Radios in package cars

[Cementups]

Wondering how many people here have a radio in their package car/feeder?

I was informed today that we will soon no longer be able to have radios in our package cars due to safety concerns. I personally have a Sirius boombox that I hook up to listen to throughout the day. It makes the day go much quicker. I've had a radio of some sort at all times throughout the last 10 years. Supposedly this upcoming withdrawl of our radios has been brought about because a driver somewhere accidenty ran over a small child after NOT checking all 4 sides of his vehicle. And now they one to take away one of our few privileges.

Commence chatter......

[govols019]

Doesn't the contract say we can have one?

[705red]

Originally Posted by Cementups

Wondering how many people here have a radio in their package car/feeder?

I was informed today that we will soon no longer be able to have radios in our package cars due to safety concerns. I personally have a Sirius boombox that I hook up to listen to throughout the day. It makes the day go much quicker. I've had a radio of some sort at all times throughout the last 10 years. Supposedly this upcoming withdrawl of our radios has been brought about because a driver somewhere accidenty ran over a small child after NOT checking all 4 sides of his vehicle. And now they one to take away one of our few privileges.

Commence chatter......

We have it covered in our contract in chicago, so they might try in 08 but not know. Thats almost a strikeable issue, they give us extra work, now we cant listen to tunes, whats next? Square tires.

[RockyRogue]

All of the dozen plus UPS drivers I've worked with as a helper had a radio in the car. One day, after bouncing around the dash after our snow storms, my driver's radio went kaput ! That sent him over the edge . I'd go crazy without a radio in a vehicle, driving around all day like ya'll do. H*ll, before I quit driving period, I'd have the radio turned on to some tunes (depended on the mood). -Rocky

[Cementups]

Originally Posted by govols019

Doesn't the contract say we can have one?

I'm going to have to check that out.

I was also told that they are trying ot get drivers to stop wearing bluetooth earpieces for their cell phones. The reason being, of course, that we shouldn't be talking on the phone as it is a distraction. I'd like to see them enforce that one and then complain to us that they can't get ahold of us on our cell phones.

[brownmonster]

Check all 4 sides of the vehicle upon approaching. Take your full lunch and breaks. Bend and lift like a robot. Wait 4 seconds before leaving intersection. Wait for rear vision camera to come on before pulling away from curb. Check all six sides of all pick up pieces. Check air pkgs for non haz and used ormd boxes. Check internationals for invoices. Go to 3 neighbors to avoid send agains. Go back if closed 12 to 1. Look for volume and turn in sales leads. Put highlite tape on over 70's. Tote all smalls and unload. Check for high values, segregate and unload at center. In your spare time memorize 5 seeing habits, 3 keys to each one and 10 pt commentary, 3 keys to each one so your boss doesn't fail another audit. Leave at 9:15. Lock bulkhead, lock rear door. Do 170 stops and get credit for 8.5 hours but do not get in an accident or get hurt because IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR LISTENING TO THE RADIO!

[Ruralbrownman]

Great comment brownmonster , I can't help but wonder how much extra time we get everytime we are told we have to do something else. I don't know if everyone get the two o'clock message we get - how many stops off , how many stops left , eta , any problem and how long was your break -, but by the time you go back and counts stops you just ate up a few more valuable minutes. I enjoy listening to baseball games as I drive along. In my contract book Article14 under B. Package #2) Transistor radios will be allowed in package cars.

[fredly00]

Originally Posted by Ruralbrownman

In my contract book Article14 under B. Package #2) Transistor radios will be allowed in package cars.

Oh no, my iPod player has no transistors.. I'm not allowed to have it..
J/K

I do support a waiting period on radios(for new drivers) after about a month of driving I was ready for music...

[CFLBrown]

I use mine every now and again for backround noise. It's small and I can barely hear it when I drive unless I'm in a nice new automatic. Keeps me happy at lunch and while im doing resi's I can hear other people talking besides the voices in my head.

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by Cementups

Wondering how many people here have a radio in their package car/feeder?

I was informed today that we will soon no longer be able to have radios in our package cars due to safety concerns. I personally have a Sirius boombox that I hook up to listen to throughout the day. It makes the day go much quicker. I've had a radio of some sort at all times throughout the last 10 years. Supposedly this upcoming withdrawl of our radios has been brought about because a driver somewhere accidenty ran over a small child after NOT checking all 4 sides of his vehicle. And now they one to take away one of our few privileges.

Commence chatter......

Apparently you guys don't need to keep up with weather, traffic or emergency conditions. Sounds like a great idea to me.

[Dutch Dawg]

Originally Posted by Cementups

....I was also told that they are trying to get drivers to stop wearing bluetooth earpieces for their cell phones.

Late last year some work groups in our building were ask to sign the no bluetooth paper because it held potential to interfer with the wireless scanners. Funny thing is those that work in closest proximity to the scanners and receivers were never approached about this. Guess the potential wasn't all that great.

[woodsy]

tell em that after 9/11 it is now a saftey issue and we need it to be infomed !!! [conditions change constantly]

[Channahon]

Originally Posted by Cementups

I'm going to have to check that out.

