Happy to be Retired!!1

[The Milkman]

Been on this site for a while. retired from Central Jersey 1-08 and moved to Az. My blood pressure is down and I feel more relaxed and not in the nerve wracking( what's today going to be like?)mode. I miss the people on my old rte and I sometimes say to myself "How did I make it this 'far in one piece" Just over 25 years, 18 on the road always a full timer and the last 8 at the Customer Counter. After reading many posts and seeing the telematics I wonder if anyone no matter how much they pay per hour will be willing to put up with all this IMO Big Brown watching you. I use to like making my decisions on how to run my rte and being able to make decisions to provide good service but now the diad tells you how to do it. Customers as I was about to leave the road were concerned about the new loops that caused alot of delivery area times to change sometimes from Am to Pm. I would routinely deliver a out of home business in the Am and come back in the Pm and pick up there products. They loved the Am so they could work on their stuff..Well I got off the road just in time and I would hate to be on my old rte after hearing how they chopped it up. I feel for the drivers that have many years to go because I went from paper to the diad like many of you and that was something to shake you up a little and now we went from pagers to GPS in the boards. I guess if I started today I would not know any difference as the old timers,but I wonder about the new hires of today,what will they be dealing with in 20-25 years from now?? The automatic trucks with p/s and good heaters and a pre planned route make it easy for Ups to hire anybody and I mean anybody.When I started it was no-no to hire family..The harder they make this job the harder it will be for them to hire people that will stick out to the end..As I look back and think of all the splits I did and all the peaks especially as a rookie I wonder how I made..I started when I was 30 and believe me when I say and others will agree..I Earned my Pension and benefits and I hope to live to be 100. We came a long way since "Next day Air" debuted in '82.........The Milkman now Retired and Loving it!!!!!

 

[fethrs]

Nice post Milkman welcome to the BC. Just one question, how did you like the Customer Counter? I did that too, will calls, and hold for pickups mostly. Was glad to get out though, it was a mess.

 

[Catatonic]

The Milkman? Glad to finally meet you Daddy!

Welcome to BC Milkman. Good first post and look forward to ones in the future.

What you doing now that you are in retirement.
Take up any new hobbies or just chilling?

The Hoaxster - eligible for retirement in 5 months.

 

[over9five]

Welcome Milkman!

You've been retired about 16 months now. Whacha been up to?

Keep busy!

 

[The Milkman]

The counter was at times ok as I filled in years ago while a split driver in another district. I transfered to The Meadowlands as a clerk/rewraper untill I was able to transfer closer to home.I did not like when I was told to lie to customers about their pkgs not being held or for whatever reason they did not have it at the counter.the 800 # told them 1 thing and the ctr another..I was the Punching Bag. Little by little it seemed like Ups wanted to push the customers away to the stores Imo,And the 8 and skate was a joke when I had to tell people tough! I had to close and I had to send people around to the security gate to get their pkgs. The security shack was about a 12 x 15 bldg with the scanners.No place to wait.Cold or hot they had to wait outside in their cars and I would pass them on my way out. The guards were getting a earful for the centers and 800#'s mistakes..Almost had fights as the counter I was in was a trailer. Fill it with 40 people on a Friday night and once someone gets in a shouting match at me they all Jump on the bandwagon.Samedays were not being done when I went to counter. I felt bad after someone waits and waits and then you see a destination scan and it is loaded into a trailer..Come back Monday was not the answer they wanted to hear. I invited my center manager many times to come up any night and enjoy the show and I offered him dinner just hang out and see the abuse I took..Yep.Never took me up on it. I took the night shift as I am not a morning person,and when I came in The day clerk would tell of all the crap I missed. At least I am fully awake when i deal with the people..The guys in the ctr where i drove nicknamed me the Milkman for obvious reasons..And I stuck it to them everychance I could. Did my Job, no complaints,decent #'s and I always told my center manager that I loved him whenever he any big or small issue with me..Bud Yard (Corporate) retired now had a hand in hiring me (long story) and always lokked me up when in the area.Ups Fired after my 2nd peak (called back) So he was District manager back then and I went up to see him after the firing..Laid my case before him and he pulled some strings and here I am Retired and I thank him for that break..I could go on and on about how the center manager in 82 tried to give me the boot but I got the last laugh...

