Respect to old timers

[TooTechie]

I just wanted to say I have a new found respect for the drivers who have been doing it for decades. My truck was red tagged and I came in to a 1989 GMC 800 today. I could get used to the high ass step, having to punch the bulkhead door at every stop to open it, bogging down to a crawl on hills in any gear; dealing with the transmission and break not holding on hills, the annoying cargo light that turns the cab light on too...etc but having to wrestle that manual steering all day long....I dont know how you guys did it for all these years. Much respect!

 

[Leftinbuilding]

1989 qualifies as "Old Timer"? Wow, wonder where that puts me? (started in 73)

 

[over9five]

Real old-timers would have got the bulkhead door fixed and refused to drive it if the brake didn't hold.

 

[cosmo1]

1989 qualifies as "Old Timer"? Wow, wonder where that puts me? (started in 73)

​Shoot, I guess I'm still a newbie. Started in 1978. First truck I ran was a 1960-something Ford. You actually had to stand up to get enough leverage to turn it at slow speeds!

 

[hurricanegunner]

Thank you!

 

[serenity now]

I just wanted to say I have a new found respect for the drivers who have been doing it for decades. My truck was red tagged and I came in to a 1989 GMC 800 today. I could get used to the high ass step, having to punch the bulkhead door at every stop to open it, bogging down to a crawl on hills in any gear; dealing with the transmission and break not holding on hills, the annoying cargo light that turns the cab light on too...etc but having to wrestle that manual steering all day long....I dont know how you guys did it for all these years. Much respect!

you just described a normal workday, but mine does have power steering *
and thanks for the respect; i'm 60, and out there giving my best everyday *

 

[union4life]

1989 qualifies as "Old Timer"? Wow, wonder where that puts me? (started in 73)

Wow! When I started, we had one old car that had small wooden shelves that you could fold up and the three pedals were little 3" round rubber stops on what seemed to be a 12" high stick. Did you drive those type?

 

[oldngray]

Those wooden shelves were terrible for splinters.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

or almost chopping your fingers off when they fell down. Not to mention the packages all over the floor!

 

[Brownslave688]

First peak I rolled over 1,000,000 miles on an old 500. I'm a young un and those 800's would give me knee pain if I drove for a week straight when I was 25. Don't know how the 50+ drivers did it.

​Guess that's why all the old guys are walking around with fake knees in my building.

 

[oldupsman]

Those wooden shelves were terrible for splinters.

​Same with the old wooden bulkhead doors. I loved my old 400 though. Just fun to drive.

 

[packageguy]

i had one i first started. about 20 years ago it was not easy. to all the old timers thank you for leaving us a future at UPS..

 

[oldngray]

you had to remember to constantly duck your head inside those 400's

 

[Covemastah]

loved the older 800 when the e/brake was up against your knee and the Shift stick was almost out the passenger door !!

 

[oldupsman]

you had to remember to constantly duck your head inside those 400's

loved the older 800 when the e/brake was up against your knee and the Shift stick was almost out the passenger door !!

Bringing back alot of painful memories. Cracked my head more than once and that was a long stretch.

 

[Leftinbuilding]

Funny how any time the "old timers" start posting on here the P400 comes up at some point. And for good reason I might add. It's a wonder UPS survived the P400 era, lol.

 

[BSWALKS]

I don't mind the no power steering or bulkhead door. And I love the 4 speed. But since I'm only 5'9, I have banged my nuts more than a couple times trying to step over the shifter. The high step tough too. Almost have to get a running start to clear that hurdle.

 

[anonymous6]

people use to say "WOW" when i stepped from the truck because my arms got big and they would ask if i lifted weights. i said no. no power st eering and i used to shift all day.

the dollies did not have counter weights either and it felt like you were lifting 50 pounds

 

[cosmo1]

you had to remember to constantly duck your head inside those 400's

I still have a scar!

 

[TooTechie]

Going back to a truck with power steering that was built in this millennium today was like getting into a cadillac. Still cant believe you veterans drove those beasts all day everyday for years. The job is enjoyable for me if i dont have to strain fighting the steering wheel all day.