1st week COMPLETE

kingOFchester

Well-Known Member
To the helpers that show up and work hard THANK YOU. A helper can make or break a drivers day. All I ask is show up on time, follow the rules on my truck, and work hard.

As for being kept on after peak and length of time to go full time, do not listen to the posters on the boards, do not listen to just one driver you work with, and do not listen to management. The poster here will tell you how it is in their building. A driver may tell you what you want to hear to keep your ars moving and showing up. Management will tell you anything to keep you showing up during peak. Talk to multipule drivers where you work. If you are in the building talk to the loaders and get an idea what the likely hood of being kept after peak. Get an idea how long to go full time.

Just remember, every building is different. We have a seasonal hire driving now who has only 6 months in the building. It took me 1 year before I got behind the wheel. Some places it very well could take 10 years to go driving.

Anyway, thank you for your help.
 

Borderline 9.5

Well-Known Member
If I was to have a helper, this is the kind of helper I would want. Maybe some of you should back off and give him some credit for doing a good job. This job might be hard but it 's not rocket science, We drive from one location to another and deliver packages. If you have a helper you don't even have to leave the vehicle. Get over yourself. Keep up the good work Riverfish.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
If I was to have a helper, this is the kind of helper I would want. Maybe some of you should back off and give him some credit for doing a good job. This job might be hard but it 's not rocket science, We drive from one location to another and deliver packages. If you have a helper you don't even have to leave the vehicle. Get over yourself. Keep up the good work Riverfish.

The easiest part of the job is walking from the car to the delivery point and back.

I didn't say he wasn't doing a good job. I don't have to worry about getting out of the car at every stop that is true. I do get out and deliver COD's, Sig Req, Call tag and stops that have dogs. I also still have everything else to do plus make sure that my helper follows my direction for each address so the package gets where the customer wants it and doesn't get hurt doing something stupid while delivering the package.
 

AssistantSanta

Well-Known Member
So do you have trouble walking when you go somewhere new all the time or is the pressure of having to walking to a house with a package put you over the edge.
Not all the time. Yes, I *DO* have trouble walking on unfamiliar driveways in the dark under pressure to get it done quick with a mountain of packages in my hands
 

AssistantSanta

Well-Known Member
To the helpers that show up and work hard THANK YOU. A helper can make or break a drivers day. All I ask is show up on time, follow the rules on my truck, and work hard.

Yep, that we do. I do the work, but I'm constantly looking for ways to work smarter to minimize grunt work for me.

One example. Heavy packages that require a signature and a long walk and driver has a feeling they're not home. I get them sheeted in the package car and I jump with the DIAD and InfoNotice.

When I started, the driver will have me go check. If they're not home, he'll complete the InfoNotice in the truck and send me back to the door to stick on the note. If they're home, I have to go back to the truck and go again with the packages. So, it was always two round trips for me.

My latest method is sheeting them all up in the truck. I go to the door with my helper DIAD and an InfoNotice while the driver readies them for unloading. Once I get to the door, I communicate my finding to the driver by hand signal or if he's outside the line of sight I fire off a pre-filled text message to him (NotIn-# or they're here, bring them on)

If they're not in, driver puts away the packages on my walk back and, truck is running and ready to drive off by the time I get back to it.

If they're in, driver will come up to the door with packages. It's win-win. For me, I don't have to carry heavy boxes up three flights of stairs and for the driver it cuts down on time spent waiting on me walking back to the truck to get packages. I ask the consignee to sign and I have the name keyed in by the time driver is ready to walk away from the door.
 

RoyalFlush

One of Them
I just finished my 1st week as a driver helper. Awesome experience! I started the week (Tue) with 1 driver and he told me we did 101 in the 3 hours I was with him. He told me I rocked and was going to put in a good word with Dispatch about my solid work ethic. Called in the next day and was told he is light and isnt using a helper today so I got a different driver. My new driver is also very cool and we get along well. I was with him 3-4 hours each day for the remainder of the week. I'm told I will be with him for the remainder as long as he needs help. 140-198-126 rest of the week. He even lets me use the DIAD on occasion and get some signatures. Most of the time I just bust my arse to the door and back in a brisk pace. I am no slacker, every house gets a brisk pace. This is evident by the pain from my toes to my hips right now. But its all good, I expected to be sore. You guys bust your tails off so why shouldn't I.

