UPS Career

[JL 0513]

At at least once a week people stop me and say they want to drive. I always tell them no one starts off the street, then they say, well I don't want to work part time forever. I didn't either, but I did, if you want to be a driver that's how it works. It pisses me off sometimes. Work part time for 7.5 years making $155 a week trying to survive, then you "deserverve" your turn to go full time.

As frustrating as it is, it's just plain economics.

Drivers almost never quit. Expansion is very slow. Therefore the job has exclusivity. At least it's fair the way they do it. Imagine if driving wasn't even available to part timers first? UPS could be the type of company that strictly hired people off the street with the most driving experience.

 

[jumpman23]

That's how the ups ladder works. Weve all done it. Did it suck heck yea. But that's how the game works. Does the job suck big time, pretty much. That super fatty check deposited into my account on Friday doesn't though. This job is a marathon, it sucks while your running the race but when your done the race, if you play your cards right you wont have anything to worry about when you finish the marathon. Being a grown up with real world responsibilities isn't supposed to be easy. That's the challenge of it. Its up to you to figure the game out as you go along.

 

[JL 0513]

As unpleasant of a job people like to make it out as, it's relatively not that bad - particularly considering pay.

Most of the jobs I've had up until now have been far more unpleasant, all the while, I made peanuts. UPS is a dream in comparison.

Ever have a job where you crawled around on your hands and knees all day scrubbing (cleaning)? I did.

How about landscaping, construction, cleaning bathrooms, or house painting? These are jobs that freakin' suck. And they pay no where near what driver pay is.

We don't have as much to complain about as we do each day.

 

[jumpman23]

This job is just as hard as the ones you stated physically and mentally. Difference is like you said you make big cheese to do it. You got cheese you can afford to do things if you don't have cheese its hard to survive.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

At at least once a week people stop me and say they want to drive. I always tell them no one starts off the street, then they say, well I don't want to work part time forever. I didn't either, but I did, if you want to be a driver that's how it works. It pisses me off sometimes. Work part time for 7.5 years making $155 a week trying to survive, then you "deserverve" your turn to go full time.

Yes,I hear ya...been waiting 7 years. Nobody wants to work part time...you do what you gotta do.

 

[edd_tv]

The worst part of this job for me is the 5 minutes in the morning that i have to spend in the bldg listening to some shmuck tell me how pitiful I am as an employee. The physical aspect, traffic stress etc don't bother me. I've done. Lot worse for a whole lot less..if I could just meet my truck and route at my first stop I'd have to find something else to complain about.

 

[JL 0513]

The physical aspect, traffic stress etc don't bother me. I've done. Lot worse for a whole lot less..if I could just meet my truck and route at my first stop I'd have to find something else to complain about.

Yup, like I kinda said before. There's lots of other jobs that are much more unpleasant to do. Anyone who constantly complains about how horrible this job is (and they're all over this board) haven't worked many other jobs, or have been lucky to have easy jobs - but then likely didn't pay.

Think about it, a large chunk of our day is sitting on our butt behind a wheel. The other biggest chunk is simply walking with one or two packages in our hand. The hardest part is bulky, heavy stops which are typically maybe a total of a half hour to an hour of our day.

We get paid triple that of some other similar work loads/skills. No reason to complain everyday.

 

[jumpman23]

Harassment over numbers and getting home late as balls and getting your ding dong handed to you nah its not that bad lol. I love enduring those things everyday dream about it. Ah hell I wish I did it 7 days a week skip my days off I love it so dam much lol.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Harassment over numbers and getting home late as balls and getting your ding dong handed to you nah its not that bad lol. I love enduring those things everyday dream about it. Ah hell I wish I did it 7 days a week skip my days off I love it so dam much lol.

Ding dong handed to you by who? My wifey learned not to ask me why I was late years ago! LOL

 

[jaredups]

thanks for the comments and info

I think im definitely gona pursue a career with ups

 

[bleedinbrown58]

The worst part of this job for me is the 5 minutes in the morning that i have to spend in the bldg listening to some shmuck tell me how pitiful I am as an employee. The physical aspect, traffic stress etc don't bother me. I've done. Lot worse for a whole lot less..if I could just meet my truck and route at my first stop I'd have to find something else to complain about.

