Solidarity between Feeder and Package car Drivers

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
What is going on here. I have noticed lately that there are some guys in Package car that just don't respect or care about feeder drivers and Vice versa. I notice it more from Package car than from feeders. Just yesterday, a package car driver had a feeder driver blocked in waiting at the fuel pump, and even though he was asked nicely, he would not back up a few feet to let him out. You notice it some in some of the posts on the board.
 

mittam

Well-Known Member
I have noticed that a bit myself. As far as I think we are the same team and all have our own jobs to do. Why have tension between classifications? We all need to work together to make our own positions better each day. With that said it just makes us stronger when the time comes that we all need to stick together. A situation comes up we don't need a dispute between classes whether it is two different driving groups or between full and part-time workers. What we see here is a lot of tensions with pkg drivers and preloaders. The loaders are not properly trained and the drivers take out their frustrations on the poor part-timer thrown onto a package car set without a clue. Let's hold management responsible for proper training!
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
There seems to be a prevailing mentality that if you're not out there jumping in and out of a pkg car, dealing with customers and humping boxes then you aren't making the company any money. I think management has pounded that into their heads.

I have even heard complaints from pkg drivers that a feeder pulling a single trailer makes 10 cents more per hour than a pkg driver.

I think there is a degree of resentment by pkg drivers that all feeder drivers do is "....drive around and listen to the radio.". Never mind having to work into the depths of the night. Never mind having to operate a vehicle that can't be whipped around like a pkg car. Never mind the precautions that must be taken during bad (ice, snow, rain) weather.

I can't speak for any other feeder driver but I, personally, have never kept anyone from signing a feeder bid sheet.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
We deal with customers also, When I had a pick up bid, I would pick up 4 to 5000 pieces a day from different customers. I would think the jump into feeders would be the one to work for. Hell I think getting a vehicle with A/C finally would be worth it, not to mention the fact that it is alot less stressful on your body.

If we don't stick together now, then how are we expected to do it when really needed to. Lets work together, because with out one another our jobs really don't matter.
 

brownhorn

Well-Known Member
We are definitely part of the same team, and there really is no reason for any lack of respect. Face it, there is no such thing as an easy job at UPS. There is some degree of difficulty beyond a normal job no matter what we do. As they say, if the job was easy, anyone could do it.
 

DS

Fenderbender
I`m a pkg car driver and I have nothing but respect for the feeder drivers.The ten cents more an hour is a very small compensation for the added responsibility of dragging around hundreds of thousands of pounds through snowstorms and freezing rain.I personally wouldn`t want to do it.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I have never seen any lack of respect between package and feeder drivers at the hub I work at.

In fact, the only respect problems seem to be between full and part time management.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
We have two hubs here in St. Louis. They are doing alot of contruction at the downtown hub and the street getting in or out of the hub is down to one lane, and has been for a good long time. I am not sure if it is just getting frustrating for everyone down there or what, but I notice it more there than anywhere else.

Point is, if we all work together, we can overcome any situation that arises.
 

dammor

Well-Known Member
I've been in package for 27 years. Most feeders here are friends. Then there are those that went in early and seem to think they are something special.
Not sure what that is about. Maybe they are mad because they have no time to exercise and it shows. It's true we all have a tough job and we should all try to get along, but some attitudes are tough to deal with. I don't know what you guys face on a daily basis anymore than ya'll know what we face.
I will tell you though that package is not what it use to be when you were there. And yes, I could have bid into feeders many, many years ago,
but did not because it was too much truck for me. So I do respect all of you for having the guts and skill to do that job. I think those of us in package deserve the same from ya'll.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
I've been in package for 27 years. Most feeders here are friends. Then there are those that went in early and seem to think they are something special.
Not sure what that is about. Maybe they are mad because they have no time to exercise and it shows. It's true we all have a tough job and we should all try to get along, but some attitudes are tough to deal with. I don't know what you guys face on a daily basis anymore than ya'll know what we face.
I will tell you though that package is not what it use to be when you were there. And yes, I could have bid into feeders many, many years ago,
but did not because it was too much truck for me. So I do respect all of you for having the guts and skill to do that job. I think those of us in package deserve the same from ya'll.


