Personal Vehicle Driver-checking in

[Tiereffinthree]

I really don't not get this "get my foot in the door" business. I know lots of people—drivers and inside workers, and they all got their start being p/t package handlers.

That is how I am getting my start. It seems to be the best, most reliable way (best doesn't always mean easiest) to get your foot in the door. Put in your time, work your shifts, sign the sheet. Sure, there are outside hires occasionally, but I see so many people banking on the hope of being an outside hire or seasonal to FT driver.

Just take your lumps, join the Union, show up and sort those dang packages, load those package cars and trailers. We all have to start somewhere. Enough of this PVD/Seasonal/I am getting my CDL and applying off the street with my fingers crossed business. IF you get in that way, great. Just saying, from what I've seen and heard through experienced friends, and read here...it is way rarer.

I wish anyone who is trying to get in this way the best of luck. As for me, I'll keep sorting packages, working two jobs and waiting my turn.

Now don't get me wrong man I totally understand your point of view which is perfectly valid. I did the same. Hell...three jobs at one point. Bring em on lol. But when I was in package car I met some good guys who happened to be off the street hires, some not so good guys who were the same, and both sides of the fence from who came up the old fashioned way. My post was more of a drunken diatribe against the hypocrisy of the old "tough guys" that mainly post here. They literally have no perspective of what it would be like now to start the job with bottom of the totem pole full time seniority. Even the most cake routes can have days that leave you battered. When you're "new" as a driver, you don't know if you are gonna get sent home extra (make no money), get sent blind (this will either make you want to slam your head against a wall or you will be riding with an on-car...same difference as they may not have a clue on the route themselves.) Or you could be stuck with a known route you hate. Or be covering an "easy" (I use that term loosely) route on a day that the old timer knew was gonna be hell so he requested off or called in.

Of course it was the same back then, but almost everything was easier for these older guys back when they were new. Besides peak and the odd day of course. I know the truth. Nothing over 50 lbs. No telematics. Rare days over 9 hours. I've heard of guys having a few drinks on lunch then taking a nap, still getting home by 5:30. Not clocking out at 5:30. HOME by 5:30. They didn't have it all hard besides paper manifests or old DIADs. They were the ones, however, to have always been most active in union activities, like voting, union meetings, etc. They consistently took the deals that would be in their own best interest for them, as current full time package drivers, regardless what it would do to future generations of workers. That's where they screwed the pooch. If they hadn't rolled over on something so small as increasing weights and irregs, maybe they wouldn't have to b!tch and moan about PVD drivers.

Having been thru it, I would recommend anyone that feels so inclined, give package car driving a whirl. You will know quickly what your physical and mental aptitude for it is. Most "outside" hires wash out. The ones that don't? They deserve the gig as much as the next man. The seniority and union thing is such a joke at this point I don't blame anyone for getting in however they can. If they can stick it out, great. Do I relate more to the traditional guys who may have waited 5-10 years for the chance? Of course. I just think the company needs as many good drivers as possible right now, regardless how they attain the FT seniority. Or else it's gonna turn into one epic e show. The insane demands on newer guys is what breaks most. And it's a direct result of the self righteous baby boomer generation rolling over on everything and saying "hell with the next guy." This could be and should be one of the greatest jobs out there. It is gonna be hard no matter what, yes. But it shouldn't be hard to the point of mentally and physically crippling. Thanks old guys. You really set a great example. UPS may very well slowly but spectacularly collapse as things stand now. I'm all too sure it might happen.

 

[Super Powers]

The PVD driver assisting me over peak is now a UPS driver. He's former military with an amazing work ethic. He is a great addition to the UPS family.

 

[Dr.Brownz]

He is a great addition to the UPS family.

Because now there is someone to take all your extra work AMIRIGHT!?

 

[Super Powers]

Because now there is someone to take all your extra work AMIRIGHT!?

I never ask for help,but, Aaron, ' new driver' is a hard charger ! He likes the hours and will call high seniority guys to offer help after he finishes each day. He should really slow it down a bit because UPS will just keep adding to his stop count.

 

[UrFellowUpser]

So are you liking the warehouse?

 

[35years]

They didn't have it all hard besides paper manifests or old DIADs. They were the ones, however, to have always been most active in union activities, like voting, union meetings, etc. They consistently took the deals that would be in their own best interest for them, as current full time package drivers, regardless what it would do to future generations of workers. That's where they screwed the pooch. If they hadn't rolled over on something so small as increasing weights and irregs, maybe they wouldn't have to b!tch and moan about PVD drivers.