So I get a call from my dispatch guy Friday morning telling me I am getting rave reviews everyday and asked me I wanted to continue after seasonal. He is going to put in a request to HR as a candidate for permanent PT after the season. I am pretty stoked about it as I'd love to make UPS a career. Seems almost all the 18-24 year old helpers are slacking. At that age they should be running circles around me at 43 years old. I guess its about attitude (Is this a Career or just a Job).

I guess this is where is should ask questions but I really don't have any. I was just looking for somewhere to share my excitement. Keep up the great job Drivers! We are here for you!

Glad to hear some positive thoughts! Try to ignore the negativity. Most of the people would fight tooth and nail the keep the job they have and they'll work here till they retire or get fired. It makes no sense, but thats the way it is. We all hate it at times, but its the best thing going for most of us, otherwise we'd be working somewhere else by now.
 

Indecisi0n

Well-Known Member
Yep, that we do. I do the work, but I'm constantly looking for ways to work smarter to minimize grunt work for me.

One example. Heavy packages that require a signature and a long walk and driver has a feeling they're not home. I get them sheeted in the package car and I jump with the DIAD and InfoNotice.

When I started, the driver will have me go check. If they're not home, he'll complete the InfoNotice in the truck and send me back to the door to stick on the note. If they're home, I have to go back to the truck and go again with the packages. So, it was always two round trips for me.

My latest method is sheeting them all up in the truck. I go to the door with my helper DIAD and an InfoNotice while the driver readies them for unloading. Once I get to the door, I communicate my finding to the driver by hand signal or if he's outside the line of sight I fire off a pre-filled text message to him (NotIn-# or they're here, bring them on)

If they're not in, driver puts away the packages on my walk back and, truck is running and ready to drive off by the time I get back to it.

If they're in, driver will come up to the door with packages. It's win-win. For me, I don't have to carry heavy boxes up three flights of stairs and for the driver it cuts down on time spent waiting on me walking back to the truck to get packages. I ask the consignee to sign and I have the name keyed in by the time driver is ready to walk away from the door.

Customer home:

9ghx52.jpg



Not in one:

21eut0o.jpg
 
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AssistantSanta

Well-Known Member
Seems almost all the 18-24 year old helpers are slacking.
I disagree. As a helper how do you know? I've only met a fellow helper ONCE, and that is when my driver met up with another driver to consolidate air packages and that driver brought along his helper.

At that age they should be running circles around me at 43 years old
I think that age should have no bearing on expectations of performance ;)
 

RiverFisher

Member
I disagree. As a helper how do you know? I've only met a fellow helper ONCE, and that is when my driver met up with another driver to consolidate air packages and that driver brought along his helper.

I was told that I was one of the very few helpers getting reviews that stand out. There were 25 people in my orientation and 90% looked to be in the 18-24 year range. I guess maybe that wasn't a fair statement. My apologies.
 

AssistantSanta

Well-Known Member
I was told that I was one of the very few helpers getting reviews that stand out. There were 25 people in my orientation and 90% looked to be in the 18-24 year range. I guess maybe that wasn't a fair statement. My apologies.

In my personal opinion, I think the motivation and reason for working this job plays a role. Some are solely motivated by the paycheck.

I'm doing it for the experience. I take notes every other day reflecting on what went well, what didn't, problems and what could be improved to prepare myself for future interviews, because they tend to ask a lot of open ended questions like what I have done to improve something at work place. "I showed up on time and blindly did as I was told" might work for some jobs, but not for the ones I'm after, so I always making mental notes to be written down later.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
In my personal opinion, I think the motivation and reason for working this job plays a role. Some are solely motivated by the paycheck.

I'm doing it for the experience. I take notes every other day reflecting on what went well, what didn't, problems and what could be improved to prepare myself for future interviews, because they tend to ask a lot of open ended questions like what I have done to improve something at work place. "I showed up on time and blindly did as I was told" might work for some jobs, but not for the ones I'm after, so I always making mental notes to be written down later.

Everybody is motivated by the paycheck. Even you so don't tell us your doing it for the experience that is a bunch of BS. Your doing it because you want a little extra money for the holidays or don't have a job and even a short PT will do till you find a permanent one.

Dude this job isn't that hard you don't have to take notes especially the part that you do.

Your driver that doesn't get out of the car still works harder than you do, he is doing the most difficult part of the job. Delivering the package is the easy part.
 
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