Driver Told He Is Stealing If Drives 54 MPH in A 55 MPH Zone

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anonymous6

Guest
driver told he is "stealing from company" if he continues to drive 54 in a 55 zone in a feeder truck.

the converse, then , is true. most of our feeder drivers drive 59-60 in California which is a 55 zone for trucks. this is "stealing" too. they use more fuel, wear out tires and brakes faster, cause more wear and tear , by going faster. but they are never spoken to.

we have had four drivers fired for stealing time. 2 got their jobs back but 2 did not.

but if you use one of those brown UPS pens off duty you are "stealing" too. if you pick up a screw off the company grounds you are stealing. if you talk to a buddy about the NBA finals on company time. supervisors watch you-tube videos on company time. there are hundreds of examples.

the hypocrisy makes me sick.
 

InsideUPS

Well-Known Member
driver told he is "stealing from company" if he continues to drive 54 in a 55 zone in a feeder truck.

the converse, then , is true. most of our feeder drivers drive 59-60 in California which is a 55 zone for trucks. this is "stealing" too. they use more fuel, wear out tires and brakes faster, cause more wear and tear , by going faster. but they are never spoken to.

we have had four drivers fired for stealing time. 2 got their jobs back but 2 did not.

but if you use one of those brown UPS pens off duty you are "stealing" too. if you pick up a screw off the company grounds you are stealing. if you talk to a buddy about the NBA finals on company time. supervisors watch you-tube videos on company time. there are hundreds of examples.

the hypocrisy makes me sick.


Thanks for sharing orangputeh... the worst part is that this Corporate attitude will not be getting any better with this new contract. All you high paid drivers have "targets" on your back. You are nothing but liabilities to the "New UPS".

I would like to hear more details about the drivers that did not get their jobs back but....looking at the odds....it appears about right... 50/50

2 for the Company
2 for the Union

For you drivers facing a discharge.....they flip coins to decide the outcome of your case......
 

bottomups

Bad Moon Risen'
Before I was satellited I had a 35 minute ride to begin delivering on my old area. Was consistently about an hour over allowed each day and my management team tried everything to get my paid day lowered. One day my center manager calls my steward and myself into his office and throws a pile of telematics reports in my face showing me anywhere from 1 to 10 mph under the posted speed limit on the highway on my way to and from the delivery area.
Told him that I was required to recite and follow all of their safety drivel and that at speeds of over 30 mph you expect me to keep a 6 to 8 second following distance. When someone changes lanes and pulls in front of me I had to slow down to maintain the proper lead time.
​Asked him if he wanted me to follow the safety crap or maintain the posted speed limit and tailgate. Told him the choice was his but I wanted it in writing. Was excused from the office and the issue was never brought up with me again.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
It's a speed LIMIT, not a speed MINIMUM.
I'd take that case on any day.

Do me a favor----you drive on any part of 95 or 295 doing 54 and tell me what kind of reaction you get.

I find it odd that the drivers in question chose to go just 1 mph under the posted limit (again, based on ideal conditions). We have drivers who will stand by the exit with their DIADs in their hands waiting until they are one click over 9.5 to punch out. IMO both actions have no purpose other than to send a message.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I always think of their other speeding rule.

Hit a deer going 1 mph over the limit - AVOIDABLE accident.

Hit a deer going 1 mph under the limit - unavoidable.


The OP is talking about Feeder drivers. When I'm on an open highway, I drive on cruise control. I'm sure we all do, because it's pretty hard to keep a tractor trailer at a constant speed. And I always have it set a little under, because any little downgrade the rest of you don't even notice causes that big rig to speed up.

These firings are due to some idiot in a cubicle who has never even ridden in a tractor trailer making decisions that are going to get people killed.
 

thecamel

Waiting to put the re in front of tired
What happened to the "professional" driver? As a driver I am required to be safe or face termination from my "profession". There are times when "professionals" must exercise their "professional" judgment and render opinions or make decisions, albeit without the aid of some silly program from ie that measures every tick of the clock in retrospect, that maintain the best interest of the company. And damn any quasi manager for questioning 1 mph on the highway while referencing the above mentioned program.
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
It's a speed LIMIT, not a speed MINIMUM.
I'd take that case on any day.

