Shorter wait times...or am I crazy?

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

I have multiple friends working for UPS as drivers in different areas of the country. In my area in the midwest, at all three hubs within 5-25 miles from me, the wait times to drive are roughly 6 months-1.5 years.

Talked to a buddy in Texas who said the time at his hub is the same. In Minnesota, at least according to a friend, it seems to be a similar situation at his hub.

With this prime anecdotal evidence, and lots of posts on here about shorter wait times and being understaffed across the board for this year's peak, does it seem like UPS is growing and driver wait times are shrinking in some areas? When I first looked into UPS about 5 years ago, all of my friends said to expect a 3-5 year wait to drive. Seems shorter in some places now. Just wondering about the factors causing this, if it is indeed happening.

 

[silenze]

The job sucks giant hairy donkey balls.

 

[Box Ox]

When I first looked into UPS about 5 years ago, all of my friends said to expect a 3-5 year wait to drive. Seems shorter in some places now. Just wondering about the factors causing this, if it is indeed happening.

The economy is doing well. People aren't eager to hand the keys to their lives over to a full time UPS gig.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

The economy is doing well. People aren't eager to hand the keys to their lives over to a full time UPS gig.

I can understand that. Still weird though, I mean the pay is good, benefits are good. Sitting in an office can suck just as bad. I have worked backbreaking landscaping jobs for like 1/5 what top rate would pay yearly, with no benefits. I am sitting in an office at the moment...a whole different kind of suck...I can hear myself getting fatter.

 

[MyTripisCut]

I can understand that. Still weird though, I mean the pay is good, benefits are good. Sitting in an office can suck just as bad. I have worked backbreaking landscaping jobs for like 1/5 what top rate would pay yearly, with no benefits. I am sitting in an office at the moment...a whole different kind of suck...I can hear myself getting fatter.

 

[Jkloc420]

I have multiple friends working for UPS as drivers in different areas of the country. In my area in the midwest, at all three hubs within 5-25 miles from me, the wait times to drive are roughly 6 months-1.5 years.

Talked to a buddy in Texas who said the time at his hub is the same. In Minnesota, at least according to a friend, it seems to be a similar situation at his hub.

With this prime anecdotal evidence, and lots of posts on here about shorter wait times and being understaffed across the board for this year's peak, does it seem like UPS is growing and driver wait times are shrinking in some areas? When I first looked into UPS about 5 years ago, all of my friends said to expect a 3-5 year wait to drive. Seems shorter in some places now. Just wondering about the factors causing this, if it is indeed happening.

you wont drive unless @Future makes the call for you

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

Well, who knows, I hear they are hiring up a bunch of FT Sup's right now too. Rock N Roll.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

@Future can I drive bubba?

 

[rod]

I don't think my old center has hired a permanent driver for 10 years.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

I don't think my old center has hired a permanent driver for 10 years.

Wow, what area of the country?

 

[rod]

Wow, what area of the country?

Small center north of Minneapolis. Probably 28 drivers or so. UPS just keeps changing what area is delivered out of it. They take some away and add some later.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

Small center north of Minneapolis. Probably 28 drivers or so. UPS just keeps changing what area is delivered out of it. They take some away and add some later.

Interesting. My girlfriend is from that area actually. Makes sense.

 

[eats packages]

Only under 2 years wait here, down from 5-6. My driver told me that, before telling me I was a piece of that will never make it as a driver. I love that guy.

Ask around... HR will probably low-ball the estimate still in areas that wont hire for years yet. Also: Your first 30 days are still going to be hell if it's how they treat new drivers at my center.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

Only under 2 years wait here, down from 5-6. My driver told me that, before telling me I was a piece of that will never make it as a driver. I love that guy.

Ask around... HR will probably low-ball the estimate still in areas that wont hire for years yet. Also: Your first 30 days are still going to be hell if it's how they treat new drivers at my center.

