December '09 Bid's Strategy in Bidding and The Christmas Tree

Good Sunday morning!

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Here in the Colorful State I was lucky enough to have two days off during this snow storm that passed through. Talk about luck! It is a welcome change that I am able to write on the blog from home, while sipping 'joe from my favorite mug... for once. This is nice! Even though I have the day off, I am back at it tomorrow and our bids close in 48 hours now. So are you ready?

I have been playing with several strategies this month and although I have yet to fine-tuned my bid yet it is coming together nicely. Last month my strategy worked out really well. I ended up being award a trip on Turkey-Day but it is a very good trip. I also was awarded a trip on Black Friday, but it too works really well. So I'm bringing the same ideas to the December bid with a few slight changes.

When the 10th comes around each month it is sometimes hard to know exactly where to start. Some people start with printing out the pairing. Some just look at the pairing through filtering criteria on PBS. I haven't found a routine that works for me yet. This month I have done a combination of both. My pairings pages are riddled with notes and circles. It has helped me in the past to be able to cross reference my notes and apply it to PBS.

One of the things I did this month was to actually write out a strategy. I have reformed it quite a bit, but here is what I have so far:

Layer 1 - 4: Pairings

Layer 5: Criteria (2-4 day trips with average credit per duty period of 4:50)

Layer 6: Christmas Pairings I'm willing to fly

Layer 7: Criteria (1-4 day trips with average credit per duty period of 5:00)

In a nutshell, I am telling the PBS computer: If I don't get the pairings that I want, I want (good 2 - 4 day trips) I am willing to fly certain trips on Christmas. If I don't get any of those I am willing to add in some locals with my seventh layer, which I hope will complete the award.

I still have quite a bit of work to do. Usually I bid pairings in Layers 1-3 and criteria in 4-7. With removing one layer of criteria I am run the risk of being awarded a lesser paying trip over a better paying trip that I could be awarded. I think I'll have another cup of joe or two and then reevaluate what I am doing. I will probably be playing around with my bid even until the early hours of the 17th!

Good Luck!