Looking to change shifts: is preloading worse than loading?

[km3]

So yeah...I'm trying to get off of the midnight shift, and my 6 months is coming up at the end of this month so I'll finally be able to put my name down. My options are Twilight or Sunrise, and I'm leaning heavily towards Sunrise. The only problem is, that would most likely mean getting put on the preload. As a loader I've had my share of bad nights, but overall, I'm so used to the job that I'm kind of afraid to leave it for another "entry-level" position. I've unloaded before, and I hated it despite the fact that people think it's the easiest thing ever.

Anyway, I've seen people on here talk about how horrible preloading is, and I was just hoping that somebody that has done both jobs could give me their thoughts on which job is better or worse. Just note that I don't differentiate the two as "easier/harder." Unloading is undoubtedly "easier" than loading, but I still hate it, so keep that in mind.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BakerMayfield2018]

So yeah...I'm trying to get off of the midnight shift, and my 6 months is coming up at the end of this month so I'll finally be able to put my name down. My options are Twilight or Sunrise, and I'm leaning heavily towards Sunrise. The only problem is, that would most likely mean getting put on the preload. As a loader I've had my share of bad nights, but overall, I'm so used to the job that I'm kind of afraid to leave it for another "entry-level" position. I've unloaded before, and I hated it despite the fact that people think it's the easiest thing ever.

Anyway, I've seen people on here talk about how horrible preloading is, and I was just hoping that somebody that has done both jobs could give me their thoughts on which job is better or worse. Just note that I don't differentiate the two as "easier/harder." Unloading is undoubtedly "easier" than loading, but I still hate it, so keep that in mind.

Thanks in advance!

Go get a job at wallmart. You will be much " happier".

 

[Wally]

Get up the this morning around 3 am. Let us know how you like it?

 

[Number24]

Unloading and sorting are by far the best two jobs on the preload. Go for sunrise.

 

[km3]

Go get a job at wallmart. You will be much " happier".

It seems you clicked on the wrong thread, friend. I was the one asking for helpful advice and information as to what the preload is like and how it differs from the load. No worries, we all make mistakes!

Get up the this morning around 3 am. Let us know how you like it?

At 3am I'm still in the hub, swimming in boxes. But if you think that's my biggest concern, that's the best news I could get. I'd kill to stop having to split my sleep into sections (2 hours here, 3 hours there...maybe I'll make up the other 3 hours tomorrow, etc.).

 

[km3]

Unloading and sorting are by far the best two jobs on the preload. Go for sunrise.

Unfortunately I'm not certified to sort at the moment. I've talked to supervisors who seem pretty sure that if I manage to get moved it will be to the actual preload (as in loading the package cars), though. Sunrise is the most desirable for me though. $0.90 raise and it's the only other shift I can do that doesn't involve rush hour. Living 20 miles away from my hub, that's a colossal bonus right there.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Unfortunately I'm not certified to sort at the moment. I've talked to supervisors who seem pretty sure that if I manage to get moved it will be to the actual preload (as in loading the package cars), though. Sunrise is the most desirable for me though. $0.90 raise and it's the only other shift I can do that doesn't involve rush hour. Living 20 miles away from my hub, that's a colossal bonus right there.

With the PAL labels you only read which belt to throw it down. A new hire can sort on the preload his first day. And because of that you don't receive the extra $1.00/hr sort pay. Our preload starts around 4:30 and 4:45 so not that early and that 20 mile drive at 4 AM goes pretty fast. Sure is nice going home when everyone else is going in to work.

 

[Shifting Contents]

Sure is nice going home when everyone else is going in to work.

Said no rational person ever

Being from a small center with only a preload and local sort I can tell you only that anything is better than preload

I've worked both shifts and done all the jobs there are sans international clerk and any bad day on twilight is better than a good day on preload

 

[Brownslave688]

Twilight is much much easier than preload.

 

[PT Car Washer]

So no rational person ever

Being from a small center with only a preload and local sort I can tell you only that anything is better than preload

I've worked both shifts and done all the jobs there are sans international clerk and any bad day on twilight is better than a good day on preload

In 2015 I agree completely. Guess I was thinking back 30 years before EDD and PAL and Preloaders were paid $.50/hr less then drivers. Sure was nice walking out Friday morning to start the weekend.

 

[BakerMayfield2018]

In 2015 I agree completely. Guess I was thinking back 30 years before EDD and PAL and Preloaders were paid $.50/hr less then drivers. Sure was nice walking out Friday morning to start the weekend.

I still get comments from some of the pt lifers " hey , wanna go to breakfast"......

