My first ten years were all driver sort and load, and that was far superior to the systems in place today in many respects. For one, example at peak, you could load quite a few resis with a business stop where that customer worked at and take two stops. Sometimes 3 or 4 stops if several resi customers worked at one location. You'd actually start asking secretaries or whoever signed if they lived at an address that you recognized as the same name and then start indirecting anything small enough they could get in their car at the business, so long as they wanted you to.
We started at 7/730 AM most of the year and as early as 6:30 in December. Off all peak by 9 pm or so. Christmas Eve, if we were instructed to forgo pickups to let the system catch up, we could be off pretty early. I remember once having my whole route done (fewer resis and most businesses closed that day) and being at the tavern by 12:30 pm to celebrate the official end of peak.
Old timers before me, that started in the early 70's, talked about a Center mgr that used to routinely punch them all off at midnight (while they were all still out delivering) and then promise to give them paid time off to make up for it. So, it's really gone back and forth for years. My last ten were the worst. Worse loads, area changing constantly, no consistent business deliver times, mostly due to implementing technology. But, I never worked over 60 hours a week at any time in my career, so I can't complain about hours given the way this peak has gone for drivers in many areas.
Merry Christmas to all that have survived another peak!
it you are each day of the year by UPS that makes us so frustrated.
