Hey I started at Ralphs yesterday and when I was on cart duty it was harder then I expected. What is the best strategy for collecting carts from the lot . Also when you have the 6 cart chain how do you steer it?
Collect the carts against a pole or corral or inside a corral. If there is any slant in the lot make sure the carts are pointing downhill against the pole or they roll backwards. Tighten the cart strap very well for best control.
I work for Ralphs as well, but our store has 3 entrances. So it's usually easy to take the carts to them. I usually do 4 at a time maximum, that way, it's quick and easy. I don't even use the hook. They give you an entire hour to do the lot so you can take your time with it.
You get muscle quick, so it will become easier. I pushed +/- 23 at a time by making sure the carts in the front where strapped together so they would be easier to turn. To turn you just have to push hard on the back cart and the rest will follow.
I wouldn't push anymore than six. It doesn't matter how strong you are, if you have too many, you're gonna lose control or hit a car or some ****, and it's not worth it. Also, if your store says to use the strap, use it. They might write you up otherwise.
It will suck at first, but you'll get used to it. Good exercise, and on nice days, it can actually be a nice break from the store. (On bad days, it's gonna suck even more. I hope it doesn't snow where you live.) Watch out for cars, cos they won't watch out for you.
If it was really bad, I would grab as many 'large' carts as I could and just haul ass for about 5-15 minutes.
Then I would start going corral by corral and lining up, returning to the corrals I had lined up before me.
If it was a "medium" (not fast or slow) day, I would go through and line up as many corrals as possible.
This way I knew where the carts I needed were and how many were there.
usually if I had to grab carts from 10 p.m. - on (which generally didn't go any longer than midnight...) that was my strategy for "clearing the 'lot".
Line up everything then go from left to right or right to left, whichever.
Takes slightly longer--adds about ten minutes depending on volume-- but once you get to pulling the only things you have to worry about are the ones the dumbsh!t customers already added without looking or caring.
At my best and even when I left I could pull 11-13 at a time. Six with the strap up front then three to five at the end to push for momentum.
