BidNav.com?
 

Does anyone have experience using BidNav.com for PBS use? I've seen the flyers in the crew room but there's no sample or free trial on the website. Wondering how user-friendly it is.

Yup, have used it for 6 months now. I'll PM you some details.

any chance you could PM me some details. Just curious how much it costs.

How 'bout just posting them here? All for one and all that...

Costs $50/month.

https://media.giphy.com/media/iwLZT2jFAjudq/giphy.gif

Bidnav is pretty slick, it allows you to just rank your priorities and then it builds the bid groups based on your input. All of the PBS criteria are available. One simply adds them to a bid file and slides them up or down based on whatever priority you choose. You still need to have a little knowledge of PBS to get it perfect, but it's designed to build your bid groups AND submit them all. The developer has a deal with the company and they're working on an interface that will submit all of your bid groups in 30 sec or less. It used to have it but the company turned it off for the last few months, but it should be back soon (in UAL IT time, soon could be years). That alone makes it worthwhile to me. So far it was worked well for me and delivered exactly what I have asked for....even if I didn't always ask correctly. I'm 35% in BES and fluctuate between 60-90% of the G-line (gotta love DCA 756 FO) and have always been awarded bid group 1. Let me know if you have any specific questions. If you do choose to give it a try, the do reward referrals. I didn't post it here originally for that reason.....didn't figure it was a good idea to throw my personal info out. :D

Thanks a lot, that's great info. I owe you a beer or two.

Every once in a while, this forum spits out something pf value. However, your post was a bit light on acrimony, finger pointing, inaccuracies and hasty generalizations. You might want to get your spittle up and work on your delivery. You know, toss a few bombs.

:D

Im 80% and for Jan Im 2% above G-line. Is it worth it for junior guys? I don't put many bid groups in anyways.

I'd say no, I've always found the more Jr. you are the easier bidding is.

Yeah, I thought about adding a discussion on autopilot usage or LOA 25.......then decided maybe where to meet (CPO or jet) should be discussed. In the end I just figured I'd let it go! :eek: :D But I promise I'll work on it!

Guppyflyer as a user name and Bus driver as a position, and you get flak for lack of incendiary verbage? Just put the tulip as your avatar, that ought to do it.

Just read the PBS user manual, cheaper than $600/year

I have bid nav and can't figure it out. I now just pay the person who wrote it to bid for me. But that maybe because I have absolutely no idea how PBS works or how you ever bid. One day I will find someone who can explain it for me than maybe I could use bid nav again. Until then it's just easier to get someone else to bid for me. I'm pathetic I know!!

Save your money...

BidNav.com?
 

Is the User Manual relevant or helpful? Our 2 hour PBS briefing at the end of Indoc was over 2 mos ago.

I find it to be a convoluted, poorly written, waste of time.

oldmako,

You suk, you are the reason I got jacked on the ISL, people like you are the reason UAL is going to fail. My dog is bigger than yours and my dad could beat your dad up. Only a maroon would ask about an off site bidding program. You need to learn how to read the PBS bidding guide provided by the company (idjit). And you need a hair cut, loser.

Just keeping it real bro.....;)

Any suggestions for better reference?

Nope..................

Per the MEC System Scheduling Committee monthly newsletter, there are PBS trainers available via telephone to discuss bidding strategies every month when the bidding window is open. I've had a couple of phone discussions with them and they were helpful both times.

From the MEC SSC monthly newsletter:

PBS Resources

Untitled Document and 231-UGOT-PBS are staffed monthly during the bid and award windows from the 7th-12th and 18th-23rd. Please USE YOUR HELP RESOURCES!!! Too often we have pilots fail to seek assistance from the resources available and their awards suffer as a result. Do not let this happen to you! We are here to support your needs and answer any bidding questions you may have. Please do not allow the bid window to close without seeking answers
for any bidding questions.

Untitled Document Official PBS website offering data filled forums and live staffed expert
instructors during the bidding and award windows via live chat.

231-UGOTPBS: Official PBS help line staffed live with expert instructors during the bidding
and award windows.

[email protected]: PBS committee email address for general non-specific questions related to
PBS and PC/PT bidding. Please direct specific bid or award inquiries to
Untitled Document or 231-UGOTPBS as an initial step.

Crew Info Page System Documents Menu: Source location for user manuals, parameter publications, trip change document, short term absence, and buffer documentations.
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Logon to ualmec.org and watch the PBS bidding videos that pertain to your situation. Then download and read the PBS bidding manual. Watch the videos again, if needed, to reinforce what you've read.

Then do your best to construct your bid. Enter all your preferences and do the best that you can to achieve your goal for that bid period.

Next, call the PBS bid hotline and have a PBS instructor review, refine, and help you improve your bid.

When the award gets published, call the hotline again to help you understand your award and answer any questions that you have.

I've followed this template for the last several months and I've become a better bidder each month, learning a little more each time.

If the guy who charges $50/mo to enter your bid is smart enough to figure it out, so are you, given a bit of time, effort, and practice.

I've been told by PBS gurus that have seen the Bidnav product that the bids they produce are rather generic. It is a mass production of bids every month which is not detail oriented. Our dues pay for PBS help every month as mentioned above. Why pay more on top of that, especially for a plain vanilla product that you could come up with on your own?