Runners......

[old levi's]

Depends what i see over my left shoulder. . .

Well, if you're in a P1000 all you will see is aluminum bulkhead.

 

[trplnkl]

I am all for this.

Drivers don't deserve 80 thousand dollars a year.

I've done driver helper. I pretty much did everything, the driver would leave the truck maybe twice on average when I was working with him.

OOOOH, so you have never been a delivery driver for UPS, just a helper? That explains alot about some of your posts.
I suppose you could have watched Leonardo Da Vinci (perhaps toted some oils and brushes) paint the Mona Lisa and all of a sudden you know all about being an artist. Fella, you have no clue.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I am all for this.

I wouldn't blame you as it would improve your current situation.

Drivers don't deserve 80 thousand dollars a year.

And your time spent as a driver helper has allowed you to make this claim? BTW, I have been here 20 years and have yet to make $80K.

I've done driver helper. I pretty much did everything, the driver would leave the truck maybe twice on average when I was working with him. I even collected CODs, which I am pretty sure I wasn't supposed to do.

This would not have been your experience had you been my helper. I don't ask my helpers to do anymore than I expect myself to do and I would have been running off 3 stops while you were running off 3. Helpers do not handle CODs. but I do get them fully familiar with the DIAD.

Anyone can do this job. The DIAD was extremely simple to learn, I pretty much knew all of the functions and when to use them after doing it a week. It was also much easier on my body than working in the hub.

This is not rocket science by any means and the DIAD, when coupled with PAS/EDD and a solid trace, does help to make the job that much easier. As far as "anyone can do this job", this is where we disagree.

After hearing so many drivers complain about their job, online and otherwise, I thought maybe it really does suck, maybe they do deserve their excessive wages. But then, being a driver helper informed me that this is not actually the case.

Your driver helper experience was only the tip of the iceberg. The work is tough and the company demanding but they do pay us an above average wage and provide a strong benefit package. You truly do not have a clue.

Ironically, he liked to complain about how the auto industry shouldn't be bailed out, how they got paid excessively high wages for the easy job of assembling automobiles. Only because UPS has the management style that is has, has it remained profitable. But if these excessive wages are allowed to continue, I can only see a bleak future for the company.

UPS has continued to thrive in this economy because of its' diversification. UPS has interests in all aspects of the supply chain which ensures that we do not rely solely on the package division for our survival.

It has been suggested in another thread that the 2013 contract will see a move toward wage tiering, with a lower wage for newer drivers and the current wage for old timers like me and incentives offered to reduce the number of old timers. It has also been suggested that mgt will target these so-called "red circled" drivers in efforts to reduce the overall wage structure.

I actually see a bright future for UPS. We will come out of this a leaner, more focused company.

Perhaps Telematics will allow UPS to get rid of people in the future who are making extremely high salaries while not working to their full potential. I will never be able to fill the openings they leave, but am glad that other people might.

I have no argument here other than your continued reference to our extremely high salaries. I make $28.90 per hour and expect to retire in 10 years with a $5K/month pension. I work hard for this wage and deserve to reap the benefits of this hard work. I consider myself to have a strong work ethic and would work just as hard whether at $29/hr or at your suggested wage of $18/hr.

I've always believed that in most locales, UPS could fire all drivers, offer up their jobs for $18 an hour, and people would most certainly be lined up around the street.

Again, no argument here, except for the quality of the applicants lining that street.

 

[InTheRed]

Drivers don't deserve 80 thousand dollars a year.

I've done driver helper. I pretty much did everything, the driver would leave the truck maybe twice on average when I was working with him. I even collected CODs, which I am pretty sure I wasn't supposed to do.

Anyone can do this job. The DIAD was extremely simple to learn, I pretty much knew all of the functions and when to use them after doing it a week. It was also much easier on my body than working in the hub.

Driver helper and driver are two WAY different jobs. First, driver does all the driving (not as easy as it looks). Second, driver helper is handed every stop and pointed where to go. Third, driver helper is only for a certain part of the year, and only does one or a few routes (as an assistant).

I believe driving is easy. It was tough at first for me, but after a month, it clicked. When EDD was refined, it became very easy. I like to drive (cars), so handling the truck in traffic is not an issue, and learning the 5 seeing habits/10 point commentary has made me a better, safer driver.

