Any Help/Tips for Unloading Trailers?

[Kis124]

as a SPA person, the best advice is to make sure the labels are up or accessible. Use your existing equipment, and don't be ashamed to ask for help. My unloader is a muscular guy, and I go in the trailer to help pick up irregs, Try to limit your twisting as it takes time, not to mention a toll on your back. If the boxes are close to the floor, lower the belt. use a load stand and bring the belt up to you. You are human, speed will come. Just work as comfortably as you can.

 

[Scratchy]

Ok, just some background info first. I'm sure you can tell I'm new. I was hired and worked through peak since late October and now they are actually calling me to come in a couple times a week. I was a splitter and a loader for the most part and I managed to get by. Now I work the preload and I unload the trailers and I'm going to be honest, I'm struggling. I'm not that strong of a guy and Im 18 years old. Ive had another job and I really do have a strong work ethic.
So as I was saying Im having a tough time with it physically and the other day my supervisor was up my ass because apparantly my best wasnt enough. Everyone tends to look in at me and give me a dirty look as if I mean to be doing a bad job. I really am trying my best but I just want to get better at it. I was hoping someone could give me any advice with this (seriously). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks...

Doesn't matter how strong your are bud. Just remember to work within your power zone.

 

[menotyou]

I was very hard to keep up with. The best teams(if, you unload with 2 people) are one tall, one short. Switch sides a lot. Help each other out, as you both have power zones that target different area of the load. If you get the right rhythm, you can empty that puppy in no time.

 

[old levi's]

I was very hard to keep up with. The best teams(if, you unload with 2 people) are one tall, one short. Switch sides a lot. Help each other out, as you both have power zones that target different area of the load. If you get the right rhythm, you can empty that puppy in no time.

The right rhythm is a good thang!

 

[menotyou]

The right rhythm is a good thang!

You don't want to break that. No, dont break that. Anything, but that.

 

[old levi's]

You don't want to break that. No, dont break that. Anything, but that.

Cross the finish line and then celebrate!

 

[menotyou]

Cross the finish line and then celebrate!

I'm not done. Get back to work!!!

 

[old levi's]

I'm not done. Get back to work!!!

Yes ma'am! I live to serve.

 

[dilligaf]

Cross the finish line and then celebrate!

Screamer!?!?!?!?!

 

[old levi's]

Screamer!?!?!?!?!

If you like.

 

[ORLY!?!]

Conditioning and control, are always the best factors. Ask yourself two question, can I make this shift tonight? And, do I have the power to control my abilities.

One, get used to the job, make yourself know you can and will make it time and time again. Strength has nothing to do with it. Its about how bad you want it and / or willing to make the impression to stay around. Its called ethics, yet they can only go so far.

Control is a hard one to master. My father would tell me " sure he can throw the ball 145 mph, but can he get it in the strike zone? ". All so true, control is the hardest thing to master. Its all about showing you have it, and its also about holding your skills at ransom. They pay you to work, not the other way around. They want your skills, their gonna have to pay you and give you seniority.

Btw, preloaders are given a pass on all things. Here, guys get 2 - 6 missloads a night all year long and never get put elsewhere. Its because the job has a huge turn over rate, all the time. Its risking someone new to load a car with 35+ in training, while soups working and people filing and so on. Preload is a waste land, nothing is the same everyday. And yet, its always the last end of all your packages picked up, rts'ed and delivered.

 

[menotyou]

Preload makes or breaks the day. Period.

 

[anonymous4]

Preload has it easy compared to other shifts. Why? Loading feeders. No one wants to do it, no one can really do it effectively (piece counts) and these are truths. I'd rather get screwed on preload on a rough day than stuck in the wrong feeder on a rough day. Out of all shifts preload is the most laid back, which isn't saying much.

 

[ORLY!?!]

Preload has it easy compared to other shifts. Why? Loading feeders. No one wants to do it, no one can really do it effectively (piece counts) and these are truths. I'd rather get screwed on preload on a rough day than stuck in the wrong feeder on a rough day. Out of all shifts preload is the most laid back, which isn't saying much.

