Most of those familiar brown trucks used by UPS aren’t air-conditioned, and as the delivery economy grows and temperatures rise, drivers can pay the price.
The day Jim Klenk’s kidneys almost failed was hot and humid. After almost 15 years as a UPS driver, Klenk had developed a routine to deal with the heat. He carried frozen water bottles, wet towels for his neck, and spare shirts to replace those he’d sweat through.
After his 50th birthday, the summers had started to get to him. That August day in 2016 was forecast to hit 90 degrees. The cargo area of his brown delivery truck, which wasn’t air-conditioned, could easily top 120.
A few days before, he’d worked through the heat until he started seeing stars, he said, then called his supervisor to pick him up. Not finishing a delivery route wasn’t looked upon favorably, according to Klenk.
