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Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ
- Thread starter 104Feeder
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Shifting Contents
Most Help Needed
Btw
I hope that's not you're real name
That's not a good idea
I hope that's not you're real name
That's not a good idea
barnyard
KTM rider
1. every effort will be made to make sure you are done working at 60 hours per pay period
2. good luck with that
3. there are no tips. If a feeder bid is hung and no one signs it and the center can hire an off the street hire, you could get an offer to stay. I have never heard of it happening in feeders and would be even more surprised as UPS is working to get rid of sleeper runs, that there would be an off the street opening.
4. both
5. UPS takes logging seriously. We use elogs and lying on the logs is lying. Lying is a cardinal offense, you will be fired and the union will not get your job back
6. Sleeper teams have their sets assembled. Everyone else does it themselves
7. training and orientation
8. there is a thread here called 'feeder tips'
2. good luck with that
3. there are no tips. If a feeder bid is hung and no one signs it and the center can hire an off the street hire, you could get an offer to stay. I have never heard of it happening in feeders and would be even more surprised as UPS is working to get rid of sleeper runs, that there would be an off the street opening.
4. both
5. UPS takes logging seriously. We use elogs and lying on the logs is lying. Lying is a cardinal offense, you will be fired and the union will not get your job back
6. Sleeper teams have their sets assembled. Everyone else does it themselves
7. training and orientation
8. there is a thread here called 'feeder tips'
retiredTxfeeder
cap'n crunch
I'll hit on a couple of things, and leave other folks to add as well. I spent 29 years as a feeder driver, retiring in 2014.
2. (2) who you know. I don't know how this will help you much. I guess it can't hurt. Most every facet of most jobs is based strictly on seniority. Who you know or how fast or how safe you are doesn't really come into play, at least not where I worked.
4. The type of equipment varies all over. There are macks, internationals, sterlings, etc. Some are 10 speed, but I suppose there are automatics out there somewhere being experimented with. They even have some LNG's floating around. You are liable to drive something different every day, and you will be expected to know how to operate the equipment, whatever it is.
5. Logs. Many years ago, we ran paper log books, but they have gone electronic now. UPS is a stickler on your hours of service, and you should keep track of those at all times. There is no excuse for fudging log books anymore.
6. You will be required to do a proper pretrip/post trip on not only your tractor, but every piece of equipment you use during your shift. If you have an equipment failure during your shift, you'd better be able to explain why you didn't catch it one the pretrip. Getting your uniform greasy/dirty is entirely up to you. Most feeder drivers are allergic to 5th wheel grease, including yours truly. You will learn to do your job properly and still avoid greasy hoses and 5th wheels like the plague. Good luck to you in your new endeavor.
2. (2) who you know. I don't know how this will help you much. I guess it can't hurt. Most every facet of most jobs is based strictly on seniority. Who you know or how fast or how safe you are doesn't really come into play, at least not where I worked.
4. The type of equipment varies all over. There are macks, internationals, sterlings, etc. Some are 10 speed, but I suppose there are automatics out there somewhere being experimented with. They even have some LNG's floating around. You are liable to drive something different every day, and you will be expected to know how to operate the equipment, whatever it is.
5. Logs. Many years ago, we ran paper log books, but they have gone electronic now. UPS is a stickler on your hours of service, and you should keep track of those at all times. There is no excuse for fudging log books anymore.
6. You will be required to do a proper pretrip/post trip on not only your tractor, but every piece of equipment you use during your shift. If you have an equipment failure during your shift, you'd better be able to explain why you didn't catch it one the pretrip. Getting your uniform greasy/dirty is entirely up to you. Most feeder drivers are allergic to 5th wheel grease, including yours truly. You will learn to do your job properly and still avoid greasy hoses and 5th wheels like the plague. Good luck to you in your new endeavor.
P
pickup
Guest
To the original poster:
Obviously, you've searched the threads so a lot was posted and hopefully you read some of it.
As for getting hired on, Yes, it depends on how many feeders retire, how the economy is doing. Yes - who you know( it's not necessary but it helps). And your performance counts.
The only thing you can control at this point, is your performance and attitude. If you hit something, like the rear end of another vehicle. That's it, you're gone. So don't hit nuthin'. Get plenty of sleep and don't complain to management. You complain now, they will only suspect you'll be the biggest whiner if you came on full time.
I don't know the particulars of your location, if they generally hire off the street, if they use casuals year long so I can't tell you if you will get hired or not.
