Thinking about applying for Sunrise (3AM to 8AM) and I have some questions

Southwestern

Well-Known Member
In both of the buildings I checked out, tuition reimbursement is limited to $1,500/term;$3,000/year;$15,000/lifetime. I was told that if you become a PT Supervisor, the lifetime allowance goes up $20,000. Someone said Earn and learn depends on area participation. Where do you live that offers $60 to 100K lifetime limit?

Not all geographic locations offer ANY tuition reimbursement to part-time employees; some limit it to specific buildings and/or specific shifts. The closest facility to me offering tuition reimbursement is about 2.5 hours away, and it's tied to a specific college (combination of UPS and college scholarships = free tuition). The $60-$100K I was referring to was the average debt of a college graduate in my state. Of course a savvy individual here could save $20,000 in tuition alone (and an equal amount by rooming with mom and dad) by attending community college for two years.

They say that if I'm in a package touching position, I get all paid for benefits after a year. I'm told that if I do well, there is potential to become a PT supervisor but I have to pay for benefits. In the end, I'm not sure which would get me more take home pay. Package handler with paid for benefits and two hours of pay for some dues vs supervising package handlers and paying benefits.

In the short term, you'll probably make more as a PT sup since the job entitles a small pay increase + is compensated at 27.5 hours per week -- more than enough to offset the cost per benefits. There's also a larger breadth of health plans for sups. In the early 2000s, a close friend of mine accepted a Whole Foods-style plan that placed a specified amount of money ($1,200?) into a Health Savings Account. There was no charge for this plan (I believe it was only for individuals, not families) and routine (but not surgery, etc.) costs were debited. At the end of the year, any monies left in the account were cashed out to him. I'm not certain if anything like it is still offered... kinda encourages the employee not to seek care when he otherwise should.

They told me not to keep any hopes up for "combo" or "driving" position as you can only get that by being on the wait list for a decade. A decade? That's outrageous.

Variables change all the time (future volume, building consolidations, etc.) But it's probable that beginning in as little as 5 years, UPS will face mass retirements system wide and any eligible, interested part-timer would get a job.
 

kingOFchester

Well-Known Member
You do not work at UPS....but your screen name is ni3.........it wasn't until I drove did I ever hear ni3. Why did you choose ni3? why not ni2 or ni1?
 

NI3

Well-Known Member
You do not work at UPS....but your screen name is ni3.........it wasn't until I drove did I ever hear ni3. Why did you choose ni3? why not ni2 or ni1?
It's the formula for nitrogen triiodide. It's pretty cool stuff. Look it up. To answer your second question, I don't believe there are diiodide or monoiodide of nitrogen.
 

ORLY!?!

Master Loader
The boxline, is highly out dated piece of crap you will ever see. Yet, it is still in use all over the country. The postion " chargers " are placed along a slide. The slide gets dumped with packages, and the chargers pick them up and fill the cages. A boxline is colored cages, examples top green, top blue, middle brown, bottom red etc etc. Some buildings/ centers, have optional colors to cages. Examples, white cages or tan, pink or black cages that are used to be filled with out going, add cuts and miss sorts. They get dumped by chargers on to a slide under them, called repo; which is used to send packages back to sort.

Preload, is indeed, one of the hardest jobs in the building. Lifting and lowering heavy, large or in-between the both for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours a night, 5 days a week. Sure that sounds somewhat difficult, and yet I left out the 8 1/2 to 12 miles you will walk a night on each shift. Preloaders will also have to come to know a term called missloades. The condition of the word means placing the wrong package into the wrong package car. Thus, having to deal with supervisors and management about them, and possibly being written up for just one offence. Another term used, late air or air found in load. This one is a real bad one, thus meaning they lost service on that package if it were late. Over night packages cost a ton to be mailed. 14-18$ just for an envelope. Hundreds of dollars for large packages. Service missed or late on these will deem you a write up.

