So I say to myself, "Self" its TIME! Let that CDL go! Drivers license renewal.

[olroadbeech]

I started in the late 70's in Feeder and the tractors were antiques, I think the newest was 72 Pete fat cabs, Loud as all get out, rode like do do and could hardly get out of their own way. My first was a corn binder from the early 60's aka International. No power steering, no AC, air driven wiper blades that just absolutely were junk! Mirrors that shook themselves silly, recaps that blew off all the time, there were no 28 foot H frames all were 24 and a scattering of the new 26 footers. Most had the glad hand at the bottom of the trailer so you had to get down super low to turn the valve on, dollies that were so tongue heavy they bust your balls. Not like today's world of feeder where everything is darn near new.

BUT! I made it thru , Positive attitude intact, got a pension, got medical, I'm not a broken down old dude, Have a great Family, Life is good, We travel to far away places, Play with Hot Rods and Motorcycles!

But most of all! I don't have to listen to that daily grind of drivers complaining all the time and not doing anything about their situation at work or in life other than complain!

that last sentence is so true!!! no more whining to listen to. it's amazing when i bump into a former co worker at the mall or Costco, all they can do is tell you how bad things are at work. maybe "how's retired life?" but they really don't want to know.

just want to tell you how lucky you are to be away from the BS and tell you some more sob stories.......unbelievable. I feel like giving them a gun so they can put their selves out of misery.

I didn't come into feeder until the early 90's and tractors then were pure junk. holes in the floor , gutless motors , etc. I couldn't believe it. Before UPS I was driving the cadillac of trucks......Peterbuilts with 425 cat motors that could go up hills at 45-55 mph with 80,000 pounds . But then again I was only making 9 bucks an hour and UPS was paying twice that then.


I can't say enough how much i LOVE retired life! everyday is a holiday. we just picked up almost 3 extra grand a month with our first Social Security checks a couple days ago. We celebrated yesterday by going to In and Out Burger and buying a ton of extra stuff at Costco.

Thinking of either buying a new Tacoma with a camper or a motorhome .

 

[twoweeled]

I started in the late 70's in Feeder and the tractors were antiques, I think the newest was 72 Pete fat cabs, Loud as all get out, rode like do do and could hardly get out of their own way. My first was a corn binder from the early 60's aka International. No power steering, no AC, air driven wiper blades that just absolutely were junk! Mirrors that shook themselves silly, recaps that blew off all the time, there were no 28 foot H frames all were 24 and a scattering of the new 26 footers. Most had the glad hand at the bottom of the trailer so you had to get down super low to turn the valve on, dollies that were so tongue heavy they bust your balls. Not like today's world of feeder where everything is darn near new.

BUT! I made it thru , Positive attitude intact, got a pension, got medical, I'm not a broken down old dude, Have a great Family, Life is good, We travel to far away places, Play with Hot Rods and Motorcycles!

But most of all! I don't have to listen to that daily grind of drivers complaining all the time and not doing anything about their situation at work or in life other than complain!

I remember some of the old tractors on their way out when I went to feeder. I think I do recall air driven wipers. I wondered, who's idea that was? I definitely remember no power steering!! Plan your backing well!! No AC on many at that time. Mirror shaking governed by the accelerator. I wouldn't be surprised if many of those old trailers are still around. Dollies are much improved now.
If you entered feeder in the late 70's, that may be why your attitude is so good, toward the company. Things were a lot better then. A LOT BETTER. I doubt you delivered anything over 50 lbs in package? Probably most of you had P5 or P8 at the most? Incentive and allowances were realistic. Management had the latitude to do what they thought best. Very family oriented company at that time.
Yeeeeeaahhh, NOT THAT WAY ANY MORE, Shiftless. It's a different company now.

 

[Shiftless]

that last sentence is so true!!! no more whining to listen to. it's amazing when i bump into a former co worker at the mall or Costco, all they can do is tell you how bad things are at work. maybe "how's retired life?" but they really don't want to know.

just want to tell you how lucky you are to be away from the BS and tell you some more sob stories.......unbelievable. I feel like giving them a gun so they can put their selves out of misery.

