I am 46 years old. I just went through an interview for a package handler yesterday. Recruiter told me wait time to become a driver is 7yrs. My plan is to keep working full time at my other non-UPS related job while working part time at UPS as a package handler for next 7 years. Hopefully I'll become a UPS driver in 7 years in which time I can quit my other full time job. Does my plan sound good? I want to work for UPS for next 30 years or so. Are there any UPS drivers in their 60s or 70s? Have you heard any success stories of UPS employees who started late? Thank you.
46 year old starting out as package handler
- Thread starter miraebank
- Start date
Couldn't imagine starting this job at that age. Best of luck to you.
PT Car Washer
Well-Known Member
I have heard of a few guys that started driving in their 40's. May not take 7 years to go driving and if you can bid into Feeders(tractor trailers) early you may just make it. Try to get into any Saturday Air driving jobs.
Bren_dan
Active Member
Wanting to work at UPS into your 70's is a bold statement without actually having done the work yet.
Having said that, I'm sure it can be done. Most UPS warehouse workers have second jobs. You pretty much have to. You just need to decide if it's worth it or not given your current age and how old you'll be when you start making decent money here. Peak season on top of a full time job is some kind of hell though, trust me.
Good luck. It's worth a shot. Just remember to take it one package at a time.
Having said that, I'm sure it can be done. Most UPS warehouse workers have second jobs. You pretty much have to. You just need to decide if it's worth it or not given your current age and how old you'll be when you start making decent money here. Peak season on top of a full time job is some kind of hell though, trust me.
Good luck. It's worth a shot. Just remember to take it one package at a time.
BakerMayfield2018
Fight the power.
Soooooooooo you plan on driving a ups truck at 83 years old.........good luck with that.
HardknocksUPSer
Well-Known Member
If I were you i would honestly try seeing how you like it first, hear me out, the works not cut out for most people, your goina be wore the hell out for around the first month, it's pretty much slave labor. So plan on trying to get as much rest as possible, I lost 30lbs doing this job in under 3 months so expect that as well. The jobs i used to think were physically demanding are now a peice of cake, prepare your mind for stress (especially on preload) just overall be ready for the job. It takes awhile to get the hang of it, as far as long term if I were you I would Deffinately consider trying the job first, if you like it, nextly I would either try to bid on a position in feeders from the little I've seen it's usually less physically demanding, but if feeders doesn't work out I would dare say at your age package car driver isn't going to happen, I'm not trying to bust your bubble but once you get inside the company you'll see why, it doesn't take long. Although your package car driving career could happen because I've seen miracles. If none of that works stick with your other job while working part time as a package handler, after a year you'll recieve your insurance, a yearly 1$ raise, you'll likely start out at 11$hr. By the time you decide to quit working you will be at top rate making good money. Quit your other job and find another little knock off job if UPS part time still isn't enough for you while making too pay rate. Just some ideas.
bleedinbrown58
That’s Craptacular
Good luck with that....lol.
BakerMayfield2018
Fight the power.
F
FrigidAdCorrector
Guest
Don't let other people tell you that you can't do it.
But with that being said, you should wait and actually see what the job is like. HR does a great job of making the job sound easy. But once you get into it, you will probably realize it's not all it's cracked up to be. Driving provides a great income. But it isn't easy.
But with that being said, you should wait and actually see what the job is like. HR does a great job of making the job sound easy. But once you get into it, you will probably realize it's not all it's cracked up to be. Driving provides a great income. But it isn't easy.
At your age you should become a supervisor. Supervision is non union, but it is a faster track in some cases to become a driver if that is your life long dream. You never know if you are good at it other opportunities may open up for you. Over the past few years I have seen part time supervisors become full time sups very quickly 3-5 years, but they were great part time sups. There is no need to drive at that point. Pretty much a lateral movement with regards to pay. Again like driving ups supervision is not for everyone. Package handling is kinda a young mans job but that's not saying I have not seen old guys do it.
Fyi there are a ton of 60+ drivers but they usually drive feeders not package; they started back in the 80s & 90s and they don't like to retire. Point is the older guys have a lot of seniority....usually.
Driving is not the only job at ups there is a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that make the organization run. Many of them may suit you better as you get older. Combo full time jobs inside the facility exist for union employees. IMO they are much easier than driving package.
Hope this helps.
