Hello....

[The Brown Santa]

Just wanted to introduce myself, started on the night sort in 1996, worked the unload, load, small sort, sortaisle and next day air. Left in 1999 to pursue a career as a Union Welder. Since the Powerplant industry has dried up within the last few years, I decided to apply online for a Casual Package Car Driver position. I just ended my free period with no problems. Was told I will come back 1 October. They gave me a spare route that consisted of 3 towns, and the last 2 weeks of my free period I was doing 130-135 stops a day which I was pretty proud of. I averaged about 100-125 miles of driving per day also in my 1985 P800. Thanx for reading!

Matt

 

[DS]

So Santa youve been a driver for 10 years?
I also drive a 1985 P800...

 

[The Brown Santa]

No, I left in '99. Just got rehired in July.

 

[hoser]

santa is brown? i thought he's black!

 

[UPSmeoff]

A spare route?



3 towns???!!!!



Where do you deliver?

 

[UPSmeoff]

Also,
What is a casual package driver?

 

[The Brown Santa]

A spare route?



3 towns???!!!!



Where do you deliver?

A spare route is made up of all of the stops that will not fit on the regular package cars for the towns that I deliver in, hence I drive 120-130 miles a day sometimes. It is mostly residential stops with no scheduled pickups. Sometimes I have 80 stops, then I get sent to another town to take 20 stops from another driver, or I could have 135 stops and get home at 7:30 or 8pm. It's a challenge but I'm enjoying it. I deliver in Southern New England. Casual Package as it was explained to me is, I work the free period over the summer, get laid of in September, then come back October 1st, work til January 1st, then they decide if they want to give me a shot at 30 days to make seniority or not...

 

[DS]

sounds like a way in if you want it.Work hard and put every detail in the diad, like overweights high values, floors when doing apartments.Dont steal time,they dont like that.Not a lot of people can hack it day in day out...its a weird job

 

[helenofcalifornia]

So your pay rate is at the entry level? And you have joined the Union? Lots of miles and lots of stops. I can only imagine what your Christmas will be like.

 

[The Brown Santa]

Thanx all, I have not taken any lunches since I started, and only take a 10 minute break after my 10:30 airs are done in order to sort my truck. Yes I am at the entry level pay rate.

 

[Braveheart]

Free period? If you have completed your 30 driving days within 120 work days you are now a full time employee. You are not to be laid off. They have to give you 8 hours of work even if it is preload and then later reload.

 

[The Brown Santa]

Thanx Braveheart, I think that they circumvented something so that they didn't hire me full time off the street. I'll see what October brings.

 

[jason67rs]

In our district we have what are called "vacation replacements". They work May thru August, and come back for November and December. Our old center manager loved these guys and had four of them. The newest manager doensn't use any.

 

[CTOTH]

We have casuals in our center too. If they are hired as a casual in the free period they don't have to give them a shot, unless they're eligible to hire an outside-in guy. Which is only 1 in 6.