New peak driver helper: lazy driver

[Rawrzxor]

I'm not exactly sure what I should have expected as a driver helper. I've had 3 drivers due to a nasty cold and a back injury (I'm out of shape okay. >_>), and the first two were much more active than my latest driver.

He ends up taking around 5-15 packages while I'm with him (I started counting a few days ago), while I take DR and get signatures (forget what that's called) at around 180-215 packages per 6-8 hour shift. He does 30-50 before I arrive. Am I over-reacting? (I haven't really reacted, more of a, 'ow...my legs are on fire, couldn't he do a little more--or at least stop telling me I'm going slow while I'm faster than him')

I will admit to getting a little annoyed.

I'm getting slower by the day, but he acts as though I should be sprinting (my regular pace is about twice as fast as a general one, normally--I walk faster than he jog-walks)

Should I change drivers, or should I just bite the grindstone (since I'm a temp anyway) or whatever they say?

Permanent UPS looks like an outstanding opportunity, so I don't want to mess anything up by trying to switch drivers or anything like that.

 

[Overburdened]

Fellow seasonal jumper here, I'd say you are over reacting a little. 180-215 and 6-8 hour shifts sound like a breeze! I've been doing 6.5-9.5 hour shifts on a 700 that is almost always packed full from the bulkhead door to the back doors from the floor to the ceiling and once it gets near empty we fill it back up with 80 or so packages from a ups store. My driver runs less than 5 stops off while I'm on the car and it's never crossed my mind once that he should be doing more because he drives and sets up the next stops while I run "walk". You are only there to increase the stops per hour of the car and save the drivers body so he/she can run the next 10 months solo. You only have 5 more delivery days until the uniform gets turned in and you get kicked back to the street. Suck it up if you can.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The two of you are being taken advantage of by drivers who look at Peak as their chance to slow down.
They call them driver/helper teams for a reason. You both should be working together to get the job done. For example, if you have 4 stops fairly close to one another, the driver should park so that all 4 stops can be delivered from that parked position, if possible, with each the helper doing the passenger side stops and the driver doing the stops on his side of the road.

I am a runner/gunner who expects a lot from a helper. Thus far my regular helper has been able to keep up but yesterday my center manager decided that he needed a break so I was giving another "helper" who was more of a hindrance. We were running so far behind I needed someone else to close out the UPS Store. My regular helper is very proficient on the DIAD and has the "sense of urgency" drivers like to see.

To the OP----there are only 5 days left----it is up to you whether you want to suck it up and stay with your current driver or express your concerns to your helper coordinator who may or may not assign you to another driver. Good luck.

 

[Jackburton]

I'm not exactly sure what I should have expected as a driver helper. I've had 3 drivers due to a nasty cold and a back injury (I'm out of shape okay. >_>), and the first two were much more active than my latest driver.

He ends up taking around 5-15 packages while I'm with him (I started counting a few days ago), while I take DR and get signatures (forget what that's called) at around 180-215 packages per 6-8 hour shift. He does 30-50 before I arrive. Am I over-reacting? (I haven't really reacted, more of a, 'ow...my legs are on fire, couldn't he do a little more--or at least stop telling me I'm going slow while I'm faster than him')

I will admit to getting a little annoyed.

I'm getting slower by the day, but he acts as though I should be sprinting (my regular pace is about twice as fast as a general one, normally--I walk faster than he jog-walks)

Should I change drivers, or should I just bite the grindstone (since I'm a temp anyway) or whatever they say?

Permanent UPS looks like an outstanding opportunity, so I don't want to mess anything up by trying to switch drivers or anything like that.

Yeah, because you have been here a whole two weeks and your driver could have been here for over 30years, he's the problem. Apply for management when you're done, you'll fit right in.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Yeah, because you have been here a whole two weeks and your driver could have been here for over 30years, he's the problem.

It doesn't take very long to figure out the hustlers from the milkers.

 

[Jackburton]

It doesn't take very long to figure out the hustlers from the milkers.

Yep, and it sounds like Mr 3rd driver has some attendance issues

 

[Wally]

How we view helpers...

 

[upschuck]

It is only advantageous for the driver to deliver when the truck is set up as much as possible, and that is when I'd walk them off. That is what the helper is for. The driver should not be sitting on his butt while your delivering several stops.