Everyone has their circumstances. Yours are particularly tough. Starting at 46 years old, then waiting "maybe" 7 years for a full time driving job puts you at a minimum, at age 53. You would have a 4 year progression rate to make full pay, that puts you at 57 years old before you would be making full driver pay.
At this point, your body wouldnt be able to handle the aspects of the driving job. At 50 years old, drivers begin to break down, or get worn out. vision gets bad, health isnt what it used to be and recovery time from a days work starts to take longer.
Assuming you could handle the job at 57, you would never make feeder unless you were in an outlying area with limited opportunities to go feeders. By the time you had the package job down and fully understood, you would be at least 60 years old.
There really is no pension advantage for you, but the health benefits could make the difference for all the pain and suffering you are about to endure.
Projections by recruiters are NEVER what they tell you, and it could be as long as 10 to 15 years before you will ever drive a package car and at that point, it would be a complete waste of your time. Your physical limitations as a 60+ years driver would never allow you to work for 30 years. The package job is tough and harsh on the human body and unless you lived your life with a high cardio routine, your body would never handle the stress of the job.
Working in the hub can NEVER get your body up to speed for package, just as feeders slows down the human body once a driver leaves package.
There are plenty of 20 somethings and 30 somethings that cant handle the job physically and pushing the envelope at 50+ reduces the odds that you will make it.
As for your plan, well, it isnt much of a plan.
In the alternative, what I would do if I were you, would be to start with the company and learn all aspects of the hub operations, then put in your letter of intent to become a supervisor. There, you could extend a career with UPS, maybe not 30 years but surely longer than you would have lasted in package.
In our contract, it takes 20 years of full time driving to get a combo job inside the hub after package if your body cant handle the job any longer, that would make you over 70 years old.
Hopefully, you can see the picture that is in front of you. I know you probably feel good today and consider yourself to be in good health, but I can assure you, you are in no shape to handle the package delivery job for 20 plus years.
We have had success stories with over 70 year old drivers, but the difference is, that they were raised in the system, and worked their way year after year to the point where they conditioned their bodies to handle the job. This takes years to establish. Only the best have managed to make it that far. The majority of drivers on the other hand retire long before that.
No number of feel good encouragements can counter the reality of the human body.
Good luck.
TOS.
PT Stewie
"Big Fella"
I started @ 43 will be 60 next week. Do not want anything to do with FT. The benefits are great plus I get to put a lot in the teamsters 401K. I may even retire (God willing) from my FT job in a few years and stay @ brown. The money is better than working a Home Depot. You can do the part time thing ,driving though may be a whole another ball game. Proceed with caution.
clean hairy
Well-Known Member
Some great advice given here.
All you can do is decide what is best for you.
What is the background on your other job?
Years in, they have Pension or Retirement Plan?
Room for advancement, Health Care Coverage?
Personally I would weigh the Pros and Cons of each, would you take a leave from your other job while trying Driving Full time?
If it were me, I would have a backup plan eventually quitting my other job, and possibly not making Seniority Driving, and only having the PT income from UPS.
All you can do is decide what is best for you.
What is the background on your other job?
Years in, they have Pension or Retirement Plan?
Room for advancement, Health Care Coverage?
Personally I would weigh the Pros and Cons of each, would you take a leave from your other job while trying Driving Full time?
If it were me, I would have a backup plan eventually quitting my other job, and possibly not making Seniority Driving, and only having the PT income from UPS.
bleedinbrown58
That’s Craptacular
Yeah thats what he needs...career advice from someone who's worked here 5 minutes....FFS.
Purplepackage
Well-Known Member
FedEx express might be a better option as you could drive almost right away.
Though you have to remember though the packages are small, pickups can still be big bulky and heavy.
And no matter the company doing 100 or more stops in a day takes a toll on the body no matter the age, you don't realize how much your body is actually doing until you're home
Though you have to remember though the packages are small, pickups can still be big bulky and heavy.
And no matter the company doing 100 or more stops in a day takes a toll on the body no matter the age, you don't realize how much your body is actually doing until you're home
greengrenades
To be the man, you gotta beat the man.
First thing first, there is no guarantee of that 7 year wait to become a driver. I wouldn't bank on it. UPS is bad about making promises to new hires that they can't keep. Not saying you wouldn't get to go just saying it could be less than that or way over that. Second, package isn't for everyone, I mean I couldn't do it and I was 21 when I went. It takes a certain breed of person to be able to handle something like that. Third, I don't want to be working in my 70's.
