Driving path

[kingOFchester]

Hey again, sorry for all the posts. I appreciate all the help you guys have given us newbies.
I want to become a driver. Last June I got a ticket for driving above the speed limit. I understand I will not be eligible to drive until I have 3 years clean. So when should I put my name on the bid list (if there is such a thing)? If I wait till my record is clean, do I start at the bottom of the list? If I put my name on the list now, and a job comes available is there any harm in passing up the job/s until my record is clean? And advice? Thanks so much!1

 

[Homoudont]

King of Chester... What Center are you working out of?

 

[westsideworma]

Hey again, sorry for all the posts. I appreciate all the help you guys have given us newbies.
I want to become a driver. Last June I got a ticket for driving above the speed limit. I understand I will not be eligible to drive until I have 3 years clean. So when should I put my name on the bid list (if there is such a thing)? If I wait till my record is clean, do I start at the bottom of the list? If I put my name on the list now, and a job comes available is there any harm in passing up the job/s until my record is clean? And advice? Thanks so much!1

you build seniority as long as you work there. If you worked there say 3 years (for your instance) you'd be above anyone with less time working at that center than you. When you sign the list means nothing (so long as you do when its up and you're eligible). You seniority builds whether or not you sign the 6-1 list.

 

[kingOFchester]

King of Chester... What Center are you working out of?

I am in west chester. I see in another thread you said "what a diffrence working as a preloader" What did you mean by that? Thanks

 

[Homoudont]

well I used to work at the PHL air hub not too far from you.. And for the midnight shift it wasn't all about production. Accuracy, load quality, etc all played an important part of the overall picture. We actually had time to sit and talk about sports, etc... But that was probably due to the uneven nature of package flow due to aircrafts coming in.

Anyway I am now working on a preload and its 10x harder.

 

[mikeb]

sign every single bid sheet that is posted, no matter what. as a newbie u probably won't get anything, but sign it anyway, u never know. even if by some miracle u are offered a job, u can always turn it down!

 

[dillweed]

Loading pkg cars is a tough job but one of the few where you can use your head. It takes time to get good at it, as far as organizing the truck, but you'll soon earn the respect of your drivers. That's a precious feeling at UPS.

 

[1BrownClown]

If you are serious about driving in the future then I highly recommend being a drivers helper this peak season. It will give you a first hand (and true) account of what a UPS package car drivers job is really like. Having been in the exact same situation as you, I was surprised at all that is involved in the job, not just the physical aspects but the mental as well. It will also make you a better loader and make it crystal clear why loading the truck properly is SOOOOOOOOO important. A simple mistake on your part can easily cost a driver over an hour of time that they would much rather be spending with their family. Personally I think every person on the preload operation should spend at least one day with a driver as a helper to see that: 1-Yes the drivers make good money but in turn they really bust their a$$es for it and 2-It shows them how common every day mistakes (spa labels put on top of bar codes, not taping up packages properly, spa-ing out of sink, and mis loads and mis sorts) not only cost a lot of time but a lot of money as well.
Best of luck to you, it gets much easier as you go along!

 

[kingOFchester]

Thanks everyone for all the insight and suggestions. I admire everyone who works for UPS. It aint easy. Everything from the physical work to getting up early. This job isn't for everyone, not even sure if it is for anyone!!

 

[kingOFchester]

Another anoying question. If they need driver helpers during peak, do I sogn up for that? Does my pay change? Will I automaticly go back to my job loading, or may I loose that gig....not that it is such a great gig, but I rather do that then some of the other part-time work.

BTW, day 2 was pretty good. Spent 2 hours loading 2 cars. It was a bit difficult as I had 1 stop that 15 huge boxes. When the sup came by I asked what should i do with them.....was told put them in the car....he then walked away. So I did just that, put them right down the middle as there was NO place to go with them. Sup, came back looked in and said great job. Not sure it was such a great job being that there was no place to walk or even move. Made it fun trying to get the 1000 PAS #'s on the shelf!@!

 

[Lobofan5]

Driver helping is a great way to get the big picture of it all. You will most likely do your normal job AND driver help if you win the bid.. I work preload and then driver help during the season. I must say I became a MUCH better loader after I did some driver helping the first year.

You will learn the art of stacking out..its a great term. There is no use in loading up the package car with a bulk stop while you are still trying to load it.. put it in last at all costs.

Also, don't load it up the middle to the bulkhead door..I don't know HOW many preloaders I have seen do that..the driver MUST be able to GET TO the load..in order to deliver it.


It all gets easier and every day that goes by builds seniority.

 

[BigBrownSanta]

Also, don't load it up the middle to the bulkhead door..I don't know HOW many preloaders I have seen do that..the driver MUST be able to GET TO the load..in order to deliver it.

