I see that it's online now, and that other members started receiving their issue over a week ago. I still don't have mine as of today, May 20. Isn't there some way to make this fair? I actually buy stuff!
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Re: One more Driveline thread
My first term on the Board of Directors began in 1993. The delivery was a problem then. I have been on the BOD 10 years total since then and it is discussed every meeting. We have tried every thing that the Post Office has suggested. The system we are trying now supposedly will help. Last year we tried a mailing program that the USPS suggested, and charged considerbly for. There was, at the most if any, a minimal improvement. From what I understand, the original Restorer's were mailed first class and the inequities in delivery were a major problem then. It all boils down to the USPS system. Each bulk mail center has a certain number of days that they can leave bins in their center, the regional center has the same number of days, AND your local Post Office has the same. If you happen to be on the wrong side of the system, hitting the maximum number of days in each location, it could conceivebly that 20 to 25 days for delivery. That is if every point follows the rules, which is pretty apparent that some don't.Dick Whittington -
Re: One more Driveline thread
Dick, I'm not just complaining for the hell of complaining. There are occasionally some parts (and cars) that I am particularly interested in; this probably applies to everyone because the odds are we aren't all looking for exactly the same thing at the same time. But, sometimes there are some parts that more than one member needs at a particular time, and, as they say, the early bird gets the worm.
I'm not pizzed off at you, NCRS, or anyone. You all do an admirable job. But not having my issue more than a week after others have received theirs puts me at an obvious disadvantage. That's really all I'm saying. I do wish that something could be done, however.Comment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
It is not just Dickie that is wrong, it is the entire BOD that is wrong. There must be a way of getting this on-line and protecting ad revenue. Dick Whittington is a good fellow, but, we must, as a membership group, replace everyone on the current BOD to get the change made to an on-line publication. That way, we ALL get The Driveline the same day and that is the ONLY way it will be fair.
When it comes time to vote for your Regional Reps, remember this issue and vote for those in favor of a more equal way.
Regards,
Mark DonnallyKramdenComment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
Dick,
As Larry pointed out, you guys on the BOD do an admirable job. I totally understand what Larry is talking about. From being on boards in the past I'm sure many of you feel as if beating your head against the wall when trying to figure out a solution for the Driveline delivery problem. Having some packages trucked to various terminals for this issue seems to have helped in some cases. With mine (and I'm assuming all others that went through St. Louis) it did not. The last issue arrived on the 21st of March, this issue arrived today, May 20. From your post I realize the board has tried different approaches to this problem, have they tried putting individual tracers on certain areas? I would gladly volunteer to have mine traced, at least then maybe I'd find out who the sucker is that keeps my Driveline hidden for so long. I know some members have wondered why the Driveline is not available online as soon as it is mailed. I believe Gary pointed out only about 15% of the NCRS members even use the NCRS online and that is one of the reasons the board is hesitant to post it immediately. However do 15% of the members receive the Driveline the first day it is mailed? You know the saying "Build it and they will come". Well maybe we need to use that approach with posting the Driveline online earlier. Post it online as soon as it is mailed and see if internet traffic goes up. Try it for 3 months and see what happens. What will we be out? The members that have received their Driveline the earliest all these years and are use to getting first dibs at "that low hanging fruit" will now have some competetion for it. Thanks again to the BOD for trying to get this problem resolved.
Regards, ShooterComment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
I see the issue of 'fair' being brought up a lot as far as reasons not to post the Driveline immediately on this website.
My only comment on this is the following:
Posting the Driveline immediately would be the MOST fair method for the following reason:
True, every member of NCRS may not have a computer or know how to get on the Internet, but they at least have the option to use a computer, and learn how.
The current system of delivery obviously gets the Driveline into the hands of some members days to weeks earlier than others. In this scenario, the member has absolutely zero control over how fast they can access the latest Driveline issue, and have no way to change this.Comment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
Received mine yesterday, 20th. FWIWComment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
FWIW - I've repeatedly made this statement over the last year - "Contact your Regional Director and put it in writing". As my ole Grandpa used to say "it ain't real if it ain't written". During the last year no Regional Director that I'm aware of has received any written correspondence from Members about posting the Driveline On-Line sooner or developing an On-Line Classified ad system. JMTCW, Gary....
NCRS Texas Chapter
https://www.ncrstexas.org/
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Re: One more Driveline thread
"...it ain' real if it ain't written." is such total Bull**** as to defy description! If you are a member of the BOD and are not aware that this is a problem, then you probably don't know that the REO automobile is no longer available.FWIW - I've repeatedly made this statement over the last year - "Contact your Regional Director and put it in writing". As my ole Grandpa used to say "it ain't real if it ain't written". During the last year no Regional Director that I'm aware of has received any written correspondence from Members about posting the Driveline On-Line sooner or developing an On-Line Classified ad system. JMTCW, Gary....
I received my Driveline yesterday afternoon. Having seen in print that someone asked about the VIN being missing from car ads, i started counting and on the first pass through I am up to FORTY, not including dealer ads.
Orwell's rule is apparently really true in NCRS, some pigs are more equal than others.Comment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
Hopefully we all have the goal of doing what is best for the NCRS and our membership as a whole and even though I haven't been a member that long I don't see anything that would lead me to believe otherwise. The BOD has the responsibility (I think) of taking care of and balancing our checkbook. Some of the resistance (and rightly so) for posting the Driveline online immediately has to do with "what about our loyal advertisers" who have been advertising in the hardcopy Driveline for so long AND helping support the NCRS with that advertising.
