Category: UPS News

Over the past two years, Thomas Woods’ work as a United Parcel Service driver has been more important than ever.

Delivery drivers provided a vital service during the pandemic as they brought consumers who were staying home essential goods, medicines and more. According to a statement from UPS, the drivers known for their brown trucks and brown uniforms averaged over 20 million packages per day in 2020 delivering not only goods but PPE and COVID-19 vaccines as well.

Woods, of Conroe, was among that legion and recently he was recognized for 30 years of safe driving as he served communities between Conroe and Houston.

Since 1991, Woods has logged more than 600,000 miles in his truck without so much as a fender bender.

United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) has agreed to pay roughly $5.3 million to settle claims it falsely reported delivery times for U.S. Mail carried internationally under contracts with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), the Justice Department reported Monday.

Under a reported contract with USPS, UPS was scheduled to pick up U.S. mail at six locations across the United States including other Department of Defense and State Department locations abroad. The mail was expected to be delivered to various international and domestic destinations. according to the State Department.

The contracts stated that UPS would pick up the mail and submit electronic scans to USPS with reports on expected delivery times. The DOJ says the contract explicitly highlighted that any irregularities in the deliveries, whether the packages be late or sent to the wrong destination, UPS would be fined.

According to the DOJ, the settlement resolves allegations that scans submitted by UPS falsely reported these delivery times.

When Holly Hill native Janis Bailey first started driving for UPS 32 years ago, people were not accustomed to see a woman delivering their packages.

“In the early days when I was hired, our customers expected a male representative. I was a 24-year-old girl with a pony tail, and I think that surprised them,” said Bailey. “There was a small pool of us, and we had to prove ourselves. Women weren’t the face of UPS when I first started, but I am so proud that we have more females than ever before working in operations and as drivers.”

Enough women, she said, she’s no longer met with much surprise.

“Not surprised at all. When I started it was disbelief, but not at all now. With a 32-year career I am proof that you should not judge a book by its cover,” said Bailey.