Down time?

[upswife1133]

My husband is a newly hired full time feeder driver. He is currently a cover driver and pretty much the bottom of senority. We survived Sept/Oct somehow even though he was lucky to work 1 to 2 days a week. Since it's peak right now he is working non stop but what happens when peak is over??? Is it back to working a day or 2 a week? Although the future looks great given the pay eventually right now I worry we will make it through since the work isn't very steady. Any advice?

 

[over9five]

Has he talked to his steward or BA? He may be able to bump inside on days he has no Feeder work.
Better than sitting home with no pay.

 

[upswife1133]

No he hasnt. I will suggest that tonight. Thank you

 

[ORLY!?!]

He will probably make 10, 20, 30k during peak alone. I've know people driving here 6 months straight making 40k+ in that short of time. It all depends how many hours he'll get. Either way the income will be great!

Hopefully you can manage with that for awhile. Tell him to seek a PT inside, preload, unload etc etc. If he's there they will ask him to do runs if a driver calls out and so fourth. Its all about being around to drive more. Sure, it might be a tough road, playing the back up, for years. But its a start and it will get him somewhere someday. Time spent will eventually grant senority, and a perhaps a fulltime job.

 

[Leftinbuilding]

]He will probably make 10, 20, 30k during peak alone.[/B] I've know people driving here 6 months straight making 40k+ in that short of time. It all depends how many hours he'll get. Either way the income will be great!

Hopefully you can manage with that for awhile. Tell him to seek a PT inside, preload, unload etc etc. If he's there they will ask him to do runs if a driver calls out and so fourth. Its all about being around to drive more. Sure, it might be a tough road, playing the back up, for years. But its a start and it will get him somewhere someday. Time spent will eventually grant senority, and a perhaps a fulltime job.

Seriously? 30k? In a month? That would be $7000.00 plus a week. I retired too soon, lol.

 

[upswife1133]

Well he isn't making close to that much. Right now he is getting 50 to 60 hours a week, but he is at the bottom of the pay scale. He has made seniority but the wage is still pretty low. But the insurance is a huge blessing (lots of kids). We both know its a long road to hit top pay...just counting that time down and hoping we can hang on until there is steady work. The last few months he was lucky to get 20 hours a week and some weeks just 10. So I am just hoping we don't have to go through that again in January.

 

[ORLY!?!]

Seriously? 30k? In a month? That would be $7000.00 plus a week. I retired too soon, lol.

You'd be amazed how much time and half, double time and triple time can add up around these parts. They got rezy routes bricked up, spawned routes galore.. its almost like candy land this time of year.

Half, full routes then requesting help and pick up dish outs. Some of these cover dogs walk out with mad money each day. Hell, I'm at, as a PTer, 21 hours. I'm at 300 bucks in three days, plus overtime. Its gonna be 500, 600 dollar paycheck for less then 40 hours of work this week for me. I love this time of year!

Too easy!

 

[UnconTROLLed]

You'd be amazed how much time and half, double time and triple time can add up around these parts. They got rezy routes bricked up, spawned routes galore.. its almost like candy land this time of year.

Half, full routes then requesting help and pick up dish outs. Some of these cover dogs walk out with mad money each day. Hell, I'm at, as a PTer, 21 hours. I'm at 300 bucks in three days, plus overtime. Its gonna be 500, 600 dollar paycheck for less then 40 hours of work this week for me. I love this time of year!

Too easy!

lol $500 paycheck, I made that in a day.

 

[Anonymous 10]

lol $500 paycheck, I made that in a day.

Lol that's some funny *

 

[working up a sweat]

Being a "cover driver" at UPS is a crap shoot. You better have a spouse doing a FT job and yourself sitting at home and waiting for the phone to ring.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Being a "cover driver" at UPS is a crap shoot. You better have a spouse doing a FT job and yourself sitting at home and waiting for the phone to ring.

Rather than "sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring", I used to go in dressed and ready to work. It wasn't very hard to convince an older driver to take a day off. I also had 2 side jobs which both worked with me and my erratic schedule.

 

[upswife1133]

Wish it would work that way but I also work so me sitting at home really isn't an option. I just hope this whole cover thing will be over soon. It's horrible not knowing if there will be work or not. We had about 4 weeks this fall that were just horrible but besides that it has been fine. I am just hoping Jan/Feb won't bring more of what happened in the fall.

 

[tarbar66]

Many years ago I needed to work 90 hours in a month to make sure my benefits were paid for. I would call in every morning, afternoon and evening. I would cover vacations in other buildings (delivery centers with 3 or 4 feeder drivers) within my local too. The dispatch clerks would tell drivers there was coverage when I wasn't scheduled to work so some would book off.

I'm not sure how big of building your husband works in but good luck and maybe there will be a few retirements in the new year.

 

[oldupsman]

Rather than "sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring", I used to go in dressed and ready to work. It wasn't very hard to convince an older driver to take a day off.

This is good advice. Tell your husband to make sure every feeder driver knows he's available to work anytime after the holiday. Especially the older guys. That way a manager
can't tell a driver he doesn't have anybody to cover. They can always say "How about Joe?"
Maybe he can get 1 guy to take Monday off, another guy Tues. off, right through the week. Be proactive. I've seen this work.

 

[raceanoncr]

Let me just relate my OWN experience and hope it ain't a downer for you.

Started as street-hire package driver. Signed feeder list every time it went up (inside list for all, at the time, friend/T package drivers that wanted to go to feeders), even tho the first few months, I didn't even qualify.

After 3 full yrs, got picked. Worked, covering vacations, from May-enf of Aug. Got thrown back to package til about Oct when peak runs were added. I got on just thru Christmas. Jan was thrown back to package til vacations started again in May. Same thing the next yr. That went on for the next FIVE yrs until finally got to stay in feeders but no bid job. Still covering, days, weeks, disabilities, extras, etc. for another, I think it was about 7 yrs.

Fast forward...finally got a bid run after 13 yrs with company, 10 of it in feeders off and on.

It sounds like your husband doesn't have that option, that is, to go back to package car. But it DOES sound like, according to you, he has company seniority. That's good. As has been alluded to here, he now has the option to take two P/T jobs inside. Sure, it won't make up for feeder pay but sitting at home don't either.

And as has also been alluded to here is to make himself available. Let it be known he will cover ANY job then DO it!

Either way, it could be a long time. It was for me, but I was used to some screwy days, hours while running heavy equipment before, so I handled it.

One of UPSs cute little catch phrases is: "Expect the Unexpected". Well, you may expect to be put to work when every YOU want but that ain't the way UPS plays. Expect to get screwed.

Carry on and good luck.

 

[upswife1133]

Thank you for all the ideas. I really appreciate it. He works in a large hub, over 200 feeder drivers. He has been trying to get his name out there so people know he is always available. Crossing my fingers there is something for him to do when everything slows down. The working a day or two a week just won't cut it. We used up everything we had when work was slim this fall so here is hoping we can stay afloat when things get slow again.

 

[ORLY!?!]

lol $500 paycheck, I made that in a day.

Getting that as part time is huge. Most people working fulltime dont even come close to that amount.