So UPS is turning to into a career...

[kerbinator]

Hi all- I've been at UPS for a year and a half...the first year as an unloader on preload, then I moved to address corrections/customer counter 6 months ago. 3 months ago I signed up for a saturday air driver job for a little extra money, and have been doing that, on top of my regular local sort shift, and school (I'm 22) for 2 months now. Saturday air has always been pretty easy for me and my boss told me a few weeks ago if I wasn't in school, he'd put me on as full time driver in a heartbeat. I'd been thinking about what he said, and decided to opt out of school this semester. Take a year off, a couple years, I don't know..but I'm sick of school enough and enjoy driving enough to do it full time for awhile.

I waited until after peak to tell my boss this (I didn't want "in a heartbeat" to mean being placed in a full package car with 300 stops haha) and he basically told me I would be "next in line". There are 5-6 drivers at our center who are all nearing retirement, and one guy who I have a feeling will be getting laid off/fired soon for having 3 accidents since may (the only reason he's still on is because they needed him for peak)..so I'm guessing my time may be soon.

sorry for the novel of a backstory, but I guess I'm just wondering what to expect. Delivering saturday air feels pretty natural to me - I delivered pizza and chinese food in this town for 2 years while in school, so I know it pretty well, and I always finish well before commit time..but there are always a couple drivers every day who come back to the center looking like they want to kill someone. Is it really stressful?

I'm also really curious about my labor rights, and the union and all that stuff, because I feel like my ignorance has been used against me quite a few times in the last year and a half because I didn't know what I was entitled to as far as working hours and payrate are concerned. Granted, I never really cared myself how I was being used, but now that this is my main "thing" in life, I'd like to be as educated as possible. It seems like it's kind of every man for himself when it comes to getting what you're entitled to. Is there a place online I could get a copy of the contract?

thanks in advance..this seems like a great place to go for everything concerning ups, and I hope I'm a welcome addition to the community!

 

[JaxUPSHub]

my boss told me a few weeks ago if I wasn't in school, he'd put me on as full time driver in a heartbeat. I'd been thinking about what he said, and decided to opt out of school this semester. Take a year off, a couple years, I don't know..but I'm sick of school enough and enjoy driving enough to do it full time for awhile.

I dont know Bro.. School is very important. Once you've been out a for a couple of years it is hard to 'get back into it'. I would stick it out? Are you a Sophomore in college?

Also, before you quit make sure there's a route open etc etc. Bosses like yours are known to say anything to fit there needs. just an FYI

... Im glad i got my degree, and actually I'm thinking about continuing my MBA!! Good luck to you!

 

[pickup]

Hi all- I've been at UPS for a year and a half...the first year as an unloader on preload, then I moved to address corrections/customer counter 6 months ago. 3 months ago I signed up for a saturday air driver job for a little extra money, and have been doing that, on top of my regular local sort shift, and school (I'm 22) for 2 months now. Saturday air has always been pretty easy for me and my boss told me a few weeks ago if I wasn't in school, he'd put me on as full time driver in a heartbeat. I'd been thinking about what he said, and decided to opt out of school this semester. Take a year off, a couple years, I don't know..but I'm sick of school enough and enjoy driving enough to do it full time for awhile.

I waited until after peak to tell my boss this (I didn't want "in a heartbeat" to mean being placed in a full package car with 300 stops haha) and he basically told me I would be "next in line". There are 5-6 drivers at our center who are all nearing retirement, and one guy who I have a feeling will be getting laid off/fired soon for having 3 accidents since may (the only reason he's still on is because they needed him for peak)..so I'm guessing my time may be soon.

sorry for the novel of a backstory, but I guess I'm just wondering what to expect. Delivering saturday air feels pretty natural to me - I delivered pizza and chinese food in this town for 2 years while in school, so I know it pretty well, and I always finish well before commit time..but there are always a couple drivers every day who come back to the center looking like they want to kill someone. Is it really stressful?

I'm also really curious about my labor rights, and the union and all that stuff, because I feel like my ignorance has been used against me quite a few times in the last year and a half because I didn't know what I was entitled to as far as working hours and payrate are concerned. Granted, I never really cared myself how I was being used, but now that this is my main "thing" in life, I'd like to be as educated as possible. It seems like it's kind of every man for himself when it comes to getting what you're entitled to. Is there a place online I could get a copy of the contract?

thanks in advance..this seems like a great place to go for everything concerning ups, and I hope I'm a welcome addition to the community!

