Perks for satellite driver!

[bottomups]

Being a satellite driver, I must fuel my own package car on a daily basis. Many service stations offer reward cards or other promotions to draw in business. Over the years, I have received many perks from participating in these various offers. These include free food, drinks, car washes, Major League Baseball tickets and just recently $180 in gift cards through BP's Loyalty program. All has been earned while using a UPS credit card! Recently heard through the grapvine that UPS frowns upon this practice! Not wanting to incriminate myself, I have chosen not to ask my center manager or oncar what the official company policy is on this situation. Hate to give up a good fringe benefit but want to stay under the radar with management. What say you all?

 

[rod]

I did that for years. Just don't go around bragging about it or management will insist you change filling stations. I was still getting free car washes 3 years after I retired using my punch cards filled up on UPS's dime.

 

[Anonymous 10]

+ you don't have to shave on Friday

 

[Nimnim]

Being a satellite driver, I must fuel my own package car on a daily basis. Many service stations offer reward cards or other promotions to draw in business. Over the years, I have received many perks from participating in these various offers. These include free food, drinks, car washes, Major League Baseball tickets and just recently $180 in gift cards through BP's Loyalty program. All has been earned while using a UPS credit card! Recently heard through the grapvine that UPS frowns upon this practice! Not wanting to incriminate myself, I have chosen not to ask my center manager or oncar what the official company policy is on this situation. Hate to give up a good fringe benefit but want to stay under the radar with management. What say you all?

I thought there was a limit of 3 $10 loyalty cards with BP. That's what it told me in the entry terms.

 

[over9five]

.... What say you all?

Keep doing what you're doing!

(And don't bring it up to the center manager)

 

[brownmonster]

I've been fueling my truck on route for 16 years. Dammit!

 

[trplnkl]

As long as the place you fuel isn't higher priced, I don't see where they can gripe.
I agree with the others, what they don't know won't hurt you.

 

[dilligaf]

Being a satellite driver, I must fuel my own package car on a daily basis. Many service stations offer reward cards or other promotions to draw in business. Over the years, I have received many perks from participating in these various offers. These include free food, drinks, car washes, Major League Baseball tickets and just recently $180 in gift cards through BP's Loyalty program. All has been earned while using a UPS credit card! Recently heard through the grapvine that UPS frowns upon this practice! Not wanting to incriminate myself, I have chosen not to ask my center manager or oncar what the official company policy is on this situation. Hate to give up a good fringe benefit but want to stay under the radar with management. What say you all?

I had to chuckle at this. The way you said it seemed like it was such a major inconvenience. We have to fuel our own trucks every single day.

 

[dannyboy]

The perks actually belong to ups, as it is their card that you are using, and you are on the clock while fueling. So technically, you could be fired for theft if the center manager wanted you gone.

But as a practical matter, I am sure management does the same with their cards. And off hand, I dont know of any policy that prohibits that type of behavior.

Tie? ISland? Pman? ANd of course the master of answers, Integrity??????

d

 

[trplnkl]

The perks actually belong to ups, as it is their card that you are using, and you are on the clock while fueling. So technically, you could be fired for theft if the center manager wanted you gone.

But as a practical matter, I am sure management does the same with their cards. And off hand, I dont know of any policy that prohibits that type of behavior.

Tie? ISland? Pman? ANd of course the master of answers, Integrity??????

d

I have to question the "the master of answers, Integrity", granted I stopped reading his/her posts long ago, I never saw where he/she answered any questions just posed more questions. LOL

Technically you are correct, but if one turned those perks into the center manager, wonder who would benefit? Surely NOT the center manager.

I know for a fact that many years ago all sups and managers used their own credit cards for expenses and was paid each month after putting a report. More than one was getting free air miles and using them for personal flights. One even sold some of his SWA flier mile tickets and pocketed the cash.

 

[dannyboy]

I know for a fact that many years ago all sups and managers used their own credit cards for expenses and was paid each month after putting a report. More than one was getting free air miles and using them for personal flights. One even sold some of his SWA flier mile tickets and pocketed the cash.

Tpl, there in lies the difference. These sups used their personal credit cards, so the perks belonged to them, not UPS. What they did with those perks was totally up to them.

The poster made clear he was using a UPS credit card, so that is different. UPS legally owns those perks, as it is their card you are using. And if your sup has desire to, that would be a reason for him to fire you.

As a side note, regardless if you get them via UPS or personal credit card, you do legally have to declare those perks as income. As a recipient of an IRS anal exam last year, it was very educational. While they could not find wrong doing on mine, they really want to know how you paid for items, and where that money came from.

d

 

[Dragon]

Perks for satellite driver!

You get to throwaway your own pee bottle
and keep the perks cards!!

 

[bottomups]

How do you know I have a pee bottle? Must have missed another on area observation! Since management doesn't get telematics on me because the package car only goes back to the center every 6 weeks or so, they find it necessary to come out and spy more frequently. Have lots of windshield time on my area. If I see another vehicle and it's not a tractor pulling a poop spreader there is a good chance it's my oncar!

 

[trplnkl]

How do you know I have a pee bottle? Must have missed another on area observation! Since management doesn't get telematics on me because the package car only goes back to the center every 6 weeks or so, they find it necessary to come out and spy more frequently. Have lots of windshield time on my area. If I see another vehicle and it's not a tractor pulling a poop spreader there is a good chance it's my oncar!

LOL, with all that windshield time if you do not have a pee bottle, you're hangin out the door a lot. just sayin'

 

[bumped]

When BP stops the perks program with the gift cards, can you file a grievance on past practices?

Sorry, I just had to.

 

[dannyboy]

When BP stops the perks program with the gift cards, can you file a grievance on past practices?

Funny you said that. Here, Hardees used to have a 10% off card, and at each visit, you would get 10% off the purchase. Near the end of the year (2009), they said that they expired. Well, there was no expiration date on the card, and enough customers raised hell, they extended it to the end of the summer, 2010.

So while filing might not make sense, when you vote with your feet and dollars, things happen.

d

 

[bottomups]

When BP ends their Loyalty Card Program I will take my business elsewhere and fuel up across the street at Mobil and earn baseball tickets & car washes!

 

[beentheredonethat]

If you pick a station that is different then the station you were told to use, or if you pick a station that is more expensive then another station that is just as close, or if you drive extra distance to get to your preferred station then I would think what you are doing could get you in trouble. If however, the above is not happening and you are using a station that is not further away, does not cost more etc then I see no issue with getting rewards from the station.

 

[Sporh schmore]

I just pull out of the building and drive up to the pumps on the property...piece of cake. Then I drive through the car wash on the property.

 

[Anonymous 10]

No telematics.