Accident while in packet

agbrown

Member
Hello. I'm still in my packet as a FT driver, coming from 7 years as a PT HV direct (pick-off).

Today I almost got stuck in a customers yard, leaving a long rut.

I pushed the dirt back in the rut as best I could and left a message to the customer. Also notified supervisor.

Sups say we will talk more about it tomorrow morning. Am I finished?

What's the best way to handle tomorrow's sit down?

Thanks for any advice.
 

disneyworld

Well-Known Member
If you are saying you are on your 30 days, this usually is considered an accident. And an accident within your 30 days usually means you're all done. But you never know, talk to your "stewart" in the morning.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
This may depend on several factors. We are charged with an accident if we tear up someone's yard. Did the customer complain? I would call them and apologize myself. How bad does your Center want you? Does your Center want to report such a minor thing and have it mess up their numbers? If you are a good worker and they like you, it is not impossible that this might be "overlooked". But on the other hand, the first time I went driving, the last day I had the Supervisor on the car I barely touched a traffic sign with a mirror. He told me to pull over, he drove the rest of the day and I went back to the Hub for another year. Good luck tomorrow, I would show remorse and hope for the best.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"Am I finished?"

Not necessarily. You did all the right things (other than driving on a lawn!). Nice note, reported to sup...

Summer vacations are coming right up, and we'll need all the bodies we have! We've already put a lot of time and effort (and money) into your training. Hopefully, the management team likes you.

Go into the meeting with a positive attitude. Good luck, and let us know what happens!
 

browndude

Well-Known Member
we have always been told that it is an accident only if ups has to pay to fix the ruts in the yard. we have had several drivers go to a customers house on the weekend to help him smooth it over.
 

CFLBrown

Well-Known Member
Why were you in the yard in the first place? Backing up to turn around? Little more story could explain why you got in to the situation. G/L
 

agbrown

Member
Right now I'm 21 days into my packet and they just switched me to a new route (4th day on -- the previous route didn't have AIR and very few businesses..overflow). Of course they stressed on running scratch the last three days at least to qualify.

It was a rookie/stupid mistake. I didn't have to pull in the driveway. I was in an area with 50yard front lawns...after running four of them I decided to pull in the driveway on the last trying to save time. The driveway had a slight curve to it and I friend'ed up on the way out. I'm just glad I was able to get the car loose.

On the note to the customer I said I was extremely sorry and would like to repair their yard, leaving my number (no call yet).

My training sup asked if I thought the grass would grow back. I told him I doubt it since it was quite deep. He also mentioned that it is technically an accident but we'll see tomorrow. He went out to look at the damage after I came in.

As for my relations with management, I would say just above average. I'm no all-star, only ran scratch one day thus far. hmm

I'll let you know how it turns out. :) Thanks again, guys.
 

BCFan

Well-Known Member
:tongue_sm well i know you have learned a lesson....to get one of those folding shovels used by G.I.'s to de-trench those beautiful lawns....another suggestion in to get a hammer to nail the cable line back up after you hear that sound like a guitar string breaking.... gotta learn basic lawn and garden repair....also shovel can be useful when a dog commits suicide by running under your wheels:w00t: :w00t: :thumbup1: BC
 

DS

Fenderbender
I think the outcome all comes down to your center mngmt team and if they can tell the difference between a minor
rookie error and a real accident.The fact that you left a note
and reported it to your sup shows you have the honesty and
integrity to learn from this error.
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
You did the right thing by reporting the "accident" to your supervisor. This may be placed under property damage. For example, you knock a vase off a shelf and it breaks....This is property damage.

You are in probation. The union cannot help you at this point in time. You need to rely on your supervisor and manager. If they feel you have what it takes you may be able to keep your job. DO NOT do anything that can jeopardize your job. Your job may not be in jeopardy. Talk with your supervisor tomorrow. See what comes out of that discussion.

If you are doing a good job your efforts will shine through....Good Luck!
 

