Starting as preloader soon.

jkais3r

Member
Alright. So, here's my experience so far with UPS. About two months ago, I filled out an application online. Then, almost a month ago, they let me add more info to that online application. (Personal info, name, address, etc.) After that, I had the opportunity to be interviewed. I have been pretty bored, and curious, so I was trying to look up what exactly happens during the hiring process. I have seen a lot of people say there was a tour. I was never showed anywhere besides what I looked at as I walked to the interviewer's office. I was called yesterday with a job offer as a preloader ASAP, after a background check. When she called, she also said there were roughly 10-15 more forms online to read/fill out. I've done all of that as well.

My first question, when she called she made it seem like I wasn't going to get "trained" or have a "tour", she made it seem like I would go in for work whenever the check passed. She also said I needed to bring in birth cert/drivers license ON FIRST DAY, which confirms my belief that I won't be there again until I start working. So, are they just gonna throw me on the line loading trucks? Or will I get some help at least for the first few days?

Number two, my job position says preloader, what will I more than likely start out as? Loading package cars, or unloading/loading semi's? I know I would much rather unload semi's, I watched some youtube videos people posted and it looks simple. What are the odds that I WON'T be loading cars?

My third and final question, when I talked to the HR girl, who I assumed interviewed me, she had no idea whether my position was seasonal or permanent. I start college in January about an hour and forty-five minutes away from where I am currently living. I know UPS has a policy of only being able to transfer for educational purposes. She told me that I could transfer after a year, but there's no way in hell I am getting up at 3am, working 5-6 hours, and then driving 1:40 to sit in a college class. My question here is, is it true I have to work for a year first to transfer?

Thanks for anyone who comments.
 

norcal

Member
First off, you'll be lucky to get 4 hours if you're just starting out. It's odd that they wouldn't give you a tour, but if you're going to be hired anytime soon (before peak) they're not going to just throw you out there, you'll get training and have help from a sup for a while.

They're usually much more in need of loaders than unloaders, so it's probably a little more likely that you'll be loading. Don't worry, it's really not that hard after you get used to it. The hardest part of the job is giving enough of a damn to get in the right mental state day in and day out to do the job. Things like telling yourself to work hard, and making a nice load for your drivers (if you do in fact start out loading), and generally hearing your share of bs from management.

I dunno, but to me it seems like unloading is a place where your brain is sure to rot. A lot of people like it though, so who knows.

As far as transferring, I have no idea.

Good luck!
 

jkais3r

Member
First off, you'll be lucky to get 4 hours if you're just starting out. It's odd that they wouldn't give you a tour, but if you're going to be hired anytime soon (before peak) they're not going to just throw you out there, you'll get training and have help from a sup for a while.

They're usually much more in need of loaders than unloaders, so it's probably a little more likely that you'll be loading. Don't worry, it's really not that hard after you get used to it. The hardest part of the job is giving enough of a damn to get in the right mental state day in and day out to do the job. Things like telling yourself to work hard, and making a nice load for your drivers (if you do in fact start out loading), and generally hearing your share of bs from management.

I dunno, but to me it seems like unloading is a place where your brain is sure to rot. A lot of people like it though, so who knows.

As far as transferring, I have no idea.

Good luck!

Thanks for the speedy reply! And that's reassuring to me to know that someone will at least show me what I need to do. I'm pretty sure I can easily handle loading, but I was just hoping for simplicity's sake I'd get that mindless brain-rotting job of unloading. :wink2: Not really used to functioning that early in the morning either, so even if I knew exactly what to do, I would be nowhere near as efficient as I would/will be after I get used to the time.

I'm going to have to assume this is going to be before peak, because she really made it sound sincerely asap, not just a B.S. oh we're hiring someone on blah shift, but who knows, everyone lies.

Thanks again for the reply!
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
If you getting hired for peak you will be unloading trailers.

I can train you.

1. Pick up package
2. Put on rollers or belt.
3. Repeat as fast as you can for 3 to 4 hours.

A pup shouldn't take more than 1 hour to unload by yourself. If you good you can unload a long box by yourself in 2 hours.
 

jkais3r

Member
If you getting hired for peak you will be unloading trailers.

I can train you.

1. Pick up package
2. Put on rollers or belt.
3. Repeat as fast as you can for 3 to 4 hours.

A pup shouldn't take more than 1 hour to unload by yourself. If you good you can unload a long box by yourself in 2 hours.

I 100% agree with you there. But the reason I'd need training is to get methods for loading package cars. I'd love to become a zombie unloading trailers, but life isn't always that easy.

Thanks
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I 100% agree with you there. But the reason I'd need training is to get methods for loading package cars. I'd love to become a zombie unloading trailers, but life isn't always that easy.

Thanks

You are being hired for Peak. You won't see a package car other than walking by them on your way to the trailer.
 

Robert91

Active Member
I'd love to become a zombie unloading trailers, but life isn't always that easy.

Thanks

Careful what you wish for.

As far as transferring, yes, you will need to be there a year. You may actually be able to wiggle your way in if you are getting hired as a seasonal employee. Then, when you are let go, you can begin searching for an opening at a closer facility. From what I hear, if you are permanent and you quit before your first year is complete, you will have quite a hard time getting back on (that is, if it's even possible).

