Solidarity between Feeder and Package car Drivers

[dammor]

I can say from seeing this everyday, most drivers think their don't stink, and most feeder drivers think their don't stink. If you are not one of these in my building then you are nothing. Now, on the other hand I know a few feeder drivers who are really cool (one even used to deliver to my parents when he was a driver) and I know drivers who are cool too, but the majority of drivers and feeders in my building are heads...This is from my experience folks, it's not a scientific survey...Forget about air drivers, they think they are above and beyond EVERYONE.....

Here's a fact.... Everyone's stinks.

Bottom line though, I think there are always those folks you just don't like for one reason or other. As far as the waving issue goes though I always wave.
Most times I get a wave back. I even had a feeder pulling doubles pull over one day when I was broke down on the highway. I did not know him, but appreciated his concern. We are all brown.

 

[pkgdriver]

Here's a fact.... Everyone's stinks.

Bottom line though, I think there are always those folks you just don't like for one reason or other. As far as the waving issue goes though I always wave.
Most times I get a wave back. I even had a feeder pulling doubles pull over one day when I was broke down on the highway. I did not know him, but appreciated his concern. We are all brown.

I had a feeder driver stop also when i had a flat on the Interstate. It was before cell phones/DIAD so it was much appreciated.

 

[Sammie]

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 think in many cases it starts with mgmt and dribbles downhill from there; mgmt in pkgs and feeders are always at odds with each other because the two departments are charged with time and money when something happens and nobody wants to explain a black mark. If pkgs miss the twilight sort, was it the package driver's fault? Was it the local feeder pick up driver's fault? It's always finger pointing time.

And this mentality affects the drivers themselves. The work and the mind set of these two types of drivers is so different. The guy around here was in pkgs for 5 yrs and currently in feeders for 27. The work is still hard but just different in both groups and there might be more
camradarie in feeders. You often go out together in groups and when you do there's somebody to help you chain up, etc.

But as far as pkg drivers not liking feeder drivers or the other way around, you guys don't have to be enemies.

Hubby went on a motorcycle trip all around Colorado this past week with 10 other pkg and feeder (and supervision... don't tell...) guys. We often rent a lodge for the night in the mountains during the winter with pkg, feeder and mechanic families and we have annual summer picnics together.

It's all in what you choose to make of it.

 

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by Sammie
Hubby went on a motorcycle trip all around Colorado this past week with 10 other pkg and feeder (and supervision... don't tell...)

Didn`t they make a movie of that? I could swear I saw it....I remember Burt Reynolds and some canoes.

Yeah, they made a movie out of it! It was called Wild Hogs. You know, the one about those tuff biker guys from the suburbs who hit the road... And the road hit back...

 

[rushfan]

I don't expect them to wave back. When I drive feeders, I'm busy adjusting my dough nut cushion. Since being trained for feeders, I've noticed package drivers are different to me. My fellow feeder drivers at first were cautious wanting to see if I had a "know it all" attitude. My feeder school trainer said if I see a package car while driving feeder, to give it the one finger salute.

 

[over9five]

"When I drive feeders, I'm busy adjusting my dough nut cushion."

Thanks Rush. Almost choked on my supper laughing!