Becoming a Sorter

I've worked at UPS for 6 months and just recently I was asked if I was interested in becoming a sorter and I was hoping that people here would share their advice. Right now I am a loader and because I have passed my pickoff test I wouldnt be getting a raise if I learned the sort. They are offering a $500 bonus though but I am still not sure if that makes up for working shorter hours and the time needed to pass the test.

I want to know if I want more hours am I able to bump less senior loaders when the unload is done? I asked 2 supervisors and both gave different answers. If I am able to bump loaders I think it sounds like a pretty good deal to do less work for the same money.

Any advice or insight would be appreciated, thanks.

I went to the sort aisle from the load so that I could learn another part of the operation. I knew that if I knew the sort, that would make more valuable as a part-time sup or whatever you are trying to eventually do.

also---when I was sorting, it was usually easy to find a PD that needed help loading at the end of the night at least three nights a week.

you really need to speak with the sorters at your facility.

it depends on your goals--If your aspiration is to be a career driver, then sorting may not help you as much. However, if you would like to join p/t or eventually f/t supervision, I believe sort experience is beneficial.

"because I have passed my pickoff test I wouldnt be getting a raise if I learned the sort. "

This doesn't make sense - pick/sort is a skilled position, and it's in our contract to be paid more for skilled spots (at least, last I heard... am I wrong? Or could it be a regional thing?)

As far as finding work to do, you must have an easy trailer if you don't need a hand wrapping up at night, wanna switch trailers with me? We have our sorters right up there until we're done, and everyone is wrapped up within 5 minutes of that. Unloaders help with irregs and smalls, whatever you can do to pitch in and help each other. If I'm light I go to the guys next door, if they're light they help me, but everyone gets their hours in.