Dispatch/Cover Drivers

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

Two questions:

1. Do cover drivers work less a week (paid) because they skip lunch?

2. Since peak, what is the average dispatch hours for your routes?

 

[Pooter]

I'm a FT swing(cover) driver and I average about 9.5 hrs dispatched.

My 8k section always has some random neighboring loop crap on it.

I take my lunch just so I'm not the first dork to get extra work

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

Do you think dispatches are better at hubs/more drivers than smaller centers? Or is there to many variable involved to know for sure?

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

variables

 

[9.5er]

Why do you say cover drivers skip lunch? That's the runner/gunners that skip lunch.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Do you think dispatches are better at hubs/more drivers than smaller centers? Or is there to many variable involved to know for sure?

Our center is much smaller. The dispatches are always the same at ours. 9 hr days. But, brownslave is an ot whore in his smaller center

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

Most of our cover drivers are runners! Not all but most.
That's why! Good distinction though!

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

Our center is much smaller. The dispatches are always the same at ours. 9 hr days. But, brownslave is an ot whore in his smaller center

That's nice!! Our center, which averages 79-80 routes a day, averaged 10-12 hours a day on dispatch last week. Jan is typically heavier though right?

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Id say it depends on where you are. We stay the same for 10 month of the yr. Till x Mas. Have 22 areas. Have been running 30 Tuesday to Friday this month. Monday is a grab bag

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

The dispatch guy did say that the average route is suppose to be 9.1 a day but with call-ins, no temp drivers, and unpredictable volume numbers it ends up being higher!

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Thats when you ---"kick em in the nuts " right Jump

 

[Jackburton]

That's nice!! Our center, which averages 79-80 routes a day, averaged 10-12 hours a day on dispatch last week. Jan is typically heavier though right?

No, it's lighter on routes. Wall Street is pissed at UPS, UPS is pissed they didn't make max volume to the trucks. UPS will rectify this for the rest of the year in such a way you haven't seen in years. We are ready.....to pile it on.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Thats when you ---"kick em in the nuts " right Jump

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

That was my first thought after the headlines came out. I have a chance to go full-time driving and when I saw what happened it gave me second thoughts!

 

[3 done 3 to go]

I'm. Sorry. But if a guy did that to me. I'd try to rip his helmet off. And beat him. Hope his gear helped

 

[CHALLY9TX]

Most of the newbie cover drivers are runners and skip lunch. Unfortunately I was one of those. Learned my lesson. I think in most centers dispatch is based on stops per car and not hours.

 

[PT Car Washer]

That was my first thought after the headlines came out. I have a chance to go full-time driving and when I saw what happened it gave me second thoughts!

Could be a rough couple months. A lot of baby boomers are going to be leaving in the next couple years so think of getting in now as being on the ground floor for advancements in 5 years or less. A lot better then the last 20 years when drivers stayed forever.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Most of the newbie cover drivers are runners and skip lunch. Unfortunately I was one of those. Learned my lesson. I think in most centers dispatch is based on stops per car and not hours.

No doubt. Stops per car. We all did it. Most learn over time. Then we do only what has to be done. At one pace. There are some who are just wound different. Ups seeks that personality. They made a mistake with me.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Could be a rough couple months. A lot of baby boomers are going to be leaving in the next couple years so think of getting in now as being on the ground floor for advancements in 5 years or less. A lot better then the last 20 years when drivers stayed forever.

Our tiny center will be having 6 retire in the next 5yrs

 

[thisjobaintforeverybody]

We are suppose to be getting 19 driving jobs this year spread out between 3 centers. I would be #1, so I would have some guys underneath me. I have been a bid eam driver for seven years and done some basic temp driving during the summer and peak.

I have a good relationship with a lot of the drivers. I have a good basic skeleton knowledge of the area in the center I would go to.

The problem is, like everyone else who has a family, the long hours away from the family! I know the pro's and con's but it's still a tough choice. I'll have to make decision this week.