Things your preloader likes

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
We preloaders also have things that make our day. . .

  • Having a driver tell your load is awesome.
  • Being appreciated by your drivers.
  • Having really nice co-workers who do help you when you get slammed and you don’t have to ask them.
  • Having a day with no add/cuts!
  • Having no huge exercise equipment to load 4 days in row because the customer is not home (I know this is worse for the drivers especially when it is on the 4th floor and there is no elevator!)
  • Having no misloads!
  • Being thanked for coming to work in the middle of a blizzard when 3 of the other loaders called in and there were just 3 loaders (for one side of the boxline).
  • Having other drivers tell you they wish you loaded their trucks.
  • Having a day were all the irregs fit on the truck they were intended and you can still walk from the back to the cab.

I know there must be more things that bring a smile to our faces (besides getting paid and having great benefits).
 

DS

Fenderbender
good preloaders are few and far between.
in my world if the stop count sheet says 65
you can bet theres at least 90 stops in there
its like they are not paid enough to care
that every 15 stops is an hours work.(in my area)
aspen...I salute you for going over and above
in your desire to do the best job you can.
Maybe if preloaders got paid drivers wages and
were held accountable they would care more.
 

tieguy

Banned
We preloaders also have things that make our day. . .

  • Having a driver tell your load is awesome.
  • Being appreciated by your drivers.
  • Having really nice co-workers who do help you when you get slammed and you don’t have to ask them.
  • Having a day with no add/cuts!
  • Having no huge exercise equipment to load 4 days in row because the customer is not home (I know this is worse for the drivers especially when it is on the 4th floor and there is no elevator!)
  • Having no misloads!
  • Being thanked for coming to work in the middle of a blizzard when 3 of the other loaders called in and there were just 3 loaders (for one side of the boxline).
  • Having other drivers tell you they wish you loaded their trucks.
  • Having a day were all the irregs fit on the truck they were intended and you can still walk from the back to the cab.
I know there must be more things that bring a smile to our faces (besides getting paid and having great benefits).

Not a bad idea. Kinda of like being in management. If you can recognize the preloader every now and then and work him a little you might be able to get a better load out of him.
 

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
I have a fantastic pre loader. Since she is the only pre loader I have ever had I didn't know just how good she is until she took an optional day a couple of weeks ago.

Today when I saw her looking through the help wanted ads I told her, as long as I am on this route, she is not allowed to leave UPS.
 

Delivered

Well-Known Member
I try to bring my preloader some fastfood breakfast in once a week. My driver use to do that for me years ago when I preloaded, it always made my day.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
Aspen,
Thanks for your post. I didn't realize you cared so much of the driver's opinion on your job. I happen to have a very good preloader and I guess from your post I probably don't thank him enough.

I have been attempting for almost a year to get the dispatch sup to change the location of a bulk stop that is in my truck. This company gets 60 packages per day and has a dock. These 60 packages are loaded in the 4000 section. I asked the dispatch sup if he could put a HIN of 8900 for this stop so they could be loaded on the back shelf. He said no problem. The sup did this for 1 center car plan and thats it. Apparently you have to do it for all the car plans to get it in that section everyday, because that stop hasn't been given a HIN of 8900 in over 5 months! I guess the center is not running that amount of cars anymore as for me to get this bulk stop loaded where it should be. Anyway, my point is, the preloader recognizes this stop and loads it at the back of the truck. Problem is, when he is out I have a preloader trying to stuff 60 packages in section 4375 which I have to walk 1 by 1 to the back of the truck.

This is a senario where I really apprecitiate the efforts of my preloader and don't care too much for the efforts of our dispatch sup. My point here is, if the goal for management is to manage the center in a way to deliver packages more efficiently then this particular manager is not doing his job. Its talking me at leat 5-8 minutes longer to do this stop with it loaded at the front of the truck.

