Has any UPS Center/Hub closed because of weather?

ikoi62

Well-Known Member
yes..here in the northeast at least twice during the past 8-10 years. but it was a lot of snow
over 10 inches and also because the state told people to stay off the road.
.
 

SmithBarney

Well-Known Member
Denver got shut down last year on or near peak day..
well there was some operations, but it caused us(downstream of Denver)
not to recieve about 4 trailers of stuff. Made for a lite day
 

currahee

Well-Known Member
In New England we shut down a couples time since i have been driving. A few years ago we got 3 feet of snow if you had days left you got paid.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
We had an ice storm in 1998 that closed us down for a couple of days. When we resumed operations, they brought mgt up from Albany and Syracuse to ride with each driver. The idea was that the driver would focus on driving and the rider would alert him/her to downed trees/power lines and other hazards. The sad part was that the storm started just before start time and the state police banned all non-emergency travel yet mgt kept calling them to see when we could go on the road.

I do know that if the company declares a snow emergency and notifies us prior to coming to work then they don't have to pay us but if we get to work and then cannot due to the weather they are obligated to pay us (8 hours). They normally find work within the building for those who want the 8 hours (washing vehicles, cleaning facility) but most of us would use a personal day and go home.
 

under the radar

A Trained Professional
It's happened twice in the past 31 years here and I'll tell ya it is no fun picking up the pieces. It's like peak season for two weeks afterward.
 

JustTired

free at last.......
I can't remember the center closing.......but I can remember my driveway closing several times. They always told me they'd send someone to get me (20 miles), but it never happened.

They've asked me why I don't get a 4-wheel drive vehicle. I just reply that I don't have one when I get to work. No pkg is worth risking your life for. That is unless your a driver in Kenya......right, Tie? lol
 

jds4lunch

What the hell is YOUPS??
Our centre hasn't closed due to weather as far as I know, but yesterday we didn't get a trailer sent to us from the east, which made today a bit of a circus.
 

Ms Spoken

Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly Louisville was pretty much shut down for a day or two 8-9 yrs ago.

Louisville never did shut down but, I do remember very well getting in the yard, unload my air, reload what was waiting for me and heading back with the sort still running. The Indiana State Police closed the interstate but, the only problem was no place to stop. This went on for two days and I would NEVER take a chance like that again.
 

mattwtrs

Retired Senior Member
In my 35 years we never closed completely. If feeders didn't run then the hub was down. Package did return to the building early as the storms got worse. Whenever the call was to stay off the highways unless you were needed for vital services the state police would give us the OK because of all the supplies and meds we had for hospitals, drug stores etc. Whoever came to work was told to get what they could and stay out of the rural areas and do not make any bad decisions. Since the hub is gone the feeder thru loads have been shut down because the interstates were closed numerous times.
 

UPSAngler

New Member
I know that this past winter in Indiana we had a lot of snow. We even had an ice storm that shut down the whole city as in no electric anywhere and we still worked. we ran on back up generators but needless to say some volume never made it to our center.
 

rocket man

Well-Known Member
WHAT do you guys do it that situation? do ressys only if everything is closed.Or is it a ploy just to tell the suites we tried. fl driver
 

Pkgrunner

Till I Collapse
I have worked in 2 hubs over the past 20 years and each have been shut down twice. The first one was shut down mid day for the Rodney King Riots and all day for the Northridge earthquake. The one I am currently at was shut down twice on a "volunteer" type basis during two fire storms.

During the riots, they called back all the drivers. Unfortunately for me, the riots were taking place between my route and all around the hub. This was before diad, so I just kept delivering while I watched LA burn from the hills until I got the message from my first pickup at 1600 that they called us all back in. Luckily for me, the freeways were empty by that time since I was in a P400 with the little bicycle mirrors that fold in at 40mph.
When I reached the building, it was like a scene out of a surreal mad max type movie; total anarchy and chaos surrounding the building(buildings on fire, looters walking around with tvs, stereos, etc.). The bay doors of the hub were shut when I approached guarded by 4 guards with bats and batons. As I got closer, the doors opened up just long enough for me to enter the building before they shut tight again.
Getting to the employee parking lot was another adrenaline adventure. It was next to a low income apt. building that was on fire and looters were all over the place. The guards didn't want to escort me to my car. Finally, one got his car and took me to the lot. There were 5 cars still in the lot and surprisingly none were vandalized. Nothing around the hub was untouched by the riots(either burned, vandalized or looted) except the hub and the unguarded employee parking lot. It was as if UPS was the only respected place in that community.

The earthquake was the only time that my hub was completely shut down. It happened early in the morning before my start time. The only damage at my house involved a 27" tv falling off a tv stand. I called the center to see if I still needed to come in......no answer. So, being the well programed driver I am, I drove to the hub on eerie deserted LA streets during rush hour just in case the phone lines were dead. When I got there, the building was closed down and all the parking lots were empty; not a soul in sight.....it was creepy.

The fire storms never directly threatened my current hub except for unbearable air quality from all the smoke, soot and ash. The hub never fully shut down, and they only effected the routes inside the fire zones. No one was "forced" to work, but only a handful of hourlies chose not to.
 

WyoBrown

Well-Known Member
Last winter the interstate closed a number of times due to snow, wind and ice and we couldnt get all trailers in whether from SLC or Denver. Only a few drivers went out and catch up was HELL. We also had to chain up 3 times last winter...not a pleasant task :dissapointed:
 

Homoudont

Active Member
The Phila Air Hub closed down for a winter storm... I am pretty sure the year was 1996. Apparently the manager was calling all the part time supervisors and telling them to bring a shovel. We were supposed to shovel out the runway!!! Well by the time I managed to get into work, the roads were shut down, and I had to stay and call my employees up and tell them not to come to work.
 
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