Also, I have seen quite a few people come through as a preloader for peak. Maybe my building is different than most, but just because you are seasonal does not mean you will be unloading. I would take it for what it is; in other words, if they said your position is preload - than it is preload.

Preload = loading
(Not to be confused with the 'preload shift', which is compiled of unloading, sorting, and preloading.)
 

hellfire

no one considers UPS people."real" Teamsters.-BUG
you are seasonal, you will be let go as soon as volume drops,, dont waste your time
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
I 100% agree with you there. But the reason I'd need training is to get methods for loading package cars. I'd love to become a zombie unloading trailers, but life isn't always that easy.

Thanks

If you lucky they might let you split a belt or stack packages outside of cars so the loaders can catch up. But you not going to be loading anything.

But I can train you for that too.

1. Look at packages on belt
2. Read pal label if it's belongs to one of you 3 to 4 cars pick it up.
3. Determine which on of your cars it goes in.
4. Place in car in correct section
5. Repeat 1000+ times in 3 to 4 hours without putting a package in the wrong car.
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
If you lucky they might let you split a belt or stack packages outside of cars so the loaders can catch up. But you not going to be loading anything.

But I can train you for that too.

1. Look at packages on belt
2. Read pal label if it's belongs to one of you 3 to 4 cars pick it up.
3. Determine which on of your cars it goes in.
4. Place in car in correct section
5. Repeat 1000+ times in 3 to 4 hours without putting a package in the wrong car.

Unfortunately I think about covers the training most of the preloaders get at our center now.

As most of the drivers at my center pre loaded for years before becoming drivers we wish they would let one of us actually 'train' the loaders instead of the part-time sup they hired off the street a couple of months ago.

They don't know how to utilize the space in the package car or how to create a load that doesn't end up in the middle of the floor after the first turn. Don't even get me started on the wasted time stacking out packages because they don't know how to work the belt.
 

jkais3r

Member
Thanks for all the replies. To be honest, just a seasonal gig would be pretty great in my situation, cause I'm going to need to relocate. I could make it work if they hired me permanent, but I'd rather not. If I end up being permanent and having to quit for college, it won't bug me much. Just take out a ton of student loans and be in piles of debt, from what I can tell that sounds more enjoyable than working for UPS long-term.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

edit: position says preloader. ****
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the replies. To be honest, just a seasonal gig would be pretty great in my situation, cause I'm going to need to relocate. I could make it work if they hired me permanent, but I'd rather not. If I end up being permanent and having to quit for college, it won't bug me much. Just take out a ton of student loans and be in piles of debt, from what I can tell that sounds more enjoyable than working for UPS long-term.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

edit: position says preloader. ****


That is right the position says pre-loader. You will be working the pre-load shift not the local sort shift that is where they get the position name from.

Anyways you reason doesn't make any sense if they where hiring you as a loader why does the position say Pre-loader ????
 

jkais3r

Member
That is right the position says pre-loader. You will be working the pre-load shift not the local sort shift that is where they get the position name from.

Anyways you reason doesn't make any sense if they where hiring you as a loader why does the position say Pre-loader ????

Ok, I am not sure what you are saying. The position says "Preloader". Do I know anything by that? Or is that solely to tell the time I work?
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Ok, I am not sure what you are saying. The position says "Preloader". Do I know anything by that? Or is that solely to tell the time I work?

If they hire you, your getting hired as a package handler on the pre-load shift thus you are getting hired as a pre-loader. As I said before you will be unloading trailers in the primary part of the building on the pre-load shift. You will not be loading package cars anytime soon unless they decide to keep you after peak and train you then. They aren't going waste time and money to train someone to load package cars when the person isn't going to be around after Dec 24 if they don't quit before that.
 

jkais3r

Member
If they hire you, your getting hired as a package handler on the pre-load shift thus you are getting hired as a pre-loader. As I said before you will be unloading trailers in the primary part of the building on the pre-load shift. You will not be loading package cars anytime soon unless they decide to keep you after peak and train you then. They aren't going waste time and money to train someone to load package cars when the person isn't going to be around after Dec 24 if they don't quit before that.

Thank you for explaining
 

norcal

Member
Well, since you're being hired as a seasonal according to everyone but me, make sure you to ask the HR person about driver helping during peak and do that so you can get some bang for your buck while you're here.
 

jkais3r

Member
Well, since you're being hired as a seasonal according to everyone but me, make sure you to ask the HR person about driver helping during peak and do that so you can get some bang for your buck while you're here.

Well, I think we can solve this with a simple question. Has peak started yet? If it hasn't, shouldn't I be considered non-seasonal? Or am I just not understanding that working before peak starts still means I'm only working peak, even though I'm working before it.
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
Well, I think we can solve this with a simple question. Has peak started yet? If it hasn't, shouldn't I be considered non-seasonal? Or am I just not understanding that working before peak starts still means I'm only working peak, even though I'm working before it.

Anyone hired between October 1 and December 31 is seasonal....
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
If they hire you, your getting hired as a package handler on the pre-load shift thus you are getting hired as a pre-loader. As I said before you will be unloading trailers in the primary part of the building on the pre-load shift. You will not be loading package cars anytime soon unless they decide to keep you after peak and train you then. They aren't going waste time and money to train someone to load package cars when the person isn't going to be around after Dec 24 if they don't quit before that.

This may be the way they do it in your building but I have seen people come on the preload to load package cars two weeks before Christmas... STACK IT OUT....
 
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