No Nonsense

Introducing ProBid+: Premium Automated PBS Bidding Wizard

The UAL MEC System Scheduling Committee PBS Subcommittee is pleased to announce the deployment of ProBid+. ProBid+ was designed and developed by UAL MEC ALPA PBS Scheduling experts.

While ProBid+ is available to all pilots, it was designed for pilots who need the most help, such as those bidding in a new category for the first time, returning from a leave, or those who simply have a difficult time building bid groups. It is not intended to create extremely complex bid groups.

Initially, ProBid+ produces only line bid groups. Work is underway to add a reserve component.

ProBid+ is not meant as a replacement to the current PBS interface (the replacement of the current PBS interface is a long-term project that is a top SSC priority at this time). ProBid+ is an interim solution to improve the PBS bidding experience for all pilots as directed by the MEC. It is a simple bidding system where you can prioritize your bids in order from most important to least important with drag-and-drop technology. The system will build sample bid groups that are slowly and systematically relaxed to help you maximize the power of the Jeppesen PBS system. You will have to enter these bid groups manually into the PBS system as UAL Corporate IT and Security do not allow automatic bid entry. ProBid+ will email each bidder a report containing these to assist in this process.

ProBid+ can be accessed by going to Helping United Pilots Navigate PBS or on the prefbid.com forum site by clicking the ProBid+ link at the top of the page and selecting the appropriate drop-down menu choice. Instructions are on the initial login page for first-time users.

Help features include a user video, user manual, and Prefbid live chat support within the ProBid+ system during normal Prefbid staffing hours (7th-12th and 18th-23rd). The user video and manual may be found on the ProBid+ home page.

ProBid+ is a great resource for those seeking help with the PBS bid group building process. The ProBid+ bidding page will provide a live chat link where users may ask questions from expert trainers and provide feedback on this product. Outside of normally staffed bid and award window hours, this link will provide a feedback form for users to complete.

DISCLAIMER: Make sure you understand your bid prior to submitting. The bid groups created by ProBid+ on behalf of a bidder are the responsibility of the bidder to input into the PBS system. The success or lack thereof of those bid groups is the responsibility of the bidder. Neither ALPA nor any PBS trainer shall be liable for any errors in a bid group, or if a bidder's award does not meet a bidder's expectations.

svergin

^^^^ Cliff notes version of the above ^^^^

PBS is so ridiculously complex and cumbersome, it takes a team of experts just to help a pilot put a simple bid group together.

Slop

Sooo.....how do I login? My PrefBid credentials didn't seem to work.

DaMnad

your company # Uxxxxxx for id and pw

deferredap

LOOOOVE IT!!!!! I try to explain to non-pilots (family) why I stress every month and spend hours tweaking the bid. I feel like I'm writing a damn computer program. There has to be a way to make the system more user friendly.

svergin

It won't ever be. The pilots who are the "subject matter experts" are all experts at PBS and really good at bidding, so they advocate for this system because they have exceptional PBS programming ability. So a "user friendly system" would help people senior to them in their BES get what they want. Its not going to happen. You're stuck with it.

awax

Where do you find your password for a first-time log on?

JoePatroni

It's your ID number twice.

Macdacpilot

So what's better...Probid+ or Bidnav.com?

Aquaticus

So the helpful program is just to create "basic" bids and you still have to email the result to yourself and manually input them in. This is my third pbs software and it is by far the biggest turd of them all. The user interface is horrendous and time consuming. Add up the hours spent by each pilot inputting a bid each month and it is a huge time sink. Any software that needs a team of helpers standing by, multiple guides, newhire briefings, and still takes hours of gamesmanship to guess what will give you the best result is too complex. Update the user interface or go with a more powerful bidding software.