Lazy UPS drivers?

[tourists24]

Ok, just read a post about that "union mentality" that seems to enable a driver to be a slacker/milker (whatever term you want).

Guess what Id like to know; who are all these lazy drivers? Maybe they are out there, but here in my small neck of the woods I dont know any actual "lazy" drivers. Of course we have runners and also those who run way over allowed. But even those overallowed drivers are hard working. The ones who run most over allowed are ridden with and are always left alone after that (maybe different where you are). If they were truly lazy, wouldnt management catch it?

Also, if you are stealing time, it would be very hard to win that at a panel case; so not sure that the union can necessarily save you there. Just thought this would make for good conversation

[BLACKBOX]

I think there is a mis-conception concerning "lazy drivers". I consider myself a seasoned driver and have often been labeled "Easy Money". People who know their routes well know what pace you need to work to get the job done on a daily routine. I simply know when to "take it up a notch" when I need to.

You really don't want to out-pace yourself, you'll only end up helping another route get done. Make your numbers, thats all management cares about.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

Perfectly stated!!

[scratch]

Blackbox was eloquent in his post. A seasoned driver knows how to make it "look easy". He knows how to pace himself to be certain places on his route at certain times of the day. Then its easy to turn it up or turn it down a notch. I have always hustled in the morning to get off to a good start, and then try to breeze through the day at a better pace. I like to think I do quality work, not quantity. I intend for my body to not wear out anytime soon and be able to walk when I decide to retire.

[Ghost in the Darkness]

When I think of lazy drivers I think of those drivers who try to pawn stops off on other people when they are stops that are consistently on their routes. Everybody has "beater" stops but suck it up and deliver them instead of either sneaking them in someone else's load or crying their way to getting them off their route. Another is a multple driver pickup and doing very little or not showing up at all making the other drivers have to cover all the bulk on their own. Lazy drivers are those who when given a set standard of work always try to make sure they always end up doing less.

[trplnkl]

Originally Posted by Ghost in the Darkness

When I think of lazy drivers I think of those drivers who try to pawn stops off on other people when they are stops that are consistently on their routes. Everybody has "beater" stops but suck it up and deliver them instead of either sneaking them in someone else's load or crying their way to getting them off their route. Another is a multple driver pickup and doing very little or not showing up at all making the other drivers have to cover all the bulk on their own. Lazy drivers are those who when given a set standard of work always try to make sure they always end up doing less.

I would probably agree if the set standard was always fair. However it isn't much of the time.

[1989]

My experience with lazy drivers have been that the bigger hubs seem to have a bigger percentage anyway. About 18 out of about 240. That's about 7% verses about 2 out of 60, only 3%. Seems there is more teamwork in a smaller center than in larger ones.

[Cementups]

I too know when and wher eto turn it on and off. I know what needs to be done at what time. I have noon commits in my area and always try to get as much done as I can by noon so I don't have to break trace to get my air off. there are days wher eI have 75% of my route done at noon but then there are days where I have only about 40%. Some days go better than others. I am usually only about 0-40 clicks over.

[filthpig]

It's been my experience that most of us are really hard workers who take pride in their job. Of course there are a few bad apples, but that's going to happen. If you're not doing your job, it's going to catch up with you. If your are, you'll be ok.

[old brown shoe]

I didn't think there was a easy job at UPS for anyone. It may be different at other centers. The runners may call someone lazy because they run their route by the methods and take their personal time but give them time and if they survive so will they. Also the allowances on the routes can be so out of whack that it may look like you are a slacker. Then run a different route with better allowances and work the same pace and look like superman. Call me what you like but I work as directed and by the methods. Depending on what route I have run I can be least best or run close to scratch. I work hard everyday and have no guilty feelings about the work I perform.

[rod]

I confess- I'm a Lazy (retired) UPS driver

[longlunchguy]

Two UPS guys walk into a bar... A fat guy and a skinny guy... bartender looks at the fat guy and says "You must be the supervisor!" Moral of the story... there are no lazy drivers, the job is too tough for lazy people.

[Channahon]

Interesting thread, I don't think I ever viewed any UPS employee as lazy. The pace at UPS doesn't allow for laziness.

Now I have seen employees who don't give all their effort to get the job done in a timely manner. And I viewed this more as an employee who just didn't like working at UPS, but for some reason, chose to stay at UPS.

That type of employee was always challenging, and working with an employee like that, well sometimes you can change them and others you can't.

But in the long run it is the customer who suffers from a UPS employee who does not do their job effectively - management, non management or union.

Just my observations over the years. Although, now that I am a retired UPS employee, I get to pick and choose my days to be "lazy" and rightly so.

