How long until you won your first bid route?

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Two and a half years. Bids are for life here. Driver retired. Was a route that was cut once or twice a week. A few years after that got the B route in the loop. Feeder transfer came in a few years later.
 

Hot Carl

Well-Known Member
Took me 14 months of preload to make driver
After that, it was 2 months shy of 3 years before I got my own route. Although two years in I did win the mall route bid just to give myself the choice.
No thanks, lol
Funny thing is, our two most senior drivers have both of our mall routes. One mall is right next to the building, and the other is basically dying on the vine, but the pickup volume for that route is still just nuts.
 

Netsua 3:16

AND THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE
Funny thing is, our two most senior drivers have both of our mall routes. One mall is right next to the building, and the other is basically dying on the vine, but the pickup volume for that route is still just nuts.
Way too much work. No thanks. Not looking to blow my back or neck out with those freaking Macy’s and Barnes and Nobles pickups; holy sh**. I never ran it but I loaded it as a preloader and have covered those brutal ass pickups.

I just waited til I could get a rural route so I’m not in and out of the truck 25 times an hour year round for the next 5-10 years. I have a few businesses that get bulky but are off in the am and one pickup that blows me out every once in a while, other than that I’m all highway out in the woods slow and steady, radio blaring
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
The worst routes by far IMO are heavy pickup routes. Worst route I ever covered went out with 85-90 stops. Had 45 heavy business pickups. It was always something every single day. I’m leaving early, need you to come by at noon instead of 3pm. I’m shipping out an extra 75 today. PITA. I would never bid a route like that. Would stay cover. My two bid routes both were very light on pickups, and the first bid the pickups could be done anytime. End of night, didn’t matter. Less pickups even if it means more stops is always the way to go.
 

JustDeliverIt

Well-Known Member
The worst routes by far IMO are heavy pickup routes. Worst route I ever covered went out with 85-90 stops. Had 45 heavy business pickups. It was always something every single day. I’m leaving early, need you to come by at noon instead of 3pm. I’m shipping out an extra 75 today. PITA. I would never bid a route like that. Would stay cover. My two bid routes both were very light on pickups, and the first bid the pickups could be done anytime. End of night, didn’t matter. Less pickups even if it means more stops is always the way to go.

Couldn't agree more. My bid route now does 120ish miles, 140 stops and 0 pickups. It's fantastic. I do the first 5 hours driving around the country and finish in a small rural town. Winter should be fun but that's what EC is for.
 

542thruNthru

Well-Known Member
Same route every day is just plain easier. Shut brain off and cruise on auto pilot most of the time.
That's the problem. Gets boring and without something keeping my mind busy I start to feel any ache, pain or even tired. That's why I like my route. More walking and playing on my phone than just start truck, drive truck, stop truck, deliver and repeat. :)
 

WorknLateHuh

Well-Known Member
Funny thing is, our two most senior drivers have both of our mall routes. One mall is right next to the building, and the other is basically dying on the vine, but the pickup volume for that route is still just nuts.

every time i hear "mall route" i feel nauseous, and want to throw up. I wouldn't care if i was back by 6 everyday... i'm good.

14 years as a full time cover driver and i still don't have my own route. i do all the easy rural routes i like with 80-90 stops each. No pickus, no commits, no volume, and the best part... no traffic. and get tons of days off
 

GenericUsername

Well-Known Member
Funny thing is, our two most senior drivers have both of our mall routes. One mall is right next to the building, and the other is basically dying on the vine, but the pickup volume for that route is still just nuts.
The mall closest to our center is such a good route but nobody ever wants it but our steward...and he's fixing to get off it from what I gather. It's 40-45 deliveries (assuming they don't mess up the load and you have to travel back and forth), then 45 pickups, 17 of which are closed businesses that are still in the board for whatever reason. You can literally circle the mall one 3/4 of the way and make all the back door deliveries then park and do the entire mall from one park position without getting wet. In Florida, that's a godsend during the summer months because it's also a shady spot. Plus you have your pick of what you want to eat daily and multiple restrooms so you're never too far in case of an emergency... Plus the scenery isn't terrible either.
 
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