I’m a 22 year old 22.4 driver and I feel like quitting. Need advice

[quad decade guy]

I didn't word that very well.

If the IPA stops flying, Mgmt flys
If Mgmt stops flying, nothing goes by air....

I don't want to get into the domino effect of scab pilots with you...

Isn't that true of our Company(UPS, I don't know who you work for) in general(all aspects)?

 

[Lineandinitial]

Isn't that true of our Company(UPS, I don't know who you work for) in general(all aspects)?

Come on....you don't know who I work for?

 

[Orion’s making me 💰]

You won't be a 22.4 forever. When you become a RPCD, you'll be able to get on the 9.5 list. They'll have to reduce your workload. You'll still have some really heavy days but only sometimes.

If you can think of a better plan for your career, I say go for it and leave UPS. If not, then it makes more sense to stick it out. Going back to part time isn't really an option unless you quit and get rehired. I believe it is possible but incredibly rare. Check with your steward/BA but I give you a 0% chance of that happening for you.

One last thing. You say you're a very hard worker, and that's great. But don't let them take advantage of you. Here, they like to take work off the slow guys and give it to the fast guys. If you do 200 stops and get done at 4pm, they'll look at it like, oh, @Itchris needs more work and they'll give you 250 stops. So my advice is work at a pace that you can sustain for years to come without killing your body. Work safely, use the handtruck. It will take longer but that's not your problem.

The 9.5 list just mean they have to pay you triple time. Our building is laying off 30/40 drivers and working us 12/14 hours a day and paying 9.5. Anyone else dealing with this B.S?

 

[Itchris]

I think that drivers underestimate the importance of self care when not at work. Drink a load of water (I bring a gallon a day) even in the winter. Drinking enough water will fix a lot of issues when it comes to both mental and physical fatigue. Make sure you sleep enough, eat whole foods (oats, eggs, avocado, cottage cheese, meat, nuts, fruit, etc). Make sure you eat enough. Many drivers do not and they survive off gas station or fast food. That type of diet literally causes widespread inflammation making all of your joints and muscles hurt more. Don't drink alcohol during the week. Exercise on your day off. I know it sounds crazy but this job creates muscle imbalances. You need to perform balanced resistance training at least once a week to correct them. I'm in my late 40s and been working 6 days a week for 2 years. Every Sunday I go jogging with my dog and one of my kids and lift weights. I feel great.

Do not underestimate how your life style choices can impact your job. This job will break your body down if you do not take care of it. But I also say that any office job will be worse for you in the long run. Sedentary is much worse than being active for longevity. Good luck.

This is good advice, thank you! I actually weight lift 5x a week right after work and have been making sure the job doesn’t negatively affect my diet. I’ve seen a lot of people suggesting to work at a pace that is physically comfortable for me even if I’m out there all night.

While I do try to keep that in mind everyday I also like to get home asap to do the things I enjoy (i.e gym, relax, talk with friends) before I should head to bed. Clocking out between 6-7 compared to 8-9 makes a huge difference in the rest of my day and probably most of you guys too.

How have some of you guys maintained a consistent (even if barely) weekday schedule while being a driver?

 

[burrheadd]

Nope. The average age is actually 65 for men and 63 for women. Champ.

I'll retire a few years ahead of the average. I'm all set.

Ohh-k

 

[quad decade guy]

Come on....you don't know who I work for?

Nope. Lots of folks on BC don't work here, never have or are retired.

 

[quad decade guy]

This is good advice, thank you! I actually weight lift 5x a week right after work and have been making sure the job doesn’t negatively affect my diet. I’ve seen a lot of people suggesting to work at a pace that is physically comfortable for me even if I’m out there all night.

While I do try to keep that in mind everyday I also like to get home asap to do the things I enjoy (i.e gym, relax, talk with friends) before I should head to bed. Clocking out between 6-7 compared to 8-9 makes a huge difference in the rest of my day and probably most of you guys too.

How have some of you guys maintained a consistent (even if barely) weekday schedule while being a driver?

We don't.

 

[Thebrownblob]

Why is it all your posts are hateful and negative towards me?

All your finances sound great. They are a lot like mine..... BTW, I don't fly jets. I have a propeller general aviation airplane.

BTW, I live quite comfortably and apparently a lot better within my means too.

But then, you don't know me. BTW, flew yesterday......glorious cool, clear day.....wind: 4 knots. Right down the runway. lol.

LOL I don’t hate you at all. Quite the contrary as a matter of fact I have told you many times you should be proud of your years of service and safety.
You were the one that brought up something about geniuses Who retire before 55 and a snarky comment.
On a forum like this it is good to hear other people and what they did working the same jobs as us , no one has all the answers and no one way is the right way.

 

[sailfish]

Ok. Now what? Gonna live on the beach?

Now what what?

 

[...]

Now what what?

He said... Are you gonna...

Go live on the... Beach...

 

[Sissy Brown Short Shorts]

This is probably one of the best jobs that doesn’t require a college degree, I don’t even think it requires a high school diploma. You also won’t see benefits like this in any other job. All stuff to consider. If you don’t have a wife or kids or a mortgage and you don’t like it, now is the time to go. Those first big checks rope us all in. This is a menial job, the mental thing is easy to get past when you realize all you do is move a box from one spot to another all that other crap doesn’t matter like backing reports and making scratch. I’ve been lucky to avoid injury by following the methods to a tee when I was a young runner everything hurt all the time. An old timer pulled me aside after I ruined his route by burning it up and gave me the best advice. “Work at the pace you’ll retire at” I never let management tell me what the previous driver did on the route I take over. I set my own pace. My plan with this place was to do my 20 and retire in my 40s and do something else. Would be sweet to be 65 and have a pension, two 401ks and social security.

