Question for F/T package car drivers??

bernie lomax · 04-03-2008, 09:44 AM

hey guys im starting my 40 days for F/T package car monday and i have a choice between 2 routes to have for that 40 days....one is a big strip mall and little residential, the other one is mostly residential, just wondering what some of you guys and girls prefer to do and maybe help me choose wisely.

thanks

rod · 04-03-2008, 10:01 AM

If I were just starting I would pick the strip mall. Both routes have their advantages and disadvantages. The strip mall would have more bulk - but you have to remember that bulk fills up the truck and a truck full of bulk stops has less stops to deal with compared with a resi route. There is usually much better scenery at a mall than delievering to a bunch of empty houses. You don't have to put up with dogs at a mall. The driver Christmas gifts are better at a mall. All in all if you are in good shape you should pick the mall route. JMO

bernie lomax · 04-03-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rod

If I were just starting I would pick the strip mall. Both routes have their advantages and disadvantages. The strip mall would have more bulk - but you have to remember that bulk fills up the truck and a truck full of bulk stops has less stops to deal with compared with a resi route. There is usually much better scenery at a mall than delievering to a bunch of empty houses. You don't have to put up with dogs at a mall. The driver Christmas gifts are better at a mall. All in all if you are in good shape you should pick the mall route. JMO

thanks for the input

.....what would you say some of the advantages of the res route would be?

covemaster · 04-03-2008, 10:23 AM

tough call, are they training rtes or your rte on a bid? resi rte usually has a few small pick ups,so no pressure there. on the other hand there are a ton of streets on a resi rte and takes a while to learn,the mall is confined area talk to others in your center they can be a big help to you!most of all , don't panic out there ,it;s only cardboard and the day will end.be honest, bite your tounge with rude customers and always be willing to learn.most of all never never never begin to think whats in the pkg,its only cardboard never be tempted!! don't take that personally i say that to all drivers. keep us posted and best of luck to you!!!!!!!

bernie lomax · 04-03-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by covemaster

tough call, are they training rtes or your rte on a bid? resi rte usually has a few small pick ups,so no pressure there. on the other hand there are a ton of streets on a resi rte and takes a while to learn,the mall is confined area talk to others in your center they can be a big help to you!most of all , don't panic out there ,it;s only cardboard and the day will end.be honest, bite your tounge with rude customers and always be willing to learn.most of all never never never begin to think whats in the pkg,its only cardboard never be tempted!! don't take that personally i say that to all drivers. keep us posted and best of luck to you!!!!!!!

thanks for the advise and yes they are both training routes....the one with the strip mall has big stores like best buy, target, and places like that and i think there is a small section of res behind it, the mostly res route has just that and alittle bit of commercial stops as well.

WyoBrown · 04-03-2008, 10:38 AM

The mall route in our ctr is not for the faint of heart! That pkg car gets packed to the ceiling every morning and very often the driver has to return to the ctr to get the pkgs that couldnt be crammed in. The driver is just coming off back surgery that she attributes to "swimming" in the sea of boxes stacked to the ceiling while trying to boxes out to deliver. Interesting note, she bid the route when it came up...even though its so bulky.

Personally, I would prefer the resi route. Neighborhoods are quiet in the middle of the day and much less bulk to wrestle. Congrats and good luck!

covemaster · 04-03-2008, 10:39 AM

go with the mall,if you fall behind the can always send you help on the p/ups i learned on a split resi rte and was overwhelmed by the bundles we call it bundle fever,they wern't much help to yah back then as they are today i asked myself is it worth it hell yah after 19 yrs i can look back and laugh!!! you'l be ok

Leftinbuilding · 04-03-2008, 10:48 AM

Typically a resi route will have smaller, lighter boxes. (Except for the occasional bed or workout systems.) Strip malls can be frustrating because some of the smaller stores will take their own sweet time answering their door. You may have to compete with other drivers for a door on the dock at bigger stores. There is no Utopia and every route has its pros and cons. Having said all that, I think as a training route, you will get a more well rounded education doing the mall with some res.

filthpig · 04-03-2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernie lomax

thanks for the advise and yes they are both training routes....the one with the strip mall has big stores like best buy, target, and places like that and i think there is a small section of res behind it, the mostly res route has just that and alittle bit of commercial stops as well.

Just remember that they'll put more work on you the second you have it down. If the mall route is light, expect a residential split. Same on the residential route.

brownrodster · 04-03-2008, 01:52 PM

I would choose the resi route.

I would also want to know what kind of truck each route has. The mall route definately has a p1 or p12 I'm guessing. Does that resi route have a p7 ? If so I'd jump all over that resi route. Are either of the trucks new automatics ? That would also be a huge factor in which route I would choose.

scratch · 04-03-2008, 03:47 PM

I would take the residential route. I started out doing an all commercial route. I would deliver and pick up a thousand boxes a day. I would go out everyday with a blown out load with overflow for another driver. I would fill up with my early closing pickups, and I always had my late closing Pickups covered by other drivers and sometimes the Feeder Dept. Not much overtime either.