 

[The Milkman]

Took me about a year to get my house in order as I sold everything and stared new. Retired 1-1-08 and headed to Az a few days later stayed a couple of weeks and bought a house. Went back to Jersey and Sold my home very quickly and left Jersey the end of April and got here last May 2nd. My Mom passed away at the end of July.My wife broke her pelvis and my pet Cocker Spaniel got Lymphoma Cancer( had Chemo for 6 months) and is in remission .He is only 6..My grandson came out for the summer end of June and by that time I had the home furnished just in the nick of time. Bought a Class B motorhome and have made a trip back to Jersey this past Thanksgiving Holiday (5 weeks) visiting everyone along the way.Had a blast.Everyday is a Saturday. Wife is better Dog is better I am better Life is Good..Going to Grand teton.Yellowstone, Little Big horn,Blackhills next week for a couple of weeks before the crowds and schools get out..Still riding my Harley..Keep the ship afloat as I want my pension checks not to bounce LOL

 

[The Milkman]

I couldn't wait as the time drew near..You have to be feeling better everyday.And once you get eligible like I did I let the ctr know what was on my mind knowing that they couldn't do anything to me.I LOVED it..After all the loads,all the misloads,all the OCA at the end of your long day,The next morning getting reamed for production,The so called LIGHT day X-Mas eve and getting to family late, All the times they pulled me or you off your rte to accomadate a rookie ,all the times I had to put chains on my P-500 to get out of a snowy situation,the crappy heater boxes with electrical taped defroster(worthless) hoses in my P-600 ,the splinters from the wooden shelves, the dim (1 light) in the back,Then came the Nordic tracs,then Gateway and my bulkhead door was looking very small..From 50 to 70 then 150lbs...Sorry i am getting wound up and I know most of you can realte..Took me months to finally realize I don't have to climb in the ol 600 or 800 and strain my knees. Just make sure when you reach your time..LEAVE..don't hang on..I remember Parking my 7 my last day before going inside and I said to myself "it's another chapter in my life" I moved on and believe me you will not regret it.No reason to hangf around.The difference in my Pension and 40 hrs a wk was 165 bucks a month.$4.40 per hour to stay and work. If you need to work geta little Job like others I know who retired before me but don't stay. You can't buy time..Enjoy the years you have left as you may someday not be able to function physically. My back is Bad, Had Rotator cuff fixed(OUCH!) both elbows carpal tunnel on one hand...It's a tough Job and I will not repeat will not WORK again and I urge all of you to go int the 401K as I did in 87..I started out small and slowly increased it over the years and it really paid off for me as I could never save a dime..You get used to less take home pay. And the next thing you know 20,21,22...25 years go by in the wink of an eye and you see all big and small changes around you as you sail the SS Ups Ship..Once the rookie you now are the Senior Man and you earn every right to be proud to be Teamster and maybe not so proud how UPS sometimes does things but they still make $$$ no matter what. There is LIFE after UPS it's just that being wound up all these years you a like a big spring in awind up clock,it just takes a lot of time to unwind.

 

[User Name]

If I would have hit the power ball my wife and I would have bought two houses, one in the carolinas and one in Arizona. Never been, but I think I would like the area. I have been to both Carolinas and love them both. Good luck with all the activities that you have planned and remember that this is what you worked 25 years for and enjoy every day.

 

[The Milkman]

I thank God everyday that I have lived long enough to enjoy the Fruits of my Labors...Love the Mtns and all the History of the West..And as a bonus no thick as honey HUMIDITY...

 

[ol'browneye]

Wow Milkman, great posts! (Although I would break the long posts up into smaller paragraphs-it makes them easier to read)

The sheeting on paper, the splinters under the nails from the wooden shelves, the crappy old 600's, the achy knees...I feel your pain and hope to feel the joy you are feeling now! What you describe is exactly what my wife and I hope to experience when I finally make it. Less than 8 years left for my full 30! (Althugh 25 is starting to look good when my knees scream at me!)

Thanks for sharing and I hope you find the time in your busy schedule to pop in and relate your "adventures in retirement" to us all! You have truly given me something to look forward to!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bubsdad]

Congrats! You made it and you earned it. Enjoy.

 

[The Milkman]

Before you know it you will breeze through those last 8 years and I always remember the guys before me with the steel nose cars and what they went through. When I started we had and still do in our locals have friend/t Porters and clerks and I would see them hobbling around and now I know why!!!! The only thing I am missing is the retirees that if I stayed in Jersey I could see at x-mas parties to rehash old times.

 

[raceanoncr]

Congrats, Milkman! Good posts! I hope to be there also at end of this yr. You made it easier.

Been working and supporting someone for almost 50 yrs, so it was kinda working on my head although finances are all in order and ducks are in a row.

 

[alexw08]

Hey Milkman...Jersey Sucks the big one. There is a line of people waiting to jump off of the Driscoll Bridge.

 

[packageguy]

Hey Milkman...Jersey Sucks the big one. There is a line of people waiting to jump off of the Driscoll Bridge.

I'm the guy waiting in line.