 

[km3]

With the PAL labels you only read which belt to throw it down. A new hire can sort on the preload his first day. And because of that you don't receive the extra $1.00/hr sort pay. Our preload starts around 4:30 and 4:45 so not that early and that 20 mile drive at 4 AM goes pretty fast. Sure is nice going home when everyone else is going in to work.

I see. I didn't realize it was that simple.

Said no rational person ever

Being from a small center with only a preload and local sort I can tell you only that anything is better than preload

I've worked both shifts and done all the jobs there are sans international clerk and any bad day on twilight is better than a good day on preload

Twilight is much much easier than preload.

Ouch. So much better that it makes a 20-mile commute in rush hour after a day of classes worthwhile?

The main thing for me is, a) I need to stop splitting all of my sleep into 2 or 3 hour naps, and more importantly b) Since I want to do Saturday Air someday, I need to get off Midnight. I've been told by a supervisor that HR won't even contact somebody on Midnight for Saturday Air jobs because of the 10-hours-in-between-shifts thing. I'm not exactly sure when the Saturday Air drivers start their shift, but I was a little concerned that Twilight might interfere with that 10-hour rule too. Twilighters are often still working right up until my start time (10:50), so if the start time for Sat. Air was earlier than 9 I still might be in trouble. :/

 

[Brownslave688]

I see. I didn't realize it was that simple.





Ouch. So much better that it makes a 20-mile commute in rush hour after a day of classes worthwhile?

The main thing for me is, a) I need to stop splitting all of my sleep into 2 or 3 hour naps, and more importantly b) Since I want to do Saturday Air someday, I need to get off Midnight. I've been told by a supervisor that HR won't even contact somebody on Midnight for Saturday Air jobs because of the 10-hours-in-between-shifts thing. I'm not exactly sure when the Saturday Air drivers start their shift, but I was a little concerned that Twilight might interfere with that 10-hour rule too. Twilighters are often still working right up until my start time (10:50), so if the start time for Sat. Air was earlier than 9 I still might be in trouble. :/

If you want to drive I think preload prepares you better.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I see. I didn't realize it was that simple.





Ouch. So much better that it makes a 20-mile commute in rush hour after a day of classes worthwhile?

The main thing for me is, a) I need to stop splitting all of my sleep into 2 or 3 hour naps, and more importantly b) Since I want to do Saturday Air someday, I need to get off Midnight. I've been told by a supervisor that HR won't even contact somebody on Midnight for Saturday Air jobs because of the 10-hours-in-between-shifts thing. I'm not exactly sure when the Saturday Air drivers start their shift, but I was a little concerned that Twilight might interfere with that 10-hour rule too. Twilighters are often still working right up until my start time (10:50), so if the start time for Sat. Air was earlier than 9 I still might be in trouble. :/

If you want to work Saturday Air, may just be the job for you. If the job was as bad as people say there would be no one working preload. I know a lot of people who don't mind loading package cars. Worse time is in the summer when you know you should be trying to sleep at 9 PM and it is still light out and kids are playing. Winter when it is dark at 5 PM is easier to sleep early. Midnight sort has to be the worse for sleeping.

 

[door10]

Unloading is easily the best and easiest job you can have during preload. Management moved everyone around daily to help each other out getting put on unload is a day maker. Literally just pull/throw a wall of boxes onto a conveyor belt. If you can get unload do it.

 

[door10]

With the PAL labels you only read which belt to throw it down. A new hire can sort on the preload his first day. And because of that you don't receive the extra $1.00/hr sort pay. Our preload starts around 4:30 and 4:45 so not that early and that 20 mile drive at 4 AM goes pretty fast. Sure is nice going home when everyone else is going in to work.

You start preload at 4:30 and 4:45? I'm jealous. Could get an extra hour of sleep if I had that start time.

 

[McGee]

You start preload at 4:30 and 4:45? I'm jealous. Could get an extra hour of sleep if I had that start time.

That will NOT be that way in a couple weeks...

 

[PT Car Washer]

You start preload at 4:30 and 4:45? I'm jealous. Could get an extra hour of sleep if I had that start time.

When I worked preload start time was 3:30 to 3:45. Of course driver start time was 8:00 AM and we would be wrapped and walking out the door most days. Average 22.5 hours a week compared to 15 hours working in the Hub. 3 hour guarantee back then.

 

[Loadabrownie]

I've been working preload for about 8 months and have no complaints

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I have done both jobs for many years, as well as preload or preload shift for around 7 of 14 years. JMO, the preload hours are the worst and also, the job is harder. It's not necessarily a "worse" job concerning the actual job functions. If you can hang it's alright, but definitely a different animal than being a feeder loader.

One catch is whether the preload is belt-to-PC, or boxline. I have worked both types of preload feeds and found boxline easier than belt to car.