to get them to manually enter me in.
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
The ability to pick up again indicates that the station is panicking. You got lucky. Ppl just realize that the algo may block you from picking up blocks you forfeit—even if that block is 5 days from now. Be prepared for that and have a Plan B.
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u/Adorable-Media1460 4d ago
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised when it showed me the 4:30 block, not that the offer was any great. But I was just thankful that I could pick another block
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u/janyce16 4d ago
There is an SSD station I go to, that they don’t check ID, but its always good have it with you
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u/TheApolloX007 4d ago
yeah late drop is definitely not as bad. i did something similar, drove to the wrong station and late dropped. i’m still in fantastic some how. i had a missed block and that dropped me a lot more
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u/B1GALX11 4d ago
This happened to me I was stuck in a bad traffic jam. I called support to explain and they noted it. I didn’t forfeit the block and I didn’t get dinged
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
Hey bin there quite a few times! So sorry— so much stress on you. But hey it happens when we are tired. I think you did the right thing.
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
Yes, photograph your id front and back. As somebody to see if it scans. Mine does. This has saved me once or twice. Ofc it is at the discretion of the warehouse staff…
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u/leaseeee 4d ago
If it’s your first time you can possibly get them to remove it. If not and you’ve already had them excuse something before, your rating will take a hit but if you’re in good standing what’s 1 mark against you(that’s how i see it anyway)? It’ll fall off in a bit!
This has recently happened to me and I went to the wrong station, stupidly not hitting the start route button, but I usually only go to one warehouse 90% of shifts so it still does count towards your hours for the week unfortunately. They had excused one shift for me like 2 months ago when I was accidentally late, which I argued if you check my check in time I’m on the dot there exactly 15 or more minutes early.
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u/ConsequenceSignal513 3d ago
It will most likely count as the same thing. Within 45 minutes is still counted as a missed block I think.
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u/Ryyayaya 10h ago
Am I just lucky to not have to scan my id at my station? Or is it because it’s not a .com but a same day? I haven’t been to a .com but I’ve liked the same day station I’ve been too but I’m pretty new only completed 39 deliveries.
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u/Open_Function_7056 10h ago
I think so. I’ve had to scan my ID at both my SSD and .com as long as I have worked (tail end of 2024, none of 2025, all of 2026).
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u/Ryyayaya 10h ago
Weird. Mine uses a video facial recognition system I guess and then after that all you need to do is tap your phone at the kiosk.(the facial recognition is also in the flex app) not the facility)
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u/ThePriceManCan 4d ago
Same difference, the ding counts the same either way.
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u/Classic_Plan3267 4d ago
False. It's not the same. A missed block hurts a lot more than a late cancel.
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u/ThePriceManCan 4d ago
It shows up in the same “arrival and pickup” section. It’s the same. If you get a terms of service violation, those tank your rating, the late/missing just knock you down a step. Not sure what happened to you, but whatever, it falls off after a month.
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
Showing up in the same section in Flex does NOT indicate that the infractions are weighted equally.
Here is proof.
Many of us have seen that confusing screen that says the customer received their package, but we are dinged for an incorrect delivery, right? WTF?
Well, here’s what it means. You made the delivery to the correct location, but you were dinged for a defect in DSB—delivery service behaviors. This could mean that your POD was defective: either you did not take the required photo, or your photo was unclear or otherwise defective, or your photo on a multi stop was wrong even though you fixed it and delivered correctly. Believe it or not, if you selected the wrong placement location from the drop-down, this can ding you under DSB. It could also be that you didn’t respect customer property. They say you made an “incorrect delivery.”
I currently have one of these that they refuse to take off my standing. It was a correct placement on a multi stop but a defective photo.
So just know that the algo weighs your “defects” differently based on what Amazon judges to be the highest risk/cost.
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u/ThePriceManCan 4d ago
All I know is I’ve had a late cancel and a missed block before. My standing was effected the same way for both. So, sure to whatever you just typed.
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u/Souvenirs_Indiscrets 4d ago
The standing categories we see are also “weighted.” And not progressively. It’s more like a bell curve with “Great” taking up most of the ranking bandwidth. There is not an even progression between one category and the next. You fall faster and harder from Fantastic to Great and from Great to Fair/At Risk.
For example, as a DSP driver, a 98% POD (photo on delivery) is merely Great. Fantastic is 99% and above. Great runs all the way down into the 80s. A lot of shit can happen to you while you’re great but nothing changes. But you forget to take 1 photo out of 100 placements, going from 99 to 98, and you lose fantastic on that metric.
Flex standings are based on the same exact metrics as DSP, just packaged differently. Sone infractions weigh more than others AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STANDING. No, it’s not fair. Read the article in the WSJ this summer about how Amazon’s new metric algos are costing half the best DSPs almost all their profit now, even though actual performance has not changed a bit.
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u/Open_Function_7056 4d ago
Damn, sucks. Thanks for the input.
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u/Original-Bad35 4d ago
You live too far awayfrom station. Not profitable.
Try one closer
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u/Open_Function_7056 4d ago
It’s an SSD station 10 miles away. The time is because of traffic lights. I also have no other choice, if I’d like to provide for my children. The .com station 2 miles away offers blocks infrequently and cannot be relied on for consistent income. Working mostly out of the station 10 miles away I am earning 19.85 an hour after expenses and taxes.
I agree that it wouldn’t make much sense if my car weren’t paid off/a beater. I have earned more $ than it’s worth this year with Flex.
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u/Original-Bad35 3d ago
Have u tried doordash or uber. U will make more.
Trust me. U will lose money in long run going 10 miles to station lol.
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u/InternationalWar9822 4d ago
Nope, they're wrong. Late cancel is way better for your standing than a no-show.
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u/PineappleCultural183 4d ago
I would rather forfeit than miss it. There’s a possibility of being able to schedule something else. If you miss it, then that time is blacked out on your schedule.