If you don't mind, please report to my truck monday morning. I need a good preloader with common sense.

 

[mikeb]

i was a DH during xmas one time and rode with a driver who had been there over 22 years. well, because i already had DIAD experience, he made me get in the back to sheet up pkgs while he drove. needless to say, his driving thru me all over the pkg car and i could hardly stand at times. when i returned i complained to the center manager about this unsafe practice. i refused to ride with him again and i dont know if he still does this. as a driver today, ive never made a DH do this. ill never be in that much of a hurry!

 

[Lobofan5]

If you don't mind, please report to my truck monday morning. I need a good preloader with common sense.

I think my drivers would have an issue with that one!

 

[kingOFchester]

UPDATE:
I heard that at our center you can't have any Reckless driving, DUI in the last 3 years. You CAN have up to 3 moving violations in 3 years. If this is true, then I am eligible to drive. Just curious if anyone can confirm this? Also, do they look further back then 3 years? I am pretty sure I am clean, but I do know that about 15 years ago I got a few tickets and not even sure what they were for....I know speeding, but I don't know if careless driving was there too! Thanks

 

[Big Babooba]

sign every single bid sheet that is posted, no matter what. as a newbie u probably won't get anything, but sign it anyway, u never know. even if by some miracle u are offered a job, u can always turn it down!

That's right, once you have seniority sign any bid that you are interested in. If you're not eligible, they'll tell you no. They won't shoot you ( at least not in New England).

 

[Big Babooba]

Another anoying question. If they need driver helpers during peak, do I sogn up for that? Does my pay change? Will I automaticly go back to my job loading, or may I loose that gig....not that it is such a great gig, but I rather do that then some of the other part-time work.

BTW, day 2 was pretty good. Spent 2 hours loading 2 cars. It was a bit difficult as I had 1 stop that 15 huge boxes. When the sup came by I asked what should i do with them.....was told put them in the car....he then walked away. So I did just that, put them right down the middle as there was NO place to go with them. Sup, came back looked in and said great job. Not sure it was such a great job being that there was no place to walk or even move. Made it fun trying to get the 1000 PAS #'s on the shelf!@!

In our center, I swear that the preloaders use bulldozers but in all fairness to the loader, they are loading between six and eight cars each.

 

[Backlasher]

Hey again, sorry for all the posts. I appreciate all the help you guys have given us newbies.
I want to become a driver. Last June I got a ticket for driving above the speed limit. I understand I will not be eligible to drive until I have 3 years clean. So when should I put my name on the bid list (if there is such a thing)? If I wait till my record is clean, do I start at the bottom of the list? If I put my name on the list now, and a job comes available is there any harm in passing up the job/s until my record is clean? And advice? Thanks so much!1

I had 2pts (speeding) and told them but they let me be a part time air driver. I think you can have no more then 4 pts. ???

 

[Backlasher]

UPDATE:
I heard that at our center you can't have any Reckless driving, DUI in the last 3 years. You CAN have up to 3 moving violations in 3 years. If this is true, then I am eligible to drive. Just curious if anyone can confirm this? Also, do they look further back then 3 years? I am pretty sure I am clean, but I do know that about 15 years ago I got a few tickets and not even sure what they were for....I know speeding, but I don't know if careless driving was there too! Thanks

Well then call it confirmed for I'm a driver. no reckless and no dui's but that's a giving in any driven co.

 

[Backlasher]

Another anoying question. If they need driver helpers during peak, do I sogn up for that? Does my pay change? Will I automaticly go back to my job loading, or may I loose that gig....not that it is such a great gig, but I rather do that then some of the other part-time work.

BTW, day 2 was pretty good. Spent 2 hours loading 2 cars. It was a bit difficult as I had 1 stop that 15 huge boxes. When the sup came by I asked what should i do with them.....was told put them in the car....he then walked away. So I did just that, put them right down the middle as there was NO place to go with them. Sup, came back looked in and said great job. Not sure it was such a great job being that there was no place to walk or even move. Made it fun trying to get the 1000 PAS #'s on the shelf!@!

Think it's fun loading, try delivering and that bulk in middle is in way of the stops before that bulk stop, bin there done that. it's all in fun brown bliss.
In my area I was getting pay rate of $11.76 hr as helper.

Call it jumper because that's what we do soldier. grab jump drop jump in race grab jump drop again. Don't slip on the ice and don't bang your shines on the step into truck, Believe me, it sucks after awhile and then it's numb. so if you do bang your shines then do it consistatently as to numb the pain or take away that pain you get in your back. LoL. welcome my son, welcome.