If money isn't too much of a factor, stay in school and tell your supe to act as if you are not in school. The moment that he puts you on full time, then drop out out, if this is before the drop deadline, then you can essentially drop your classes with no penalty. If you do it after the drop deadline, then you probably can get a bunch of Incompletes in your classes. If they screw you, then next semester, you can go back and finish your incomplete classes

Just an idea.

 

[StopTheAct]

Ifriend YOU CAN DO SOMTHING ELSE IN LIFE.... GO FOR IT.....
DONT QUIT YOUR PART TIME JOB.. BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS GO FULL TIME SOMETIME IN THE NEAR OR DISTANT FUTURE!!!
LIKE jAX SAID FINISH YOUR SCHOOL, BECAUSE IF YOU START DRIVING,,,, 9-7:30 IS GOING TO BE AN AVERAGE DAY..IF NOT MORE.... AND ITS NOT FUN TRYING TO FIT SCHOOL IN THERE!!!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Stay in school. Taking a semester off usually leads to two semesters and before you know it you have a wife and a family and school is but a distant memory. Get your degree so that you may have more options available to you. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with hard work but, if I had to do it over again, I would have much rather used my brain than my back.

 

[badpal]

Tough decision is there some career you are shooting for and really enjoy in that case i say go for it . We actually had a couple young full time drivers (very good ones too )quit and go back to school too in the last year.

 

[some1else]

guys if he is "tired of school" he should take a semester or two off. just slugging through it when your heart isnt in it will get you bad grades, and a bad experience. my recommendation is take 1-2 electives late (most schools have 720-1000 or similar class times once a week) and go FT. if you do stop completely make sure you work it out with the provost so you are on a "leave of absence" so you do not need to reapply...

 

[over9five]

Welcome to Brown Cafe, Kerbinator!

Tough call. A couple years ago I would have suggested you stay in school. But the way the economy and the country are headed, it may be a good idea to grab a great job if one is offered to you. Lots of college grads out there who can't get work.

I like Pickups suggestion to not drop out until you have one foot in the package car!

 

[Raw]

Go to your local fortune-teller / palm reader and ask her the same question!

 

[Old Man Jingles]

This is a very big personal decision you are about to make.
Your use of the word career caught my eye.
As a driver at UPS, you will never have a career, only a job (at least as the way a career is defined in college lore).
The key difference is if one has a career, they typically will work at several companies working in jobs that are related and that have a pay progression and probably a realization of additional responsibilities as they move from company to company.
The driver position at UPS is at the pinnacle of the progression chain and responsibility. No other company pays as much as the UPS driver and no other company has the level of responsibility as the UPS driver.
So if you decide to become a UPS driver your ability to progress in a career is very limited. You can aspire to become a feeder driver or to go into operations management which will have very limited mobility as a career path without a degree.

Just some things to mull over.

PS - If I were in your position, I would get my degree somehow. Later in your life, the ability to have choices will be important and read Dave Ramsey.

 

[trplnkl]

Kerb, the first thing you need to do is get with either your union steward or the union BA and find out just what your rights are. Regardless of what the sup tells you there are rules as to who will get the next open FT position depending on seniority. If they end up needing 5 drivers and you are number 6 on the seniority list you may not get a driver job.
I like the idea of taking a break from school, but history tells us that few UPS drivers ever go back to school. Life has sometimes gets in the way.

 

[lastoasis]

if someone offers you a $30 an hour job in this economy; you take it. I dropped out of school in the seventies to work FT at parcel and all my friends laughed at me. The laughing stopped when they lost they're jobs twice-during both bush administrations. A driver at top rate working 9.5 makes 70K, so I would say in this economic place and time take the job......

 

[BLACKBOX]

Regardless of what the sup tells you there are rules as to who will get the next open FT position depending on seniority.

This is very important. Your sup is stroking you to make you stay. If you are not in line to grab one of these openings continue school and get your degree.

We would hate to see you kick to the "kerb".

 

[hurricanegunner]

I hope you stay in school. If you think you're sick of school now, just wait until you go driving full time. You'll be sick of that real quick. With school, you have many options in front of you. With a full time driver position, you don't have many options: feeders or ds. Not much to choose from. Please stay in school. UPS will be there when you graduate if you choose to make UPS your full time job.