It amazes my that a company that puts so many resources into counting seconds (IE person telling me I'm doing my start-car routine 1 second longer than should. good grief!) in these time studies would allow me to waste a whole 300 of them in just 1 stop.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
browniehound, you should get your PAS Dispatch Sup to change that address to LRF, RRF, or whatever abbreviation he uses. This will put a PAS label on the package to tell whoever loads your truck to load it at the back door on the floor the side you want. That's what I do, the heavy bulk stop is on the back where it should be.:thumbup1:
 

EAM_Master

Part-Time'er for Life!
We preloaders also have things that make our day. . .
  • Having a driver tell your load is awesome.
  • Being appreciated by your drivers.
  • Having really nice co-workers who do help you when you get slammed and you don’t have to ask them.
  • Having a day with no add/cuts!
  • Having no huge exercise equipment to load 4 days in row because the customer is not home (I know this is worse for the drivers especially when it is on the 4th floor and there is no elevator!)
  • Having no misloads!
  • Being thanked for coming to work in the middle of a blizzard when 3 of the other loaders called in and there were just 3 loaders (for one side of the boxline).
  • Having other drivers tell you they wish you loaded their trucks.
  • Having a day were all the irregs fit on the truck they were intended and you can still walk from the back to the cab.
I know there must be more things that bring a smile to our faces (besides getting paid and having great benefits).

That always made me feel good when I was a preloader too. Then PAS came to town........Then I became a just another tool. I used to take a lot of pride in being a good preloader. I went over a year without a single misload before it. When it came in I almost got fired for misloads. I think being dyslexic has a lot to do with it. When it was an actual address I was looking at and could visualize where the place was it was no problem. Put the same package in the same spot everyday. But putting a meaningless number on a shelf:confused:1 Even still, if there was something way out of place, like a dumper on in the 1000 section, I'd usually spot it and correct it.
 

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
good preloaders are few and far between.
in my world if the stop count sheet says 65
you can bet theres at least 90 stops in there
its like they are not paid enough to care
that every 15 stops is an hours work.(in my area)
aspen...I salute you for going over and above
in your desire to do the best job you can.
Maybe if preloaders got paid drivers wages and
were held accountable they would care more.

I don't know about that. I am the way I am at any job I do. I take in pride in whatever job I have. More money would be nice but it won't make people care about the job they do. People will always complain and the money will never be enough. It may not be much but I figure I impact 4 guys/ gals each work day and I want them to have a good day. So I do what I can.
 

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
I have a fantastic pre loader. Since she is the only pre loader I have ever had I didn't know just how good she is until she took an optional day a couple of weeks ago.

Today when I saw her looking through the help wanted ads I told her, as long as I am on this route, she is not allowed to leave UPS.

My drivers tell me the same thing. :thumbup1:
 

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
Aspen,
Thanks for your post. I didn't realize you cared so much of the driver's opinion on your job. I happen to have a very good preloader and I guess from your post I probably don't thank him enough.

I have been attempting for almost a year to get the dispatch sup to change the location of a bulk stop that is in my truck. This company gets 60 packages per day and has a dock. These 60 packages are loaded in the 4000 section. I asked the dispatch sup if he could put a HIN of 8900 for this stop so they could be loaded on the back shelf. He said no problem. The sup did this for 1 center car plan and thats it. Apparently you have to do it for all the car plans to get it in that section everyday, because that stop hasn't been given a HIN of 8900 in over 5 months! I guess the center is not running that amount of cars anymore as for me to get this bulk stop loaded where it should be. Anyway, my point is, the preloader recognizes this stop and loads it at the back of the truck. Problem is, when he is out I have a preloader trying to stuff 60 packages in section 4375 which I have to walk 1 by 1 to the back of the truck.

This is a senario where I really apprecitiate the efforts of my preloader and don't care too much for the efforts of our dispatch sup. My point here is, if the goal for management is to manage the center in a way to deliver packages more efficiently then this particular manager is not doing his job. Its talking me at leat 5-8 minutes longer to do this stop with it loaded at the front of the truck.

It amazes my that a company that puts so many resources into counting seconds (IE person telling me I'm doing my start-car routine 1 second longer than should. good grief!) in these time studies would allow me to waste a whole 300 of them in just 1 stop.


That happens on my trucks but I put them where my drivers want them. I keep all the packages together for the large bulk stops (that way if a miracle happens and they pull that stop it is easy for me pull off all the packages).

I do care what my drivers think but not to the point that they will ruin my day if they are in a bad mood. It just helps when I have had a bad week to be told that I do a good job. And on days I have been tempted to call in I did not because of them. It may also help that my drivers were all preloaders 15-20 years ago.
 

