scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I'm own my second Helper. The first one was just too slow. I got a old guy like me that likes to work. He shows up on time and doesn't complain. He works the Preload and then meets me the same time I drop my golf cart route off. He had over sixty hours this week so I let him have the day off today. I'm on my second golf cart helper. The first one flunked Intergard and didn't think that we deliver in the rain, so he quit. And he wants to be a driver? My new one was in the same Integrad class. He is hungry and wants the job. He is getting driver's pay, I'm not sure about him yet after two days. I delivered today what he was supposed to deliver yesterday.
 

watdaflock?

Well-Known Member
#1 Make your helper do all of the work.
#2 The driver stays on the vehicle, searching for their next stops package.
#3 The helper must bring their own food, drink and bread bag for any emergency defecating while working.
#4 A driver shall never wait for their helper, if late to meet.
#5 To show appreciation, allow the helper to accept one holiday cookie (a day) if offered by receptionists at business stops.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
You dont.
If she is working safely and to the best of her ability, then its the company's problem not yours. They chose to hire her, therefore they choose to accept her limitations. Do the best you can and let the company make the necessary adjustments to the dispatch. Or not. You will work 60 hours for the next 3 weeks regardless of how good or bad your helper is.

Respectfully but completely disagree.

I would work with her for a day or so but if I felt that she was not going to be able to keep up I would request a different helper. If they denied my request I would go out alone and let the chips fall where they may.
 

1989

Well-Known Member
When I have a least best helper, I will often split a multiple package stop. Send them with two and I'll take one. In order to show them the right pace.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Respectfully but completely disagree.

I would work with her for a day or so but if I felt that she was not going to be able to keep up I would request a different helper. If they denied my request I would go out alone and let the chips fall where they may.
The poster I quoted indicated that his helper, while slow, was at least reliable about reporting to work on time.

It has been my experience that a significant percentage of helpers are incapable of even that. Firing an otherwise reliable helper for being too slow means you could wind up with one who is even worse, that cant be depended on to report on time (or at all) and that must be re-trained on the DIAD.

It is simply unrealistic to place expectations of a $35 per hour work pace on someone who is only being paid minumum wage.

If the company wants more productive helpers then it can pay for more productive helpers. There are multiple "help wanted" signs up and down the main drag of my town, in virtually every storefront and restaraunt window. Jobs are there to be had and the only people who will accept minimum wage under UPS conditions ( temporary, irregular hours, outdoors in weather) are the people who are unable to get a better job elsewhere.
 

dupa

On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation.
Best helper ever this year. On time, dumber than a bag of rocks, strong as an ox. Just dont give him two stops or more on one jump.
 

JL 0513

Well-Known Member
And what's up with helpers all saying they want hours but 3 hours into a shift they are itching to go home? Apparently UPS likes to tell these people they'll get 40 hour weeks and then when they don't they complain. At the same time, they're always anxious to go home.
 

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
#1 Make your helper do all of the work.
#2 The driver stays on the vehicle, searching for their next stops package.
#3 The helper must bring their own food, drink and bread bag for any emergency defecating while working.
#4 A driver shall never wait for their helper, if late to meet.
#5 To show appreciation, allow the helper to accept one holiday cookie (a day) if offered by receptionists at business stops.
#6 if helper is to slow getting back to the car slowly start to drive off that will usually get them to go faster
 

wayfair

swollen member
Respectfully but completely disagree.

I would work with her for a day or so but if I felt that she was not going to be able to keep up I would request a different helper. If they denied my request I would go out alone and let the chips fall where they may.

they are paying you to use a helper, IE is counting on you to use them so they can keep their job, how do you refuse to work as directed???
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
And what's up with helpers all saying they want hours but 3 hours into a shift they are itching to go home? Apparently UPS likes to tell these people they'll get 40 hour weeks and then when they don't they complain. At the same time, they're always anxious to go home.

We worked this past Saturday which made yesterday a light day. On Friday I had given my helper out meet point and time for Monday but ended up not needing him. He was surprised when I sent him a text telling him to enjoy his "snow day" and that I would see tomorrow (today) at 9:45 outside of Gamestop.

He wants the hours but there have been days when he has wanted to go home after just a few hours.
 

ups1990

Well-Known Member
Best helper ever this year. On time, dumber than a bag of rocks, strong as an ox. Just dont give him two stops or more on one jump.
I too have a very good helper, he's helped me be in the top 10% of drivers back in. I reward him with drinks and snack throught the day. He makes funny mistakes, I'll park in front of a delivery house and he'll proceed to walk either to the left or right of the correct house.
 

Rack em

Made the Podium
I too have a very good helper, he's helped me be in the top 10% of drivers back in. I reward him with drinks and snack throught the day. He makes funny mistakes, I'll park in front of a delivery house and he'll proceed to walk either to the left or right of the correct house.
Haha mine did the same thing today a few times.

*Parks right in front of house to deliver to in the middle of the block*
Me: It's the house right there (points)
Helper: ok (He must have meant the one 2 houses down on the corner)
Me: Where are you going?!
Helper: Oh yeah...
 

wayfair

swollen member
my helper knows how much will be paid depending on effort.... when it starts to get dark, the effort is increased so as not to allow much work in the dark
I hate working in the dark..
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
We worked this past Saturday which made yesterday a light day. On Friday I had given my helper out meet point and time for Monday but ended up not needing him. He was surprised when I sent him a text telling him to enjoy his "snow day" and that I would see tomorrow (today) at 9:45 outside of Gamestop.

He wants the hours but there have been days when he has wanted to go home after just a few hours.

We talked at length about the helper position, specifically the rate of pay. He is making $10.15/hr and we both agreed that it should be at least $15/hr. He asked if we were having a hard time attracting quality applicants-----it was all I could do to hold my tongue----and I told him that this is the first year that we are struggling in that area.

One of our helper's has a Mom who is one of the managers at Staples. She told me that her son received a call from the helper coordinator at 8 am saying that his driver would be calling him to set up a meet point and time. The driver didn't call until noon and she said that her son just sat there for the 4 hours as he wanted to make sure that he was ready to go when the call came in. To me that is just wrong-----call the kid and give him a heads up so he is not wasting his morning. I suggested to her to have him call to see if he could work for a few hours in the morning with one driver and then meet up in the afternoon with the other.
 
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