Should I move on from UPS?

[Holydriver]

I've been a full time driver for just over a mere 2 years. With the newest contract I've got another 2 before top pay. I'm in a northern state and winter is hell. Closest family is half of the country away. I'm only up here for my college girlfriend but looks like this relationship will end. I've already got another 11 guys under me in seniority and last month got my own route. It's a good route not going to lie. Would quitting and moving south away from the cold be worth it? I'm not happy living in this area but I'm afraid I won't find a job that can match pay and benefits elsewhere. Anyone else go through a similar situation?

Sure am...almost identical. I'm sitting about 85-15 in favor of quitting. I have a parachute though so that'll at least help me

 

[Holydriver]

Take your time. Don't rush. You have a great job, so think it through. I had the grass is always greener mindset until the dotcom bust and 9/11. I'll admit I had the "I'm just a delivery driver" mindset until then. Watching friends and relatives getting laid off, pay and benefits cut turned me around. Especially when they started coming to me saying how lucky I was to work for UPS.

Happened again in 2008 with the housing crash. I'm in feeders now making over 100k a year while my older airline pilot brother just equalled me in pay. Just made captain. Still have better benefits. He has the "job" everyone admires, but he's gone through layoffs, and pay cuts, and insecurity that I've never had.

There are very few jobs that pay as well (even with advanced degrees), are secure, and stable as UPS.

How many hours a week does he work compared to you? If he is working fewer hours then he is far exceeding your pay

 

[danlin]

SummerMan, I've been thru multiple long term jobs and all I can say is that the grass always might seem greener someplace else, but more often than not there will be something else you will not like about the new job (weather, co-workers, environment, etc.)

It sucks working in the winter, I know how it is, but life has a way of balancing things out. Yes, the weather is nicer down south, but job prospects in the south really suck, and do you really want to lose the seniority that you've worked so hard to get?

Listen young buck, you've got co-workers that are cool, a route you can call your own, your making decent money now with top shelf benefits for your age and in 2 years you'll be making more than a lot of people who are much older than you who have to play office politics. (I hope your maxing out your 401k). On top of that you've got strong UNION backing.

I think the combination of the winter blues + the fact that you lost your girlfriend just magnifies the whole situation and you just want to get away and forget how crappy it feels. If I hit the nail on the head, then DON'T ever back down and run away just because you feel crappy or don't ever run away just because of ONE girl. There are a billion girls on this planet to choose from and if she is not down to ride with you, that is her loss.

Remember, what doesn't break you can only make you stronger. Now go in to work, brofist your teamster bros, and run your route following the methods. After work pop open a few cold ones with co-workers cause this buds for you. By next summertime you'll have yourself another hottie willing to ride the brown monster!

"You can't choose what life throws your way, but you can always choose your attitude!"

 

[danlin]

So very well said!!!

 

[Covemastah]

Stick it out,, you'll meet a nice girl out there and will be happy and financially set with a secure job ! Things work out for a reason ! Keep ups , dump her !
My old man moved to Boston from buffalo cuz of his job ,, hated it , met my mother and stayed rest of his life and loved it ,,, you never know

 

[olroadbeech]

I've been a full time driver for just over a mere 2 years. With the newest contract I've got another 2 before top pay. I'm in a northern state and winter is hell. Closest family is half of the country away. I'm only up here for my college girlfriend but looks like this relationship will end. I've already got another 11 guys under me in seniority and last month got my own route. It's a good route not going to lie. Would quitting and moving south away from the cold be worth it? I'm not happy living in this area but I'm afraid I won't find a job that can match pay and benefits elsewhere. Anyone else go through a similar situation?

go with your gut feeling before you are miserable for the next 25 years.

do what you love and the money will follow.

 

[jbg77]

Stay a driver and date all her friends.

 

[Covemastah]

Stay a driver and date all her friends.

There you go !!!
Solid advice !!!

 

[BUCN85]

Wish I had my own route

 

[bfeather]

In my honest opinion, sounds like you have a pretty good gig up there. Correct me if I'm wrong, if you transferred down south your driving seniority wouldn't transfer as well.

At my hub it's somewhat difficult to transfer straight to a full time driver position. May be different down south, talk to your ORS see what he/she thinks or HR rep?