Now, I really don’t want to sound negative to your ( OP’s ) decision / choice on working at UPS. I know that the worst examples of employees here are those within college. And it isn’t because they are kids, of today’s generation. It is a matter of working a highly demanding job on top of doing a lot of school work. Thusly, they prove to be slow and lazy at work. This in turn causes problems for others. An example, they end up slowing down and need help all the time. This causes problems for those who are holding their own. And leaves that individual, slacking, to never be able to help others.

This job used to be for those who didn’t have anything else under their belt. Such as retired military and people just working this a job, nothing else. One thing I would like to see UPS do in the future, is do away with the attraction towards college kids. They prove to be more of a problem then an asset.

As I’ve said before, “ preload is a death sentence here “. You will soon find out. I don’t want to detour your choice, just giving you fair warning. If you really want it, you REALLY have to want it. It’s a job that should be those who can commit themselves to it 100%, not 50-50. And overall, its just another job. A hard one, a do-able one, but will be ( for most ) the hardest thing they will ever do. This is a job everyone wants, pay raises, benefits and chances of promotions. But is a job nobody wants to do. To put it perspective, my center or my side of the boxline, had 100% turnover rate last year. That should say it all, if I hadn’t said too much already.
 

kingOFchester

Well-Known Member
It's the formula for nitrogen triiodide. It's pretty cool stuff. Look it up. To answer your second question, I don't believe there are diiodide or monoiodide of nitrogen.

Clever, but ain't buying......

The odds are astonishing that you just happened to use NI3 when NI3 plays such large roll in UPS.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
It's the formula for nitrogen triiodide. It's pretty cool stuff. Look it up. To answer your second question, I don't believe there are diiodide or monoiodide of nitrogen.

That true but isn't how you picked your screen name.

The truth would be your were browsing on BC and in so came upon a thread with talk about Ni1, Ni2, Ni3 and decided Ni3 would be a nice screen name on BC and a plus was nobody else was using it.
 

Southwestern

Well-Known Member
That true but isn't how you picked your screen name.

The truth would be your were browsing on BC and in so came upon a thread with talk about Ni1, Ni2, Ni3 and decided Ni3 would be a nice screen name on BC and a plus was nobody else was using it.

No, the truth is NI3 is the new pseudo name for the user formerly known as AssistantSanta. Right age group, similar ideology & similar writing style.

I don't have any problem with NI3/AssistantSanta posting here and until he violates the ToA, nobody else should, either.
 

air_dr

Well-Known Member
Wlcome to BC, whoever you may be, NI3.

I am a former preloader who worked on a box line and am now a part time air driver. The wage is like $23.70. Just my thoughts for whatever they're worth:

As far as trying to decide which building would most preferable: I believe, more than anything, it comes down to the individual sups and drivers you are going to end up working with. Granted, UPS isn't a place for the real thin skinned, but some people are much more reasonable and easier to work with than others who can be real jerks. If I were in your place the most important thing I would want to know is what your coworkers and sups are like, yet the bad thing is you will likely never learn that from taking a short tour, as sensible as that was for you to do.

If you do the box line, one warning: I would avoid being in a bottom pull. I have seen heavy packages on rare occasion fall down from an overstuffed upper bin. They thankfully didn't fall on someone but could have. Top bins are definitely OK and I would worry much about pulling from a middle one either.

Keep in mind on the preload shift, you can also, among other things, be an unloader. The pay is the same. Its pretty mindless work, so you can spend your morning thinking about bonds, charges, and orbitals. There are no whining drivers to deal with. Now, there too, a "wall" of packages could topple on you, so you need to look out for unstable boxes.

What do you see as your future plans and maybe even fall back options?

Once you make seniority at UPS, unless you seriously mess up, like punch somebody or get caught smoking a joint at work, you have a job for life with a steady wage. I know there are a lot of really smart people out there with initials after their names that don't have the economic security I have working just part time at UPS. I checked this moring from someone: adjunct college professors make like $3000 per semester for each course they teach. Three courses per semester is considered a normal teaching load for a full timer. No benefits. No job secuity. No pension. When I consider that, it makes the deal at UPS look pretty sweet.
 

