Bid routes: Yearly or Permanent?

CaptainObvious

Well-Known Member
In my center when we bid a route it is yours until you retire, quit, bump back into a cover driver position or a new route opens up or is created.

I've noticed a lot of posts recently where it seems most places re-bid every year. What would most of you prefer? I know in my situation I like the way it is set up here......but the idea of re-bidding is kind of intriguing as well......Opinions???
 

LongTimeComing

Air Ops Pro
Personally, if I liked my route I would want to stay put. Knowing the intricacies of a route like the back of your hand can't be beat. On the other hand, I'd hate to be stuck with a terrible route without hope of being able to re-bid. Also, complacency isn't always a good thing, and sometimes a change of scenery is needed.
 

Bad Gas!

Well-Known Member
With alot of senority it's good to have options..Most senor pkg drivers here like bidding on early am routes..Start early get off early..2 drawbacks:You don't get many unplanned day off like the 9 oclock starters because no one is there at 7 to run your route...Secondly, they do ask you for help more because you are done and heading in by 5
 

AKCoverMan

Well-Known Member
In our building its your route till you give it up. I have declined to bid on anything yet (6 years in as full time driver) as I don't think I could take the same route every day. But I suspect at some point the right route will come along..
 

Alleycar

Well-Known Member
We also keep our route until retirement or bid off of it. I have been on my route for 7 years and I don't know if there is another I would rather have in the center. I bid from PT directly to my route, so I don't know much about the others out there, so my opinion is a bit skewed. I don't think I will have a chance to try anything else for many years regardless.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
We bid every year, I like it. Gives the senior drivers options if they want a change and keeps the junior drivers on their toes.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Also, complacency isn't always a good thing, and sometimes a change of scenery is needed.

We bid every 3 years. I would not want lifetime bids nor would I want to bid every year. There are costs associated with the bidding process and I can't see how annual bids can be cost-efficient.

I quoted the sentence above as this is part of the reason I am bidding off of my route next month. I have begun to make some poor business decisions and less than ideal driver releases. There is also a major road construction project scheduled for 2014 that will have a huge impact on the afternoon portion of my route. I am not a patient person and know that it would be best for me to simply avoid this road work rather than try to deal with it.

I will have 6 years left when I start my new route and plan on staying on it until I retire.
 

upsman68

Well-Known Member
We bid every two years. Usually everyone stays on their route but one driver will change and then it gets interesting. Our center is growing so we might get some new routes.
 

1080Driver

Well-Known Member
Here its your route until you bid on another, quit, get fired, move on to feeders, take an inside job, etc. I'm going on 20 years on my route.
 

Dracula

Package Car is cake compared to this...
Every year here. Then whenever routes come up, which is every week here. Almost every week there is three or four routes up on the board. This is feeders, of course. We have almost 330 drivers here.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
Every year here. Then whenever routes come up, which is every week here. Almost every week there is three or four routes up on the board. This is feeders, of course. We have almost 330 drivers here.
Feeders bid every 6 months here.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
In my center when we bid a route it is yours until you retire, quit, bump back into a cover driver position or a new route opens up or is created.

I've noticed a lot of posts recently where it seems most places re-bid every year. What would most of you prefer? I know in my situation I like the way it is set up here......but the idea of re-bidding is kind of intriguing as well......Opinions???

You forgot you could get bumped off that route. That's what happened to me. Had a nice country route I would of been happy with for the next 25 years.

I prefer bid for life. I would hate to get a route I loved and have it for 5 years only to have a senior drive on a whim say oh I think I'll try that route this year.
 

bottomups

Bad Moon Risen'
Permanent bids in my local. Going to stay on my rural, satellite, retirement route until I retire or they take it from my cold dead fingers.
 

Ms.PacMan

Well-Known Member
Permanent here. 9 yrs on my current route. I bid it because the truck had power steering. It was a terrible route at first but has slowly evolved into a decent route because of companies moving. Not perfect but I could stay on it until retirement with the way it is now.
 

UpsYours

Well-Known Member
We went from every year ,to 18 months and its been every 2 years now for a while.I like the 18 month bid myself.And i agree as far as seniority its better to have choices every so often .ive bid off and on a few routes in my time here over 23 years.the routes can get stale after a while.I know boredom isnt an issue for a UPS driver but something fresh every couple years or so is good for me at least.
 

104Feeder

Phoenix Feeder
Permanent bids for Package here, always a fight to get newly created areas bid as Mgmt likes to hold those out forever. Weekly bid for route coverage.
Annual bid in Feeders, two weeks out for run coverage with a second chance the day the schedule comes out for those who bid WAD times.
 
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