King cover, or bottom bid driver?

[kingOFchester]

Am I the only one that thinks it is probably better to be the king floater vs the lowest bid driver with the worst trip and crappiest truck? I drive in a center that runs 75+ routes a day. Everything from country routes to city routes. Trips that max out at 100 stops to trips that max out at 200+ stops. Trips in an 800 with half a million miles, to a brand new automatic 700.

Cover drivers do not bid coverage for the week. Covers come in, look at trips that are open and pick the best trip that is left. Being a high cover driver you can pick and choose the best looking trip of the day (as long as all trips have coverage by a driver who knows the trip). Just wondering if anyone else sees the appeal to passing on a bid trip at the beginning of the year.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

As long as you are working every day or as often as you would like to work and enjoy a change of scenery it wouldn't make sense to bid on a FT route.

[kingOFchester]

Upstate, in my center there is always someone willing to go home. In fact, a lot of covers drivers that want the day off will go to great lengths to give the illusion that they are working. Walking with a extra DIAD among other things. So that is a plus to know the work is always there. I get bored real quick and the days seem to be getting longer and longer. Just think I may not bid next year.

[bigblu 2 you]

have they ever forced you on a crappy route due to area or lack of area knowledge?

[cachsux]

Be the king of swing. However,at least here,vacation weeks are bid the week before. Daily coverage is by seniority. As far as "someone needing to know a route to cover" tell them to grab a map and start learning.

[Jackburton]

I like to know what/where I'm going everyday. Even if you are screwed by having to stay out late, you make more money. Being king swing driver is more trouble than it's worth in my book. Our center likes to put some of the slower drivers on easy vacation routes while the more senior drivers get stuck with the "trash routes" since management can use the "we give you days off, help us out" card on them. Piss on all that, I just run my dirt roads and 160 stop route.

[barnyard]

I am a the senior cover guy in my center. We do not have annual bids. Bid on a route and keep it till you retire, if you want. I have passed on 2 routes so far. I covered one route for 4 years while the route holder was on comp. When that route was bid, I signed it, but I never would have got it. 5 people with more seniority signed for that route.

Currently, I am covering a route till a guy gets back from shoulder surgery, been on it for a month and could be on it for another month or 2. 2 more people are retiring in the next year, so other routes will be available, but I know most of the routes in my center and kind of like the position I am in. I have been spending the last couple of weeks convincing myself that there is nothing wrong with not having a bid route. I probably will not be with UPS for that many more years, so why not enjoy the routes that I can never bid.

[Cementups]

Are you a full time unassigned or part time? If you were a part timer bidding then I would say go for the FT bid but otherwise if you are already FT then you may as well stay with running various trips till you get some time and other drivers die or retire and you can have a better option at runs.

Also, benefits of being a regular driver to the same customers are pretty good, including Christmas presents from certain customers. If you treat them good, they will treat you good. As a cover guy, a lot of people won't bother since they know one day you will just be dust in the wind. Customers on my old route (7 years) would bend over backwards for me cause they knew I would do the same for them.

[barnyard]

Our center likes to put some of the slower drivers on easy vacation routes while the more senior drivers get stuck with the "trash routes" since management can use the "we give you days off, help us out" card on them. Piss on all that, I just run my dirt roads and 160 stop route.

In my center, the slowest cover drivers are stuck with city routes with tiny coverage areas. I love rural routes and do them well, so that is what I usually take. There is rarely a discussion as all our rural routes are also the farthest from the center, really bad place to have someone stuck that needs help.

The route that I am on now has 95-110 stops and 150ish miles. There is 1 small town and the rest is rural, vacation cabin stops. NDA makes and breaks my day, but that is the case with most any route. Thursday was really, really bulky. Ran the route a little different and got all the bulk off by 10:30. The rest of the day was still kind of a grind, but I was done by 19:00, so it could have been worse.

I have grieved over 9.5 and they have let that follow to the routes that I have covered. That is actually kind of funny. Other covers look at my numbers and say, "What the heck, how come I never get days like that???" Me, "Do you ever file an over 9.5 grievance???"

The more I type, the more I am liking King Cover.

[barnyard]

I am full time, unassigned. I have enough seniority that I have not had to worry about layoffs for 5ish years.