I was just hired on as a driver helper. At orientation, the HR guy kept talking about how desparate they were for helpers because so many quit. He said " Don't waste my time if you plan to quit". He talked about how he really needs us to hustle and stick with it because in the long run, it's a great job to have. That we were going to be really busy and to expect busy days. He then gave us instructions to call in every morning at 10am to get our assignment. Well, day 1, I called in and was told they the didn't need helpers today...click, hung up on me. Today, day 2, I was told the HR guy didn't turn in the Da*m list and I wasn't on the roster. Don't need helpers today but hang in there, we'll call you if we need you, don't call us anymore, we've got your number. He then said I was hired as a back up in case someone quits because they quits daily. 18 others were hired with me. No one is working. Is this situation unique to my offfice that helpers are sort of "on call"..I've got bills to pay and am so willing to work and pay my dues. Any advice?
Driver helper with no work
- Thread starter caryotx
- Start date
BigBrownBear
New Member
Man are you in Tucson?
Sounds exactly what happened to me on Monday. I called in and they told me to take the day off.
About 3PM (on Monday) I got a call for a guy asking for a helper in my neighbourhood.
I've been workin' hard ever since.
Definetly a bad idea to make this helper job your only source of income, seeing as its an "on call" kind of thing it seems like.
But I see where you're coming from.
Sounds exactly what happened to me on Monday. I called in and they told me to take the day off.
About 3PM (on Monday) I got a call for a guy asking for a helper in my neighbourhood.
I've been workin' hard ever since.
Definetly a bad idea to make this helper job your only source of income, seeing as its an "on call" kind of thing it seems like.
But I see where you're coming from.
monkeynuts
Member
Sounds like the same thing we are going through here in VA. Just jerking us around for the last 7 months. I can only speak for myself but there are about 4 others that are parting ways with brown. Nothing good to say about the center I work in. Run for it my friend. Not worth the time and aggravation.
U
UPSBOT
Guest
Welcome to the Big Brown Lie. My helper drives 44 miles round trip to work one hour and fiftynine minutes.
BigBrownBear
New Member
Man I've been working my bum off.
Sorry that you're having trouble getting work man! I know it sucks, and for a brief time I was about ready to leave myself. The center kept jacking around with my hours the first two days, but now I've stuck with ONE driver and ONE time and ONE meeting place.
From other stories I've heard, I feel damn lucky.
Sorry that you're having trouble getting work man! I know it sucks, and for a brief time I was about ready to leave myself. The center kept jacking around with my hours the first two days, but now I've stuck with ONE driver and ONE time and ONE meeting place.
From other stories I've heard, I feel damn lucky.
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txmomof2b2g
Active Member
I started the week of Thanksgiving worked that Monday and Tuesday. That was it until that next week.
Then I only ended up with about 10 hrs. in for the week. This week well worked monday 2 hrs. and Hr called me Tuesday to tell me they didn't need me.
THen I worked 1 20 minutes today. They said that everything was still frozen up north . My husband said that a train didn't come through. So we will see.
I do have the same driver the days I do work. Except last week when I had a cover driver.
LOL my 13yr. old is getting my checks to cover her for babysitting while I work.
Then I only ended up with about 10 hrs. in for the week. This week well worked monday 2 hrs. and Hr called me Tuesday to tell me they didn't need me.
THen I worked 1 20 minutes today. They said that everything was still frozen up north . My husband said that a train didn't come through. So we will see.
I do have the same driver the days I do work. Except last week when I had a cover driver.
LOL my 13yr. old is getting my checks to cover her for babysitting while I work.
W
wakyzachyUPS
Guest
Yep, same here in Jersey. We need so many people. I started 3 weeks ago. They only gave me max 1 hour of work each day. It took me 1 hour to drive home b/c of the traffic. I wanted like 4 hours of work but they would not give it to me. I gave them 
on the phone and quit. I allready work part time at UPS anyway. I dont need more cr*p!!!
on the phone and quit. I allready work part time at UPS anyway. I dont need more cr*p!!!I'm a helper this year, and we got the same schpeel at orientation. The first ten days I didn't hear a thing, so I started wondering if I had made a mistake taking this job. Then I finally got my first call. As I was walking out the door to go meet my driver, I got called again and was told he only had 15 stops left and didn't need me, but they promised to call the next day to make up for my trouble. Didn't hear from them the next day.
The day after that, I did get called. I worked with the same guy for a week, but they wouldn't let him keep me for more than three hours because they didn't want to pay me to sit around while he did his pick-ups. This frustrated him (and me, since I'm doing this for the extra income) because after he dropped me off and did his pick-ups, he was still out for a couple/few more hours finishing his deliveries.
