Full time Service provider/worries and woes

[Cobra Agent]

I have been with ups for 6 years. Preload for 4yrs and small sort for 2. Five months ago i was sent to class to become a full time driver (5 blasted mos ago). Besides the fact that they crammed everything possible into a one week class, I remember basically....... well, almost nothing from class. Since coming back from class I have inquired on a daily basis when I might be going on road and the answer has been the same, "We dont know". Last week it finally changed to "soon". There have been 3 employees that work with me in smalls that have gone driving fulltime. They were only given 8 hours notice that they were going to start driving. Yes 8 hours notice. My problem is that i work parttime watch my 3 kids during the day (while my wife works), and 8 hour notice will not work for me. I have to arrange to put my kids in daycare but cant afford it until I go fulltime. All fulltime sups are aware of my situation however I feel that they could care less.

If for some reason they only give me an 8 hour notice and I can not get my kids into daycare in enough time. Can they skip over me and go to the guy with less seniority than I?

Dont mean to write a book, I have only driven a package car 3 times and really dont remember much from class (including seeing habits and that other one i am supposed to remember but dont). I am excited about driving but fell like a sheep being thrown to the wolves that has been hog tied and dipped in honey. I know that this is normal but any encouraging words.........

 

[The-UK-Guy]

Get a back up plan going, find a local day care center that you can drop the kids off at at the drop of a dime, If you want that job bad enough you`ll find someone , you`ve had more than enough time to plan for this.
where theres a will theres a way.

 

[dillweed]

UK's suggestion of lining up a caregiver is a good one. You could even take the kids in to see if they like it.

I really don't know if they can jump to a lesser seniority person to drive before you. I'd ask the union rep about that one.

One thing about UPS is they want committed drivers who are versitile and ready to change gears at a moment's notice.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We had a cover feeder driver whose wife ran a day care in their home during the day. He had been covering night runs but was having trouble sleeping during the day with all the rugrats so when he was asked to cover another night run he told them no--he never worked another day at UPS. You must be flexible and committed if this is what you want to do.

 

[Cobra Agent]

That is the problem i have had, i can not get a straight answer from them i have had 2 daycares fillup already. I do have one lined up for now. I just cant get over how ups......well can be ups.....How can they not know when I will be sent out on road. Well i guess i can see how they can not know. It just seems like some of these sups couldnt find their butts with a flashlight and a roadmap. It is just amusing, how could you ever get bored with a job like this!

 

[IWorkAsDirected]

UPS is certainly never boring, a circus, frustrating, absolutely maddening?............yes!

 

[brownrodster]

That is the problem i have had, i can not get a straight answer from them i have had 2 daycares fillup already. I do have one lined up for now. I just cant get over how ups......well can be ups.....How can they not know when I will be sent out on road. Well i guess i can see how they can not know. It just seems like some of these sups couldnt find their butts with a flashlight and a roadmap. It is just amusing, how could you ever get bored with a job like this!

The decision comes from farther above than you have access to. Your supervisors don't decide to add new drivers. I'm pretty sure it's farther up the chain. Think your bosses bosses bosses boss or something.

In my center no one is ever given '8 hours.' But numerous people have been told monday you are driving or someone else is.

You are simply 1 of 100,000 or so drivers. You are there to deliver packages and make money for UPS. Your personal life is irrelivant. YOu show up everyday and do the job or find another job. Sorry, but that's life at UPS!

I will add that I wish you much luck and hope it works out in your favor. UPS driving is a wonderful job that will allow you to provide wonderfully for you family.

 

[Cobra Agent]

well i found out what the problem was. The on road sup had a list of drivers who were scheduled to go on road listed by senority, however hr never updated the list to include that i had gone to class. Problem is all fixed now. Luckily for me they have not gotten to my name yet but if i hadnt bought this to thier attention i would have been passed up. Next monday i will be going on road,i am pretty excited about it.

 

[Iggyiam]

congrats man