Age you started and years it took to get friend/t

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I was 17 when I was hired as a Loader on the Midnight Sort in 1975. I bid on a route and started driving Package Car in 1984.
 

paganpink

Well-Known Member
21 when hired, p/t supervisor at 25 (still attending college), driver at 28. I could have reached friend/t driving sooner if I hadn't been a p/t supervisor, or dropped out of school, but I don't regret it. UPS later paid for me to return to school and receive an MBA degree using tuition reimbursement.
 

ezmoney5150

Well-Known Member
I started at 18 on the preload. I was classified full time 7 years later. I was working full time without classification after 3 years. Preload, Air Exceptions, Sat. Air, Double shifting twilight, night.
 

Covemastah

Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
24 yrs old hired to unload, showed up asked if i could drive a stick ?? put on pkg car that same day 19 yrs of bliss feeders last 5 yrs:happy2:
 

si_dan

Member
28 years old hired as a full time driver 19 years ago. 16 years to progress to feeder. Those years seemed to zip by in retrospect.
 

tups

Well-Known Member
I started as a full time driver off the street at 40 years old. Guess I just applied at the right time to get in. Now I am looking at getting out sometime this spring. To me the job has gotten harder in just the last 3 years, and I know I would never be able to make it to retirement the way we are pushed now. The guys I know that started 15 years ago, had a different animal back then, and were younger than I was when they started. And the young guys I see coming on now will have a hard time making retirement. Some of them have been here only a year or two, and they are already complaining about how much they hurt. 2 of them have already been out on injuries. And before those of you who push the methods so hard jump on me, I use them. And the other guys I know use them too. It's just that the job has gotten that much more physically demanding. I hear stories about how 5, 10 years ago we didn't deliver 25 boxes of copy paper to offices, Pottery barn, and there was less over 70's going through back then. This all ads up despite how safe we work. And in the time I have been here I have seen the job get worse as far as how hard we are pushed, and treated by management. (I'm sure most of you can relate to that, and it doesn't need any explaining).
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
I started as a full time driver off the street at 40 years old. Guess I just applied at the right time to get in. Now I am looking at getting out sometime this spring. To me the job has gotten harder in just the last 3 years, and I know I would never be able to make it to retirement the way we are pushed now. The guys I know that started 15 years ago, had a different animal back then, and were younger than I was when they started. And the young guys I see coming on now will have a hard time making retirement. Some of them have been here only a year or two, and they are already complaining about how much they hurt. 2 of them have already been out on injuries. And before those of you who push the methods so hard jump on me, I use them. And the other guys I know use them too. It's just that the job has gotten that much more physically demanding. I hear stories about how 5, 10 years ago we didn't deliver 25 boxes of copy paper to offices, Pottery barn, and there was less over 70's going through back then. This all ads up despite how safe we work. And in the time I have been here I have seen the job get worse as far as how hard we are pushed, and treated by management. (I'm sure most of you can relate to that, and it doesn't need any explaining).
It all depends on the individual. Some are in good physical and emotional shape and don't mind it. others well...can't hang. :dissapointed:
 

CBUK

Well-Known Member
Started as a FT driver at 23.

Just completed 10 years service on Jan 2 2008.

There must be easier ways to get a wristwatch!:wink2:
 

barnyard

KTM rider
I was 34 when I started at UPS and my FT seniority date is my 5 year anniversary. I work with a guy that worked the preload for 9 years and another for 7 waiting for a FT gig.

Our last 4 hires were off the street, all the PT people had either signed bids or were not qualified. One of the PTs lost his license because of an unpaid parking ticket. He got it back the next day, but his background check revealed it, so he has to wait. If you are working PT waiting for a driving job, PROTECT your license.

I doubt that I will make it 15 more years.

TB
 

PTer4Ever

Active Member
I was p/t for 9.5 years before finally becoming a friend/t service provider a few weeks ago. No, I was not trying to wait that long. That's just how long the wait is in our building. I can't believe some of you only waiting a few short months or years to go friend/t. In our building, if you weren't hired by 2000, you're looking at about ANOTHER 5-6 year wait.
 
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