Yeah, I trust my buddies who are drivers way more than HR. HR told me 6 months to 1 year.

 

[Big Package]

I have multiple friends working for UPS as drivers in different areas of the country. In my area in the midwest, at all three hubs within 5-25 miles from me, the wait times to drive are roughly 6 months-1.5 years.

Talked to a buddy in Texas who said the time at his hub is the same. In Minnesota, at least according to a friend, it seems to be a similar situation at his hub.

With this prime anecdotal evidence, and lots of posts on here about shorter wait times and being understaffed across the board for this year's peak, does it seem like UPS is growing and driver wait times are shrinking in some areas? When I first looked into UPS about 5 years ago, all of my friends said to expect a 3-5 year wait to drive. Seems shorter in some places now. Just wondering about the factors causing this, if it is indeed happening.

Our wait time is 6-18 months or so IIRC. North of me in a bigger city is 2-3 years max and that's pushing it. The next one up is 5 years and the next is you won't drive until half the people retire.

When I was in MN, it was the same thing. The further out you go the shorter the wait. Usually though the super-rural routes where most of the day is driving, it can be much much longer to land that kind of gig. In the cities forget it, but as you go up and up 71, the wait time is shorter and shorter.

Hartford, CT was a very long wait similar to Portland,OR a couple years ago but idk how it is now.

 

[Box Ox]

I can understand that. Still weird though, I mean the pay is good, benefits are good. Sitting in an office can suck just as bad. I have worked backbreaking landscaping jobs for like 1/5 what top rate would pay yearly, with no benefits. I am sitting in an office at the moment...a whole different kind of suck...I can hear myself getting fatter.

Lotta folks hear about the pay/benefits. They think of the adventure and think that “just driving packages around” cant be nearly as difficult as their backbreaking job. Or as bad as their boring office job.

And then they become a driver.

 

[PhatPattheRiverRat]

Lotta folks hear about the pay/benefits. They think of the adventure and think that “just driving packages around” cant be nearly as difficult as their backbreaking job. Or as bad as their boring office job.

And then they become a driver.

I feel ya. I have 5-6 friends who drive (one is a combo guy)...I have heard stories and seen the pain on their faces, heard of the sleepless nights and heard about heated arguments with double-parked mail truck drivers. I have heard my friend describe in detail the pain looking at the inside of his full package car makes him feel at peak, how he remembers a time when he laughed but now...finds no reason to. Their wives describe losing their husbands to a brown buddy*h of a mistress with no soul.

I feel like it is something I have to try for myself. Pray for me.

edit: I'm not mocking you. I have heard all of these things and more, believe me.

 

[AlliSeeisBrown]

I feel ya. I have 5-6 friends who drive (one is a combo guy)...I have heard stories and seen the pain on their faces, heard of the sleepless nights and heard about heated arguments with double-parked mail truck drivers. I have heard my friend describe in detail the pain looking at the inside of his full package car makes him feel at peak, how he remembers a time when he laughed but now...finds no reason to. Their wives describe losing their husbands to a brown buddy*h of a mistress with no soul.

I feel like it is something I have to try for myself. Pray for me.

edit: I'm not mocking you. I have heard all of these things and more, believe me.

I don't blame you a bit as far as the "I have to see it for myself" mentality, as I'm roughly the same way. I left a sales manager position to take an opportunity with UPS. Went PT Unload June 15', Became an RTD Nov. 15', then Full-Time Cover Driver Feb 16'. I never minded the actual work itself. But it does get to be pretty stressful and it does put incredible wear on your body. I quit this November for a career that I got my degree in, and I couldn't be happier. It is an office job, but I do still work at UPS on twilight because it's my gym membership that pays me.
Hope that helps.

 

[watdaflock?]

My girlfriend is from that area actually.

Pics of your girlfriend ...

 

[llamainmypocket]

Seen people called after 2 weeks. Wait in my building is a couple months