It would be nice if they up graded there tractors

[Kevin211]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

 

[rod]

They have gravy jobs and airconditioning and they still bitch ------------Just kidding Kevin211

 

[Bryishre]

hands at 10 and 2 you dont need a arm rest the ac is the reason i went to feeders lol

 

[pretender]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

How long have you been in Feeders? I remember driving a Diamond Rio--I had to stop at every Rest Area and put my feet on top of the heater to warm them up. Then I had a GMC Astro that wandered so much that you felt like you were driving on marbles. I thanked my lucky stars when I finally got my first new tractor--a Volvo. The problem was, it road so rough, that it beat me to death!

Now I have a Sterling--While I actually prefer a Mack, any tractor we now have is light years ahead of what we had to drive 20 years ago!

 

[Hedley_Lamarr]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

How's about upgrading the package cars. Friday I was driving one that was built in 1984. My on car rolled up on me to do a safety inspection on me and we determined that the car I was driving was one year older than him.....

 

[soberups]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

Dont hold your breath. UPS talks big on safety but their interest in it ends once it becomes necessary to spend any money on it. You should bring your concerns to your local Safety Committee....they wont actually do anything about it, but they will give you a muffin and a sticker and a commentary to memorize and at least you can walk away with a warm and fuzzy feeling of safety.

 

[dragracer66]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

Airbags for a suspension are nothing but problems if a bag blows you are sitting. I know most of you guys wouldn't mind that but the company does not like brake downs and that would just cause more. I would love to see alot of the newer drivers drive the old school tractors like the friend model and mh model macks or the rios. No air, no power steering, no power, a stick shift jamming your leg, no air ride cab. They would appreciate what they have now and not ask for arm rests or a full seat, they are lucky they have cruise control!!!!

 

[rod]

cruise control----now I've heard everything------what's next--8 way power seats. I want to be a feeder driver in my next life

 

[tieguy]

Dont hold your breath. UPS talks big on safety but their interest in it ends once it becomes necessary to spend any money on it. You should bring your concerns to your local Safety Committee....they wont actually do anything about it, but they will give you a muffin and a sticker and a commentary to memorize and at least you can walk away with a warm and fuzzy feeling of safety.

LOL, god help us if sober went to war. He'd be lobbing grenades at the safety committee instead of the enemy.

 

[tieguy]

DO you think they will ever upgrade the tractors? It would be nice to see an air bag suspention instead of leaf springs and a better drivers seat one that has atleast a full seat and an arm rest.
And what also suprises me since we are a company big on safety that none of our tractors have frontal crash air bags, (valvo i think is the only company that makes this a standard option, but then again I feel they are a far better tractor then our current fleet of sterlings.)

The sterling is a cadillac compared to what we used to drive. I wish I had been able to keep an old volvo or friend model around to train new drivers on.

Pretender did the diamond Rio have a wet clutch?

 

[mattwtrs]

The sterling is a cadillac compared to what we used to drive. I wish I had been able to keep an old volvo or friend model around to train new drivers on.

Pretender did the diamond Rio have a wet clutch?

Tie, How about the Diamond T's.. friend Model Macks had the wet clutch. The 1st Macks had 200 horse power if that. It was a good thing we got paid by the hour cause in the Pocono's the 4 ways were always on. Before the wet clutch some Mack's had a duplex tranny or unishift(9 or 10 speeds). The GMC Astro's were ok when they were new but UPS kept them 10 years too long.

Feeders do not need an upgrade until all the non power steering package cars are replaced.

 

[Bryishre]

cruise control----now I've heard everything------what's next--8 way power seats. I want to be a feeder driver in my next life

i think they do the internationals we have have up down front to back adjusments mid back support and lower lumber adjustments oh and its air ride seats its nice when you hit a bump

 

[DS]

How's about upgrading the package cars. Friday I was driving one that was built in 1984. My on car rolled up on me to do a safety inspection on me and we determined that the car I was driving was one year older than him.....

Thats proof that ups made a good choice when they bought all those p8's way back then.Those things were built tough.My p8 is still in the lineup as a spare,and I now have the p57 freightliner diesel .
Its much easier on the body with the low step,automatic,power steering,etc BUT the barn doors suck,they have the turning radius of a bus,and I cant see these things still being alive in the year 2032.
The engine may survive,but the body seems much more fragile.
Honestly? I like the new truck but I felt safer in my p8.

