Bid, Bid, Place ??? Help please!

Sniper08

Member
Alrighty guys, I need some help understanding this. It's called bid bid place. We had a FT driver leave (get fired). So they let 2 guys bid onto different routes and then put me on the route I have now. But I just went FT a week ago and 6 other cover drivers in front of me. My supervisor told me it would be my route until it goes up for rebid in January and occasionally someone could bump me and cover it every now and then. I ran it all last week. Any extra info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
 

Indecisi0n

Well-Known Member
Sounds like you have it "long term". Normally if a guy retires or goes out on comp you can bid to have the route long term which means you have it until either the bid driver returns or until they rebid the route.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
Alrighty guys, I need some help understanding this. It's called bid bid place. We had a FT driver leave (get fired). So they let 2 guys bid onto different routes and then put me on the route I have now. But I just went FT a week ago and 6 other cover drivers in front of me. My supervisor told me it would be my route until it goes up for rebid in January and occasionally someone could bump me and cover it every now and then. I ran it all last week. Any extra info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
In our local contract it is 1,2,3 bump. The first two bumps are posted bids to other FT's, the 3rd bid goes to part-timers. You haven't qualified yet and the route is open. Technically you're supposed to qualify on ONE route, and if you have already been doing another route, this might be something to talk with your steward about. If it's not a bad route and you started on the route first, you might want to let it go.
 

9.5er

Well-Known Member
The way it works is the vacant route is placed up for bid. If another bid driver takes it then his current route goes up for bid. If the second route is bid on by another bid driver then management places a cover driver on the third route.
 

9.5er

Well-Known Member
The OP said that he was told that he could be bumped from the route as needed which leads me to believe he is on a training route.
If he is placed on the route then it is his until next bid. (January in my center) He could be bumped ONLY if a senior driver has their route cut and they are the driver to bump him. Other wise a senior cover can't bump unless OP agrees to it.
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
Alrighty guys, I need some help understanding this. It's called bid bid place. We had a FT driver leave (get fired). So they let 2 guys bid onto different routes and then put me on the route I have now. But I just went FT a week ago and 6 other cover drivers in front of me. My supervisor told me it would be my route until it goes up for rebid in January and occasionally someone could bump me and cover it every now and then. I ran it all last week. Any extra info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

We call that training route. Management loves to attempt to make every route a training route even though they are only allowed two.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
How vast is your route knowledge? Here they will park a driver on a route like that long term if he really doesn't know any other routes. Gives that driver a chance to work every day unless bumped and become more acclimated to the job if new. Where I am it's usually a route of someone who is either out on disability, or took a feeder or 22.3.
 

retiredTxfeeder

cap'n crunch
I wouldn't get too comfy on the route. Even if it is a crappy route, some people if given the chance, will bump onto a route just because it beats being on cover or on call every day. Also, what if the driver who was fired comes back? That could change the dynamics of all the moves made so far.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't get too comfy on the route. Even if it is a crappy route, some people if given the chance, will bump onto a route just because it beats being on cover or on call every day. Also, what if the driver who was fired comes back? That could change the dynamics of all the moves made so far.
If he just became FT a week ago and was told this is your route till January, there is a very good chance that this is a horrible route that no other driver wants to do. Doubt he will be bumped. JMO
 
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DOK

Well-Known Member
Alrighty guys, I need some help understanding this. It's called bid bid place. We had a FT driver leave (get fired). So they let 2 guys bid onto different routes and then put me on the route I have now. But I just went FT a week ago and 6 other cover drivers in front of me. My supervisor told me it would be my route until it goes up for rebid in January and occasionally someone could bump me and cover it every now and then. I ran it all last week. Any extra info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Have you read what you wrote? Makes zero sense.

- "Ft guy gets fired so 2 guys bid onto diff rtes". What does that mean and what is the connection between the guy getting fired and the other 2 guys getting to bid?

- You say you just went full time a week ago and have a permanent rte, yet there's 6 cover guys ahead of you without rtes? That's impossible.
 

DOK

Well-Known Member
If he just became FT a week ago and was told this is your route till January, there is a very good chance that this is a horrible route that no other driver wants to do. Doubt he will be bumped. JMO

In our area you don't become FT until you successfully bid a vacant route. All cover drivers are considered part time. Full time route driver leaves/quits/gets fired/retires the highest seniority cover driver signs the bid sheet and becomes fulltime.

Even if the rte sucks you sign it just get full time, if you refuse to the next cover driver below you leap frogs you and becomes fulltime before you do.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
In our area you don't become FT until you successfully bid a vacant route. All cover drivers are considered part time. Full time route driver leaves/quits/gets fired/retires the highest seniority cover driver signs the bid sheet and becomes fulltime.

Even if the rte sucks you sign it just get full time, if you refuse to the next cover driver below you leap frogs you and becomes fulltime before you do.
FT cover drivers here. That's crazy how every part of the country is different. Are the PT cover drivers working FT hours? How could one be a PT cover driver? Don't they cover vacations. That's a full day.
 

FatherBrown

Well-Known Member
In our area you don't become FT until you successfully bid a vacant route. All cover drivers are considered part time. Full time route driver leaves/quits/gets fired/retires the highest seniority cover driver signs the bid sheet and becomes fulltime.

Even if the rte sucks you sign it just get full time, if you refuse to the next cover driver below you leap frogs you and becomes fulltime before you do.

Are you in a pretty small center? All our cover drivers that want to work everyday do just that.
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
Quick story that relates: in 2011? I bid a package car job that was "cover". Here in NE, we have full-time cover drivers who are FT seniority list. I was FT but not package car.

There were two jobs posted, both in same center. one was "cover" and the other was the worst hood route out of the 200+ between four centers. No one bid the hood route, but I bid cover. The steward and center manager made a side-deal to not put me on a training route, but put me on the route I intentionally stayed away from.

I'm not sure what the proper procedure was, but both the center manager and steward are NOT good people, they are and were as vile as can be. And the route was life-threatening ( the previous driver was held up at gunpoint and ended up quitting) . So I got out of the center.

Anyway, the point of the story is that UPS and the union can agree to whatever, but it's up to you whether or not you want to pick a battle.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
I am guessing the OP is in the central region. My building would work the same. A route is put up for bid; someone with a route bids it; that route is put up for bid, someone with a route bids it; now the 3rd move goes to the lowest seniority driver and is not bid.

I am guessing it is a 'local practice' thing and is done to save someone some paperwork.
 
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