Fourth day “alone day” of 30 days

[sikidiki]

As a fairly new driver, less than a year, my advice is to keep doing what you're doing, use the handcart if you think its too heavy, better safe than sorry. Eventually area knowledge will come and it will just click and you wont even need your phone. I have a gps unit i use when i cant find a weird address and having the screen helps me see roads ahead, lots of people made fun of me for it, but its helped me especially during peak at night. It takes alot of worry out of running routes blind or cold as well. But if they stick you on a route consistently it will click for you.

Another tip i've learned is to never look at your truck as a whole, just do 1 stop at a time as dumb as it sounds, it helps. If you look at your truck and see how much you have left you can get discouraged, but if you look at it as one stop at a time it eventually falls off and you made some good money. Sounds like you're doing good so far keep it up!

 

[sikidiki]

Also, at least for me, its alot easier to drive alone without having someone always on you or in your way, you will learn your methods and it will eventually speed up and run scratch no problem

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Ask your sup what your target sporh is. I get fewer miles on a regular basis than the route you are doing, but I have a lot of commercial stops, and about a dozen pickups, but I get about 80 stops done by 2 (with an hour lunch at noon). My target was around 19/hr. I only get about 12 - 15/hr for the first few hours, so the first couple hours of resi's I'm catching up to where I should be.

 

[Nj187]

Up to 70lbs without the handcart?

That is crazy.

Do yourself a favor and get hurt doing what they told you to do.

Collect Work Comp for awhile and tell your OCS to get bent

I’m not in union yet and they said expectation is 70 lbs without help. So if get hurt under 70. Prob mean goodbye to me. Not good enough. Atleast until my 30 days are done. Not trying to hurt self lol. Catch 22

 

[Nj187]

As a fairly new driver, less than a year, my advice is to keep doing what you're doing, use the handcart if you think its too heavy, better safe than sorry. Eventually area knowledge will come and it will just click and you wont even need your phone. I have a gps unit i use when i cant find a weird address and having the screen helps me see roads ahead, lots of people made fun of me for it, but its helped me especially during peak at night. It takes alot of worry out of running routes blind or cold as well. But if they stick you on a route consistently it will click for you.

Another tip i've learned is to never look at your truck as a whole, just do 1 stop at a time as dumb as it sounds, it helps. If you look at your truck and see how much you have left you can get discouraged, but if you look at it as one stop at a time it eventually falls off and you made some good money. Sounds like you're doing good so far keep it up!

Appreciate the advice. Yes same route for my 30 days. Which is good. And same 90 percent of route. Other 10 percent can be whatever so not that bad, they are good with that. Weather in NJ has been crazy only worked Tuesday this week. Second week and four days total. I’m going to avoid handcart for under 70 for my 30 days for single package. They made comment. Had three packages 20 lbs each. Did all three on handcart. Supe said he would done three carrying but if had to split it and come back for one then handcart makes sense , so a wash there. So atleast gave me sort of credit. Just hope can finish my 30 sooner than later. I was a casual that started in one building in Nov and they ended up hiring me after peak for another. So they don’t know me or how I work like other building which I’m sure is a factor. Have to prove self again.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I’m not in union yet and they said expectation is 70 lbs without help. So if get hurt under 70. Prob mean goodbye to me. Not good enough. Atleast until my 30 days are done. Not trying to hurt self lol. Catch 22

Yes, you should be able to lift and carry 50 lbs for a short distance, but there's no reason you shouldn't be able to use the hand truck if you need to. And there's no reason why using a hand truck should prevent you from scratching. If you used a hand truck for every single stop, maybe. For a dozen or so a day, no. The fact your sup brought it up as a reason you didn't go fast enough suggests he may not have any idea what he is talking about. If it didn't save you time, it couldn't have cost you more than a minute.

 

[Nj187]

Yes, you should be able to lift and carry 50 lbs for a short distance, but there's no reason you shouldn't be able to use the hand truck if you need to. And there's no reason why using a hand truck should prevent you from scratching. If you used a hand truck for every single stop, maybe. For a dozen or so a day, no. The fact your sup brought it up as a reason you didn't go fast enough suggests he may not have any idea what he is talking about. If it didn't save you time, it couldn't have cost you more than a minute.

He said he walked all the way to driveway (50 yards min) and picked it up and read the weight. 46lbs to be exact. Said he was able to pick up and move. I should be able too. But he didn’t do 100 stops (towards end of day) and only used cart three times tops. I just said okay. Nodded head. Etc. I thought if tool there to help you be safe and not strain why not use. Guess not. Atleast til in union.

 

[cosmo1]

Oh, for crying out loud!

All of you!

 

[BakerMayfield2018]

Buncha p* as* b*’s !

Oh, for crying out loud!

All of you!

 

[Nj187]

Buncha p* as* b*’s !

Was awaiting comment like that. Surprised took so long lol

 

[Airwoman18]

What ... unbutton your top three buttons??? Maybe introduce yourself to the customers as airwoman.... it has a catchy sounding name, sort of like a superhero..

The advice I was talking about was tips on qualifying. times and methods.

 

[Indecisi0n]

Oh, for crying out loud!

All of you!

Back in your day the handcart wasn't even invented yet.

 

[john chesney]

I do realize.

You ain’t seen nothing yet

 

[john chesney]

I’ve seen drivers get into minor accidents and make their 30 days.....seen it quite a few times...

I haven’t in 35 years. I must be at a different Ups

 

[john chesney]

He said he walked all the way to driveway (50 yards min) and picked it up and read the weight. 46lbs to be exact. Said he was able to pick up and move. I should be able too. But he didn’t do 100 stops (towards end of day) and only used cart three times tops. I just said okay. Nodded head. Etc. I thought if tool there to help you be safe and not strain why not use. Guess not. Atleast til in union.

You should be able to carry 50 lb package no cart. I’m an old man and do it all day however I’m a beast and look sexy doing it too

 

[cosmo1]

Back in your day the handcart wasn't even invented yet.

That's a story for another day.

 

[Blackadder 2]

If they are really telling you not to use a handcart unless the package weighs 70 pounds you are working for the king of stupid at UPS. Also he will be the next CEO.

 

[Toast]

I'm a cover driver and have sometimes done a different route every day of the week so I don't always know the area I am running. Not knowing the area will slow you down but the biggest thing that will kill your time is looking for packages.

You want to be able to stop, open bulkhead and be selecting packages within 8-10 seconds. You cut 30secs off each of your 115 stops and that's almost an hour saved.

Once your air is off take it one section at a time and look over your truck to figure out where everything is. How many packages do you usually have? The route I qualified on was 130-150 stops 350-400 packages but the bulk of the packages were commercial that was done by 12 so by the afternoon I might have 80 stops left but if you only have 90 packages you can find stuff faster and make up any time you might have lost doing commercial stops.

Yes you should be able to carry something over 70 without a hand cart but the real question is do you want to? Everyday for the next 30 years? Use it and save your body. Just figure out where to keep it in your truck so you can access it quickly and pulling it out does not slow you down.

 

[clneuhauser]

Working off the clock is terrible advice.

People that work off the clock should be thrown out of the Union

Yeah, I totally agree... but the first 30 days when you are not affiliated with the union, I say do what you need to do. After you get full time status, than yes, don’t lift a finger without big brown paying for it.

In a world where we are numbers and stats, do what you need to do.