Preloader looking to take driving job

Backache41

New Member
Hi, I'm a long time viewer first time poster on here. I have been preloading for 4 1/2 years now and am thinking about taking a part time air driving job. Can anyone explain to me the pay rate and pay progression? I make $13.22 now part time preloading. Just wondering what type of money the hours that I can expect would be. Thanks.
 

Livin the Dream?

Disillusioned UPSer
Hmmm.....4.5 years of being over worked, under paid, treated worse than a dog. Regardless of what they pay you, you will prosper as a driver.
 

brownrodster

Well-Known Member
Hi, I'm a long time viewer first time poster on here. I have been preloading for 4 1/2 years now and am thinking about taking a part time air driving job. Can anyone explain to me the pay rate and pay progression? I make $13.22 now part time preloading. Just wondering what type of money the hours that I can expect would be. Thanks.

What kind of air?

I think air progression is 2 years and tops out around 22-23$ an hour.

What you actually do would be drastically different in each center. There are EAM drivers who deliver NDA packages after their preload shift. How much they work would be dependent on the commit times and mileage you drive. There are afternoon Air shuttle drivers who pick up air from drivers or buisnesses and bring them to the airport. There are saturday air drivers who deliver packages on Saturday.

YOu would need to talk to someone in your center to get more specific information. I am surprised that after 4.5 years there you don't already know all this.
 

JonFrum

Member
Article 40 - Air Operation
Section 6. Wages
All hourly wages for employees covered under Article 40 will be determined in accordance with this Section, Article 22 and Article 41 where specified.

a. Part-time air drivers including exception air drivers will be paid as follows:
Start $11.50
Seniority $12.50
Seniority Date plus 12 months $13.00
Seniority Date plus 18 months $13.50
Seniority Date plus 24 months Top Rate

1. Effective August 1, 2008, the prior $20.62 twenty-four (24) month (top) rate will change on August 1st and February 1st of each year of the Agreement to reflect the agreed upon general wage increases.

2. Seniority part-time employees entering a part-time air driver job after [Dec. 19, 2007] the effective date of this Agreement, will begin at the seniority rate.

Part-time employees who are awarded a scheduled part time air driver job shall receive progression credit in accordance with the following: for each four (4) days on which exception air work was performed in the two (2) years immediately prior to the bid award, one (1) month of progression credit shall be granted. In addition, if a bid part-time air driver is displaced, he will retain his/her progression credit under paragraph a. for any air exception work.
Read all of Article 40 here . . .
UPS Master Agreement & Regional Supplements:
http://tdu.org/node/1617

Top Rate is currently $21.32.
 

Backache41

New Member
I work in downtown Cincinnati. A lot of the new air drivers do the same work that I do. I see them there preloading, working in the small sort and doing regular part time work. I was driver helping this xmas and a driver told me that I would jump over anyone who is part time air driving who hasn't been there as long as me. I thought once you were a part time driver you had senority over any other part timer. I've been working another full time job for four and a half years. It's a landscaping job and doing both is just starting to take a serious toll on me physically. It wasn't so bad at first but after years of getting no sleep and just getting crushed with 800 or 1000 packages everyday it is killing me. I know being a full time driver is rough. I've loaded the trucks for years and have been driver helping during christmas for years as well. I still think it is worth it though over all. I just don't understand the wage progression of an air driver. Would I start out making less than I do now @ $13.22? Does my seniority as a part timer carry over to part time air driving or do I start all over making less than I am now is the question I am getting at?
Thanks for the replies.
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Jon Frum, If you don't mind me asking, why did you disable your rep and disallow private messages being sent to you? You have had good info in the past for posters and appear to be fairly reasonable. Just asking.
 

hondo

promoted to mediocrity
I work in downtown Cincinnati. A lot of the new air drivers do the same work that I do. I see them there preloading, working in the small sort and doing regular part time work. I was driver helping this xmas and a driver told me that I would jump over anyone who is part time air driving who hasn't been there as long as me. I thought once you were a part time driver you had senority over any other part timer. I've been working another full time job for four and a half years. It's a landscaping job and doing both is just starting to take a serious toll on me physically. It wasn't so bad at first but after years of getting no sleep and just getting crushed with 800 or 1000 packages everyday it is killing me. I know being a full time driver is rough. I've loaded the trucks for years and have been driver helping during christmas for years as well. I still think it is worth it though over all. I just don't understand the wage progression of an air driver. Would I start out making less than I do now @ $13.22?Your PT Air Driver wage will be $12.50 for the first year, then $13 for the next 6 mos., then $13.50 for the next 6 mos., Top Rate after 24 mos. So yes, you do lose on the wage rate; you also may lose hours, as a PT Air Drvr typically has only a 3 hour daily guarantee. Does my seniority as a part timer carry over to part time air driving You will be at the bottom of the seniority list among PT Air drivers or do I start all over making less than I am now is the question I am getting at?
Thanks for the replies.
I had a coworker here bouncing back & forth: $12.50 driving, more hours: then almost $13 when laid off back inside, but for a lot less hours.
Try to get some honest answers from the center mgmt about what kind of hours you could really be getting/working, and if you can continue to work inside as it sounds like some of your coworkers are, especially since you may have to give up your current day job.
 

hondo

promoted to mediocrity
Forget to mention, no contract (general wage) increases for the two year progression, at which point Top Rate for PT air driver should be $22.82, if my math is correct. Your inside rate for preloading after the same two years should be $14.72, again, if my math is correct.
 
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