Do me a favor----you drive on any part of 95 or 295 doing 54 and tell me what kind of reaction you get.

I find it odd that the drivers in question chose to go just 1 mph under the posted limit (again, based on ideal conditions). We have drivers who will stand by the exit with their DIADs in their hands waiting until they are one click over 9.5 to punch out. IMO both actions have no purpose other than to send a message.
We are talking about 1 mph for discipline? I travel below the speed limit in my UPS truck to and from the building everyday. At 9am, 95 isn't the Daytona 500. The driving issue is a safety related one. Plus, how are they deriving this info? Telematics? It's already proven to be an inaccurate system. We are not talking about going 30 mph in a 55 mph zone. The "Safety first but hurry up!" speeches are over in our building.
However, I do agree with you about the waiting a minute or two to punch out.

Here is something to ponder,
Let's say you go on break and you hit the time button in your DIAD at 11:00am , 5 seconds later it changes to 11:01am (since the DIAD doesn't show seconds), you gave the company 0:55 seconds. Should you be reimbursed?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
What happened to the "professional" driver? As a driver I am required to be safe or face termination from my "profession". There are times when "professionals" must exercise their "professional" judgment and render opinions or make decisions, albeit without the aid of some silly program from ie that measures every tick of the clock in retrospect, that maintain the best interest of the company. And damn any quasi manager for questioning 1 mph on the highway while referencing the above mentioned program.

Hence my disclaimer of ideal weather and traffic conditions.

Let's not kid ourselves---if it were a bright, sunny day with traffic flowing smoothly there would be no reason in the world for this guy to go 54 in a 55 unless he were trying to send a message to his management team. I would guarantee that he would not be doing the same in his personal vehicle.

Driving up to 5 mph over the limit does not dramatically increase the wear or tear or increase the use of fuel.

Driving 1 mph under the speed limit for an extended period of time is clearly done with the intent of stealing time.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
Once again, we're talking tractor trailers. I'm not even sure I could tell if I'm setting my cruise control at 55 or 54.
 

thecamel

Waiting to put the re in front of tired
Hence my disclaimer of ideal weather and traffic conditions.

Let's not kid ourselves---if it were a bright, sunny day with traffic flowing smoothly there would be no reason in the world for this guy to go 54 in a 55 unless he were trying to send a message to his management team. I would guarantee that he would not be doing the same in his personal vehicle.

Driving up to 5 mph over the limit does not dramatically increase the wear or tear or increase the use of fuel.

Driving 1 mph under the speed limit for an extended period of time is clearly done with the intent of stealing time.
Hey upstate are you absolutely sure that your speedo/odo are 100% accurate? If not then you are FIRED! Are you kidding me?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Once again, we're talking tractor trailers. I'm not even sure I could tell if I'm setting my cruise control at 55 or 54.

OK---hadn't thought of that---didn't even realize cruise was an option in those things. Still, with that being said, don't you find it a bit odd that he is running exactlly 1 mph under the posted limit for an extended period of time?
 

thecamel

Waiting to put the re in front of tired
I had a country run where the odometer was broken---we were told to add 10% to our daily totals (pre-Telematics).
Well then, referring to the OP, this poor guy was offered no such concession or courtesy. He was ONLY labeled a thief by management. Not trying to be argumentative but isn't it obvious that this guy deserves the benefit of his teamster "brothers" doubt. ALL OF HIS TEAMSTER BROTHERS!!!
 
Stink homered on his post. Any cop will tell you it's the speed LIMIT. Not minimum. Not requirement. LIMIT.

​In today's world of distracted drivers. Idiot drivers. Highway conditions. Etc,etc. they should be happy that anything near the limit is reached.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
They don't accelerate, stop, or handle like anything you've ever driven.

Get back to us when you have some feeder expieriance. Just sayin....

Point taken; however, if this guy is driving the same speed for an extended period of time it doesn't sound like there was much acceleration, handling or stopping going on. Just sayin'.
 
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