We know there is almost no chance of getting the Driveline to all our member's at the same exact time unless 100% of our members have internet access. However what % receive the Driveline at the same time now? I have asked these questions before: When is the Driveline mailed out? and Who (what area) receives it first? Perhaps if I were one of the first to receive it I would also be leery of answering but I would hope not. The way it stands now unless there is a complete overhaul of the postal service there is little chance the service will get much better. The reason some members received theirs quicker this time is because copies were trucked (not by the PO) and distributed closer to the destination. Maybe we need to do that to ALL the copies next issue even the destinations bordering Missouri.
For what it's worth, I'm siding with those that believe the Driveline online should be made available immediately (as soon as copies are mailed out) and plan on writing to my Regional Director as Gary suggested. I didn't realize that was the procedure to get it brought before the BOD. Thanks again to the Board, personally I appreciate the time and effort you put into the NCRS. Regards, ShooterComment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
I am the senior pastor of an 8200+ member church. There are many parallels between that and the NCRS. Both are primarily volunteer organizations, with some paid staff. Both have incumbent upon them that their focus always remains on the membership rather than on the institution, because without the membership, the institution quickly dies. Any volunteer organization deals with the 80/20 rule in that 20% of the people are actively engaged and produce 80% of the volunteer time and energy that makes the organization what it is. The role of the staff is to find the way/s that most effectively engage the most members and most effectively use the enthusiasm of the volunteers for the sake of the membership.
We have had the same issues with the USPS as the NCRS has had. Mail delievery is haphazard, and in spite of all the "solutions" that the upper management of the USPS has suggested, it has changed minimally at best.
Our solutions have been to 1) establish a website www.hcl.org that makes information immediately available to our consituents, as soon as we disseminate it. 2) We have made it unnecessary for members to go to the website--we have encouraged them to trust us and share their email address with us, (and we promise not to misuse that privilege) and we email them the information so that all receive the information at exactly the same time. And 3) we have asked those who a) have no computer access, b) who would prefer not to use computer access, or c)would prefer to receive a paper copy to contact us, let us know their preference, and we will snail mail to them the information. In other words, we effected a transition with the 8200 members to a new way of receiving and looking for information from the church.
It seems to me that if the NCRS is truly about the membership, our directors need to find a way to get the Driveline out to the most members on an equitable basis. The "85% won't look for it online" idea doesn't cut it--they are also the 85% who are least likely to be using the Driveline as a resource for parts finding.
The concern about advertising revenue is a real one that I believe they need to find a solution for. As we all know, we have a great number of NCRS members over the years (we are at member numbers approaching 51,000, but we have only about 15,000 members) who have become active only because they bought a car, used our resources to help them restore them, and then allowed their membership to lapse once they sold the car or finished the restoration. Those are important members, but are not the key members of the organization. They for the most part, are the "users" rather than the "givers", and are of the 80% rather than the 20%.
I believe that it's time for the directors to quit talking about this, and to do something about this. I have volunteered to the three most recent NCRS presidents to make available my time to them and/or the board to share with them what I have learned over the past 35 years of leading volunteer organizations for the sake of making this an even better organization. Each of the three has nodded their head and thanked me and said that would be a good idea. I've never heard again from any of the three.
I am member #211. I have written 30+ articles for the Restorer. I have been the 61-62 team leader. I have chaired the revision of two 61-62 judging manuals. I am a staunch supporter of the NCRS. I am not a trouble maker. I believe that it is time for the board to grab ahold of this.
I will now descend from my soapbox.
Regards,
Mike ErnstComment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
I am most taken by Mike Ernst's drawing of parallels between his church and NCRS because exactly the same participation problems plague the volunteer fire and EMS services and many of the same stratagies are successful across the board in solving these problems.
That being said, it does not seem prudent to perpetuate an obviously unfair distribution system for the sake of those who have not moved into the 20th Century (let alone the 21st). The argument is being made to continue distribution as always because it preserves access for all NCRS members while in reality the distribution system, by the nature of the USPS, actually denies access as some areas always receive quicker delivery and the first shot at items for sale. In order to continue USPS delivery and have equitable opportunity for all to purchase it would be necessary to mail The Driveline in sealed envelopes and put all members on the honor system to not open their copies until some specified date one or two weeks after the mailing. For some reason I don't think that would work.
If NCRS were to go to online access, those who are truly interested would be placed on an even footing, those who wished to enjoy this equality would sharpen their computer skills to participate and those who truly don't care (the same group that is presently being cited as the reason for continuing USPS mailing) would be no worse off than they are at present.
By the way, I consider this post as having put my position "in writing" as I can only assume that the Board reads the items on this forum. If they do not, all of our requests for change will go unheeded as they will not understand the magnitude of the problem and the simplicity of solution.Comment
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Re: One more Driveline thread
Edward, sorry to disagree with you but posting on the forum is not the same as sending an e-mail or letter directed to your Regional Representative. Gary....
NCRS Texas Chapter
https://www.ncrstexas.org/
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Re: One more Driveline thread
Kevin is on the money !! Why it isn't posted on line first doesn't make sense.
The advertising goes on line exactly like the magazine, so there is no arguments about that, they even get double advertising, online and in the mag. And I don't know anyone who is not online this day and age !!!! My father of 70 is online. All school kids are online primary, secondary and university students can't survive studying not online anymore, the whole world is online. I can't believe there is anyone out there not online. There is absolutely no excuse the Driveline is not online first, that way it's fairer than the outdated post. StewyComment
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