Exactly....build me a belt outside by myself...i'd rather load in the snow than listen to managment whine and complain. Why aren't you wrapped?? Because we're doing add/cuts @915! If you could do your 6 figure a year job correctly, i'd be done by now.

 

[thatsmypackage]

Hi,

New here, but just wanted to put my 2 cents in.

I worked last winter as a seasonal driver... and I really liked it, and I would love to have a permanent position as a driver. The problem is, they prefer to hire only temps and very seldom do they keep any of the seasonal guys. I'm going to be a seasonal driver again for my 2nd year... but even with the experience I already have, learning areas, knowing the DOK, etc... they probably won't offer me a perm position.

Otherwise, It's awesome! I say this because I've worked in worse places plus I'm used to the militaristic style in which they function. You can't beat the max pay within 3... or soon to be 4 years. The starting pay could be better but considering how hard good jobs are to come by these days, UPS is a good opportunity. I only wish my time as a seasonal driver counted for something towards a perm position.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Hire on as PT and bid a FT job when one comes up. You have already wasted a year.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Hire on as PT and bid a FT job when one comes up. You have already wasted a year.

true story...lol

 

[BrownChoice]

Exactly....build me a belt outside by myself...i'd rather load in the snow than listen to managment whine and complain. Why aren't you wrapped?? Because we're doing add/cuts @915! If you could do your 6 figure a year job correctly, i'd be done by now.

Gotta love the add/cuts, you know what i do? I follow my drivers' advice and anything that may not fit will be sent to the dock, that way when driver gets there, i tell him and then he just tells the supe he needs to have a shuttle... Works pretty much EVERY TIME!

When a supe walks by and gripes about me stacking out, i just remind them how ****ty of a loader they were, since ive been here twice as long as they have!!!

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Gotta love the add/cuts, you know what i do? I follow my drivers' advice and anything that may not fit will be sent to the dock, that way when driver gets there, i tell him and then he just tells the supe he needs to have a shuttle... Works pretty much EVERY TIME!

When a supe walks by and gripes about me stacking out, i just remind them how ****ty of a loader they were, since ive been here twice as long as they have!!!

my pt sup knows better than to give me crap, but my center manager, who never loaded a day, likes to tell us how to stack out trucks....like we've never done it before. Be sure to come back in two minutes and remind me to blink....lol

 

['Lord Brown's bidding']

Bleedin, I thought you are in NYC; you guys must wait many years to get into FT?

To the OP: being located in a major urban hub should help. Myself, it took me only a year (actually slightly less: hired 9/3/02, began driver orientation 9/1/03, although my seniority date wasn't until 10/13, after the minimum one year wait in my local a newly hired hub worker has to wait to change classifications). My experiences aren't typical, but I noticed several things in your post that are similar to me. I also served as a helper during peak (and liked it a lot). My attitude and outlook towards UPS was focused more on what could be-career opportunities and the such-rather than the tough conditions I faced then. Let it be known that you want to be a driver; talk to your center team about your desires, and ask them often what you can do to better your chances.

Most important, be known as a good worker, and show a willingness and eagerness to offer help I other areas if you are doing good in yours.If my pull was well under control on the boxline and my bins were clean, my supes would ask me to go help on the slide or on another pull that needed help. Yes, that "wasn't my job" per se, ad it was annoying having to hustle and catch up on my pull when I returned, but I did it without complaint. Hence, my supes taught me how to drive a manual, as I did not know how, and I was in driving class one year after getting hired. Unless you work in a small hub, you don't have to wait 5-10 years to become a driver. Just recognize it isn't all about "putting in the time until you earned it". Let em know you want this, because not many do inside the operation, believe it or not.

 

[Rainman]

28 years behind the wheel, 34 with the company. Like most jobs, it is what you make of it. Its not the best job in the world, but it is one of the best opportunities available to someone with or without a 4 year degree. Long hours, tired all the time, but you can do more for you and your family than you can otherwise. Plenty of BS, but all the good paying jobs are going to be tough. Always focus on the good parts, don't let the unhappy folks discourage you. I'll bet if most of us were on the outside looking in like you our attitudes would be different. Go for it.

 

[jaredups]

thanks for the input!

im curious whats the avg number of hours u work a week?

 

[union4life]

The DFW area is about to be ready for some new blood.

Retirement of the older drivers, coupled with new volume from the 2 major Amazon distribution centers and other major companies, should make for room to put on some drivers.