Brown's response to economic downturns

[rushfan]

Rumors are flying that more districts will be consolidated. i.e. Idaho/Utah. Maybe management buyouts like the 90's will happen. IMHO UPS will not end up like AIG and the others. It does make me a bit concerned to have a CEO who didn't work his way up through the UPS ladder. He came from an aircraft avionics manufacturing company that UPS bought out.

We'll see in January.

 

[Babagounj]

As a company, one of our biggest times of growth was during the great depression. This was the time when as a company we went from one coast to another.

So why does my building have a tiled map up that says 1964, when operations started in Massachusetts ? And do you know about the differences between intrastate & interstate ?

 

[Big Babooba]

As a company, one of our biggest times of growth was during the great depression. This was the time when as a company we went from one coast to another.

We will continue as a company to prevail. As somebody said earlier, this will result in some contraction, reducing redundant parts of the company, consolidation of Districts and Regions that we've already seen, and unfortunately cutting back on staffing and hours.

The brown truck will continue to roll on, it might be a little dirty in the process because of the cost cutting, but we will continue to deliver.

Before Common Carrier status was granted in the 1950s, UPS focused on a few major cities around the country as well as the west coast. The real growth came in the 60's and 70's. When I started in 1978, a few pieces were still missing to complete the puzzle.

So why does my building have a tiled map up that says 1964, when operations started in Massachusetts ? And do you know about the differences between intrastate & interstate ?

Massachusetts service started around 1957. I knew a feeder driver whose seniority dated back to then (6 months before I was born). He told me that he was one of the first hired. I can't explain the map though.There were states that prohibited UPS from transporting packages intrastate, but they could not stop the interstate transport of packages. Also when our weight limit was 50 lbs, there were a few states that allowed a 70 lb weight limit on intrastate shipments. 50 lbs!!!! - Oh the good old days

 

[outamyway]

-Less (or none) car washing
-New info notices (once again!) that require less ink to print
-Stalling, or flat out refusing, to order new uniforms for drivers
-Cancelling 22.3s
-Not filling vacant 22.3s and full-time driver positions

These are some of the things I'm seeing as UPS's response to the economy. Things aren't so bad where I live but our center is cutting costs none the less.

We have been getting rid of package cars and feeder cabs left and right for the past few months. Less maintenance, registration, and insurance fees.

Right now we have 8 in the shop and 5 or 6 air drivers a day have to use bulk or double trip cars for EAM's or 10:30 air. I asked the center manager on Wednesday what we are going to do for the next two weeks. He said they are guaranteeing the mechanics will have all the cars currently in the shop fixed with in a few days.

My response, "Do they also guarantee no other trucks will break down?"

He liked that one....

 

[tunemixer]

Must be the packages you guys are losing are coming to us. We have received. two brand new p1000s and 3 new p700s in the last couple of months. Also we have a pickup truck (4 wheel drive ) with a box on the back brand new. Nobody has heard yet where that is going.
To cut some miles we have moved two of our routes out of the building to a remote site. These are high mileage routes. They pull a trailer with the stops to that site and the two drivers meet the trailer unload and load into their cars.They then bring pick up pieces back to that trailer to go back at night.This is all done outside.One of those routes was mine. I live 12-13 minutes from the center.I wasn't going to drive 30 minutes each way and load my own truck outside just to stay on the route.So I bid to another high mileage route.I over heard our DM talking to center manager on the phone saying he should be looking for a building that hold 5-6 cars and has a bathroom.Looks like more remotes could be in store.

 

[NaiveRapture]

Must be the packages you guys are losing are coming to us. We have received. two brand new p1000s and 3 new p700s in the last couple of months. Also we have a pickup truck (4 wheel drive ) with a box on the back brand new. Nobody has heard yet where that is going.

Yeah we also got... I want to say 4 new p1000s, and 2 or 3 p700s. I hope HOPE hope that I don't have to use a rental this peak.... that's going to blow.

 

[Fullhouse]

Talked with my center manager the other day and he told me that the buy outs are coming back. The odd thing was that they were going to take place in December of this year.This will be for all management with more than 3 years.

 

[NaiveRapture]

Talked with my center manager the other day and he told me that the buy outs are coming back. The odd thing was that they were going to take place in December of this year.This will be for all management with more than 3 years.

What are these buyouts you speak of?