After my first week, they put me with a new driver, and I've been with him for over two weeks now. I start at the same time every day and stay with him until he is finished. They even stopped calling me, and just told me to continue to show up every day through the rest of peak.
Being new to UPS, I can't really give any advice about your situation, and I suppose it has a lot to do with location, etc. But from my own experience, I'd say give it a few days (if this is only your second day, as you say), and once they put you with a driver, work hard, be dependable and help your driver any way you can (more than just running - watch the addresses, learn his route, help him find that missing package, if he's busy and you're doing nothing go back and sort the mess he has to deal with, etc.) Don't be one of those helpers they're always complaining about - give them a reason to call you back each day. Hopefully you'll get called here soon, I think we've all been where you are now.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Just wanted to add my own experience, and also say that I really respect you drivers who do this all year long.
The day after that, I did get called. I worked with the same guy for a week, but they wouldn't let him keep me for more than three hours because they didn't want to pay me to sit around while he did his pick-ups. This frustrated him (and me, since I'm doing this for the extra income) because after he dropped me off and did his pick-ups, he was still out for a couple/few more hours finishing his deliveries.
After my first week, they put me with a new driver, and I've been with him for over two weeks now. I start at the same time every day and stay with him until he is finished. They even stopped calling me, and just told me to continue to show up every day through the rest of peak.
Being new to UPS, I can't really give any advice about your situation, and I suppose it has a lot to do with location, etc. But from my own experience, I'd say give it a few days (if this is only your second day, as you say), and once they put you with a driver, work hard, be dependable and help your driver any way you can (more than just running - watch the addresses, learn his route, help him find that missing package, if he's busy and you're doing nothing go back and sort the mess he has to deal with, etc.) Don't be one of those helpers they're always complaining about - give them a reason to call you back each day. Hopefully you'll get called here soon, I think we've all been where you are now.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Just wanted to add my own experience, and also say that I really respect you drivers who do this all year long.
Since I haven't worked a day yet, how did you get your uniform? They asked me my pant and shirt size. If called, do I go in, get my uniform and then go meet the driver? Do I keep the uniform or turn it in at days end? Also, has anyone had to work with a driver thats a real jerk? I heard of one guy thats had three guys quit on him...can he just be getting loser helpers or is he the real jerk. What would you do, stick it out or dare to request a change?
disneyworld
Well-Known Member
Next time you talk to them hold their feet to the fire. Tell them you need to work today,if they say no then go on your way. That way they aren't holding you up. Tell them the same thing they told you-"Don't waste my time"
RockyRogue
Agent of Change
My driver's cool but the last several days he's been cutting me at 3.5 and today at 2.5. I got peeved today, called the center and was sent to another driver. He's had two helpers quit (one which went AWOL on him after seeing the load). Neither are jerks, heck the second guy was downright talkative. My second driver said there was a "train derailment" westbound out of Chicago at or near CACH, so that screwed up something like 136K packages. Its possible the tie-up extends further than Chicago, so maybe that's why the hours have been so few and far between.
truckrgrl
My Driver's Grunt
Well hell... at least I'm not alone on this.... 
Took UPS a week and a half to figure out where I live (and that doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings about getting UPS packages SENT here). Finally, they matched me with a driver - on a route forty-five minutes away from my house. No biggie, I live in the middle of nowhere anyway.
With the way this route is layed out, my driver doesn't really need me, and I end up riding on the truck all day and just running the stops on my side of the truck - he does the others from the driver's side. He's a cool guy, and we get along great, and I hustle along...but that doesn't offset the fact I'm lucky to work 6 hours a week - and never more than two a day. Hell, I DRIVE two hours a day round trip to meet him!
My center also told me how desperate they were for helpers (and I had to drive an hour and a half each way to go up there twice for interview/orientation...one being the day before Thanksgiving...yay?)... and now they are telling us they have "too many". Sounds like HR's problem to me.
I'm beginning to think I should have applied for preload instead, and dealt with the crazy long drive to the city...
Took UPS a week and a half to figure out where I live (and that doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings about getting UPS packages SENT here). Finally, they matched me with a driver - on a route forty-five minutes away from my house. No biggie, I live in the middle of nowhere anyway.
With the way this route is layed out, my driver doesn't really need me, and I end up riding on the truck all day and just running the stops on my side of the truck - he does the others from the driver's side. He's a cool guy, and we get along great, and I hustle along...but that doesn't offset the fact I'm lucky to work 6 hours a week - and never more than two a day. Hell, I DRIVE two hours a day round trip to meet him!
My center also told me how desperate they were for helpers (and I had to drive an hour and a half each way to go up there twice for interview/orientation...one being the day before Thanksgiving...yay?)... and now they are telling us they have "too many". Sounds like HR's problem to me.
I'm beginning to think I should have applied for preload instead, and dealt with the crazy long drive to the city...
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