They just promoted me to cover driver (7 years in.. 5 years on military leave), and I'm concerned on how much I'll be working due to the fact that I have a family and have to pay rent, bills, etc. I also am registered in school with my VA benefits that help support us. Will I be mostly working fulltime? I dont want to drop all of my classes not knowing if I will be making enough.
New Cover Driver
- Thread starter Jhansen
- Start date
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Cover driving and school DO NOT mix.
We have a lower seniority cover driver who is also a FT college student. He works the preload when he is in school and drives, if needed, on breaks and during the latter part of peak.
I think your best bet is to stay PT until you finish school.
We have a lower seniority cover driver who is also a FT college student. He works the preload when he is in school and drives, if needed, on breaks and during the latter part of peak.
I think your best bet is to stay PT until you finish school.
gostillerz
Well-Known Member
It depends on the center you work at. I've been a cover driver for 2 1/2 years. Last year, I made $11,000. Besides peak, i was lucky to drive once or twice a month. Like Upstate said, definitely stay on preload if you can.
In my area cover driver are FT Drivers and guaranteed 8 hrs a day they just don't have there own route, they cover routes when drivers are out or they run splits....
In some areas cover driver are PTimers that cover when they are needed.
You would have to pick between going to school and working PT or quitting school and being a cover driver.
garbagemeister
Member
Cover driving is never steady. You are basically on call all the time for call ins and heavy vacation weeks.
That depends on your location. I'm a cover driver and I have a route to due everyday some weeks it the same route everyday other weeks I due a different route every day.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
The term "cover driver" is used to describe drivers who are FT yet don't have their own route and also to describe casuals, who are drivers who are not FT nor have their own route. My center uses casuals only--there are no bid cover drivers.
Indecisi0n
Well-Known Member
Same here.
We only have Ft bid cover drivers in my area. They do hire a couple of casuals from June 1 to the second week in Sept and then again from Oct 1 to Dec 23. Last year they hired 3 however those driver are not guaranteed any hours they only work when needed.
Indecisi0n
Well-Known Member
Casuals aren't garanteed 8 hrs but our FT covers are.
menotyou
bella amicizia
Not here.
Is there a difference between a "cover driver" and a "single day vacation coverage driver"? Im thinkin a cover driver is a FT like you said. And a single day vacation coverage driver is a PT, who covers a drivers vacation day.
menotyou
bella amicizia
Here at my center(same district as upstate), casuals and covers were the same until about 6 months ago, maybe. We now have FT covers, and they are paid as FT drivers. Our pt covers/casuals are guaranteed 8 hours if they are covering a FT'ers shift. They are paid casual rate. I don't know the terms UPS has chosen to use to make a distinction, but either way you get 8 hours. Period.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
We do not have any FT cover drivers--only casuals.
brownmonster
Man of Great Wisdom
We have full time seniority drivers that cover routes where they are assigned. We have full-time seniority drivers that are bid cover that can sign for vacation routes. Last contract we got the single vacation days so we are supposed to have single day cover drivers that come out of part time for the day. Don't seem to have any of these that actually do it. No one wants to.
Anonymous 10
Guest
Same here also on the single day vacation coverage drivers. Not a one wants anything to do with this gig.
Bubblehead
My Senior Picture
We have the single day drivers here.
Management abuses the use of them, much the same as they do with air exception drivers.
Lots of free money out there if you have the stones to grieve it.
We have also been sucessful in getting two new full time driving jobs by filing on them working 30 times in 90 days when nobody was on a single day vacation.
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