The DIAD is very easy to learn, if you're a computer person (and most young people are). We are beyond that stage now where the 'older' generation of drivers (born in the 60s) who did not grow up with computers have either all accepted the DIAD and learned it very well or moved on to other positions. Even the customer counter is all computer based.

The driver job is easy once you learn it, but it's not easy for everyone. I think if you had the opportunity to do the driver job, you would find it much tougher than you imagined.

 

[PassYouBy]

The driver job is easy once you learn it, but it's not easy for everyone. I think if you had the opportunity to do the driver job, you would find it much tougher than you imagined.

I don't think its "Easy"... I think you learn to do things more efficient and work smarter than you did when you first started. This includes almost anything you do in life.

 

[NHDRVR]

I don't think its "Easy"... I think you learn to do things more efficient and work smarter than you did when you first started. This includes almost anything you do in life.

For me, I'm on auto-pilot every day. This job does nothing to challenge most of us mentally and the only thing I find a nuisance is a few different stops a day due to pieces or weight etc.,
The only thing difficult about this job is the occasional boredom and when mngt. has something to bother me about.

This job is a piece of cake...

I would find an office job, the confines of it and being 'stuck' in one spot to be extremely frustrating. After you have been moving every day for 20 years you can't shut it off.

 

[trplnkl]

For me, I'm on auto-pilot every day. This job does nothing to challenge most of us mentally and the only thing I find a nuisance is a few different stops a day due to pieces or weight etc.,
The only thing difficult about this job is the occasional boredom and when mngt. has something to bother me about.

This job is a piece of cake...

I would find an office job, the confines of it and being 'stuck' in one spot to be extremely frustrating. After you have been moving every day for 20 years you can't shut it off.

I've never been to NH and don't know anything about the size or congestion of population. I do know that some of the areas I deliver will put you through quite the mental exercise each day to figure out the best way to run the route. When you have 40 business in town, then another 10 out in the country, intermingled with 10 to 15 RR residential deliveries(some of them 5-10 miles apart) and PU accounts 25 miles from the town where you have to meet up to send in outgoing packages by five pm, it keeps you away from auto-pilot. And that doesn't take in the resi stops in town. Oh, did I mention that the "town" is 90 miles from the center?

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I am all for this.

Drivers don't deserve 80 thousand dollars a year.

I've done driver helper. I pretty much did everything, the driver would leave the truck maybe twice on average when I was working with him. I even collected CODs, which I am pretty sure I wasn't supposed to do.

Anyone can do this job. The DIAD was extremely simple to learn, I pretty much knew all of the functions and when to use them after doing it a week. It was also much easier on my body than working in the hub.

After hearing so many drivers complain about their job, online and otherwise, I thought maybe it really does suck, maybe they do deserve their excessive wages. But then, being a driver helper informed me that this is not actually the case.

Ironically, he liked to complain about how the auto industry shouldn't be bailed out, how they got paid excessively high wages for the easy job of assembling automobiles. Only because UPS has the management style that is has, has it remained profitable. But if these excessive wages are allowed to continue, I can only see a bleak future for the company.

Perhaps Telematics will allow UPS to get rid of people in the future who are making extremely high salaries while not working to their full potential. I will never be able to fill the openings they leave, but am glad that other people might.

I've always believed that in most locales, UPS could fire all drivers, offer up their jobs for $18 an hour, and people would most certainly be lined up around the street.

I guess you and Barrack have the same, share the wealth, idea. The only problem with your theory is that you went out with ONE driver. How about doing this for several years, before you come up with your cockamamie plan of lower wages. I know you part timers don't make half the money you should, and the work is grueling, but it is part time. Next time you feel the need to express your opinion, why not tell mgmt, that instead of receiving a paycheck for your hard work, at the end of each week, you'd prefer that it be donated to one of UPS's great cause.

One day you'll make a great supervisor.

 

[Jones]

I guess you and Barrack have the same, share the wealth, idea. The only problem with your theory is that you went out with ONE driver. How about doing this for several years, before you come up with your cockamamie plan of lower wages. I know you part timers don't make half the money you should, and the work is grueling, but it is part time. Next time you feel the need to express your opinion, why not tell mgmt, that instead of receiving a paycheck for your hard work, at the end of each week, you'd prefer that it be donated to one of UPS's great cause.

One day you'll make a great supervisor.

He'll be one of those "six month wonders" who drives for one peak season before going into supervision where he will spend the remainder of his days telling people what a hammer he was "back when he was a driver"....