I didn't come into feeder until the early 90's and tractors then were pure junk. holes in the floor , gutless motors , etc. I couldn't believe it. Before UPS I was driving the cadillac of trucks......Peterbuilts with 425 cat motors that could go up hills at 45-55 mph with 80,000 pounds . But then again I was only making 9 bucks an hour and UPS was paying twice that then.


I can't say enough how much i LOVE retired life! everyday is a holiday. we just picked up almost 3 extra grand a month with our first Social Security checks a couple days ago. We celebrated yesterday by going to In and Out Burger and buying a ton of extra stuff at Costco.

Thinking of either buying a new Tacoma with a camper or a motorhome .

We have done Campers and Motor homes for Motorcycling and Boating and general vacationing when we had kids in the house. When the kids left we did more travel by plane and ship. 9 months ago we went to Hawaii spent some time, then went on to Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tahiti and the over to the Island of Moorea to sleep in bungalows out in the reefs then made are way back to Hawaii for a while then home.

What A trip to be gone from the home 20 for so long. 6 to 8 weeks is max I want in one vaca anymore!

Retirement ya gotta love it!

Back to camping stuff!
Now we are coming back around to getting another set up to carry my newest toy. I just got done building a 125 HP Adventure Sidecar Rig. I want to put it in the back of a 5th wheel Toy Hauler or Motor home toy hauler. So we can go explore the US. Having owned both I probably will stay with a truck and trailer as when I had the Motor home it was like an alligator eating my money when I wasn't using it. But you cant beat the convenience and ease of set up when you hit the spot and down go the leveling jacks in a motor home while its pouring down rain or snowing!

 

[Shiftless]

I remember some of the old tractors on their way out when I went to feeder. I think I do recall air driven wipers. I wondered, who's idea that was? I definitely remember no power steering!! Plan your backing well!! No AC on many at that time. Mirror shaking governed by the accelerator. I wouldn't be surprised if many of those old trailers are still around. Dollies are much improved now.
If you entered feeder in the late 70's, that may be why your attitude is so good, toward the company. Things were a lot better then. A LOT BETTER. I doubt you delivered anything over 50 lbs in package? Probably most of you had P5 or P8 at the most? Incentive and allowances were realistic. Management had the latitude to do what they thought best. Very family oriented company at that time.
Yeeeeeaahhh, NOT THAT WAY ANY MORE, Shiftless. It's a different company now.

I still have good friends that are almost timed out and ready to retire. Also friends I got jobs for that are drivers and clerks and they say the same thing as you. ITS NOT THE SAME! I hear ya! I think back how really it was the GOLDEN years based on what I read and what my friends tell me.

You had to be a goof not to make any incentive pay back in the day. Most routes 1 to 2 hours average. I was only in pkg for 2 years and went right into feeder the remaining I was 23 years old and retired at 49. I had been a part time shifter (Mule Driver) B 4 Pkg and the day I came into Feeder the Manager read me the riot act about being a young Punk and he wasn't gonna tolerate any of my shift and will fire my donkey first chance he got! He was fired about two weeks later for falsifying records! CLOWN!

So yes, never had to deliver any thing 50 lbs OR more than 100 pounds from the same shipper on the same day. We had NDA's back then! Had nothing to do with air??? It was a term for No Deliver Attempt. I think they paid you a dollar for every package you found with double labels. I never used a DIAD board only paper. I did use the credit card IVIS my last years of feeder tho.

Before I hit post. I said OH and! When I got my own pkg route, the pre loader had been a driver and new the area stop for stop and how stuff comes off a truck. The companies short sighted view of NOT letting a loader train with a driver I could never understand! Let the loader go on route with the driver so he or she can see what they load has a rhyme and reason on how it comes off the truck! BUT OH NO!

OK gotta take a NAP!

 

[twoweeled]

Funny how many hard core manager's got into trouble for dishonesty back in the day. Integrity mattered back then. Not anymore. Bring in those numbers, they don't care watcha gotta do. Honesty has become a
foreign word there now.

Enjoy your time, Driver!