Case and point. You sound as if you have a chip on your shoulder about something, or maybe you feel like you are better than a feeder driver because he or she has put on a few pounds since going into feeders. This is what we don't need. One thing we definately have in common is the BS we put up with from the way other people drive and the **** we have to do to protect our jobs.
 

dave_socal

PACKAGE/FEEDER
What is going on here. I have noticed lately that there are some guys in Package car that just don't respect or care about feeder drivers and Vice versa. I notice it more from Package car than from feeders. Just yesterday, a package car driver had a feeder driver blocked in waiting at the fuel pump, and even though he was asked nicely, he would not back up a few feet to let him out. You notice it some in some of the posts on the board.
I've just started feeder this year and the transition from 18 years in package has been very notable. In my former center, most fellow drivers treat me the same but I notice some have begun to close ranks among themselves. Its clear I'm no longer one of "them". My new feeder dept the drivers are starting to warm up to me but its just different. As a new package driver you form bonds through the hard days when other drivers bail you out and vice versa. I guess the new young drivers just dont have the same respect to the senior drivers that I had when I entered package. I agree that management's training is key to trying to pass on the culture of UPS to the new recruits. I used to think that a good utility package driver should make more than even feeder drivers but after this time in feeder I've come to realize that night work wears on you more than most understand and the responsability of not crashing one of those rigs is awesome so the pay differance is understandable especially for sleeper teams. Also the older feeder driver is generally more detached after years of night work and that maybe percieved as arrogant(some guys are) by the package driver. STLFeeder I find that size of some older hubs to be the source of many problems to all drivers including shifters, carwashers, mechanics etc sometimes I lose my patience too. All that being said we're all UPSers and should pull together for the financial benefit of us all this involves extending common courtesy from all sides. As for this board I have trouble with anyone here who pretends to know UPS from top to bottom and makes sure you read about it everyday! I think eveyone's opinion has merit but don't patronize me with constant bogus expertise on all but every issue on this site, and you can guess of whom I imply.
 

dammor

Well-Known Member
You focused on one line in my post. Please read agian and maybe you will remove the chip off of your shoulder.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
I've just started feeder this year and the transition from 18 years in package has been very notable. In my former center, most fellow drivers treat me the same but I notice some have begun to close ranks among themselves. Its clear I'm no longer one of "them". My new feeder dept the drivers are starting to warm up to me but its just different. As a new package driver you form bonds through the hard days when other drivers bail you out and vice versa. I guess the new young drivers just dont have the same respect to the senior drivers that I had when I entered package. I agree that management's training is key to trying to pass on the culture of UPS to the new recruits. I used to think that a good utility package driver should make more than even feeder drivers but after this time in feeder I've come to realize that night work wears on you more than most understand and the responsability of not crashing one of those rigs is awesome so the pay differance is understandable especially for sleeper teams. Also the older feeder driver is generally more detached after years of night work and that maybe percieved as arrogant(some guys are) by the package driver. STLFeeder I find that size of some older hubs to be the source of many problems to all drivers including shifters, carwashers, mechanics etc sometimes I lose my patience too. All that being said we're all UPSers and should pull together for the financial benefit of us all this involves extending common courtesy from all sides. As for this board I have trouble with anyone here who pretends to know UPS from top to bottom and makes sure you read about it everyday! I think eveyone's opinion has merit but don't patronize me with constant bogus expertise on all but every issue on this site, and you can guess of whom I imply.


I have no idea who you are talking about.:lol:

Anyways, yeah I work mainly at a major hub. 250 or so feeder drivers and not sure on how many in Package. I try to treat everyone as I want to be treated.

I trave; to some of our smaller centers every now and then to bring out oreload boxes and what not. It seems that everyone one gets along at the smaller centers, whether it the Mechanic, or the part timers to the Package and feeder drivers. Everyone just seems to be fine with eachother and willing to help out when needed.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
You focused on one line in my post. Please read agian and maybe you will remove the chip off of your shoulder.

No chip Mr. Moore, sometimes that one line can sum up the way you really feel. All I am saying, is I don't worry too much about the ones who do have that chip on their shoulder, because if they ever needed help with something, I would be there to help. I wonder if sometimes it has to do with the new faces coming and going and it seems that most of us don't really have time to get to know one another.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
I noticed the attitudes as soon as I started working at UPS. The most obvious is the way full-timers seem look down on part-timers. Sometimes when I hear the words "part-timer" come out of their mouths I could swear it sounds almost like a racial slur. I guess HR forgot to tell me that UPS has class systems. It shows in other ways through out the week. Little things. On my shift we ask that if drivers don't have pickups in their trucks then they should NOT park on the dock where we unload but every day the same drivers park their empty trucks in there and when someone asks them not to they give them a look that would emply that they were thinking "How dare you ask me to do something? You are just a part-timer!" Also...part-time sups think they are so smart compared to hourlys. They come in and work for a couple of months and write a letter and switch to management and all of the sudden they are know it alls at UPS.
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
Ah great here comes one of those Part-timers wanting respect again.:lol: Just messing with ya. I know what you mean there. Like I said before, all of our jobs depend on what eachother does. So I don't think I am any different than any Part timer. Kind of envy you in a way. Not having to work 12 hour days and all.:thumbup1:
 