 

[UPS Lifer]

Hey Blue,
You should go back to San Francisco, get a gov't job and clean toilets for President Pelosi AKA "Pop Up Pelosi". You will feel much better making that 18 bucks knowing all your UPS brethren are paying your wages!

and STUG - I realize you are being satirical with the supervisor comment but GIVE ME A BREAK! I can't get that image out of my head! I will probably have nightmares now! LOL!

 

[1989]

I am all for this.

Drivers don't deserve 80 thousand dollars a year.

I've done driver helper. I pretty much did everything, the driver would leave the truck maybe twice on average when I was working with him. I even collected CODs, which I am pretty sure I wasn't supposed to do.

Anyone can do this job. The DIAD was extremely simple to learn, I pretty much knew all of the functions and when to use them after doing it a week. It was also much easier on my body than working in the hub.

After hearing so many drivers complain about their job, online and otherwise, I thought maybe it really does suck, maybe they do deserve their excessive wages. But then, being a driver helper informed me that this is not actually the case.

Ironically, he liked to complain about how the auto industry shouldn't be bailed out, how they got paid excessively high wages for the easy job of assembling automobiles. Only because UPS has the management style that is has, has it remained profitable. But if these excessive wages are allowed to continue, I can only see a bleak future for the company.

Perhaps Telematics will allow UPS to get rid of people in the future who are making extremely high salaries while not working to their full potential. I will never be able to fill the openings they leave, but am glad that other people might.

I've always believed that in most locales, UPS could fire all drivers, offer up their jobs for $18 an hour, and people would most certainly be lined up around the street.

Most people did this job for $12 an hour at some point.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Hey Blue,
You should go back to San Francisco, get a gov't job and clean toilets for President Pelosi AKA "Pop Up Pelosi". You will feel much better making that 18 bucks knowing all your UPS brethren are paying your wages!

and STUG - I realize you are being satirical with the supervisor comment but GIVE ME A BREAK! I can't get that image out of my head! I will probably have nightmares now! LOL!

Sorry Lifer, I meant no disrespect, as my finger was pointed at bad supes. You my friend, are in a totally different league.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Most people did this job for $12 an hour at some point.

Yeah, and all of us looked forward to the future, while breaking our backs, of getting to top pay. Believe me, if top pay was $12 per hour, not only would you have a lot of crappy drivers, but a lot of the drivers that we have now would work somewhere else. Not to mention that drivers at $12 per hour would need another full time job to survive. Do any of you guys every think about this? I think it's time you moved out of your parents home and started fending for yourselves!

Sorry for the double post, I'm have trouble with the multi quote. If anyone can help me with this, I'd appreciate the favor.

 

[MikeTbob]

Yeah, and all of us looked forward to the future, while breaking our backs, of getting to top pay. Believe me, if top pay was $12 per hour, not only would you have a lot of crappy drivers, but a lot of the drivers that we have now would work somewhere else. Not to mention that drivers at $12 per hour would need another full time job to survive. Do any of you guys every think about this? I think it's time you moved out of your parents home and started fending for yourselves!

Sorry for the double post, I'm have trouble with the multi quote. If anyone can help me with this, I'd appreciate the favor.

I would not do this job for any less than what I make now, especially a paltry $12 per hour, you know what a $12 per hour driver looks like?? HINT: They used to drive yellow vans with DHL on the side of them. Full beards with half a burrito still left in his mustache. That's what you get for $12 per hour.

 

[rod]

Most people did this job for $12 an hour at some point.

I believe I did it for $6.75 an hour back when I started in 1971. Oh by the way-that was 3 bucks more an hour than my wife was making working full time at a state government job.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Steve, just click on the ' ' next to the word "quote" on each of the posts that you wish to refer to in your post and then go back and hit quote on the one that you want to appear first.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I would not do this job for any less than what I make now...

I would think that, if push came to shove, you would accept a pay cut in order to retain the benefits and, in turn, this job. I am not advocating a cut by any means, and in no way would I accept a cut to $12/hr, but a 5-10% pay cut would not cause me to hit the Exit door, as long as everything else remained the same.

 

[Dizzee]

you know what a $12 per hour driver looks like??

Actually DHL drivers in my area are Teamsters, and they make very close to pkg drivers rate.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Actually DHL drivers in my area are Teamsters, and they used to make very close to pkg drivers rate.

 

[Dizzee]

Actually DHL drivers in my area are Teamsters, and the few that are left, make very close to pkg drivers rate.