2019 Driver Helpers

[Willie C]

Sounds like you are really looking forward to this job.

If you want to practice before they call you, here's what you should do:

Go in to your garage and grab 3-4 boxes of varying size and weight. Throw them in to the back seat of your car. Ask your wife to drive you to the nearest cul de sac. Have her pull the car over, you get out, grab the packages and ask her to point at which houses they go to. Once they have all been "delivered" gather them all up, drive a bit further down the street and do it all over again.

Now you are all set to be the ideal helper.

Ha ha. Lol. Fair representation. Real smooth last season, no Dogs, decent weather, few Customer gripes, I really did enjoy it. The Driver that I worked with was super laid back and professional. I liked that I didn’t take the job home with me and when I wasn’t delivering I could just sit back and day dream about Hawaii and the great “scenery” there. Thanks.

 

[Willie C]

Are PVDs getting the easier residental stops? They need someone to Exclusively do pickups. That's what killed my driver and myself years ago. Going out of your way for pickups when you already have 200 more deliveries.

Right now, the inside union guys who signed up to driver help are getting the run around, let alone new blood. So I want to say be patient. But I just don't know

They will literally call you at 10am or even as late as 4 wanting you to meet up somewhere, leaving your car in vulnerable spots. It's always at their convenience. I know most inside guys quit helping after a week or two. So the floodgates should be opening up soon.

One guy drives 25 miles out of his way. They won't pair him with someone in his home area. They wanted me to drive across the city during rush hour to meet a guy, even though I'm two miles from their hub. They could with a touch of effort make easier and better pairs. I would love to driver help in my neighborhood. But they threw me across town. Never again. I didn't get a call for a solid 2-3 weeks. Week of christmas they finally wanted me.

Oh and they were out of uniforms so I went out and bought a brown jacket.
Total amateur hour many years back. And nothing's changed.

I hear one guy in our building is getting 8hrs/day helping. So the work is out there apparently. He's one of maybe 12 that signed, 2-3 remain.

Being on call is the worst. More stable peak hours/jobs are all around. Go there. Don't wait for ups IMHO.

Wow, I’m glad that wasn’t my experience last season. I’m just impatient. For me, leaving my vehicle in a vulnerable spot did suck, but truly that’s my only gripe. A driver did call me last year and wanted to meet at an area no where near me so I told him that I couldn’t make it. I got used regularly 3-8 hrs most days up until Jan. 12th or around there. Thanks

 

[Willie C]

Are PVDs getting the easier residental stops? They need someone to Exclusively do pickups. That's what killed my driver and myself years ago. Going out of your way for pickups when you already have 200 more deliveries.

Right now, the inside union guys who signed up to driver help are getting the run around, let alone new blood. So I want to say be patient. But I just don't know

They will literally call you at 10am or even as late as 4 wanting you to meet up somewhere, leaving your car in vulnerable spots. It's always at their convenience. I know most inside guys quit helping after a week or two. So the floodgates should be opening up soon.

One guy drives 25 miles out of his way. They won't pair him with someone in his home area. They wanted me to drive across the city during rush hour to meet a guy, even though I'm two miles from their hub. They could with a touch of effort make easier and better pairs. I would love to driver help in my neighborhood. But they threw me across town. Never again. I didn't get a call for a solid 2-3 weeks. Week of christmas they finally wanted me.

Oh and they were out of uniforms so I went out and bought a brown jacket.
Total amateur hour many years back. And nothing's changed.

I hear one guy in our building is getting 8hrs/day helping. So the work is out there apparently. He's one of maybe 12 that signed, 2-3 remain.

Being on call is the worst. More stable peak hours/jobs are all around. Go there. Don't wait for ups IMHO.

I bought my own Brown Hoodie too!

 

[Willie C]

At least you’re workin!

 

[ZeroHandicapper]

So I guess it's a definite no to using any of the preloaders as helpers as well?

We started using helpers yesterday. 5 preloaders all went out for 5-9 hours each. Only two went out today.

 

[Willie C]

We started using helpers yesterday. 5 preloaders all went out for 5-9 hours each. Only two went out today.

Hmm, interesting. I guess it’s just not that busy out here, yet. Thanks

 

[ZeroHandicapper]

Hmm, interesting. I guess it’s just not that busy out here, yet. Thanks

I am preload and it is coming man. I know at our facility, they ask the preload before anyone, then call the helpers. I have my own business and only there part time, but wanted to do it to see what it was like. It was boring, but man I was as sore, if not more, than my first day or preload. Mad props to those drivers that do it every single day. I know its like anything else, get some reps in and muscle memory. It was real and it was fun, but not real fun.
Give it another week and you will be busting your butt man!