Ms Spoken

Well-Known Member
Why is it that most feeder drivers I pass on my way in seam to never wave at pkg drivers? This is just an observation I have notice in the years I have been in pkg car.
It's no big deal just wondering..
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
Some of them are too busy playing with the A/C controls to wave...:lol:

I try to wave at other UPS drivers when I can but sometimes it depends on what the driving conditions are that allow me too.
 

ducky13swing

Active Member
I don't know what you guys face on a daily basis anymore than ya'll know what we face.
Dammor, this is an excellent quote.

From front line management on down to every inside employee to every driver in any classification. I for one treat everyone one of my employees equally, believe it or not. I do not supervise drivers. I supervise hub employees.
With that said, there are some employees who we call challenging employees who push me to the limits someday, but I take it in stride, remain calm, and explain my rational for what I am instructing them to do.
When I see a loader with a backed up load, I immediately call for help, to help out the loader. Then while I am waiting to get the help, (usually anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes), I go in and ask if the loader would like me to help and show them so ways to improve. Most of the time they accept the help, and while I am in there I am constantly encouraging them. Pointing out that they should load the packages as they get them, instead of walking the feeder looking for the next best package. I have always done this as P/T sup and friend/T sup. I do not yell at my P/T sups, I encourage them in their area. I ask for their input as to what happened to get them in the position they are in. They explain and we address the problem. Of course there are some who always think they don't need any help and that they can handle it themselves. With those, I simply wait until they call for help or fix it themselves. Usually they call for help.
Now to get back on track with this post. I have not seen any conflict between Package and Feeders, but I think the nail was hit on the head based on the hours of operation and the stress involved. When I was in package, every morning, several drivers would arrange when and where they were to meet for lunch. We would meet, have lunch and talk about the morning deliveries, customers we had to deal with, or the game the night before, etc. Feeder drivers rarely have that opportunity. They are behind the wheel, pushed to the limit to get the load to the destination on time, or they get chewed out for not getting in on time. Many times feeder drivers have to get on the yard uncouple the feeders and sometimes spot the loads on the door, before they can even go to the bathroom.
In package, we would drop off the car, and a carwasher would take it from there, and we would go home.
Feeder drivers do not have the opportunity to get with other drivers to talk about many of the things package drivers do. They can only do it on the CBs. Usually depending on which direction the drivers are going, those are limited to 5 to 10 minutes. No opportunity to get close to anyone. When it comes down to it, their ultimate responsibility is to drive safely, because when comparing the two positions, if a package car has an accident at 30mph, you rarely have fatalities, wreck a feeder or a set of doubles, and you have fatalities.
Family time, package drivers work long hours at a stressful job, but they still get to sleep at night with their families. Feeder drivers work all night long or early morning hours. Sleep during the day, then back on the road at night, or evening.
In package, we would call other drivers to help take some stops off of our car so we could get back in at nearly the same time. Feeders do not have that opportunity. If they go over hours, they pull over and wait for managment to bring out another driver to finish the leg. They may not be driving at the time, but they sure would like to be home than waiting along the interstate for a relief driver.
This does not explain why there seems to be a difference in respect or courtesy for each other but there are some points as to why there may be some animocity.

I don't claim to know it all, but these are just some of my observations.
We (all upsers, both hourly and management) work in a high stress job, with a lot of stresses coming at us all from all directions. How we handle it is what defines our character. Trust me on this, your immediate supervisor or manager do not do the time studies or PPH plans for your area. I have to answer to an IE person who was hired off the street, with no experience in the operation, who sets a number of PPH that I must run. I then have to deal with HR who hire 18 year olds who could give a rats rear about UPS (not all younger employees are like this, I am referring to the few that do act like this. We have a lot of great younger employees.) and 60 year old people who want to work in small sort, and cannot physically handle unloading a feeder, and when they quit, it's because "you did not train them properly." Again, not all older are this way, this is just an example of what we also have to deal with.

I have got to stop posting here. It seems like everyone of my posts turn into thesis'. Sorry, another one of those night people who don't get the opportunity to talk to others.
 
S

speeddemon

Guest
I drive a route where I pass 5 sets of doubles each day. And each day I wave to those guys, and they dont as much lift a finger. Dont know why, but I keep waving everyday. Life is too short too be an ass for no reason. Get over it.
 
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