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
Not a bad idea. Kinda of like being in management. If you can recognize the preloader every now and then and work him a little you might be able to get a better load out of him.


Yup. There are tons of free ways to get people to work a little better. For me chocolate and a sincere thank-you work. After a day of having a truck cut and then 6 pages of add/cuts on my other trucks I got some chocolate from the manager that gave all that work. It works both ways too; when I get my add/ cuts before break I give the manager chocolate! (That doesn't happen too often)
 

canon

Well-Known Member
Not a bad idea. Kinda of like being in management. If you can recognize the preloader every now and then and work him a little you might be able to get a better load out of him.
Is that before or after you call them whining drunk crybabies?

hy·poc·ri·sy (h-pkr-s)
n. pl. hy·poc·ri·sies
1. The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.
2. An act or instance of such falseness.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
browniehound, you should get your PAS Dispatch Sup to change that address to LRF, RRF, or whatever abbreviation he uses. This will put a PAS label on the package to tell whoever loads your truck to load it at the back door on the floor the side you want. That's what I do, the heavy bulk stop is on the back where it should be.:thumbup1:
Scratch, I've been trying for almost a year to get this stop friggin moved. I can't put it RDR or RDL or FL4 because thats already taken by other bulk stops. All I ask is for it to be loaded in 8900 and he still hasn't done this!!
 

Cementups

Box Monkey
Scratch, I've been trying for almost a year to get this stop friggin moved. I can't put it RDR or RDL or FL4 because thats already taken by other bulk stops. All I ask is for it to be loaded in 8900 and he still hasn't done this!!

then you should bring this prblem up with your center manager or even the DM. Go above someone's head and stuff usually happens pretty fast The other day they were giing out recognitio awards for people who turnedin sales leads under "Take charge". Well they were only recognizing the people who submitted paper leads, whereas I submitted one thru the DIAD. My center manager said it had to be paper ones since they claim that people were abusing the DIAD system. I asked the DM and he said it was BS and made sure I got my recognition for my good lead.


Anyway, back to the conversation at hand...

I always thought I was a decent loader but I have seen some guys that are jsut superb and use every inch of space available. This is great especially if you've seen my pics of my old load in the "Pet Peeves" thread. Preloaders that lip load and actually place things on the shelf instead of throwing are great as are loaders that do not put longs on the shelves.
It's a shame now that everythign a driver needs from a loader is supposed to go through a sup instead of us as drivers just being able to talk to the loader. The conversation never gets past the sup to the loader. Even the other day when I was mentioning to a loader where to place certin packages or a way to load a certain way, the sup that was walking by had to stop and intervene the conversation.
 

aspenleaf

Well-Known Member
then you should bring this prblem up with your center manager or even the DM. Go above someone's head and stuff usually happens pretty fast The other day they were giing out recognitio awards for people who turnedin sales leads under "Take charge". Well they were only recognizing the people who submitted paper leads, whereas I submitted one thru the DIAD. My center manager said it had to be paper ones since they claim that people were abusing the DIAD system. I asked the DM and he said it was BS and made sure I got my recognition for my good lead.


Anyway, back to the conversation at hand...

I always thought I was a decent loader but I have seen some guys that are jsut superb and use every inch of space available. This is great especially if you've seen my pics of my old load in the "Pet Peeves" thread. Preloaders that lip load and actually place things on the shelf instead of throwing are great as are loaders that do not put longs on the shelves.
It's a shame now that everythign a driver needs from a loader is supposed to go through a sup instead of us as drivers just being able to talk to the loader. The conversation never gets past the sup to the loader. Even the other day when I was mentioning to a loader where to place certin packages or a way to load a certain way, the sup that was walking by had to stop and intervene the conversation.


We had that problem with the sup intervention but my drivers took care of that problem and I am allowed to get feedback on the load and talk to them. It really does help when you are allowed to talk to the people who drive and have to deal with your load.
 
B

Budfan 8

Guest
as a prealoader I definatly feel unappreciated sometimes. I also consider myself to be an excoptional loader. I get very few missloads and always go the extra mile and do whatever I can to make sure I give my drivers a good load. 2 of my drivers are great guys and are always appreciative. Between the 2 of them I pretty much get fed everyday and got good tips for working hard during peak season. The other two are complete jerks and complain about everythig, only the things they complain about are out of my control. (i.e. to much volume and to many next day air stops.) I thought about just slacking of loading thier cars and concentrating on the nicer drivers cars but since I am a good employee I decided that is not an option. So, to all you jerky drivers out there try appreciating your loaders a litte more because It definatly makes me work harder when I know the good job I am doing Doesn't go unnoticed.
 
