Talk me down off the ledge!
- Thread starter 71Fish
- Start date
menotyou
bella amicizia
Friday should count.
Argize
Member
Be safe and don't make driving manuevers that turn your load into scrambled eggs. I have a super sharp exit ramp from one interstate to the other and if I went the speed that most cars do I would hear packages tumbling off the shelf or sliding from one side of the floor to the other. I back off my speed and save myself tons of time straightening up my load or searching for dislocated packages verses being 5 seconds faster around the ramp. Too many inexperienced drivers try to make time with their driving only to lose tons more having to reorganize their load and playing "where's waldo" trying to find pkgs.
As stated previously, set up little sections in advance. It beats getting back there and rummaging around at each and every stop.
If you're going to have to back into a driveway, dock, etc. do a good "drive by scan" as you pass the driveway, don't just only use your mirrors to see what's behind you. Learn to look both high and low. Speaking of mirrors, set them up perfect during your pretrip, they are your "eyeballs" and it's a much better feeling having them spot on as you navigate your day.
When in doubt get out and check it out. I deliver in a rural area and sometimes I'll have to back onto a grassy/dirt area of which I'm not quite sure how firm the ground is. I lock my truck down and actually go jump up and down on the area to find out exactly how firm the traction is. <--looks funny but works. (*_~)
If things aren't going your way, don't panic and get all bent out of shape, you'll tend to make more mistakes. I try to visualize myself as something like a downhill skier.... nice and smooth but making good time.
And finally, stay hydrated and consume proper nutrition throughout your day. It will pay huge dividends.
Best of luck to ya!
As stated previously, set up little sections in advance. It beats getting back there and rummaging around at each and every stop.
If you're going to have to back into a driveway, dock, etc. do a good "drive by scan" as you pass the driveway, don't just only use your mirrors to see what's behind you. Learn to look both high and low. Speaking of mirrors, set them up perfect during your pretrip, they are your "eyeballs" and it's a much better feeling having them spot on as you navigate your day.
When in doubt get out and check it out. I deliver in a rural area and sometimes I'll have to back onto a grassy/dirt area of which I'm not quite sure how firm the ground is. I lock my truck down and actually go jump up and down on the area to find out exactly how firm the traction is. <--looks funny but works. (*_~)
If things aren't going your way, don't panic and get all bent out of shape, you'll tend to make more mistakes. I try to visualize myself as something like a downhill skier.... nice and smooth but making good time.
And finally, stay hydrated and consume proper nutrition throughout your day. It will pay huge dividends.
Best of luck to ya!
oldupsman
Well-Known Member
Master Sergeant, in the long run you're military training will serve you very well on this job.
In fact I'm sure that's one of the reasons they hired you. I've always said being with UPS is just like the
military. It just pays better.
probellringer
Well-Known Member
get rid of multi piece drops and large boxes that take up space first...this way you have room to set up- when you have room, you dont dig looking for that piece all day...
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
This has to be the worst advice I have ever read here.
Do you really believe that the supervisor who has to come and help you finish your day will be impressed that you have been carrying on friendly conversations with the customers?
You will have time to get to know the customers later. Your job now is to be polite and move on.
Bringing a preloader, who has been waiting years for a job you were hired off the street to do, a cup of coffee is not going to make him or her like you.
I gotta admit I laughed at the part about "spending a minute or two" at each stop shooting the breeze, on a heavy business route that can add 2 hours to your day. The supervisor being impressed with all your new friends (while you're running 3 hours over allowed) is pretty good too. I'm gonna give Baba the benefit of the doubt and assume he was joking.
packageguy
Well-Known Member
Each day you go out you will improve, you will know how your loader works, We were all in that same boat. Good Luck
Are you and off the street hire from the inside ? It isn't going to matter one way or the other but you won't make your 30 days until January 1 if your still working then. If your and of the street hire you won't be working then and if your from the inside your might be working but probably not.
Brownslave688
You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
Yes now I will say I took a minute or two at each stop the first week and explained to them I didn't have time to wait for them and the situation I was in most places were very understanding.
U
uber
Guest
Wow, my first week of driving was this week and I felt the exact same way. My area knowledge is good, but once I start driving the package car around I get confused. Especially when I go off trace. I try and get the bulk stops first and then hit all the air stops. Also backing the package car and getting down the proper fast way to get out of the car is annoying. I also have a couple buildings with 30 different commercials stops and organizing the hand cart to get them all done efficiently is hard.
What part of the country are you in?
abstractthought
Member
This whole job has to do with habits. Once things become a habit, the job becomes easy. You won't have to think of the steps of entering and starting the vehicle or stopping and exiting the vehicle or how to work the diad. You, in essence, become a robot more or less
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
When you are looking for a package in the 2000 section, check the hin label on each package you look at. Instead of just moving on, place each package securely in place in the correct location as you go.
For example, if you come across a 4000 section package on the floor while you are looking , don't just leave it there, put in the right spot so you won't have to fight through it the next time.
It can also help if you check the corner of the package and see if it is 1 of 2 or 2 of 3 for example. If you have 1 of 2 on a Mary Kay or Avon package it can help you figure out what you are looking for a lot of the time.
For example, if you come across a 4000 section package on the floor while you are looking , don't just leave it there, put in the right spot so you won't have to fight through it the next time.
It can also help if you check the corner of the package and see if it is 1 of 2 or 2 of 3 for example. If you have 1 of 2 on a Mary Kay or Avon package it can help you figure out what you are looking for a lot of the time.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
S
serenity now
Guest
when you have a send again, do yourself a favor and mark out the pal label
Anonymous 10
Guest
If you have a good preloader it won't be a problem.
brownmonster
Man of Great Wisdom
Talk about digging deep. Who was that home improvement duo in the video?
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Norm Abrams and Tom Silva.
ymelord
Well-Known Member
I feel like a maroon, because empting a truck on my own, is all I'm qualified to do. Routine, learn from your mistakes, stay calm you will get done, if you can talk to the driver who usally runs that route he might have a few good suggestions that you never hear from a sup. Most of us regular drivers don't let our sup's in on every little secret of our route. Hopefully you got a good sup training you, that can make alot of difference in your performance.
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