how hard is it to become a brownie driver?

[cino321]

I rarely work past 7pm, even during Peak.

Everyone in my building for a few weeks was working 12+ hrs and sheeting 100s of missed pieces every night for the first 2 weeks in Decemeber. Guess it depends where you go.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Everyone in my building for a few weeks was working 12+ hrs and sheeting 100s of missed pieces every night for the first 2 weeks in Decemeber. Guess it depends where you go.

Sandy?

 

[LongTimeComing]

I got kicked out of Boy Scouts for eating a Brownie.

So it is probably pretty hard to drive one.

 

[working up a sweat]

The driving test is a big set up. They test you on the oldest POS PC junks with a half million miles on it. The steering wheel is about 25 degrees offset from center while going straight. The gears grind going from 2nd to 3rd. Standards only make a small pct. of the fleet
(less than 10%). You will be set up to fail. I have been told that guys you drove truck on their FT job fail because of grinding gears. I took the test once and have failed because of grinding gears. I have driven standards for over 30 years. I failed too.

 

[oldngray]

The driving test is a big set up. They test you on the oldest POS PC junks with a half million miles on it. The steering wheel is about 25 degrees offset from center while going straight. The gears grind going from 2nd to 3rd. Standards only make a small pct. of the fleet
(less than 10%). You will be set up to fail. I have been told that guys you drove truck on their FT job fail because of grinding gears. I took the test once and have failed because of grinding gears. I have driven standards for over 30 years. I failed too.

That ISN'T a setup. Many people still drive those old POS trucks. The reason it was sitting on lot unused is probably because its an extra and not dispatched daily. And those old trucks were made much better than the new ones, its just years of hard use wears the crap out of them. Although newer trucks are automatics until past few years none were. I don't know about you failing for grinding gears but that IS an indication you have trouble driving a stick.

 

[9611461]

It's twice as tough now to be a driver compared to the veterans around here. They took you on route for a few days and that was It, If you did get disqualified It was only for like three months, now It's a whole year and you have to go through this class bull. They're purposely making It so you can't qualify in order to reduce employment. Man.......... I've seen people In class, sent home for a year, disqualified, because they pressed a wrong button on a damn computer mannnn. Out for a year for pressing a wrong button.............SMH

 

[serenity now]

to the OP, here's a career tip: NEVER again use the term brownie driver

 

[cosmo1]

It's twice as tough now to be a driver compared to the veterans around here. They took you on route for a few days and that was It, If you did get disqualified It was only for like three months, now It's a whole year and you have to go through this class bull. They're purposely making It so you can't qualify in order to reduce employment. Man.......... I've seen people In class, sent home for a year, disqualified, because they pressed a wrong button on a damn computer mannnn. Out for a year for pressing a wrong button.............SMH

​Waaaaahhhhh.......

 

[cino321]

Sandy?

Try under staffing and lack of equipment. Several times a week my building still has over 1000+ missed pieces.

 

[Leftinbuilding]

It's twice as tough now to be a driver compared to the veterans around here. They took you on route for a few days and that was It, If you did get disqualified It was only for like three months, now It's a whole year and you have to go through this class bull. They're purposely making It so you can't qualify in order to reduce employment. Man.......... I've seen people In class, sent home for a year, disqualified, because they pressed a wrong button on a damn computer mannnn. Out for a year for pressing a wrong button.............SMH

Did you really think about this before you posted? If they didn't need drivers, why are they offering the classes?

 

[cino321]

The driving test is a big set up. They test you on the oldest POS PC junks with a half million miles on it. The steering wheel is about 25 degrees offset from center while going straight. The gears grind going from 2nd to 3rd. Standards only make a small pct. of the fleet
(less than 10%). You will be set up to fail. I have been told that guys you drove truck on their FT job fail because of grinding gears. I took the test once and have failed because of grinding gears. I have driven standards for over 30 years. I failed too.

We still have a mostly standard fleet here in my building.

 

[Big Babooba]

I rarely work past 7pm, even during Peak.

I rarely work past 9:30PM, even during Peak.

​

 

[UPSGUY72]

I rarely work past 9:30PM, even during Peak.

​

Your watch must be broke....

 

[brownmonster]

Try under staffing and lack of equipment. Several times a week my building still has over 1000+ missed pieces.

Sounds made up.

 

[Hotgaldriver]

I must be the super exception then. Most days I don't work past 6 or 6:30 never mind 7. True story.

Must be nice!! Everyone on my belt gets in no early then 7 pm.

 

[McGee]

Must be nice!! Everyone on my belt gets in no early then 7 pm.

​Sounds pretty good.

 

[Cementups]

Must be nice!! Everyone on my belt gets in no early then 7 pm.

7 p.m. would be 10 hours for me. No thanks. Then I would have to file grievances. Way too much work. I get my 8.5-9.5 every day. That's plenty.

 

[cosmo1]

7 p.m. would be 10 hours for me. No thanks. Then I would have to file grievances. Way too much work. I get my 8.5-9.5 every day. That's plenty.

You start at 8:00 in HARPA?

Tell them to get our air up here earlier so we can start at 8:30!

 

[twoweeled]

I've been working at UPS for over two and a half years, with the intent of eventually becoming a driver. I heard it is very difficult and I was told to learn to drive a standard transmission and start on Sat driving and do that for a couple of years to get my foot in the door. People that I've talked to about driving said its horrible and I shouldn't go into it. They said its so stressful and its better off to stay in the building. Is it really that bad? That was my whole reason for joining this company, to become a driver down the road. thanks

You pretty much have it. Everything you've been told is true, and more! Stay in the hub instead? Not sure about that. UPS is really a tough place to work, and it's getting worse by the day. The money is there in driving, but it will be worse than you think,,,,believe me! Can't advise you on this boss, but lean towards driving.