 

[pretender]

The sterling is a cadillac compared to what we used to drive. I wish I had been able to keep an old volvo or friend model around to train new drivers on.

Pretender did the diamond Rio have a wet clutch?

Yes it did--I forgot about that. I was trained on one, so it was not a big deal--but I recall outside hires having a hard time getting used to it...

 

[New Englander]

Thats proof that ups made a good choice when they bought all those p8's way back then.Those things were built tough.My p8 is still in the lineup as a spare,and I now have the p57 freightliner diesel .
Its much easier on the body with the low step,automatic,power steering,etc BUT the barn doors suck,they have the turning radius of a bus,and I cant see these things still being alive in the year 2032.
The engine may survive,but the body seems much more fragile.
Honestly? I like the new truck but I felt safer in my p8.

Ours lasted about 1 year prior to getting shipped out of our center. They can not handle the constant beating.

We did get 4 Workhorses in - much better.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

Airbags for a suspension are nothing but problems if a bag blows you are sitting. I know most of you guys wouldn't mind that but the company does not like brake downs and that would just cause more. I would love to see alot of the newer drivers drive the old school tractors like the friend model and mh model macks or the rios. No air, no power steering, no power, a stick shift jamming your leg, no air ride cab. They would appreciate what they have now and not ask for arm rests or a full seat, they are lucky they have cruise control!!!!

I will take an MH over a P800 any day of the week. Your body still feels much better at the end of your shift. I find it hard to believe the original poster could possibly complain about the Sterlings. I believe you could use one as a motorhome with the cab room and comfort. Most feeder drivers that complain have delivered very few boxes.

 

[abes]

I like the Mack,I can spread out and sleep like a baby.25 years in pkg. car.I don't care what kind of tractor they give me.I just count my blessings I got into feeders.I actually may make it to the finish line.

 

[soberups]

Honestly? I like the new truck but I felt safer in my p8.

If you get in an accident in a P8, its lack of a 3 point seat belt means your head will be propelled at high speed into and through the windshield. The truck might hold together OK but they will be scraping your brains off of the steering wheel and hood. Even in a minor accident or a rollover, you will be flailing around in the cab, attached only by a lap belt, getting whiplash and whacking your head into the side and bulkhead doors. The newer vehicles with the 3 point belts and full length lumbar support seats will restrain your upper body in an upright position and keep your head and neck away from the windshield.

We had a driver in my center get into a high-speed, head-on collision with a woman in an SUV. He was driving a 1997 model year 656-series P700. They were both going about 55mph when they hit, she came around a blind corner in his lane and creamed him. There was nothing he could have done and the accident was ultimately deemed unavoidable. The woman had either fallen asleep or was on her phone and was totally in his lane.

The woman died before the EMT's could cut her out of her SUV. Our driver suffered only a fractured ankle from the driver's side wheel buckling upward into the cab. He was wearing the 3-point belt. The entire front of the package car was mangled, both windshields blown out etc. but the "bubble" of space around him was intact and he didnt hit his head on anything because of the 3 point belt. He walked (limped) away from this horrific accident and was able to return to work within a couple of months.

This driver isnt alive today because he could recite a 10 point commentary. He isnt alive today because of acronyms, or buzzwords, or the 5 Seeing Habits. He isnt alive today because someone on the Safety Committee gave him an assesment and a muffin. He is alive today ONLY because he was fortunate enough NOT to be in one of the vehicles that UPS chose to only equip with a lap belt in order to save $50.

 

[tieguy]

This driver isnt alive today because he could recite a 10 point commentary. He isnt alive today because of acronyms, or buzzwords, or the 5 Seeing Habits. He isnt alive today because someone on the Safety Committee gave him an assesment and a muffin. He is alive today ONLY because he was fortunate enough NOT to be in one of the vehicles that UPS chose to only equip with a lap belt in order to save $50.

You don't know that for sure. You don't know how many serious accidents he has avoided over the years because he knew that defensive driving information and practiced it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You don't know that for sure. You don't know how many serious accidents he has avoided over the years because he knew that defensive driving information and practiced it.

Excellent point but, if Sober's description of the accident is accurate, he also has an excellent point. While it may be possible that his training allowed him to position his vehicle such that the damage was less than it may have been, the fact that he had the appropriate safety equipment installed on his vehicle certainly helped him walk (limp) away with minor injuries. It is the combination of the safety training and safety equipment which allows us to be among the safest drivers on the road.