CFLBrown

Well-Known Member
Don't take shortcuts. I hope everything works out. If I see a nice lawn or driveway. The wheels of the truck dont hit it, period. I do get lucky to drive across long lawns and driveways thanks to the remote areas I deliver. Nothing like 1/4 mile long dirt driveways lined with trees and a limited place to turn around. Where did I put my DR bags so I can leave the bag at the fence ;)
 

SmithBarney

Well-Known Member
Your chances are probably pretty good.
although UPS is a mystery sometimes..
Two under 30 day drivers.

one guy ripped the front end off a brand new parked truck(tail swing)
he got his job back

Another bumped a sign(no damage to sign, a little scratch on truck) and he was canned...never to return.

First guy worked harder and had good numbers, the second was kinda slow, but by no means horrible.

So its a crap shoot.
 

agbrown

Member
follow up = I got DQ'ed this morning.

On Friday, center manager said all was good so long as customer didn;t file a claim. Told me not to let it get to me during driving.

Over the weekend I spoke to customer. Extremely nice and very reasonable. She was taken aback by my note and thought I didn't need to report it to UPS (too late). I planned on going over there this coming weekend to repair it out of my own pocket.

Center manager said he talked with some safety mgr and was told he had to report it as an accident. Hands were tied. A steward was there, but he just backed up what mgr was saying. So much for integrity and putting your people first.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
When I was in driver training school, the safety sup. defined an accident as "A collision between a UPS vehicle and another object that causes damage to the UPS vehicle or other object"

From what you described, I don't think you vehicle caused any damage. I mean, lets think about this. The fix was to fill a hole with dirt. Is this really damage?

It also depends on how manicured their yard was. If you put a whole in a lawn that was just sodded the day before, than I would call that an accident.

But if you put a tire mark in a front yard that is nothing but dirt and sticks and dead leaves, and the homeowner puts zero care into his yard, I would call this a non-accident and not even report it.

Anyway, good luck, and this should teach you a lesson: STAY OUT OF RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAYS. Nothing good can come of it. Take the time and walk the package off. Whats more important, you saving 95 seconds by backing up a driveway, or spending the end of your day on the phone with Liberty Mutual for 30 minutes?

The only time I go into driveways is if I need to turn around or the house is 1/8 of a mile away and I KNOW there is a large area to turn around in at the end. Otherwise I just leave it at the mailbox.:lol: :lol: Just kidding we beat this horse to death in a series of posts last year:thumbup1:
 

swing_drv

Well-Known Member
Cool just let it go. They could have burned you for not following safety driving rules. So just chalk it up as a lesson learned.
 
B

BROWNSLAVE

Guest
Heck no, you did right thing. But it might be a blessing to get canned and quit killing yourself
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"So just chalk it up as a lesson learned."

No, they suck. What a foolish thing to call that an accident. It was GRASS! We work for a foolish company.

Then they wonder why no-one will get them more volume!
 

Channahon

Well-Known Member
Over,
My husband and I just moved back home after I retired. We had a custom home built. Rather than pay a landscaper, we are somewhat creative, we decided to do our own landscaping.

I have never worked harder than when I was a package car driver. Sod weighs a ton, granite stones weigh a ton. So I would be upset if any driver ran over my landscaping.

And I felt the same way working for UPS, until I saw photos of the damage that some of our drivers had done. And by the way, sometimes our hourly employees are not aware of the claims paid by UPS via Libery Mutual to take care of the error in judgement by our drivers.

Should a driver be terminated for this on thier packet, personally, I don't think so. But a serious talk to would be appropiate.
 

CFLBrown

Well-Known Member
"So just chalk it up as a lesson learned."

No, they suck. What a foolish thing to call that an accident. It was GRASS! We work for a foolish company.

Then they wonder why no-one will get them more volume!

They still see it as property damage. I don't agree with the decision. I've been in areas where you are limited to where you can turn around. Dead end streets that are no way possible to walk a package off. Actually, you can if you want to take 5 minutes to do a stop. I pulled up some small driveway today and a lady invited me to turn around on her grass.
 
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