Stepped down as a cover driver, can I still go 22.4?

NewYork85

Member
Hello all, I was a cover driver for the past year. I started in peak season of 2017. I never went through any 30 day probation. I basically ran clean up and bulk for that first month. After peak was over, I was told that I was a cover driver but I was laid off for most of the following year and just worked preload. Whenever I was called to drive, I basically just did junk routes or bulk.

This last peak arrived and I was immediately thrown on a tough route with over 500 pieces. I couldn’t find packages all day and I struggled mightily. I felt like I was set up to fail because I never went on a 30 day training route. I ended up dropping out of cover driving because I felt like I was under performing. I was overwhelmed with the amount of work and lack of training.

I had to sign paperwork stating my withdrawal of cover driving and it stated that I can’t bid for this position again for a year or two? Apparently I am still an air driver and will sometimes deliver air after preload. Does anyone know if I can bid on 22.4 when it goes live and if I am able to, will I be red circled at my air rate ? I know that cover drivers get to keep their rate since it’s higher than the $20 that 22.4 start out at. My air rate is $28 by the way.

Thanks for the help fellow teamsters !
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
Hello all, I was a cover driver for the past year. I started in peak season of 2017. I never went through any 30 day probation. I basically ran clean up and bulk for that first month. After peak was over, I was told that I was a cover driver but I was laid off for most of the following year and just worked preload. Whenever I was called to drive, I basically just did junk routes or bulk.

This last peak arrived and I was immediately thrown on a tough route with over 500 pieces. I couldn’t find packages all day and I struggled mightily. I felt like I was set up to fail because I never went on a 30 day training route. I ended up dropping out of cover driving because I felt like I was under performing. I was overwhelmed with the amount of work and lack of training.

I had to sign paperwork stating my withdrawal of cover driving and it stated that I can’t bid for this position again for a year or two? Apparently I am still an air driver and will sometimes deliver air after preload. Does anyone know if I can bid on 22.4 when it goes live and if I am able to, will I be red circled at my air rate ? I know that cover drivers get to keep their rate since it’s higher than the $20 that 22.4 start out at. My air rate is $28 by the way.

Thanks for the help fellow teamsters !
If you quit covering driving why would you want to do 22.4?
 

NewYork85

Member
If you quit covering driving why would you want to do 22.4?

I quit cover driving because I felt like I wasn’t trained correctly and I was overwhelmed during peak season. I had never done full routes before and never went through the 30 day probation on a route. So basically I was thrown into a full on route during peak season where I was just overwhelmed and couldn’t perform to UPS’s standards.

I feel that if I signed up for 22.4 and was put on a training route, I could learn the ropes and make scratch by day 30 which will then better prepare me for peak season where I have to tackle a heavy route with 500+ pieces. Going from delivering irregular packages in a uHaul to a full blown route with 300 stops was setting me up to fail. I don’t know why they just automatically passed me following the 2017 peak season.
 

NewYork85

Member
Also, does this mean I “self DQ’ed” myself? This should allow me to sign up for 22.4 since it’s separate than cover driving? I should have paid more attention to what the sheet I signed said... but I was just too overwhelmed to care. I regret what I did but I couldn’t handle it. But with the right training and practice, I know I’ll be successful next time.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
I quit cover driving because I felt like I wasn’t trained correctly and I was overwhelmed during peak season. I had never done full routes before and never went through the 30 day probation on a route. So basically I was thrown into a full on route during peak season where I was just overwhelmed and couldn’t perform to UPS’s standards.

I feel that if I signed up for 22.4 and was put on a training route, I could learn the ropes and make scratch by day 30 which will then better prepare me for peak season where I have to tackle a heavy route with 500+ pieces. Going from delivering irregular packages in a uHaul to a full blown route with 300 stops was setting me up to fail. I don’t know why they just automatically passed me following the 2017 peak season.
This company sets everyone up to fail. It’s just part of the job. Going 22.4 won’t change any of that.
 

NewYork85

Member
This company sets everyone up to fail. It’s just part of the job. Going 22.4 won’t change any of that.

I understood that when they threw me on that route but I’ll be better prepared next time. So do You think I’ll be able to sign up for it even if I dq’ed myself in December but still delivered air ?
 

eats packages

Deranged lunatic
Ask and see, if they even remotely like you than the period before you can rebid can be ignored. They will likely be more inclined to let you qualify 22.4 in the future rather than as a regular.

I would suggest you stop worrying about getting ''smoked" as a cover driver, dispatch and preload is a roulette and both have to be good not to drown.
 

NewYork85

Member
Another snowflake

“ I wasn’t trained correctly” whatever


I never had a 30 day probationary period, they just passed me because I worked my 30 days through peak delivering bulk. Either way I dq’ed myself. Why post if you have nothing productive to say ?
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
I never had a 30 day probationary period, they just passed me because I worked my 30 days through peak delivering bulk. Either way I dq’ed myself. Why post if you have nothing productive to say ?
Here’s the problem. If you quit as a cover driver here it means you quit your driving job and you’d be unemployed. Cover driving here is a ft regular package car position. It’s different in different areas
 

NewYork85

Member
Here’s the problem. If you quit as a cover driver here it means you quit your driving job and you’d be unemployed. Cover driving here is a ft regular package car position. It’s different in different areas

Where I’m at cover drivers are part time still and only cover routes when drivers are on vacation or sick. When cover drivers are laid off, they will work preload or local sort. There’s a long list of cover drivers. Some will work almost every day if they are higher in seniority, others will be laid off half of the year. I’m also a part time air driver and will deliver air every so often.
 

Star B

White Lightening
do you know how many times i've been sent out as a swing (our version of cover) with no training and a friend'd up load? too many to count.

Do your best, fail, and when they ask why, explain. If they don't like the answer, then they can fix the dispatch or train you.
 

NewYork85

Member
Drivings not for everyone
I get that. My question is if anyone knows if it’s possible to sign up for a 22.4 position if I recently dqed myself as a cover driver. I want to go through a regular 30 day probationary period. If I pass, great. If I fail, I’ll know that it was never meant to be.
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
Another snowflake

“ I wasn’t trained correctly” whatever
Waaah...driving is soooo overwhelming.
giphy-1.gif
 

542thruNthru

Well-Known Member
Hello all, I was a cover driver for the past year. I started in peak season of 2017. I never went through any 30 day probation. I basically ran clean up and bulk for that first month. After peak was over, I was told that I was a cover driver but I was laid off for most of the following year and just worked preload. Whenever I was called to drive, I basically just did junk routes or bulk.

This last peak arrived and I was immediately thrown on a tough route with over 500 pieces. I couldn’t find packages all day and I struggled mightily. I felt like I was set up to fail because I never went on a 30 day training route. I ended up dropping out of cover driving because I felt like I was under performing. I was overwhelmed with the amount of work and lack of training.

I had to sign paperwork stating my withdrawal of cover driving and it stated that I can’t bid for this position again for a year or two? Apparently I am still an air driver and will sometimes deliver air after preload. Does anyone know if I can bid on 22.4 when it goes live and if I am able to, will I be red circled at my air rate ? I know that cover drivers get to keep their rate since it’s higher than the $20 that 22.4 start out at. My air rate is $28 by the way.

Thanks for the help fellow teamsters !

What local rider are you under?
 
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