 

[Dumbo]

This is good advice, thank you! I actually weight lift 5x a week right after work and have been making sure the job doesn’t negatively affect my diet. I’ve seen a lot of people suggesting to work at a pace that is physically comfortable for me even if I’m out there all night.

While I do try to keep that in mind everyday I also like to get home asap to do the things I enjoy (i.e gym, relax, talk with friends) before I should head to bed. Clocking out between 6-7 compared to 8-9 makes a huge difference in the rest of my day and probably most of you guys too.

How have some of you guys maintained a consistent (even if barely) weekday schedule while being a driver?

Maybe you are just lifting too much than and not eating enough to support all the work. I always tell drivers to lift. This job has a lot of chest, bicep, front deltoid, and low back overuse while upper back, rear and medial delt triceps and triceps are underused which definitely causes major muscle imbalances and pain. Can always tell because people don't have their ears aligned with their shoulders meaning their upper back is weak.

If I could give drivers in this profession any one basic exercise to counteract the imbalances this job causes it would be to use a rowing machine with a nice high row.

 

[Dr.Brownz]

Hello, I’m 22 years old and have been a 22.4 driver for close to a year now and looking for advice from fellow UPSers

I started working at UPS when I was 18 and was a loader until I turned 21 and became a 22.4 driver. After the grueling 30 day probation and a couple months of driving I thought I’ve really gotten the hang of things and this was going to be the beginning and the end of my working career. Fast forward to a year later I have had no problems being a proficient driver but the physical toll (thus turning into a mental toll) is starting to weigh on me.

I love being a driver with all the good and bad that comes with it but I’m getting to a point where I don’t think my body can take doing 200-220 stops with 300-350 packages 10h avg every day 5-6 days a week. I know this is the norm for a lot of drivers out there but I can’t see myself doing this for years. My lower back and shoulders feel like they’re slowly deteriorating into irreversible damage as the months go on.

I’m conflicted on quitting because although I believe I’m doing fairly well currently financial wise and have no worries about that I feel like I’m throwing away a very good career.

I’m mainly posting this because I’m wondering what my options are going forward. Best case scenario is I’d like to go back to the hub and continue driving part time.

Thank you for reading this far. I hope none of you think I’m just lazy. I believe I’m a very hard worker and that’s what’s even got me this far but I am prioritizing my current and future physical well being.

Man up and work slower.

 

[BrownStains]

Get out while you’re young. Things won’t be any easier when you’re in your 40s , you will have more aches and pains . Unless you can get on some light retirement style route.

 

[Shorts365]

Assuming you don’t have mouths to feed, if you can get by making less at your age, I would consider doing anything else. I started here in my early thirties. I wouldn’t trade all the fun times I was able to have working part time when I was younger for a decade’s worth of seniority and top scale pay ever. You can’t get your youth back. Not to be overly dramatic, but laying on your deathbed you’re not gonna wish you had worked more 55hr weeks and gotten laid less. You’d be surprised how much you can make at some restaurants (and you’d be surprised at how hard you have to work at those restaurants.)

Also, if you decide to go the college route, don’t get a basket weaving degree like I did!

 

[burrheadd]

Assuming you don’t have mouths to feed, if you can get by making less at your age, I would consider doing anything else. I started here in my early thirties. I wouldn’t trade all the fun times I was able to have working part time when I was younger for a decade’s worth of seniority and top scale pay ever. You can’t get your youth back. Not to be overly dramatic, but laying on your deathbed you’re not gonna wish you had worked more 55hr weeks and gotten laid less. You’d be surprised how much you can make at some restaurants (and you’d be surprised at how hard you have to work at those restaurants.)

Also, if you decide to go the college route, don’t get a basket weaving degree like I did!

Truth ^^^^^^

 

[Non liberal]

Hello, I’m 22 years old and have been a 22.4 driver for close to a year now and looking for advice from fellow UPSers

I started working at UPS when I was 18 and was a loader until I turned 21 and became a 22.4 driver. After the grueling 30 day probation and a couple months of driving I thought I’ve really gotten the hang of things and this was going to be the beginning and the end of my working career. Fast forward to a year later I have had no problems being a proficient driver but the physical toll (thus turning into a mental toll) is starting to weigh on me.

I love being a driver with all the good and bad that comes with it but I’m getting to a point where I don’t think my body can take doing 200-220 stops with 300-350 packages 10h avg every day 5-6 days a week. I know this is the norm for a lot of drivers out there but I can’t see myself doing this for years. My lower back and shoulders feel like they’re slowly deteriorating into irreversible damage as the months go on.

I’m conflicted on quitting because although I believe I’m doing fairly well currently financial wise and have no worries about that I feel like I’m throwing away a very good career.

I’m mainly posting this because I’m wondering what my options are going forward. Best case scenario is I’d like to go back to the hub and continue driving part time.

Thank you for reading this far. I hope none of you think I’m just lazy. I believe I’m a very hard worker and that’s what’s even got me this far but I am prioritizing my current and future physical well being.

Go to feeders. Tops you’ll be doing 5 CPU’s a day or going hub to hub. And you’ll make more money.

 

[Non liberal]

Quit don’t quit
Literally nobody cares

You in management?

 

[Non liberal]

Slow down and stop being a runner. Anything over 150 stops is automatic 21:00 eta and management will be getting my pickup pieces. This protects me and my safety.
Unfortunately many guys being forced 6 days a week which is outrageous and dangerous to employees.
If your sweating at work your working too hard , including summer.

@MECH-lift dont sweat for anyone

Exactly! The more you do, the more they give you.

 

[burrheadd]

You in management?

Why does it matter