NI3

Well-Known Member
The boxline, is highly out dated piece of crap you will ever see.
Really? This building is supposed to be quite new.

A boxline is colored cages, examples top green, top blue, middle brown, bottom red etc etc. Some buildings/ centers, have optional colors to cages.
Exactly like what I have seen. So, how is this style compared to center mounted moving belt in preloaders shoes? Does it make enough difference that it makes my day tolerable vs crap? Someone said there are three styles and the newest is neither of what I talked about. I'm wondering what that newest one is like.
 

NI3

Well-Known Member
Hey man,
Thanks for you comment. It's very well explained and exactly what I was hoping to get here. I really don't know what i want to do yet long term.

So, it starts at $9.50, $10.50 after 3months and $11 after a year. I wasn't told how it goes after that. Would I ever make anything close to $23.70 in foreseeable future?

The 8 mile walk a day someone mentioned sounds good actually. I don't have time to work then go exercise for a few hours every day. I'm no exception to needing regular exercise. If I can do both at once, more power to me.

Wlcome to BC, whoever you may be, NI3.

I am a former preloader who worked on a box line and am now a part time air driver. The wage is like $23.70. Just my thoughts for whatever they're worth:

As far as trying to decide which building would most preferable: I believe, more than anything, it comes down to the individual sups and drivers you are going to end up working with. Granted, UPS isn't a place for the real thin skinned, but some people are much more reasonable and easier to work with than others who can be real jerks. If I were in your place the most important thing I would want to know is what your coworkers and sups are like, yet the bad thing is you will likely never learn that from taking a short tour, as sensible as that was for you to do.

If you do the box line, one warning: I would avoid being in a bottom pull. I have seen heavy packages on rare occasion fall down from an overstuffed upper bin. They thankfully didn't fall on someone but could have. Top bins are definitely OK and I would worry much about pulling from a middle one either.

Keep in mind on the preload shift, you can also, among other things, be an unloader. The pay is the same. Its pretty mindless work, so you can spend your morning thinking about bonds, charges, and orbitals. There are no whining drivers to deal with. Now, there too, a "wall" of packages could topple on you, so you need to look out for unstable boxes.

What do you see as your future plans and maybe even fall back options?

Once you make seniority at UPS, unless you seriously mess up, like punch somebody or get caught smoking a joint at work, you have a job for life with a steady wage. I know there are a lot of really smart people out there with initials after their names that don't have the economic security I have working just part time at UPS. I checked this moring from someone: adjunct college professors make like $3000 per semester for each course they teach. Three courses per semester is considered a normal teaching load for a full timer. No benefits. No job secuity. No pension. When I consider that, it makes the deal at UPS look pretty sweet.
 

Southwestern

Well-Known Member
Really? This building is supposed to be quite new ... Exactly like what I have seen. So, how is this style compared to center mounted moving belt in preloaders shoes? Does it make enough difference that it makes my day tolerable vs crap? Someone said there are three styles and the newest is neither of what I talked about. I'm wondering what that newest one is like.

Packages flow down a belt to a pick-off, which then sends them down a large slide in the area in front of the package car it's to be loaded on. A bi-directional moving belt runs feet level to handle irregulars, missorts, etc. (Automated Preloads replace the pick-off persons with a series of sensors & diverters.) Many older facilities have been converted to this system. Boxlines are slow & inefficient. Preloaders may prefer them since the sorts move at a slower pace.
 

NI3

Well-Known Member
I don't understand why I can't change between different locations. What's the harm in letting me try at both locations and letting me pick the one I work better at? :(
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Hey man,
Thanks for you comment. It's very well explained and exactly what I was hoping to get here. I really don't know what i want to do yet long term.

So, it starts at $9.50, $10.50 after 3months and $11 after a year. I wasn't told how it goes after that. Would I ever make anything close to $23.70 in foreseeable future?