W

westsideworma

Guest
as a prealoader I definatly feel unappreciated sometimes. I also consider myself to be an excoptional loader. I get very few missloads and always go the extra mile and do whatever I can to make sure I give my drivers a good load. 2 of my drivers are great guys and are always appreciative. Between the 2 of them I pretty much get fed everyday and got good tips for working hard during peak season. The other two are complete jerks and complain about everythig, only the things they complain about are out of my control. (i.e. to much volume and to many next day air stops.) I thought about just slacking of loading thier cars and concentrating on the nicer drivers cars but since I am a good employee I decided that is not an option. So, to all you jerky drivers out there try appreciating your loaders a litte more because It definatly makes me work harder when I know the good job I am doing Doesn't go unnoticed.

yeah I agree with a lot of what you said. whether you have 3 or 4 (or gulp even 5) drivers its sometimes impossible to get all appreciative ones. The ones that are normally are ones that came up through the ranks and have done the job before. The off the street hires are generally less appreciative...not knocking all of them as I know it doesn't hold true for all.

I currently have 3 drivers (used to have 4) and they're all great. Unfortunately one of my drivers hurt himself but I've loaded for the cover guy thats doing it now as well and he's also a good guy. Like Monday we shoehorned 430+ pieces in one of the trucks and they asked him about my load (weird I know) and he said "for a blown out truck it was still one of the best loads I've had lately" now you can bet I will go the extra mile for this guy to make sure he has a decent load. Another driver found an air in the load (as for some reason airs are being PALed to normal shelf positions...stupid) and was like it had to have been a supe after you left as you never load them so I made sure it didn't go against you (they were closed anyways). I had to help someone else and the person covering my pull just literally threw packages in my cars, I stayed and cleaned them up (yes i know I get paid by the hour but that wasn't it) as it looked like a bomb hit them. One driver saw the mess and was all pissed (rightly so) then when he came back from his PCM found it all cleaned up and saw that his truck was now navigable down the middle and such, found me fixing another truck and was like thanks man. Its little things like this that go a long way with your preloader.

Treat people the way you wish to be treated. I know its hard in the UPS culture sometimes because nothing anyone does is ever good enough which can breed the "I just don't give a &$#%!!" attitude but I don't ask for tips or anything like that, just act appreciative now and then and its just obvious someone will go the extra mile. I know there are some days my load quality suffers (sick, tired, whatever), but by and large I always try to do the best I can to build a good load with few misloads (usually none) because with these drivers I know its appreciated.

also...when you're an @$$ I do retaliate, one driver whined and moaned that his truck wasn't completely 100% stop for stop and then finally left a less than satisfactory comment on the sheets soooo I basically loaded his truck blindfolded the next day. Never had a complaint after that.
 

LKLND3380

Well-Known Member
I had to help someone else and the person covering my pull just literally threw packages in my cars, I stayed and cleaned them up (yes i know I get paid by the hour but that wasn't it) as it looked like a bomb hit them. One driver saw the mess and was all pissed (rightly so) then when he came back from his PCM found it all cleaned up and saw that his truck was now navigable down the middle and such, found me fixing another truck and was like thanks man. Its little things like this that go a long way with your preloader.

As soon as the drivers are in the building - BEFORE their start time, BEFORE their PCM - the supes try to get all the preloaders off the clock... Friday they sent people home ten minutes before the Airs arrived and the Airs were there twenty minutes before the drivers start time...
 
W

westsideworma

Guest
As soon as the drivers are in the building - BEFORE their start time, BEFORE their PCM - the supes try to get all the preloaders off the clock... Friday they sent people home ten minutes before the Airs arrived and the Airs were there twenty minutes before the drivers start time...

see that rarely happens with us, we're there til they get there for the most part as most of our work comes after our break. We always do the airs unless they are EXTREMELY late and even then they usually keep 2 of us on the boxline to drop them in behind the right trucks. I guess it all depends on the center/hub that you work at.
 
Top