LTL or Feeder

How long does it take to move to A feeder position ? Dedicated LTL Drivers, how is that and is it a good route to take, other then just driving package cars. I would like to start Driving for UPS, just not sure which one to choose. Not package car though. Semi only. Do you have any suggestions ? Like which has the better salary etc.... Or the best way to go about landing one of these positions, I've currently worked at UPS for 1 year and 6 months. Perfect DMV record, and I'm working on my Commercial A license.
 

Dutch Dawg

Well-Known Member
If you are currently employed inside a center/hub that would be the best place to ask. Feeder job openings vary greatly throughout the country.
 

scratch

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Staff member
It is almost impossible to skip Package Car and bid into Feeder. brownrasta, if you are part time, that means that you have all those Package Drivers ahead of you that can bid into any open Feeder position. I have never known anybody to skip Package and go straight into Feeder.
 

brownrodster

Well-Known Member
just not sure which one to choose. Not package car though. Semi only. Do you have any suggestions ? Like which has the better salary etc.... Or the best way to go about landing one of these positions, I've currently worked at UPS for 1 year and 6 months. Perfect DMV record, and I'm working on my Commercial A license.

Feeder openings are available to full time employees. If no full timers want to be feeder then they go to part time. If no part time want it then they hire off the street.

That being the case, the vast majority of feeder drivers come from the driver ranks. Around here it is never the case that someone outside of package driver becomes a feeder driver. And it takes many years of package seniority to bid into feeder.

The best way to become a feeder driver is to become a package driver then wait until you have enough seniority to bid into feeder. Depends on where you are but it could be as many as 20+ years in package to get into feeder.

But it depends on where you are at! Some places mgiht be hiring feeder drivers off the street.

If you heart is on feeder and feeder only then the best way to get that is move somewhere that they are hiring.

UPS doesn't care if you have a class A. All that matters is seniority. They train you.
 
what about the full time city driver or full time road driver. Through UPS Freight ? What are the pros and cons to leaving to go to Frieght and Drive, they are Union now. Could you transfer from Freight to a feeder positon ?
 
I saw they were hiring for a Tractor Trailer driver in a couple different states, what is that exactly ? How does that differ from Freight ?
 

SnowCitizen

Well-Known Member
Where I work, part-timers can go into feeders. I believe the wait is 6-8 years. It is easier to go from part-time to feeders than it is to go from package car to feeders. The current ratio is 2-2-1-1 (2 PT, 2FT, 1 geographical transfer, 1 off the street.)

This is how Wisconsin is set up. As others have posted, most areas you have to go part-time to package to feeders. You should speak to a steward or read the local rider to see how things work by you.
 

BrownSuit

Well-Known Member
I saw they were hiring for a Tractor Trailer driver in a couple different states, what is that exactly ? How does that differ from Freight ?

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if you leave Small Package to go to another branch of the company you lose any seniority that you may have.

In situations where a direct transfer is not possible, my understanding is that you generally have to quit Job A and then apply for Job B.

As far the Tractor Trailer Driver position, that's an SCS job. Whereas Freight can be long-haul between terminals or city with multiple stops and have some degree of routine, an SCS Trailer driver would likely be go to point A then B then C then D, never to come back to points B or C again. More the contract driver type gig.

For SCS you'd be hauling anything they couldn't get inside a Semi or as I mentioned Containers or Flat Beds.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
what about the full time city driver or full time road driver. Through UPS Freight ? What are the pros and cons to leaving to go to Frieght and Drive, they are Union now. Could you transfer from Freight to a feeder positon ?

No, you cannot just move from the UPS Parcel Division and go into UPS Freight, UPS Cartage, or UPS Supply Chain Solutions. And while some of these are organized by the Teamsters now, the pay scale is not the same. You will probably have to quit Parcel and go in as a new hire into a different division. Ask your Local's Business Agent for details about pay differences and seniority issues.
 
Guys in my area cant get into feeder with less that 17 years with the company. Senoirity list has been out for years and will be out till it is exhausted.
 
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but if you leave Small Package to go to another branch of the company you lose any seniority that you may have.

In situations where a direct transfer is not possible, my understanding is that you generally have to quit Job A and then apply for Job B.

As far the Tractor Trailer Driver position, that's an SCS job. Whereas Freight can be long-haul between terminals or city with multiple stops and have some degree of routine, an SCS Trailer driver would likely be go to point A then B then C then D, never to come back to points B or C again. More the contract driver type gig.

For SCS you'd be hauling anything they couldn't get inside a Semi or as I mentioned Containers or Flat Beds.


It depends on your supplemental agreement. Here, most feeder drivers were former part-time employees that only had a Class A license, and little experience. We were hired full-time first due to contractual hiring ratios and our seniority over casuals. And, this is a good thing because it honored our seniority regarding full time job promotion.

But, if any full time employee gets their Class A license, the company is obligated to train them at two different time periods per year, if these employees turn in a letter of intent. Once qualified, they can bid on any open job in the feeder classification.

It is important to note that there is no starting over after bidding here. By that, I mean that if a delivery driver goes into feeders, they carry all of their seniority with them, not start at the bottom. At some places, if a delivery driver bids to feeders, they are dove tailed at the bottom, regardless of their total seniority. This way takes away our most coveted right; seniority. Rules like this only prevent senior employees trying something new, protecting the less senior employees. I hope you guys in Jersey get it fixed.

The bottom line is that hiring practices differ depending on where you are geographically.
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
It is almost impossible to skip Package Car and bid into Feeder. brownrasta, if you are part time, that means that you have all those Package Drivers ahead of you that can bid into any open Feeder position. I have never known anybody to skip Package and go straight into Feeder.

I know some feeders that did, but it was in the 80's :biting:
 
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