retired2000
Well-Known Member
just came back from vacation. we were in the gatlinburg tenn area. saw alot of package car drivers and i would say that 3 out of every 4 i saw had their bulkhead door open. what gives.
what is up in tenn.
- Thread starter retired2000
- Start date
trplnkl
555
No Telematics? Just a guess.
We spent a week down in Gatlinburg a few years ago, right around this time of year in fact. Did a lot of hiking and running on the AT right there in the Smoky Mountains, it was beautiful and made me think seriously about doing a thru-hike sometime after I retire. I ran into the driver whose route included the park at a country store, he really seemed to like it, lots of miles, not so many boxes 
. I didn't notice whether or not he had his bulkhead door open though. Guess I'd make a lousy manager 
.
. I didn't notice whether or not he had his bulkhead door open though. Guess I'd make a lousy manager .
Livin the Dream?
Disillusioned UPSer
My wife and I traveled from NJ to FL once, we had this old 1970s Chevy truck & a 30 foot trailer. New engine in it, and the damn thing kept overheating. We should have stopped the trip when we broke down within 30 minutes of starting - we had to fill up the radiator with mod-water from a puddle. Hit a gas pump while re-filling with fuel. Caught the bed of the truck on fire with a lit cigarette, slept in the cab of the truck.
At the time we said we would look back on the experience with humor, but it has been 9 years since that trip & it still gives us nightmares. We went to pick up VWs some guy was selling, and it ended up that he sold them before we got there. I think we saw signs for TN, but not sure. Didn't notice anything regarding the bulkheads, but, then again, I was not employed by UPS at the time.
At the time we said we would look back on the experience with humor, but it has been 9 years since that trip & it still gives us nightmares. We went to pick up VWs some guy was selling, and it ended up that he sold them before we got there. I think we saw signs for TN, but not sure. Didn't notice anything regarding the bulkheads, but, then again, I was not employed by UPS at the time.
helenofcalifornia
Well-Known Member
Ah, the good old days!
helen...When I started driving (March '63) section one was the cab of my pkg car. I never closed the bulkhead door, This was on my first day with the Center Manager training me.
trplnkl
555
Hang around a while and you might see why.
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
Those Gatlinburg drivers drive over an hour and a half from Knoxville just to start their routes because corporate didn't want to expand the centers that should be handling that area. They are supposed to go out with around 6.5 hours of work because of the commute time but they get screwed allot. Imagine that. <---sarcasm.
trplnkl
555
They must be a little behind times, haven't heard of Satellite Centers yet.
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
An extended center should be handling that area but a satellite center would be a good idea too. I don't think the satellite centers are very popular with the union in Tennessee. One was turned down in my area so maybe they fight against having them in East Tennessee too.
That's crazy. We actually drove to Knoxville one day while we were down there, I don't remember exactly how long it took but 90+ minutes sounds about right. A lot of the area is obviously rural but Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have plenty of commercial work between them. With the long commute time I would think that they would be screwing themselves by sending those guys out heavy because how are they gonna get the air back in time?
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
They must have an air driver that gets the air from them and goes directly to the Gateway in Alcoa at the Airport. Thats the only thing I can think of.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
Same with me ... it also made the back cooler during the summer.
I did keep it locked during lunch and to/from area.
Had LP come by and do an audit and never heard anything about it. That was 1978 though.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Keeping the bulkhead door open, opening the rear doors and driving really fast on a back road gets all of the packing peanuts and other trash out of the pkg car.
trplnkl
555
I think the union has just conceded in some areas that Sat Cens are just a fact of life and have stopped fighting them. At least around here it's that way. We still have a few that are an hour and fifteen away but there are SAt feeder drivers close by to meet up with for out going volume.
UpState, the back roads around here will bring more dirt into those open back doors than you can sweep out back at the center.lol