I have bid on three other routes since then, and they all got better. I ran 139 stops today, about 160 packages. I picked up about 15 packages at my four pickups. Those QVC and cellphone deliveries are not heavy compared to the 0/70s on a commercial route. And the scenery is a lot nicer.

browniehound · 04-03-2008, 04:17 PM

From Scratch:

"I have bid on three other routes since then, and they all got better. I ran 139 stops today, about 160 packages. I picked up about 15 packages at my four pickups. Those QVC and cellphone deliveries are not heavy compared to the 0/70s on a commercial route. And the scenery is a lot nicer"

Scratch,
You must have a lot of seniority? I ask this because the numbers on your route sound like a wet dream to me, lol. I'm not trying to say your job is easy, but it appears you have one of the best routes in your center.

As for our newhire's question, I origanally thought the strip mall would be his best bet because he wouldn't have to learn 100 residential streets. As I read the posts I think I changed my mind.

Bulk is really difficult in today's UPS.
If our newhire gets a zone of 60, 50 lbs. packages going to one of his stores and he must 2-wheel 6 at a time through the store and into the back room, he will be there for 50 minutes with UPS giving him a 10 minute time allowance for the stop. And it being a strip mall, it probably happens every day but at different stores.

At least with the resi.'s you have a chance to meet their impossible standards. Once you know the streets, you can really move fast. Its just a matter of memorization at this point.

Good luck.

brownrodster · 04-03-2008, 04:25 PM

Pickups are also important. How many daily pickups does the mall route have ? How many packages does it usually pick up ? Probably a lot more than the resi route.

upslady20 · 04-03-2008, 04:27 PM

IF thier on PAS take the resi route hands down...

stringerman85 · 04-03-2008, 04:29 PM

I always thought the high seniority guys and gals took the residential routes...They're much easier I always thought except for memorizing all the streets, But hey that's what a street guide is for if you would forget....

scratch · 04-03-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stringerman85

I always thought the high seniority guys and gals took the residential routes...They're much easier I always thought except for memorizing all the streets, But hey that's what a street guide is for if you would forget....

One of the first things that I noticed when I walked into the Atlanta Hub back in 1975 was the Package Drivers. The older drivers drove the P400s on residential routes. The younger drivers drove the P6s, P8s, and City Vans on commercial routes. You do have to learn more streets, but after two or three weeks, you will know where you are going and your body will not get beat to pieces.

trplnkl · 04-03-2008, 11:32 PM

To me the biggest problem with strip malls is that some of the stores want their stuff delivered to the front door, some require you to use the rear door and those may well be next door to each other.
Personally I would choose the resi route.

stumpy · 04-03-2008, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyoBrown

The mall route in our ctr is not for the faint of heart! That pkg car gets packed to the ceiling every morning and very often the driver has to return to the ctr to get the pkgs that couldnt be crammed in. The driver is just coming off back surgery that she attributes to "swimming" in the sea of boxes stacked to the ceiling while trying to boxes out to deliver. Interesting note, she bid the route when it came up...even though its so bulky.

Personally, I would prefer the resi route. Neighborhoods are quiet in the middle of the day and much less bulk to wrestle. Congrats and good luck!

stumpy · 04-04-2008, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyoBrown

The mall route in our ctr is not for the faint of heart! That pkg car gets packed to the ceiling every morning and very often the driver has to return to the ctr to get the pkgs that couldnt be crammed in. The driver is just coming off back surgery that she attributes to "swimming" in the sea of boxes stacked to the ceiling while trying to boxes out to deliver. Interesting note, she bid the route when it came up...even though its so bulky.

Personally, I would prefer the resi route. Neighborhoods are quiet in the middle of the day and much less bulk to wrestle. Congrats and good luck!

longlunchguy · 04-04-2008, 03:30 AM

RESIDENTIAL You have less time commitments and you'll learn the streets within a week. And if you are having a tough time learning the streets take a ride on the weekend. It's a great investment. You'll be less stressed on Monday, and you'll end up with a job that pays $$. Of course, after your 40 days you'll probably kiss that sweet resi route good bye.

bernie lomax · 04-04-2008, 09:31 AM

wow thanks for all the input guys....emm as far as the resi area its a pretty simple area to learn and i kinda know some of it already so....and for the guy who asked what truck each route has i believe they told me the mall one is a 12 cube and the resi is a 10 cube, both auto. As of now im kinda leaning more towards the res route myself

thanks again everyone!!

one more thing they gave me a print out of the stops and pickups for the resi route from april 2nd and it had 126 stops and 23 pickups

brownrodster · 04-04-2008, 10:32 AM

[quote=bernie lomax;323294and for the guy who asked what truck each route has i believe they told me the mall one is a 12 cube and the resi is a 10 cube, both auto.

one more thing they gave me a print out of the stops and pickups for the resi route from april 2nd and it had 126 stops and 23 pickups[/quote]

I would always choose in favor of avoiding a route with a p12

And if you already know part of the res route then you are ahead of the game.
Good luck.