Each time the drivers had finished a tasking, however small or lengthy, they recorded this information on a standardized form and this record was then kept centrally. For some years however, this had all been computerized using the Electronic Drivers' Operation Centre Software so that anyone on any terminal in the company could check who had done which job and when.
The drivers filled out these forms, entering the basic information about the trip - time taken, miles covered, amount of petrol used, number of passengers carried and so on - but also such additional data as any existing faults on the vehicle, repairs that had been necessary, unusually heavy loads moved and the like. Thus it was that it was possible to build up an inventory of who had been doing what work and driving the most efficiently.
At least that was the theory.
And as with most theories, it folded upon contact with reality.
For the computer system worked on the premise that whichever driver had been allocated a job was the one who carried it out. In practice of course the drivers ensured that, as far as possible, the driver with the correct skills for that job took it on - regardless of what the computer had directed. Moreoever, the drivers swapped shifts, went on holiday and even occasionally had time off sick - all the things that a good computer-model driver would not do - and as such the data that was held on the company's mainframe was at best patchy, at worst wholly inaccurate.
Paul naturally was unaware of any possible discrepancies between the sterile environment of the hard drive and the messy, vibrant, colourful existence of his employees. He had spent much time promoting the system and he was not about to let real life intrude on his model. He regularly sent reports up to head office based on these figures and in return received instructions for future strategy based on them. He never questioned why these strategies rarely survived their first contact with the shop floor.
Each branch of the National Hire Service was required to submit this sort of data annually to assess which were the best performing, safest ones and which needed reform. These data, gleaned from the Electronic Drivers' Operation Centre Software were fed into a complicated formula to arrive at an absolute number - the Safety Measure Ratio - and this number in turn presumed to sum up all the work that had been performed in the branch over the last year. Branches with the best figures received more work and staff and kudos from head office. Their managers won bonuses.
It was that time of year again. Paul sent out instructions for all the drivers to review large numbers of their already completed forms to ensure that the data were accurate. Unfortunately the information, drawn from the fallible central system, failed to connect the correct driver with the correct job most of the time and thus the drivers had to spend valuable time checking the details behind the forms and then forwarding them on to whichever colleague had done the job.
Just as they had trawled through this arduous task, Paul sent another email:
"Regretfully, there has been a glitch in the way the software has matched drivers to taskings. A new list of forms to be completed is attached. Please ensure every one is completed within two weeks. Drivers failing to comply will need to attend my office to explain their failings."
And so the trawling, searching, reallocating process started all over again and the mood of the drivers soured further.
"Why on earth are we doing this anyway, Paul?" they asked. "We've filled out the forms once and we do them thoroughly."
"It is imperative that we submit accurate information," retorted Paul, one eye on his end-of-year bonus. "The extra information is vital to securing a good safety rating."
"Well, why don't you just add a few fields to the existing form so that we fill them in then and there rather than having to go back, months later when we've forgotten all about the particular job and vehicle?"
Paul hadn't thought of that. He was however not brooking any dissent on this one and resorted to his usual tactic of shouting.
The drivers shook their collective heads, and as usual just got on with it. Good or bad, they wouldn't be seeing any bonuses.
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