Is that why load and unload have a low turn over rate and / or never seem to be hiring for those shifts. Is it that preload usally has well above 70% turn over rate? Or in my center, for last year, 100% turn over rate.

In preload, I max out around 8 - 12 miles of walking a night. Its hard on the body. I've done unload, it was cake, easiest job ever. I cant say anything about, never done it. Stacking and scanning boxes, doesnt sound too hard. But I could be mistaken.

 

[Southwestern]

Preload has it easy compared to other shifts. Why? Loading feeders. No one wants to do it, no one can really do it effectively (piece counts) and these are truths. I'd rather get screwed on preload on a rough day than stuck in the wrong feeder on a rough day. Out of all shifts preload is the most laid back, which isn't saying much.

I fully agree that loading feeders may be the most difficult job at UPS. However, the local sort/reload/twilight/inbound is unquestionably a much more laid back sort than preload.

 

[Southwestern]

Is that why load and unload have a low turn over rate and / or never seem to be hiring for those shifts. Is it that preload usally has well above 70% turn over rate? Or in my center, for last year, 100% turn over rate.

In preload, I max out around 8 - 12 miles of walking a night. Its hard on the body. I've done unload, it was cake, easiest job ever. I cant say anything about, never done it. Stacking and scanning boxes, doesnt sound too hard. But I could be mistaken.

Loading trailers sucks. I wrote a post describing the experience, but then deleted it as I realized that unless you've ever loaded trailers, you'll never "appreciate" how much the job stinks. It's worst in the summer (unless you live in a hot climate year-round, which in case it sucks year-round) when the trailers have sat baking in the sun, and temperatures easily reach 120 degrees friend. (I'm writing this from a non-hub perspective. I realize that the process is vastly different in the large hubs.)

 

[10yearteamster]

I unloaded for 3 years and sorted for 7 before going full-time. I pushed myself beyond most peoples limits. I could unload a flat floor in 15 min and my record is 10. It might sound like I'm thumping my chest, but what I'm trying to say is DON'T DO WHAT I DID! I hurt everyday now at 28-years-old because of it and it's not right! And you know what it's gotten me? Nothing! I'm still at the same wage I would have been if I used proper methods and paced myself.

I'm not saying be lazy, Don't do that! But don't kill yourself! Work hard, try your best and use proper methods. Remember it's you that has to live with that body the rest of your life.

As far as tips on how to unload properly but with a good pace:

Look at the middle tier and think of a V pattern, working from the inside out, begin to pull the tier down while maintaining hand to surface with each box. Grab on the corners to maximize your grip. Also if you don't wear gloves, DO! Get some Atlas Rubber Coated gloves. They are a MUST HAVE for unloading. Then as you get comfortable, start to identify where specific trailer come from. Generally specific buildings send you boxes daily that you get used to seeing. In turn, this will help you with identifying labels faster.

 

[rocket man]

ok, just some background info first. I'm sure you can tell i'm new. I was hired and worked through peak since late october and now they are actually calling me to come in a couple times a week. I was a splitter and a loader for the most part and i managed to get by. Now i work the preload and i unload the trailers and i'm going to be honest, i'm struggling. I'm not that strong of a guy and im 18 years old. Ive had another job and i really do have a strong work ethic.
So as i was saying im having a tough time with it physically and the other day my supervisor was up my ass because apparantly my best wasnt enough. Everyone tends to look in at me and give me a dirty look as if i mean to be doing a bad job. I really am trying my best but i just want to get better at it. I was hoping someone could give me any advice with this (seriously). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks...

one box at a time

 

[ColaUpser]

Once you start working everyday it should get easier and your should get faster. In my experience if you can last 2-4 weeks you should be good to go. All the soreness works out and u will get better

2-4 weeks? More like 2-4 months. There is light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going in and it eventually gets somewhat better.

 

[ColaUpser]

Being a loader, it sucks all year round. Hot cold it doesn't matter, there is no worse feeling than watching boxes pile up around your roller until you cant even see outside of the trailer anymore. Loading also depends on which feeder you have to load, when i first started it wasn't that bad, but i worked hard which gave me the great opportunity of getting more work the longer i was there. Needless to say, i'm now stuck in what must be the worst load in my hub.