Buck Fifty
Well-Known Member
9 is fine.
I start at 8:30 and a good bunch of days am done at 5:30. My route is approved to only take a 30 minute lunch so it ads up to 30 minutes OT.
Wish we all had the option to take just 30 minutes lunch. I like having an hour, but I'd prefer to get done 30 minutes earlier and get home.
Option being the key word.Wish we all had the option to take just 30 minutes lunch. I like having an hour, but I'd prefer to get done 30 minutes earlier and get home.
I can relate in this situation, but as dispatches climbed we have adjusted our lives around the later days. The contract only has language to prevent you from being over 9.5 two of five days. Which two are totally dependant on how much work you have and how long it takes you according to working at a steady pace. I once tried to control those over dispatched days for kids sports, workout times, and general family time. I now don't worry about it and just take as much work as I can, substituting the time I don't spend during the week and do it on weekends.I was always a fan of being off the clock at 7. In our center, our start time is 9am. If i got back around 7, i would get home around 730 and be able to spend the next hour with the kids before they went to sleep. But part of me wishes i could get home much earlier. Its all about each individuals priorities. To me the money isn't the most important thing, but it is a very important thing. 3 kids, 2 car payments, mortgage, etc really adds up.
Needs an "8 is enough" option.
There is a 8hr request two times a month in the contract language. There is also language guaranteeing you 8 and no more than 9.5 two times a week. Correct me if I'm wrong but there has never been an "over 8hrs penalty" option since any of you have been hired.8 is enough.
Several people have adopted this 4 day a week strategy, working balls out and making 45 hours a week in 4 days.I like to work. Make it while you can. We get a lot of vacation and you can work four days in a week any week and make 1750. Sounds cool to me.
People say money doesn't buy happiness, yet everyone I know wants to reach retirement (end game) which itself is totally about how much money you have to do so. We all come to work for one single reason, the money. Money is a tool which allows you to do things that make you happy, in my case it allows me to leave here and do what I want, when I want. For others it's all about cars or boats. Others it's about making the minimums and staying here till they are 70. In the end it's all about the green and how you use it.I have no sympathy if you can't pay your bills and don't work as much as you can. That being said, money does not buy happiness, or the lost time with family and friends. I've seen many a UPS'er who has spent a lot of their time working, to make the good money, only to get divorced, and losing that extra money. You have got to balance your life.
The problem is the average dispatch is a 7pm punch out time. By the time you add commute, eating, showering, and general unwind for 15 mins it's already 830-900. Most young children are in bed at this point, so why not work an extra hour or so while you're on the OT tit.Enough money to pay your bills and live comfortably (but not lavishly) is enough. Beyond that time to live outside of work is more important. Don't try to live beyond your means and put yourself in the situation where you HAVE to work extra hours just to pay your bills.
The problem is the average dispatch is a 7pm punch out time. By the time you add commute, eating, showering, and general unwind for 15 mins it's already 830-900. Most young children are in bed at this point, so why not work an extra hour or so while you're on the OT tit.
I'm new here, but every driver I work with so far or talk to out of my center tells me they are are doing 10-12 hour days minimum, some are at 14 certain days and none of them seem to want it that way! .. why is this happening? Its one of the things that I really can't understand... when they have so many people ready and willing to drive, why are these guys being forced to do this?
The reason is $$$$$$. It is cheaper to pay overtime for fewer drivers than to pay benefits for more drivers. Of course service goes out the window when that happens but this is the "new improved" UPS.