Fulltime UPSer

Slowdrive

Member
Hello, i am new to the forum and have been reading a lot and find this forum very useful. I had an interview today and got scheduled for a road test. I had a question. I applied for a fulltime seasonal/temp feeder. When I got there I talked to HR and they told me that this was a full-time permanent seasonal/temp feeder driver. She told me that they wouldn't let me go after the fall/winter. How does this work? I know there is seasonal drivers and work only during peaks. Would this mean i would have work all year long? I'm very confused. Also she told me that since this is a permanent BUT temp job i would have no benefits and no guarantee of the hours of work. So is there anyone who went through this and would kindly explain is this is the same thing as a peak seasonal feeder or not? And how would i be able to get benefits? Thanks!:happy-very:
 

PT Car Washer

Well-Known Member
All I have to say is HR told you a lot of contradictions. Think about what you asked. FT seasonal temp position. Does that sound permanent ? Some of us have been here 20 years and still not sure if we are permanent.
 

Slowdrive

Member
I know..that's why i am confused...alright well i guess ill ask the HR again when I come in for the road test.There was a list for the feeder driver interviews.I was the only one on that list..could this be a good thing or a bad thing that nobody else had been interviewed for this job?
 

PT Car Washer

Well-Known Member
Going to be quite a few old feeder drivers retiring after this contract is settled. Somebody will have to replace them. Could be a gold mine or just a shaft.
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
What she's telling you is you'll be temp seasonal from now till just after January which after that point, you'll be hired on fulltime. It's the only way it makes sense...she just put it in a really confusing manner if that's the case.
 
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pickup

Guest
to the Original Poster: I might know what your status would be. I have bumped into a few Harrisburg Pa drivers and a few other Pa drivers who worked steady during peak and then were on call for the rest of the year . One guy I met was doing this for 7 years and he told me a bit about his routine. Basically the rest of the year, he could get a call in the morning ,the day before when they wanted him to come work again. Sometimes, when it was snowing, and the snow angels called out sick, he would get a call and they would ask how soon can you come in? He could also go days or weeks without a call requesting his services.

Someone else in this thread said that some older feeder drivers might be retiring when this contract is over so you MIGHT have a better chance of getting a full time position.

As for benefits, none unless you get a full time position.


So this is what I believe is your temporary permanent job. They buy the milk, but not the cow.
 

Slowdrive

Member
Hey guys thanks for the help. I got a call today from HR. They told me im getting the road test done on monday. The thing i'm confused about is that they told me this is a fulltime on call job. But no benefits gig.

pickup i have a question. If theres steady work for the fall/winter. What do the rest of the guys do during the summer for work?

Got one more question. They are giving me 24.30 for starting hrly and told me that it would stay that way. Is that about right?
 

Slowdrive

Member
I actually did. The answers were a straight Yes or No. With no explanation. I guess ill ask more questions when I come in for the road test.
 
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pickup

Guest
Hey guys thanks for the help. I got a call today from HR. They told me im getting the road test done on monday. The thing i'm confused about is that they told me this is a fulltime on call job. But no benefits gig.

pickup i have a question. If theres steady work for the fall/winter. What do the rest of the guys do during the summer for work?

It's hard for me to definitively answer your questions because I don't work at Harpa or in Pennsylvania for that matter, but I do come across these drivers from time to time.

I did have the same questions for that particular Pa driver that I met. He had another outside job that gave him flexibility. He often worked tired and probably illegally if you consider that he could never satisfy the D.O.T hours of service laws because he was working two jobs.

I believe the New England casual/oncall feeder drivers work in a similar fashion to the Pa guys. I know one guy from Mass that gets the peak work full time (sept to end of dec) and then gets feeder work on and off the rest of the year. He usually gets a bit of summer work covering the guys who go on vacation. He also gets weeks of absolutely nothing and when he does get nothing, he goes on unemployment. Between the salary he earns and the unemployment he collects, he does pretty well. He would like to go full time and is waiting for the time when they give him the opportunity. But there are no guarantees that they will although they have done it for others in the past.

Got one more question. They are giving me 24.30 for starting hrly and told me that it would stay that way. Is that about right?
That sounds about right, the new contract , which has yet to be implemented due to supplement issues, might allow for a higher starting rate and maybe gradual increases throughout the years but I am speculating here as I am not familiar with the proposed supplement for the area that you would be working in.
 

Slowdrive

Member
Oh wow. Thanks Pickup for the answers! I appreciate your input. But like you said between now and new years there should be enough work for the seasonal feeders? What i mean is at least 30-40 hrs weekly?
 
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pickup

Guest
Oh wow. Thanks Pickup for the answers! I appreciate your input. But like you said between now and new years there should be enough work for the seasonal feeders? What i mean is at least 30-40 hrs weekly?

If I had to bet money on it, I would bet yes and if I lost that bet, I would be more than happy with losing it as the odds are so damn good that you would see at least 40 if not more a week. Can you afford to lose that bet? Something to think about because I don't want you to do something based on the info I gave you( second hand at best). That much being said, I believe HARPA is a fairly big sized hub( I haven't been there in over 4 years so I can't remember exactly) so the size should help your cause.

All I can tell you is that the casuals at my barn see about 46- 48 hours a week ,after their week of training(usually 40 or slightly above- depending on how quick the trainer and driver can get the trailer dropped) . As we get into Dec., above 50 and sometimes problems staying under 60 hours(D.O.T hours).

Oh sure, there might some days when a train is delayed a day and there are more drivers than needed that day so the casuals/temps(whatever) get sent home before they get 8 hours. It happens but they still get more than 40 for the week.


What I just stated is based on my observations at my barn. Your mileage may vary.
 

Covemastah

Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
full Time temp is basically saying that they most likely will have you working full time from now till Jan 1st,,,after that,if they like you,you will be cal;led back to cover summertime vacations !! most all Feeder drivers have 6 week vacations and will need a lot of jobs covered in summer.. I don't want to cut your dreams short,but it's highly unlikely you will make (THE LIST) FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT!! 95 % of our drivers came up the food chain through many years in a package car.
You may be the luck one who does get hired if cards fall right and there are retirements and no one in package wants it,I have seen it before !!
Good Luck on road test, use mirrors every 5/8 seconds, leave a big space cushion on road and speed down on road test, climb under and check pin...
these things always make you look good...Best to you, stay safe !!
 

Slowdrive

Member
​Hey guys. So I had the driving test today and passed it. Seemed very easy and I love the single drive axle trucks! They turn and are very easy to drive! Had the drug and alcohol. So they said they'll be calling me to start. Anybody know how long it will take for them to call me and start training?
 
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