I was also told that they are trying ot get drivers to stop wearing bluetooth earpieces for their cell phones. The reason being, of course, that we shouldn't be talking on the phone as it is a distraction. I'd like to see them enforce that one and then complain to us that they can't get ahold of us on our cell phones.

There may be some legislation addressing cell phone usage while driving in your city or state.

As far as radios, those should be allowed to stay in vehicles, as long as the music is not offensive.

[raceanoncr]

Originally Posted by Cementups

Wondering how many people here have a radio in their package car/feeder?

I was informed today that we will soon no longer be able to have radios in our package cars due to safety concerns. I personally have a Sirius boombox that I hook up to listen to throughout the day. It makes the day go much quicker. I've had a radio of some sort at all times throughout the last 10 years. Supposedly this upcoming withdrawl of our radios has been brought about because a driver somewhere accidenty ran over a small child after NOT checking all 4 sides of his vehicle. And now they one to take away one of our few privileges.

Commence chatter......

The National Master United Parcel Service Agreement, Art. 18, "Safety and Health Equipment, Accidents and Reports", Sec. 8 "Radios":

"Transistor radios will be allowed in package cars."

It doesn't get any clearer than this. However, if local laws and statutes are in contradiction, then they override any contract agreement.

This provision cannot be taken out until arbitration TAKES it out for the contract of '08.

If, tho, your local center is making this a "flavor of the month" issue, then, by all means comply and then file. Do not risk getting fired or suspended by refusing to "work as directed". Remember, it IS in the contract and follow through on this basis.

[sealbasher]

ive had a radio since the day i started ,if i have no radio ,well i guess ill have to get a small tv lol.

[sealbasher]

no radio ,ill just lave at a customers and get it when i get there

[raceanoncr]

Originally Posted by Channahon

There may be some legislation addressing cell phone usage while driving in your city or state.

As far as radios, those should be allowed to stay in vehicles, as long as the music is not offensive.

There are some states and cities that have outlawed cell phone usage unless a handsfree device is used. OK, home free as far as Bluetooth. But...

Art 18, Sec 8 under, again, Radios, states about C.B. radios in all feeder road equipment:

b. Head sets and earphones shall not be allowed.

Does that apply to cell phones too? I think when this contract was ratified in '02, that cell phones were not that much of an issue. Does the company expect you to communicate on YOUR cell phone? Does the company provide you with a COMPANY phone? We've got in our personal file a UPS memo that says Cell Phone Use is banned in all UPS vehicles while moving. Do they ORDER you to use it while moving? Do they expect you to ANSWER while moving? I dunno. You have to answer that. But, again, do not refuse to "work as directed" to risk getting fired or suspended. If it does not violate safety rules, do the task, file later.

[Pip]

probably 95% of my fleet has some kind of radio in. I personally see nothing wrong with it. I've even installed cig plugs for the drivers if they bring me one in. A lot of them like the Dewalt jobbox radios, they seem to take the abuse pretty good.

I just caution them to use common sense and make sure the things are unhooked at night, as not to put a drain on the batteries, specially the older cars with only 1 battery in.

I look at it this way, so what, if you got a radio in the package car, as long as it doesn't cause problems, and makes things a little more comfortable, then by all means it's worth it.

Never had a supervisor of any kind order me to take the cig plugs out either.

[steelheader69]

We did the "no cell phone usage" while vehicle is in motion. But nothing about a bluetooth. I hate talking on the phone, and HATE having it to my ear (cell or house phone). I prefer to wear an earpiece, and always have. How could they prove you were on the phone. Plus, most of the new bluetooths/earpieces allow you to hear as well. I always wear my bluetooth, and they have not once said a thing about it.

Onto the radio. It's allowed by the contract. I doubt there would be ANY state law saying you can't have a radio in your vehicle (would be alot of vehicles having to be yanked out of service). Onto location of the radio, I have mine HEAVILY bungied in over my head near my vent in these service supports that are mounted for other things (think they were the router cable holders for the old DVA units). My radio does not budge, is out of sight and out of my view of the road. I only use mine a couple hours a day when I'm running my resi's. I'm more out of the truck then in it when I'm doing my business area. Plus, can't see why UPS would not want us to have them. I've found, especially in my resi's, if I have my radio going I have a good beat and my pace steps up. See that as an increase of stops and a benefit to UPS. Heck, police units have a few different radios (and computers) in their vehicles, I think they survive and are safe.

[retired2000]

boy, when i was driving the cars whee so loud you could not hear the radio unless you had on full blast. of course that did not go over to well with the customers that had little ones sleeping

[disneyworld]

They will probably say they can't be hooked up to the vehicles battery. We had a fire in our building a few years ago, engulfed a few pkg cars, and I think they tried to blame it on a radio hooked up to the battery. Not sure if it was ever substantiated.

[upsdude]

No problem with radios here. The blue-tooth ban was posted on upser.com, pcm’d and posted around the building. I carry a cheap dollar store radio that gets used during lunch. I’m not knocking anyone else, but radios are a distraction for me while working/driving (package car). I’m better off without it.

Cell phones…….. I check my “missedâ