[filthpig]

Originally Posted by longlunchguy

Two UPS guys walk into a bar... A fat guy and a skinny guy... bartender looks at the fat guy and says "You must be the supervisor!" Moral of the story... there are no lazy drivers, the job is too tough for lazy people.

I beg to differ. Most of them get fired.

[filthpig]

Originally Posted by filthpig

I beg to differ. Most of them get fired.

And I just contradicted myself.

[brownmonster]

I'm a lazy driver. Too bad the job doesn't allow for it.

[toonertoo]

I am a lazy driver. I do most everything by the book most of the time, and ocassionaly I may tell a customer to get off their fat deriere coz they are lazy. So I guess im less lazy than them. I have one customer who needs an early delivery and late as possible pu. I try to oblige, but then I get there at 459, and also have my largest to do at 5pm. All yell if Im late, but have no problem telling me, "I dont have the tags on them yet" Guess Im just too nice. They think I can wait. Well if you close at 5pm, Im thinking somewhere around 450 you should be gettin ready for your stuff to go. And tonite they peeved me. Its 12 degrees, its 459, you want a late pick up if you cant be ready at 459, Ill be here at 515, then you can wait. If you have a late one, Ill swing back by, but im tired of waiting coz they are on the internet, or phone with their kids. No sense of urgency, and its Ups fault Im obliging but dont abuse it, and they need to be respectful as well.
I dont even care any more whan they yell, (mgmt) because some runner and gunner does it earlier and better. Put customer service back into the mix, and I do just fine. 13 yrs safe driving with the weather in Ohio, I just do a fine job, maybe not as fast, but safe. Plus Im older, and my stuff is hurting, isnt there an article in there to protect me? Yes I know there is.

[Bad Gas!]

I 've known a few drivers who were said to be lazy.It's not my business....But eventually mgt will fire em enough times where it will stick by the 3rd or 4th time....Todays time allowances make yesterdays running hero's look lazy....When EDD first came in they took away at least an hour from every route in the first six months...And then another hour the next year...It's the half billion dollar EDD blunder-it would make the Kenyans in the marathon look slow..

[trplnkl]

You're right ,of course, Bad Gas. I don't work any different when a sup is with me than when I am alone. I have yet to have a sup tell me that I am too slow, yet I can't seem to run scratch. Does that make me lazy? I don't think so.

Tooner, you gotta do what works for you and your customer, I couldn't/wouldn't put up with that no labeling but one more day. I would tell them that if I am there at 4:30 for the pickup, only the packages ready to go will be taken, the rest wait till tomorrow. Of course I would explain to them one last time that I have other customers to be serviced before 5pm and I can't do that if I have to wait on them. Then I would stick to it. It's ok to be nice, but it can get you into trouble.

[Brown Dog]

Tooner, you ain't lazy for being an efficient,safe, and dependable driver. I too, run about a buck over anymore. I have to go back for a couple of pickups at 4:30, after I had already gone right by them an hour earlier. They are usually not ready either. Seems like some people, you just can't do enough for. Give them an inch an they want the mile. Most times I just try and think, 42$an hour, I'll wait as long as you want. But you know how it is,sometimes you just want to get home, get those browns off and enjoy being home. I'm not 25years old anymore, my back hurts, I'm not as fast as I used to be. But I show up every day and I get the job done every day. Lazy people don't do that! Keep up the Good work

the lazy drivers don`t last long in package. they either quit or go feeder if they are lucky
and I have seen many get in because no one else wanted to go feeder at the time. with only 1 or 2 years in package. they got the sweet job without paying the dues. its too bad most don`t know how good feeder is until they have done the job for a few months. it took 20 years
in package before I went feeder and found out. it kind of sucks at first but only for a month or 2 then its just driving down the highway listening to the radio with the AC on making more then you did in package. almost seems criminal.

the lazy drivers are in FEEDER !!!

[dannyboy]

Tooner

im tired of waiting coz they are on the internet,

Maybe they are visiting here?

There are always going to be those drivers that take every advantage of those other drivers around them that work hard and try to get in. We had one in our area group that always had to have help to get in. Everyday, at least one of us would have to help him get done, sometimes with as many as 50-60 stops. It got to the point I wouldnt, unless I needed a lot of overtime. I would consider him lazy.

OF courst after a while of every day busting your butt to get done earlier, only to every day have to take some one elses work takes the edge off, so you just do your own work and quit busting butt.

But usually you will find thos people more inside the building. You know, the ones that take 30 minutes to "quickly run to the bathroom"? Or the one that just cant seem to get his crap pulled off the belt, so you have this huge pile at the end. Worst thing they ever did was to remove the option to have a return belt. here at our building, it takes three part time people just to shuttle the missed packages back up the belt.

d