ups sleepers

moreluck · 03-18-2008, 08:10 PM

I don't know if that's what they are called, but coming home on the 4 hr. drive from Vegas this morning, we saw dozens of semis (some doubles) with the white/lt.cream colored big sleeper cabs with brown UPS emblems on the cabs.

I have not seen so many before. Why the difference now. I thought maybe they were relying less on trains, but I also saw the long trains in the San Bernardino mtns. with UPS trailers on them. Is something new now? There were just so many of them.

dannyboy · 03-18-2008, 08:12 PM

More

LEss than before, but we still send a lot of empties via the rails. I dont know if they still send those with packages on them anymore though.

d

moreluck · 03-18-2008, 08:16 PM

Oh, I forgot....to the poster who used to work as a lifeguard in Newberry Springs......the old tubes at Lake Delores are all torn down now.

Also, the old river boat motif, Nevada Landing is now partially in ruin. The facade of one side is gone and only the right side still looks like a boat.

Primm resort & casino & shops are now Terrible Herbst's property. Lots of changes in the desert.

moreluck · 03-18-2008, 08:26 PM

Also, the I-15 was flooded with Estes Express trucks. Maybe I've been in a cave, but I never heard of them before. I like the bright yellow "E" in the circle on their cabs & trailers.....very easy to spot them.

And yes, it's a boring drive and our arms were already sore from playing 'slugbug'.

dannyboy · 03-18-2008, 08:36 PM

Estes is a big player in these parts.

d

over9.5-under D · 03-18-2008, 10:27 PM

those are called sleeper teams and they were heading to IOWA or CHICAGO they usually leave tuesday mornings

raceanoncr · 03-19-2008, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moreluck

I don't know if that's what they are called, but coming home on the 4 hr. drive from Vegas this morning, we saw dozens of semis (some doubles) with the white/lt.cream colored big sleeper cabs with brown UPS emblems on the cabs.

I have not seen so many before. Why the difference now. I thought maybe they were relying less on trains, but I also saw the long trains in the San Bernardino mtns. with UPS trailers on them. Is something new now? There were just so many of them.

Wednesday's are always a big push across the US. Sleepers meet at 201 marker on I-80 in Iowa. Switch loads with Chicago or other sleepers from East coast.

ups_vette · 03-19-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moreluck

Lots of changes in the desert.

I've been to the desert on a horse with no name.

moreluck · 03-19-2008, 01:16 PM

In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

freeloader · 03-20-2008, 09:24 AM

With all the accelerated ground transit times that UPS just recently announced, there will be more sleeper runs. Rail is not as reliable and not as fast as these sleeper runs. Some are direct from hub to hub and some have meet-points halfway.

Just a question to anyone in feeders or who actually does a sleeper run. What kind of time frames are you given to complete these runs? Are the time frames reasonable? What happens if you are late with a load?

feeder53 · 03-20-2008, 01:22 PM

I have seen a lot of them at the Meadowlands in NJ, but never got to talk to them. Everyone was saying they make big bucks.

RockyRogue · 03-20-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeloader

Just a question to anyone in feeders or who actually does a sleeper run. What kind of time frames are you given to complete these runs? Are the time frames reasonable? What happens if you are late with a load?

Probably depends on the run and the terrain they have to deal with. Last Spring, a load was dispatched from the Southern California air hub (Ontarion, I think) destined Denver with NDA. Somewhere in the Intermountain West, their rig brokedown. A load due in the Denver yard at 3 p.m. didn't pull in till after 11 on a Sunday (Denver's Day Sort runs on Sundays). Very unhappy management. Those drivers were hauling. They made it from a weigh station west of Denver to the yard a half hour to forty-five minutes less than normal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by feeder53

I have seen a lot of them at the Meadowlands in NJ, but never got to talk to them. Everyone was saying they make big bucks.

I saw a lot of them in the Denver yard when I worked for UPS. I glanced at one once and someone had attached "Mesquite, Texas," to a door or other part of the cab. And yes, they probably make big $$. Keep in mind these guys are away from their families all week. I'm not married but if I had a wife and kids, I wouldn't do it. I'd like to be at my kid's games, etc. -Rocky

feeder53 · 03-21-2008, 05:19 AM

I hear you Rocky, I used to run the road, and it is like living in the truck...Family, What family......I left after 6 years.