Having been thru it, I would recommend anyone that feels so inclined, give package car driving a whirl. You will know quickly what your physical and mental aptitude for it is. Most "outside" hires wash out. The ones that don't? They deserve the gig as much as the next man. The seniority and union thing is such a joke at this point I don't blame anyone for getting in however they can. If they can stick it out, great. Do I relate more to the traditional guys who may have waited 5-10 years for the chance? Of course. I just think the company needs as many good drivers as possible right now, regardless how they attain the FT seniority. Or else it's gonna turn into one epic e show. The insane demands on newer guys is what breaks most. And it's a direct result of the self righteous baby boomer generation rolling over on everything and saying "hell with the next guy." This could be and should be one of the greatest jobs out there. It is gonna be hard no matter what, yes. But it shouldn't be hard to the point of mentally and physically crippling. Thanks old guys. You really set a great example. UPS may very well slowly but spectacularly collapse as things stand now. I'm all too sure it might happen.

Cry me a river snowflake.
Tell me how we rolled over on weight limits.
We went on strike for a day to make sure we had language that said you could demand help on overweights.
If you don't demand help, it is your own fault.

Tell me how we rolled over on irregs. There was never any language banning them.

If you are getting too many hours be a man and file for 9.5 pay every time. It is always the guys who are too scared to file who complain about the hours.

Sure go ahead and blame the guys who stuck their neck out and went on strike to insure you could make $34 an hour along with the best benefits package in the country. Go ahead and blame the guys who go to Union meetings, as if you sitting at home helps make things better. Yep, it is so hard on you. You are an ungrateful, self entitled crybaby.

 

[Tiereffinthree]

Cry me a river snowflake.
Tell me how we rolled over on weight limits.
We went on strike for a day to make sure we had language that said you could demand help on overweights.
If you don't demand help, it is your own fault.

Tell me how we rolled over on irregs. There was never any language banning them.

If you are getting too many hours be a man and file for 9.5 pay every time. It is always the guys who are too scared to file who complain about the hours.

Sure go ahead and blame the guys who stuck their neck out and went on strike to insure you could make $34 an hour along with the best benefits package in the country. Go ahead and blame the guys who go to Union meetings, as if you sitting at home helps make things better. Yep, it is so hard on you. You are an ungrateful, self entitled crybaby.

Now this is a barrel of laughs and you assuming a whole lot of BS; because NOWHERE did I say I never grieve, or I was not active i.e attending union meetings and the whole nine yards. Soon as you spout "snowflake" out your mouth you outed yourself as a bitter old tard who can't possibly conceive of the notion that anyone under 50 has a clue about anything.

I did what I could. I'm now gone for good from doo doo Brown of my own volition. It's easy to sit there at retirement and cast all kinds of flawed judgements at the younger generation. It's insulting as hell to assume I wouldn't "stick my neck out" etc.. Your whole rant is based on assumptions actually. Your experience can't compare in any way to what they are throwing at lower seniority workers nowadays. It's not worth it. Call me a p'$$y if it helps you sleep better at night. This company heaps and heaps crap on workers and then heaps more. I admit other younger guys should be doing much MUCH more to stand up. Strength in numbers.. They set us up to fail nowadays. Fact. Not sure what the endgame is but I see very few people retiring from here in 30 years in any kind of good health. I pursued a new path nyself. I never was one to just whine and do nothing. I took my best course of action. There are other career paths out there.

That being said; you may think lowly of me and we disagree. But I respect the accomplishments you older guys managed for the union. It was unfair if I seemed to imply you guys did nothing. I admit that. And yes; you did stick your necks out. I wish that solidarity was there in my demographic. And I respect your years of service. All the best sir. No personal disrespect intended. I was just venting a bit.

 

[john chesney]

Welcome aboard! For one, thank you, I personally want to thank you for your service in peak of 2017. Without people like you, I honestly don’t know where we’d be right now. Whether you’re a seasoned driver, a PVD, a preloader, a seasonal, an on road sup or a center manager, I just want to thank everyone for making this great company the well oiled machine we all know it should be.

Can you please let me know what kind of medication or illicit drugs you’re on. Mine are not working

 

[35years]

Now this is a barrel of laughs and you assuming a whole lot of BS; because NOWHERE did I say I never grieve, or I was not active i.e attending union meetings and the whole nine yards. Soon as you spout "snowflake" out your mouth you outed yourself as a bitter old tard who can't possibly conceive of the notion that anyone under 50 has a clue about anything.