I can tell you that at my hub which ain't anywhere near your hub, they have hired guys off the street quite often, in compliance with the hiring ratio which is currently 6 to 1. Which translates to 5 inside hires(guys from package, car wash) and one transfer and then they can hire the guy off the street. That much being said, we have hired about 30 casuals over the last three years.
My hub has hired experienced polished casuals, guys with good attitude and not so stellar skills, and absolute nutcases with questionable work habits. So if you fit in anywhere within this spectrum, you got a chance. Just control what you can control: your performance. Everything else is out of your control.
Good luck!
Obviously, you've searched the threads so a lot was posted and hopefully you read some of it.
As for getting hired on, Yes, it depends on how many feeders retire, how the economy is doing. Yes - who you know( it's not necessary but it helps). And your performance counts.
The only thing you can control at this point, is your performance and attitude. If you hit something, like the rear end of another vehicle. That's it, you're gone. So don't hit nuthin'. Get plenty of sleep and don't complain to management. You complain now, they will only suspect you'll be the biggest whiner if you came on full time.
I don't know the particulars of your location, if they generally hire off the street, if they use casuals year long so I can't tell you if you will get hired or not.
I can tell you that at my hub which ain't anywhere near your hub, they have hired guys off the street quite often, in compliance with the hiring ratio which is currently 6 to 1. Which translates to 5 inside hires(guys from package, car wash) and one transfer and then they can hire the guy off the street. That much being said, we have hired about 30 casuals over the last three years.
My hub has hired experienced polished casuals, guys with good attitude and not so stellar skills, and absolute nutcases with questionable work habits. So if you fit in anywhere within this spectrum, you got a chance. Just control what you can control: your performance. Everything else is out of your control.
Good luck!
Covemastah
Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
Ahhhh don't bring donuts to the bosses !!
You will be labeled right way by the other drivers !!!
You will be labeled right way by the other drivers !!!
Nevermore1
Active Member
I can't answer most but as for the dirty uniform portion of #6 - my husband looks like he's been cleaning chimneys or something when he gets home. I honestly can't figure out what he does to get that much grease on him (it's not so bad now that he's on the road instead shifting in the yard but he's still pretty messy).
iamjeffaiden
Active Member
wow you guys are amazing! you all were right about my username. wasnt even thinking of potential ramifications. all of this other advice is great too!
olroadbeech
Happy Verified UPSer
i always filed a grievance if my uniform got dirty.
greengrenades
To be the man, you gotta beat the man.
1. That is a possibility.
2. Eh, maybe. You actually should have started there years ago and put your time in.
3. Usually it's who you know, and even after you get on you might not work.
4. I've seen several different kinds.
5. On duty unless you are on lunch, or taking a nap.
6. We pre trip our own equipment, a lot of us even wash and fuel our own trucks.
7. Paper work, backing, on road driving, set building.
8. You don't need to out work anyone, you need to follow your schedule and not screw up runs for anyone else.
iamjeffaiden
Active Member
This was great! Thanks
iamjeffaiden
Active Member
i already applied and start the 16th
Assume grease is covering the air lines of every single dolly.
Not sure how many seasonals 81st has, but most of their on call, full time guys come in very early in the morning, which leaves the afternoon and evening start times for seasonals.
Get some leather gloves to keep the hands clean, and when doing your pre trip, ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A 5th WHEEL PIN PULLER. You can tell how newb a driver is by the amount of grease on the back of their right shoulder. You will get greased up trying to unhook a pup, especially if your driving a twin screw
Not sure how many seasonals 81st has, but most of their on call, full time guys come in very early in the morning, which leaves the afternoon and evening start times for seasonals.
Get some leather gloves to keep the hands clean, and when doing your pre trip, ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A 5th WHEEL PIN PULLER. You can tell how newb a driver is by the amount of grease on the back of their right shoulder. You will get greased up trying to unhook a pup, especially if your driving a twin screw
P
pickup
Guest
I thought of some advice for a newbie. It depends on your hub and the hubs you visit. When you have an assigned trailer to hook up to, whether you are in a shifter or a tractor, you should start looking for it as you drive to the area where the computer says it is.
In other words, if you are in area #b and the computer says the trailer is in area #d. As you drive through area #b and area #c to get to area #d , start looking for it . You might see it in area #b or #c before you even get to area #d. This is the way it works at my hub and many hubs where empty spots are hard to get, especially at peak. The shifter or other driver dropped it where he could , not where he should have.