 

[jaker]

Your driver sounds like me , I don't get out of the truck unless it is needed

When both of you are out of the truck the next few stops don't get lined up or you can't find that missing box

But maybe in up states truck his whole truck is already lined up stop per stop

 

[Brownslave688]

The two of you are being taken advantage of by drivers who look at Peak as their chance to slow down.
They call them driver/helper teams for a reason. You both should be working together to get the job done. For example, if you have 4 stops fairly close to one another, the driver should park so that all 4 stops can be delivered from that parked position, if possible, with each the helper doing the passenger side stops and the driver doing the stops on his side of the road.

I am a runner/gunner who expects a lot from a helper. Thus far my regular helper has been able to keep up but yesterday my center manager decided that he needed a break so I was giving another "helper" who was more of a hindrance. We were running so far behind I needed someone else to close out the UPS Store. My regular helper is very proficient on the DIAD and has the "sense of urgency" drivers like to see.

To the OP----there are only 5 days left----it is up to you whether you want to suck it up and stay with your current driver or express your concerns to your helper coordinator who may or may not assign you to another driver. Good luck.

They have sent me a helper the last week or so and I don't even have a helper board. Not much I can do other than have him do the stops.

 

[JakeD]

my area doesn't lend itself to doing "double" stops.. with the exception of one condo complex, our neighborhoods the next house is still driving distance away. so for the most part he sorts, cabs the next stops and i deliver. i'm faster than he is anyway and will sometimes be back before he is even off the steps so i just grab it. mon. we had 230 stops.. i'm guessing i did 200 of them. (350 packages not including post office)

every area is different and how you can be the most efficient is different. OP be glad they haven't kicked you to the curb but remind the driver that you still have to be safe if it's icy or wet.

 

[Overburdened]

The two of you are being taken advantage of by drivers who look at Peak as their chance to slow down.
They call them driver/helper teams for a reason. You both should be working together to get the job done. For example, if you have 4 stops fairly close to one another, the driver should park so that all 4 stops can be delivered from that parked position, if possible, with each the helper doing the passenger side stops and the driver doing the stops on his side of the road.

We are on a route with a lot of ½-2 acre properties so stops are spread apart. Five stops are about all he can run off while I am with him. I know if the few apartment complexes on our route start getting more packages he will run more off. He isn't taking advantage of me at all and we work as a well-oiled machine together. We hit the pavement hard, stay out until 7-10 pm, and bring back no missed stops. We could probably get done earlier but orion won't lay off the whiskey. The other day the center manager congratulated my driver about the great job he was doing and my driver reminded him that it was a team effort. A daily residential stop with multiple packages called the center yesterday with a ridiculous complaint and my driver didn’t throw me under the bus either.

 

[cachsux]

Sounds like a couple of people who need to shut up and run.

 

[cosmo1]

Waahhhh?

 

[Rawrzxor]

There are only 5 days left? I had thought peak lasts through 01-15?

Anywho, we have a lot of sequential stops, but my other driver's did as well and would typically take the drivers side packages while I took the passenger side. With multiple stops close to each other, I end up taking both sides from a passenger side house to the drivers side house with both packages in hand.

He's also been getting in some sort of trouble with being late. We often have to have someone come and pick up 40-50 packages off us, which, IMO, could have been dropped in time given a certain situation.

Thank you to everyone for the replies.

 

[Rawrzxor]

I'll probably just keep going. That area is the closest to my house anyway.

 

[Back first]

There are only 5 days left? I had thought peak lasts through 01-15?

Anywho, we have a lot of sequential stops, but my other driver's did as well and would typically take the drivers side packages while I took the passenger side. With multiple stops close to each other, I end up taking both sides from a passenger side house to the drivers side house with both packages in hand.

He's also been getting in some sort of trouble with being late. We often have to have someone come and pick up 40-50 packages off us, which, IMO, could have been dropped in time given a certain situation.

Thank you to everyone for the replies.

 

[Back first]

Peak ends for the helper on Xmas eve. Dude you are way overthinking the whole driver/helper team. Your job is to run off pkgs that's it. Sure you will get drivers that won't carry their weight, but this time of year we are all under a great deal of stress. A lot of times I will have helper run stops off while I am looking for the next few stops, trucks are slammed now til xmas

 

[Covemastah]

Nothing ever got my arse more than a helper who questioned my methods !!

 

[oldngray]

Nothing ever got my arse more than a helper who questioned my methods !!

He can question the Celtics and Red Sox but never question your methods!