03-24-2008, 02:27 PM

The scheduled time to reach the destination are always high to allow for weather, traffic and other potential delays. In saying that, if you are late with a load / loads, and it isn't due to major weather, and I mean major weather system, breakdown, accident that shuts down only reasonable route to destination or other similar events, then IMHO which is the general consensus in the district I work, you don't belong on one.

UPS Lifer · 03-24-2008, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moreluck

I don't know if that's what they are called, but coming home on the 4 hr. drive from Vegas this morning, we saw dozens of semis (some doubles) with the white/lt.cream colored big sleeper cabs with brown UPS emblems on the cabs.

I have not seen so many before. Why the difference now. I thought maybe they were relying less on trains, but I also saw the long trains in the San Bernardino mtns. with UPS trailers on them. Is something new now? There were just so many of them.

There are additional hot lanes that have been opened up to improve the service which requires more sleeper teams.

Those sleepers that you saw were going to the Ontario Day Sort. They are usually two or three day volume but there is some NDA as well. The Ont Day Sort is the last operation to be able to make service to all the preloads in the basin for Monday delivery. It services Hono and Anchorage as well. In fact if the trains miss Grande Vista than they send those to the Day Sort as well. The Ont Day Sort runs a twilight-night shift. It is kind of misleading to call it a Day Sort!

The sleepers that hit the Monday Day Sort are usually for Tuesday delivery.

When there are feeder breakdowns in the desert or worse - I had to wake up the District Manager or Ops Mgr to let them know. We would try and develop a plan to make service on everything we could. It was usually a mess. But we usually made service.

I was walking out the building at 2 or 3 on a Monday morning and a ghost feeder would show up!! Those were always the best. 2 or 3 mgmt folks and nobody else in the entire hub until the preload started at 4 am!!!

The other fun thing we had to do was walk the entire building and every single belt and feeder. (only on Sunday).... I had 2 supervisors spend 5.5 hours just walking dead belts and checking feeders. When we were done, I would throw about 15 salts on the live belts and there were about 20 loaders walking belts followed up by 20 supervisors to double check the operation. I was always worried about missing a feeder or missing a NDA bag full of smalls.

Do you think I miss those days!!!

UPS Lifer · 03-24-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous Gearjammer

The scheduled time to reach the destination are always high to allow for weather, traffic and other potential delays. In saying that, if you are late with a load / loads, and it isn't due to major weather, and I mean major weather system, breakdown, accident that shuts down only reasonable route to destination or other similar events, then IMHO which is the general consensus in the district I work, you don't belong on one.

The sleeper teams going to Ontario were set up well and the drivers are some of the most dependable we have. I could not say enough good things about the teams at Ontario! If there was a major problem they stayed in touch with dispatch and we knew right when they would hit the gates.

RockyRogue · 03-24-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPS Lifer

The sleeper teams going to Ontario were set up well and the drivers are some of the most dependable we have. I could not say enough good things about the teams at Ontario! If there was a major problem they stayed in touch with dispatch and we knew right when they would hit the gates.

Those guys are good eastbound and westbound, Lifer. As I mentioned above, I think that's where a late load inbound DENCO came from. This was a Sunday, by the way. The drivers were in touch with Denver's Feeder Office every 10 or 15 minutes with an ETA. The drivers swung onto the access road to the Denver Hub fifteen minutes earlier than predicted. They made it from a weigh station west of Denver to the Hub in a lot less time than usual. I heard more than a few derogatory comments from management about union drivers slowing down to 'milk that cow' in the two hours before the rig arrived. I bit my tongue....-Rocky

feeder53 · 03-29-2008, 06:56 AM

I had one pass me on I-87 southbound, probably out of Montreal. I would not live that life now at my age and family status, and I love to drive.

over9five · 03-29-2008, 07:43 AM

I had one right on my bumper the other day flashin' his lights and...

...oh wait, that wasn't me...that was some reporter...