First days as a driver

DS

Fenderbender
Instant,don't be afraid to call for help,or to get your air picked up if you are running late, and consider it part of the job.
I have to admit I HATE getting home at 10PM but,I take my lunch every day,because if I don't,I gave them an hour for free.
To be honest,I don't think I got lunch my first 6 months as a driver because I wanted to try to meet their numbers.
I learned that running scratch is almost impossible,so just do your best and screw the numbers.
 
Thanks to DS for reminding me of another rookie mistake.:happy2:

I carried my COD checks in my shirt pocket in the little pouch they gave me. Worked ok till I found my self working at too brisk a pace and ended up back at the ctr with no checks. I reported it to the sup who said I`d have to go out the next day and get them reissued. Don`t know what was the most fun. The unhappy customers, the angry ones, or the ones that I had to reimburse for the stopped checks (my choice). The kicker was after a few days another driver in my center brought in the pouch full of checks that had been found by one of the resi customers in her front lawn where it had "brisked" itself out of my pocket. Never made that mistake again. Everything from then on went into my lunchbox as I collected it. Plus as I said, you piss away 15 minutes a pop picking up shelves of packages every time you dump one and you learn not to hit the curb quick enough.
 

instantK

Well-Known Member
Wow,,im Running 2-3hours late without lunch, if i take lunch thats another hour!!! i dont even want to pee!

i understand it will get easier but wow this is much hardier than i imagined... :angry::angry:
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
It will get better. Some of the things you bring up show that your head is in the right place and you are thinking about the right things.

The first thing is always safety. Accidents are a lot more important to management then production. You are right not todrive head nose first into driveways that you aren't sure about. Remember to always have an escape route.

And don't worry about another driver bringing your air in. That is one of the easiest things that driver has done all day. We have all been the new guy at one time.

Like a senior driver told me 20 + years ago "you aren't the first one to ride that pony around here"
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
Thanks to DS for reminding me of another rookie mistake.

I carried my COD checks in my shirt pocket in the little pouch they gave me. Worked ok till I found my self working at too brisk a pace and ended up back at the ctr with no checks. I reported it to the sup who said I`d have to go out the next day and get them reissued. Don`t know what was the most fun. The unhappy customers, the angry ones, or the ones that I had to reimburse for the stopped checks (my choice). The kicker was after a few days another driver in my center brought in the pouch full of checks that had been found by one of the resi customers in her front lawn where it had "brisked" itself out of my pocket. Never made that mistake again. Everything from then on went into my lunchbox as I collected it. Plus as I said, you piss away 15 minutes a pop picking up shelves of packages every time you dump one and you learn not to hit the curb quick enough.
Been there, done that too! :dissapointed:
 

bigbrownhen

Well-Known Member
You must not be on PAS/EDD. All stops and number of pkgs per stop already loaded in the Diad. That helps alot. Not that they are always in the section they are supposed to be, but you atleast have an idea of where to look. I suggest you set up a section or shelf at a time. I used to deliver all the commercial stops, then set up the resis later. Once your are organized, you will be more efficient.

Keep us updated on how you are doing. Give us a few examples of what your struggling with, we are glad to help if we can.
 

instantK

Well-Known Member
thanx for all the help, the only thing that really makes me nervous is driving at night and backing up, long driveways... hopefully it only takes 1-2 weeks until i know the houses that have nice turn arounds =]

i also thought about getting to work earlier to go through my truck to glance over the shelfs / floor
 

Coldworld

60 months and counting
This person is probably a peak temp driver so I'm not sure why they are worried about the allowance.....if you came from the hub please let us know. If you are a temp it would be a shame if you started rushing and became hurt really bad or into a serious accident because you were worried about bogus time measurment...try to keep the wheels moving and don't spend too much time in the back of the truck...good luck
 

instantK

Well-Known Member
I worked on the preload and the local sort for a few years unloading trailers, signed the driver list, went to driving integrad a few weeks ago now im driving :happy2:
 

Coldworld

60 months and counting
I worked on the preload and the local sort for a few years unloading trailers, signed the driver list, went to driving integrad a few weeks ago now im driving :happy2:

Good to hear k we don't need anymore off the street hires as was happening in the 80's....1:1....2:1 ratios...ummmmm can you say bull s&!?....anyway just do the best you can you don't have to make scratch to make book...even if they say you do..depends on your center team and if they see that you have potential and are trying to learn ....
 

rod

Retired 22 years
When I got my first "rural route" just as daylight savings time took affect I didn't know what the last third of the area looked like in the daylight for the whole winter. I once got so lost in the dark on the country roads that when I finally did recognize where I was at I sat at a stop sign for about 5 minutes debating on wether I should turn right and head back to the center and quit or turn left and tough it out. Hang in there-----it will get easier eventually.
 

SpoolEmUp

Active Member
Are you in the NE?I'm dreading the winter. I just got switched to a rural route. All stops; avg. About 140-160, no pickups. Some of these driveways are jurassic park jungles.
 

whiskey

Well-Known Member
After more than 30 years I'm still paid over 2 hours every day. Over time, you will learn to love the dark and love the cold.
In Ohio, after dark, watch out for the lions, tigers and bears!
What you are going through is quite normal. Good luck.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
And I had a late air...I arrived at the stop and activated it at 10:28 but didn't find and scan the pkg until 10:37.

If you are on PAS/EDD use Find BC to make sure the air is in the DIAD before the commit time. As long as you scan it before the commit time and don't prerecord the stop it will not show late.

To the OP--there has been a lot of good advice given. You will have a month or so of training before Peak begins. Use this time to your advantage.
 

instantK

Well-Known Member
When it comes to safe driving days / qualifying i wont be able to qualify until after peak. im only going to have about 10-15 days of driving before November, meaning the days in nov/dec. wont count? meaning if i get in accident(even cracking a mirror) im toast
everyone at my center tells me something different about safe driving days during peak
 
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