 

[Old International]

It depends on how long you have left in school. Less than 2 years, stay in school, and get the sheepskin, even if it's a BA. More than 2 years-I don't know. I thought I was going to do the same thing as you- Work full time and finish my BS in Chemical Eng. It didn't work out, as UPS is a tough mistress. However, out of a class of 430 in High School, I have had the fewest jobs(3), and I am doing a lot better then some of my class mates that do have degrees!
In light of my experances, I consider myself very lucky. Good luck in making your choice.

 

[EAMKing]

Hi all- I've been at UPS for a year and a half...the first year as an unloader on preload, then I moved to address corrections/customer counter 6 months ago. 3 months ago I signed up for a saturday air driver job for a little extra money, and have been doing that, on top of my regular local sort shift, and school (I'm 22) for 2 months now. Saturday air has always been pretty easy for me and my boss told me a few weeks ago if I wasn't in school, he'd put me on as full time driver in a heartbeat. I'd been thinking about what he said, and decided to opt out of school this semester. Take a year off, a couple years, I don't know..but I'm sick of school enough and enjoy driving enough to do it full time for awhile.

I waited until after peak to tell my boss this (I didn't want "in a heartbeat" to mean being placed in a full package car with 300 stops haha) and he basically told me I would be "next in line". There are 5-6 drivers at our center who are all nearing retirement, and one guy who I have a feeling will be getting laid off/fired soon for having 3 accidents since may (the only reason he's still on is because they needed him for peak)..so I'm guessing my time may be soon.

sorry for the novel of a backstory, but I guess I'm just wondering what to expect. Delivering saturday air feels pretty natural to me - I delivered pizza and chinese food in this town for 2 years while in school, so I know it pretty well, and I always finish well before commit time..but there are always a couple drivers every day who come back to the center looking like they want to kill someone. Is it really stressful?

I'm also really curious about my labor rights, and the union and all that stuff, because I feel like my ignorance has been used against me quite a few times in the last year and a half because I didn't know what I was entitled to as far as working hours and payrate are concerned. Granted, I never really cared myself how I was being used, but now that this is my main "thing" in life, I'd like to be as educated as possible. It seems like it's kind of every man for himself when it comes to getting what you're entitled to. Is there a place online I could get a copy of the contract?

thanks in advance..this seems like a great place to go for everything concerning ups, and I hope I'm a welcome addition to the community!

Where you located, I have been waiting 3 years and i have at least 1-1.5 to go.

 

[MR_Vengeance]

if someone offers you a $30 an hour job in this economy; you take it. I dropped out of school in the seventies to work FT at parcel and all my friends laughed at me. The laughing stopped when they lost they're jobs twice-during both bush administrations. A driver at top rate working 9.5 makes 70K, so I would say in this economic place and time take the job......

who knows what's gonna happen by the time he makes top rate? UPS is not the same company and it never will be the same.

 

[kerbinator]

Tough decision is there some career you are shooting for and really enjoy in that case i say go for it . We actually had a couple young full time drivers (very good ones too )quit and go back to school too in the last year.

that's the thing..my major is psychology. I've got 2 years to go just for a bachelor's which is next to worthless when it comes to psych. so I'm looking at at least another 4 years (at least) to get my master's. even then, the market is glutted and the good jobs are all being snatched up by PHd's.

Where you located, I have been waiting 3 years and i have at least 1-1.5 to go.

kansas. relatively small center (I think?)..maybe 2 dozen drivers total.

 

[Re-Raise]

kansas. relatively small center (I think?)..maybe 2 dozen drivers total.

Are you the highest seniority part-timer? If not, how many drivers are ahead of you?

Your center sounds about the same size as mine and the wait is over 10 yrs here.

I also started at UPS part-time while I was in college. I graduated before a full-tme job became available.

The value of education can't simply be defined by the job it prepares you for. I may not use my degree in the work I do as a driver for UPS but I use the things I learned in college in my every day life.

Any chance you have to stay in school will help you in the future.

 

[kerbinator]

I'm not the highest...I think there are 4 part-timers who have more seniority..all of whom are my age, still in school, and have no desire whatsoever of becoming a driver...except for one. but he did a road test a few months ago without ever driving a stick and didn't pass, obviously. I'm not sure if he could still put in a bid for driver and retake the road test or not.

10 year wait, that's nuts! there just aren't a lot of guys at my center who want to be driver I don't think. almost everyone on preload and local sort are college kids.