Also, the trailer # is a clue to what type of trailer it is. Something that starts with the number 3, like 304562 is a pup. So as you look for that trailer, you can ignore the bigger trailers. It will also be a gray trailer, so that is the color you look for, you can ignore the other trailers that are not gray.
You get a 600 series # ,like 603541, that is a white UPSU 53 foot trailer on a chassis, so you can ignore the grays, and the pups and focus looking for that color and size.
I must warn you, if you get a number like 624561, that is NOT a 600 series. 600 series is 601xxx, 602xxx,603XXX, etc. A number that has 6AXXXX, where A is a number other than 0 is not going to be a 53 foot container on a chassis. It is something smaller, could be a pup on chassis, or a slightly bigger trailer(can't remember exactly). So if you get something like that, you are looking for a grey trailer that is definitely smaller than
a 53 footer.
Also, make sure you have the correct trailer and that you take it to the correct location. Don't assume. Once you hook up, the first thing you do is make sure that trailer number and the number on your computer match. It is also possible that your dispatcher told you that you are going to one place and changed his mind while you walked to your tractor and gave you a different location but you think you are still going to the original location he told you. Not sure of the eloc(ending location, four digit number), ask someone.
We've had experienced full-time drivers and casuals make the mistake of hooking up and pulling the wrong trailers or taking their correct trailers to the wrong locations.
So, DOUBLE CHECK.
Also, if you go to another hub with a load, and already have an assigned trailer to take out of there. As soon as you inbound , check your "schedule edit" or your outbound load info on your computer to see what trailer number you are pulling out. Do this, before you leave the inbound gate .If it is already staged and no longer on a door, then as you proceed to wherever you are going to drop your inbound trailer, keep an eye kind of on the lookout for your outbound trailer. You might just see it. And if you don't then you know where it isn't when you need to go look for it after you drop your inbound trailer. And if you do see it, well ain't that special?
In other words, if you are in area #b and the computer says the trailer is in area #d. As you drive through area #b and area #c to get to area #d , start looking for it . You might see it in area #b or #c before you even get to area #d. This is the way it works at my hub and many hubs where empty spots are hard to get, especially at peak. The shifter or other driver dropped it where he could , not where he should have.
Also, the trailer # is a clue to what type of trailer it is. Something that starts with the number 3, like 304562 is a pup. So as you look for that trailer, you can ignore the bigger trailers. It will also be a gray trailer, so that is the color you look for, you can ignore the other trailers that are not gray.
You get a 600 series # ,like 603541, that is a white UPSU 53 foot trailer on a chassis, so you can ignore the grays, and the pups and focus looking for that color and size.
I must warn you, if you get a number like 624561, that is NOT a 600 series. 600 series is 601xxx, 602xxx,603XXX, etc. A number that has 6AXXXX, where A is a number other than 0 is not going to be a 53 foot container on a chassis. It is something smaller, could be a pup on chassis, or a slightly bigger trailer(can't remember exactly). So if you get something like that, you are looking for a grey trailer that is definitely smaller than
a 53 footer.
Also, make sure you have the correct trailer and that you take it to the correct location. Don't assume. Once you hook up, the first thing you do is make sure that trailer number and the number on your computer match. It is also possible that your dispatcher told you that you are going to one place and changed his mind while you walked to your tractor and gave you a different location but you think you are still going to the original location he told you. Not sure of the eloc(ending location, four digit number), ask someone.
We've had experienced full-time drivers and casuals make the mistake of hooking up and pulling the wrong trailers or taking their correct trailers to the wrong locations.
So, DOUBLE CHECK.
Also, if you go to another hub with a load, and already have an assigned trailer to take out of there. As soon as you inbound , check your "schedule edit" or your outbound load info on your computer to see what trailer number you are pulling out. Do this, before you leave the inbound gate .If it is already staged and no longer on a door, then as you proceed to wherever you are going to drop your inbound trailer, keep an eye kind of on the lookout for your outbound trailer. You might just see it. And if you don't then you know where it isn't when you need to go look for it after you drop your inbound trailer. And if you do see it, well ain't that special?
P
pickup
Guest
The best advice for finding trailers in a rail yard or an extremely busy hub is something like this , at times:
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I use my key fob when I forget where I park my Altima at the mall.