I did what I could. I'm now gone for good from doo doo Brown of my own volition. It's easy to sit there at retirement and cast all kinds of flawed judgements at the younger generation. It's insulting as hell to assume I wouldn't "stick my neck out" etc.. Your whole rant is based on assumptions actually. Your experience can't compare in any way to what they are throwing at lower seniority workers nowadays. It's not worth it. Call me a p'$$y if it helps you sleep better at night. This company heaps and heaps crap on workers and then heaps more. I admit other younger guys should be doing much MUCH more to stand up. Strength in numbers.. They set us up to fail nowadays. Fact. Not sure what the endgame is but I see very few people retiring from here in 30 years in any kind of good health. I pursued a new path nyself. I never was one to just whine and do nothing. I took my best course of action. There are other career paths out there.

That being said; you may think lowly of me and we disagree. But I respect the accomplishments you older guys managed for the union. It was unfair if I seemed to imply you guys did nothing. I admit that. And yes; you did stick your necks out. I wish that solidarity was there in my demographic. And I respect your years of service. All the best sir. No personal disrespect intended. I was just venting a bit.

You said...

They literally have no perspective of what it would be like now to start the job with bottom of the totem pole full time seniority.

Um...We do the job now, and we did it then, so i think we do know.

I personally worked 69+ hours for 6 weeks straight. Do you have any idea what that is like at 50+ years old? I think not.
We went out blind just like you when we were new, and more often then guys do now.
We were the ones sent to help others and worked long hours when we were new, just like you. Only we did it 5 days a week, unlike you, by your own admission.

Of course it was the same back then, but almost everything was easier for these older guys back when they were new. Besides peak and the odd day of course. I know the truth. Nothing over 50 lbs. No telematics. Rare days over 9 hours.

You have no idea. You think having to deal with telematics is more difficult then having to do a route blind with no EDD, not having a clue what stops are in the truck, or how many pieces each stop has?

The job itself is much easier then 30 years ago. Low steps, power steering, FOB, heaters that actually work, EDD to tell you whats in the load, and the addition of far more lighter resi packages... more than compensates for the occasional over 70.

Imagine going out blind on routes that were 80% commercial, brick loaded, no clue what addresses were on your truck, or how many boxes for each stop. No missed stops ever, period. and no such thing as "emergency conditions" or "there was a dog at the house". Unless it was an actual blizzard you got every stop done, everyday.

I am the first to admit that it is overall a more difficult job now if you are working 10-12 hours a day. But the 9.5 list works if you are man enough to file every time. Other than the longer hours, the job is easier. I should know, I delivered then, and I still deliver now.

 

[Tiereffinthree]

You said...


Um...We do the job now, and we did it then, so i think we do know.

I personally worked 69+ hours for 6 weeks straight. Do you have any idea what that is like at 50+ years old? I think not.
We went out blind just like you when we were new, and more often then guys do now.
We were the ones sent to help others and worked long hours when we were new, just like you. Only we did it 5 days a week, unlike you, by your own admission.


You have no idea. You think having to deal with telematics is more difficult then having to do a route blind with no EDD, not having a clue what stops are in the truck, or how many pieces each stop has?

The job itself is much easier then 30 years ago. Low steps, power steering, FOB, heaters that actually work, EDD to tell you whats in the load, and the addition of far more lighter resi packages... more than compensates for the occasional over 70.

Imagine going out blind on routes that were 80% commercial, brick loaded, no clue what addresses were on your truck, or how many boxes for each stop. No missed stops ever, period. and no such thing as "emergency conditions" or "there was a dog at the house". Unless it was an actual blizzard you got every stop done, everyday.

I am the first to admit that it is overall a more difficult job now if you are working 10-12 hours a day. But the 9.5 list works if you are man enough to file every time. Other than the longer hours, the job is easier. I should know, I delivered then, and I still deliver now.

Point taken. I was not thinking of any of that at the time of my initial tirade. I know how ty those older trucks are/were. I think the disconnect here is I was listening to the wrong older drivers. While admitting that paper manifests, going out blind, etc was much harder then, they made it sound like BARELY 8 hour dispatches, meeting up at lunch for beers, napping and still bringing it in by 5. This is just a few individuals in the center I worked at; most guys there were well under 55 I'd say. Maybe it was the area back then. Maybe they were full of BS looking at the past thru rose colored lenses. Or they were so slow they got away with murder dispatch/production wise.

I realize I have no clue what it was like. I came off hot headed and whiny. I was on the defensive cause I can truthfully say I was the ONLY guy my age (early 30s) who tried to be union active and didnt shy away from grievances, etc. I'm sure it sucks to still be grinding for this long, especially come winter. I meant it when I said you do have my respect, and apologies as well. I really was given a probably false impression that the job was cake "back in the day." Kudos. I don't know how ya do it. Respect.