 

[rod]

being with family is way more important than working...

You have to cut the apron strings sometime. I'm sure the last thing his parents want him to do is move home without a job and end up back in their basement.

 

[browner89]

Work isn't supposed to be fun but this is a job that gives you the potential to retire at a decent age and if you're smart you'll be able to live a cozy life afterwards. Theres no promise you'll live a cozy life with a decent job after you quit.

I'd suck it up and plan for the future instead of trying to make right now perfect.

 

[clean hairy]

Consider all factors and decide what is best for you.
Only you can make these decisions based on the facts of your circumstances.

 

[oldupsman]

I'm guessing you're from the millennium generation. You have this silly idea that you're suppose to
enjoy your job and make great money. Everything should be perfect and you shouldn't need to
make any sacrifices or trade offs. Here's how it really works. Life's a bitch and then you die.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I say QUIT, while you are young - aren't making decent money -and only have x amount of years vested into the pension fund, if at all.

The longer you wait, the less likely it is you'll make a life change, and chances are you won't be very happy doing what you are doing.

 

[Holydriver]

I'd suck it up and plan for the future instead of trying to make right now perfect.

This is the worst advice ever. Live your life for now. Go be happy, have fun, and enjoy youth with a smile, not by spending 11 hours a day in brown UPS clothes. No one should spend their entire youth slaving away waiting to "enjoy" retirement when they're old and in pain.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

This is the worst advice ever. Live your life for now. Go be happy, have fun, and enjoy youth with a smile, not by spending 11 hours a day in brown UPS clothes. No one should spend their entire youth slaving away waiting to "enjoy" retirement when they're old and in pain.

I disagree to an extent. Nobody should have to worry about their future and having enough money or a pension to retire, nobody should have to worry about working at age 70.. Just because you spend 11hrs a day in a brown package car doesn't mean you have no life. Don't forget this job pays well and you get your weekends off, a pension, a lot of vacation over time and your stress free once you punch out. It's a give and take kind of deal. I would rather insure my family and I have a life by spending "11hrs in a package car" just another way of thinking..

 

[ibleedbrown]

get some vitamin d3 5000 at your local vitamin store, this will help w the winter blues. get on the 9.5 list, ask for your 2 a month 8 hour requests, enjoy personal days, weekends and play hookie once in a while. get into feeders as soon as you can, put away as much as you can for retirement and retire by 55. there are not that many jobs out there that offer the pay, benefits and job security that we have.

 

[Holydriver]

I disagree to an extent. Nobody should have to worry about their future and having enough money or a pension to retire, nobody should have to worry about working at age 70.. Just because you spend 11hrs a day in a brown package car doesn't mean you have no life. Don't forget this job pays well and you get your weekends off, a pension, a lot of vacation over time and your stress free once you punch out. It's a give and take kind of deal. I would rather insure my family and I have a life by spending "11hrs in a package car" just another way of thinking..

right on, man. to each their own. i see it as a wasted life personally. im looking for my life outside of brown right now too. id take less money too, just to have more time off to enjoy my life. there is a lot more out there to do then one day a week. considering one day of the weekend is spent for groceries and other thing you need to get, you get basically one day a week to enjoy life. half the time i cant even stay away past 10pm on that weekend. to me, im not into it. sure i get paid and benefits, but money isnt everything. you like it as it is now, and im fine with that. matter of fact, im happy that you and others can look passed what i see as wrong. but for me, and probably for the OP, he isnt into what UPS is offering him.

he can stay in an area that he doesnt want to live, away from family and other things he once had, just so he can have a job and money. id be willing to bet that he could find another good job closer to where he wants to live without having to deal with brown. and if he was willing to spend about an hour reading previous posts on BC, he would see that 99% of them are of people complaining about UPS and how everything is bad.

 

[Jkloc420]

I wouldnt worry about the college girlfriend. You will have more then enough woman if you get to top rate and make 34 dollars in hour. Start doing your own thing, the ex will be the one to regret her decision. Winters do suck but your going to have some kind of problem wherever you go. What if your a full time driver in a sunny state but have to drive in the ghetto everyday. What if you have to climb up 10 flights of stairs everyday. Customer complaints from people you just can't please. Seems to me though things arent working out between you and this girl and your getting lonely.