 

[ZeroHandicapper]

Hmm, interesting. I guess it’s just not that busy out here, yet. Thanks

Also...the driver helper coordinator was training yesterday. So they are for sure getting ready to start calling people.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Thanks, that’s more info that I’ve gotten from most. We’ll see.

The rules vary from area to area. I was just using the ones for my area as a for instance. We're being told they are having a hard time finding helpers in my center, so planning sounds like it'll be a nightmare.

If they send me out with the normal peak numbers without a helper, I'm pretty sure I'll be working 70 hrs/week.

 

[Willie C]

I am preload and it is coming man. I know at our facility, they ask the preload before anyone, then call the helpers. I have my own business and only there part time, but wanted to do it to see what it was like. It was boring, but man I was as sore, if not more, than my first day or preload. Mad props to those drivers that do it every single day. I know its like anything else, get some reps in and muscle memory. It was real and it was fun, but not real fun.
Give it another week and you will be busting your butt man!

 

[Willie C]

I need it Brother, I’m getting fat just sitting around. I really do enjoy it and I know I’m just being impatient. It is different from last season, but that’s the way things go. $16.80 this season plus the weekly attendance bonus, so not too shabby. Thanks

 

[MattM]

Wow, I’m glad that wasn’t my experience last season. I’m just impatient. For me, leaving my vehicle in a vulnerable spot did suck, but truly that’s my only gripe. A driver did call me last year and wanted to meet at an area no where near me so I told him that I couldn’t make it. I got used regularly 3-8 hrs most days up until Jan. 12th or around there. Thanks

Also. Many in my building who say NO once never get called again for days or weeks. You miss their call and you won't get a call for weeks. It was frustrating waiting around a phone days on end. If you can get in and hook up with a driver, it's easier dealing directly with them.

Overall, I would not recommend that job to anyone. Too much work for too much run-around.

 

[eats packages]

It's easier to do helpers as an inside preloader here because the building helper coordinator and the region helper coordinator are in the same building and you can just like... physically talk to them about available work.

It’s going to be terrible , we got crushed with weather today ...tons of ECs

It's been a cakewalk ever since they put in the peak routes. Shame I did not qualify. Less than 9 hours of work for the majority of drivers. 240 average piece count and most of them are turning into amazon envelopes. Hopefully it stays good.

PVDs are starting to quit, but nothing too terrifying yet. Our center is not utilizing PVDs. It is a project given to an adjacent center.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Also. Many in my building who say NO once never get called again for days or weeks. You miss their call and you won't get a call for weeks. It was frustrating waiting around a phone days on end. If you can get in and hook up with a driver, it's easier dealing directly with them.

Overall, I would not recommend that job to anyone. Too much work for too much run-around.

I have worked with many helpers over the years------some were really good and others not so good. I was able to get 3 of them hired on after Peak. I think a big part of that was using my helper as more than a "point at house and have them drop off" worker. I taught them the basics of the DIAD and most were able to work independently.

There is no reason that a helper should have to drive 25 miles or more just to meet up with their driver.

The way our center worked it was they would assign us a helper and set everything up for the first day and it was then up to the driver to take it from there.

I did have one kid who worked on the inside who was supposed to be my helper after his shift-----he made the mistake of going home and laying down "just for a moment" and ended up sleeping through our shift.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

I have worked with many helpers over the years------some were really good and others not so good. I was able to get 3 of them hired on after Peak. I think a big part of that was using my helper as more than a "point at house and have them drop off" worker. I taught them the basics of the DIAD and most were able to work independently.

There is no reason that a helper should have to drive 25 miles or more just to meet up with their driver.

The way our center worked it was they would assign us a helper and set everything up for the first day and it was then up to the driver to take it from there.

I did have one kid who worked on the inside who was supposed to be my helper after his shift-----he made the mistake of going home and laying down "just for a moment" and ended up sleeping through our shift.

I hope that you issued a warning letter. Lol.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I hope that you issued a warning letter. Lol.

No but Tre and I had a very one sided chat the next morning.

 

[burrheadd]

No but Tre and I had a very one sided chat the next morning.

too bad he didn’t tell you to friend* off

 

[trickpony1]

No but Tre and I had a very one sided chat the next morning.

Tell us the story again about when you had the center manager's daughter as a helper.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Tell us the story again about when you had the center manager's daughter as a helper.

She was the one that hit him in the crosswalk....

 

[Analbumcover]

Don't worry, I'm sure UPS will have you out on the road and helping by St. Patrick's Day at the latest.