The 8 mile walk a day someone mentioned sounds good actually. I don't have time to work then go exercise for a few hours every day. I'm no exception to needing regular exercise. If I can do both at once, more power to me.

Yes in about 17 years you will be making around $23.70 if you stay PT.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
I don't understand why I can't change between different locations. What's the harm in letting me try at both locations and letting me pick the one I work better at? :(

You can they can hire you at one building if you don't like it you can quit and try to get hired at the second building. Other than that your SOL. If you get hired your going to be the lowest person on the pole meaning your going to be doing what ever they tell you to do one day you might be doing on thing and the next day you might have to fill in for someone that called out in another location in the building. That how it works you don't get to pick and choose.
 

ORLY!?!

Master Loader
Really? This building is supposed to be quite new.


Exactly like what I have seen. So, how is this style compared to center mounted moving belt in preloaders shoes? Does it make enough difference that it makes my day tolerable vs crap? Someone said there are three styles and the newest is neither of what I talked about. I'm wondering what that newest one is like.

Sure, they will incorperate a boxline into large HUBS. It's been around for many years. Smaller buildings will run mostly on a belt, rollers. When I was in Washington state, the buildings up there were smaller then our entire boxline. So the need for one in small centers are un-needed.

I was loading a house at one point. This was stright rollers. It's kind've like belts, but belts usally run in circles. Missing a package isnt a big deal. Well on rollers, you miss one you need to go get it. Also, theres only two speeds in a house with rollers. Theres a ton, and two, completely crushed. There is no slow speed of a house.

There are stright belts aswell. These are the worst of the worst. At our building, the floor next to the boxline is a secured belt. It is used to shuttle off pickups to repo. We'll use this belt once a year, for UPS days off during peak. It is the worst it will ever get. You cant walking into the car to load it, stacking out is the only option.

The newer buildings have direct package feeding. The package comes to you, very efficient. Buildings that have this in place never have missloads. Computers scan and slap the package and it makes its journey to the correct car, simple and easy. There was a time when our building was going to have this put in, but our pervious assiant building manager was a little off upstairs. The places that have it often boast a 99-100% efficiency rating, why wouldnt they have them in place every where, is beyond me.
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
Sure, they will incorperate a boxline into large HUBS. It's been around for many years. Smaller buildings will run mostly on a belt, rollers. When I was in Washington state, the buildings up there were smaller then our entire boxline. So the need for one in small centers are un-needed.

I was loading a house at one point. This was stright rollers. It's kind've like belts, but belts usally run in circles. Missing a package isnt a big deal. Well on rollers, you miss one you need to go get it. Also, theres only two speeds in a house with rollers. Theres a ton, and two, completely crushed. There is no slow speed of a house.

There are stright belts aswell. These are the worst of the worst. At our building, the floor next to the boxline is a secured belt. It is used to shuttle off pickups to repo. We'll use this belt once a year, for UPS days off during peak. It is the worst it will ever get. You cant walking into the car to load it, stacking out is the only option.

The newer buildings have direct package feeding. The package comes to you, very efficient. Buildings that have this in place never have missloads. Computers scan and slap the package and it makes its journey to the correct car, simple and easy. There was a time when our building was going to have this put in, but our pervious assiant building manager was a little off upstairs. The places that have it often boast a 99-100% efficiency rating, why wouldnt they have them in place every where, is beyond me.
My preload was one straight belt. You don't miss anything, or else. Yes, it is the worst of the worst.
 

Runnin CACH

New Member
The 8 mile walk a day someone mentioned sounds good actually. I don't have time to work then go exercise for a few hours every day. I'm no exception to needing regular exercise. If I can do both at once, more power to me.

That's one of the numerous reasons I'm fond of UPS. I definitely lost weight and increased muscle mass somewhat significantly, and I've only been there for a little less than three months. I never really wanna work out or exercise on my own time so it's pretty awesome to get it done while at work.
 
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