Boysie8706
Well-Known Member
What's it like being a driver on a daily basis?
Driver
- Thread starter Boysie8706
- Start date
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
It is sort of exhausting.
They work you 10 hours a day or more becasuse that is cheaper for them than hiring any new drivers.
The packages can weigh up to 150 pounds, and on most routes you will be handling between 200 to 300 packages a day. It is very physical, and there is always a sense of urgency, or you won't get finished.
As far as the mental side of the job, I feel it is more important to be a confident problem solver , than it is to be creative. It isn't rocket science, but you do have to deal with customer personalities, one time pickups, COD s, time commits, and finding addresses you aren't familiar with.
The part I like best is that I don't take the job home with me. My wife has a job where she always has to prepare for meetings, or presentations on her free time. I am a college grad, and I used to hate always having my mind on an assignment that I should be working on when I was in school.
At least with this job, you may go home tired, but when you leave the center at the end of the day you know you have finished your day's work.
They work you 10 hours a day or more becasuse that is cheaper for them than hiring any new drivers.
The packages can weigh up to 150 pounds, and on most routes you will be handling between 200 to 300 packages a day. It is very physical, and there is always a sense of urgency, or you won't get finished.
As far as the mental side of the job, I feel it is more important to be a confident problem solver , than it is to be creative. It isn't rocket science, but you do have to deal with customer personalities, one time pickups, COD s, time commits, and finding addresses you aren't familiar with.
The part I like best is that I don't take the job home with me. My wife has a job where she always has to prepare for meetings, or presentations on her free time. I am a college grad, and I used to hate always having my mind on an assignment that I should be working on when I was in school.
At least with this job, you may go home tired, but when you leave the center at the end of the day you know you have finished your day's work.
Shifting Contents
Most Help Needed
Keep you mind straight and the physical part means nothing. I work steady but I don't kill myself. Deliver 200 stops and most days over 400 pieces. Condos and single family. I work 8 hours one day and 10 the next. Its all the same to me. I have one speed, steady. I have one goal, making it to my most important stop alive and with a smile. Realize that your dispatch and UPS as a whole will never make sense and it'll make your life as easy as mine.
InsideUPS
Well-Known Member
You will get a variety of answers here and many of them will be based on the number of years that they have been driving, the location they drive in, the type of route they have (industrial vs residential vs country), how well they get along with their supervisors, etc.. One thing for sure....if you do ever go driving.... Treat it like your running a "Marathon" rather than a "Sprint"... That "Marathon" being 30-35 years in duration.
Dracula
Package Car is cake compared to this...
Remember that really annoying kid in class during the 7TH grade? The one who always told on everyone. The one who always held up class because he asked the same stupid questions, over and over again. The one who tried to be everything to everyone, and failed miserably at both. The one who always had to say and pretend that he knew more than everyone else.
That kid? He's your boss now.
That's what its like being a driver.
That kid? He's your boss now.
That's what its like being a driver.
TearsInRain
IE boogeyman
apparently it really sucks; i wouldn't know, i just watch it all unfold from a climate controlled office 
packageguy
Well-Known Member
its hard work, but I love it, there are days when things go great, then there days you just bear it, great pay great benefits,
It's really not bad if you have your mind right. It only seems to suck of people who fear long hours or their boss. I think of it as 53 cents a minute. 80 cents a minute in OT. Working holidays is like free money. Just have a back bone and positive outlook on it and your golden.
A little off topic but speaking from what I have seen, being a UPS driver seems to be much better (pay and actually shorter hours) then working in the soda delivery business for Coke or Pepsi. I was a merchandiser at Coca Cola before I went back to school and got a P/T job at brown. The drivers there start at around 5-6 am and finish usually by about 5 pm. I know two former Coke merchandisers who were smart enough to leave and get a P/T job with UPS and now drive and earn easily double what they earned as merchs. They also seem to "enjoy" it more. BTW my first post and has anyone else worked in the soda industry?
Jackburton
Gone Fish'n
Champagne wishes and caviar dreams.
apparently it really sucks; i wouldn't know, i just watch it all unfold from a climate controlled office
Then you don't get to answer. We'll look for the Part Time OMS thread and direct you there.
Thanks for playing
Brownslave688
You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
I can't speak for everyone but I think many drivers wouldn't mind start at 6 and working until 6. It's the starting at 9 or later and getting off at 9-10 that's tough on family life.
My buddy delivers beer. Not soda but he's off by 4 everyday and only works tues-Friday. He doesn't understand that I would take the pay cut and trade him jobs.
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Why DO you guys start so late?
Brownslave688
You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
No clue. Our start time moved earlier this week for the first time in a long long time.
It's sad though that I have been driving under 10 years and talk about the good ole days of starting nice an early.
It's sad though that I have been driving under 10 years and talk about the good ole days of starting nice an early.
728ups
All Trash No Trailer
I really like the job. I have been full time for 25 years,and each year the job seems a little easier. I play Santa all day long, I get to feed everyones dogs the treats i carry,I get a great deal of Cardio going up and down the driveways along with a sense of accomplishment as i empty the truck each day. I come into contact with some great people every day, have been on the same route for 15 years and know it inside and out. I get 6 weeks a year plus an option week of vacation a year. Every other month i'm getting paid to sit on my arse
Sure working in the rain isnt always fun,and the summer can be rough in Georgia but i like being tested and pushed: it keeps me strong.
In alot of ways the job is what you make of it
Sure working in the rain isnt always fun,and the summer can be rough in Georgia but i like being tested and pushed: it keeps me strong.
In alot of ways the job is what you make of it
TearsInRain
IE boogeyman
lol i can do what i want, i'm management
