Considering a job as a driver

bravozero

Member
Hey folks. I'm in the process of changing careers and currently considering UPS as a driver. Background... I'm an 8 year cop who is sick of this job (for political and personal reasons). Unfortunately with no degree or trade experience, finding a job that pays close is almost non existant. Fortunately the driver position I'm considering pays only a few bucks less an hour than what I make now and I don't have to worry about people purposely trying to kill me for what I do for a living.

Anyway, I've been trying to find a direct answers to a couple questions I have. 1) do health insurance benefits start immediately or do I have a lapse in health insurance between when I start and a certain period of time? This is important as I have two kids and a wife to care for. 2) for those working in Frederick MD, are there no M-friend driver spots open and only T-S? What are the routes like and the workload?

Thanks.
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
I just looked through the Atlantic Area Supplement contract, I didn't see a section referring to benefits. It may be in a local rider. In my local out west, full time benefits start the month after the first month you work at least 40 (or maybe 80) hours. So here you'd be looking at at least a month gap.

As for the M-friend vs T-S issue, as of October they should be moving most regular driver schedules back to m-friend and using 22.4 drivers (a sort of hybrid driver position) to fill the T-S and W-sun schedules, assuming they use 22.4 drivers.

The longer you are there the better your chances of bidding onto a better route and schedule.
 

churn n’ burn

Well-Known Member
I thought you had to get seniority before you got benefits but I could be wrong. Look for full time driver (non 22.4) positions. If you make it in, you will be Tues-Sat until they finally make the move to M-friend for regular drivers. Its about to be peak season now so you'll prob work Mon through Friday until December when we do 6 days. You may not find out if you made seniority until after peak, so work your ass off between now and then and when you are in your "qualifying period". Good luck.
 

churn n’ burn

Well-Known Member
What he's tryin to say is that you prob won't make it full time right off the street. It's not true though, especially right now. All about work ethic and likeability. You have a college degree?
 

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
Care to elaborate?

they take six part timers for every one off the street hire unless your banging the bosses daughter or Superman very hard to get that 1 spot
So you go work part time in the hub sorting boxes until you’ve acquired enough seniority to be one of the six
 

CoolStoryBro

Well-Known Member
Care to elaborate?

UPS rarely hires full times drivers off the street. Traditional path is to work part time as a loader inside the building until you have enough seniority to get a full time driver job.

In my area you don't get health benefits until 9 months after you are hired. But every area is different as there are hundreds of different local and regional union contracts.
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
Here's the thing. Since I've had this job and benefits, we have almost never had a non-preventative reason to go to the doctor. Of course, the moment you aren't covered little Johnny gets diagnosed with leukemia.
 

Fido

Don’t worry he’s friendly
Worse thing you can do is rely on this job to take care of you because of how hard you can get screwed over. It’s literally a fight about life outside a job to a bunch of people running the show who don’t care about you, your family, or your health. You are a liability who can be replaced in their eyes. Benefits and pay are great of you get into the right position, but a lot of people just don’t want to deal with it. Most 15-20+ year drivers here say if they would of started now they would have quit.
 

SLW

Well-Known Member
Hey folks. I'm in the process of changing careers and currently considering UPS as a driver. Background... I'm an 8 year cop who is sick of this job (for political and personal reasons). Unfortunately with no degree or trade experience, finding a job that pays close is almost non existant. Fortunately the driver position I'm considering pays only a few bucks less an hour than what I make now and I don't have to worry about people purposely trying to kill me for what I do for a living.

Anyway, I've been trying to find a direct answers to a couple questions I have. 1) do health insurance benefits start immediately or do I have a lapse in health insurance between when I start and a certain period of time? This is important as I have two kids and a wife to care for. 2) for those working in Frederick MD, are there no M-friend driver spots open and only T-S? What are the routes like and the workload?

Thanks.
I'm very close to Frederick. I don't blame you for the career change.
No one is being hired as M-friend at this point as far as I can tell. You'll be moved to M-friend after some period of time. I've been here a year and they're talking about doing it soon (not that I want that). You'll probably be 22.4 and just be covering routes until you have seniority to bid your own. Not sure what the workload is like where you are, but I know Frederick and can't imagine the routes being too terrible, even if they're heavy. Probably a good deal of country/resi mixes which are nice.
 
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BadIdeaGuy

Moderator
Staff member
I'm very close to Frederick. I don't blame you for the career change.
1) I don't recall when my benefits started, but it was definitely after no more than 30 days of work (the probationary period)
2) No one is being hired as M-friend at this point as far as I can tell. You'll be moved to M-friend after some period of time. I've been here a year and they're talking about doing it soon (not that I want that). You'll probably be 22.4 and just be covering routes until you have seniority to bid your own. Not sure what the workload is like where you are, but I know Frederick and can't imagine the routes being too terrible, even if they're heavy. Probably a good deal of country/resi mixes which are nice.
Insurance kicks in after 9 months, after this latest contract knocked it down from a year.

I call it the "no pregnant chicks" rule.
 
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