You asked some fair questions in your last post, and feel free to keep them coming, but I would like to also direct you to the union contract a/k/a "National Master Agreement" which is permanently listed as the first thread under the forum "union issues." That is basically our "rule book" that governs how things are done at UPS. "Air Driving" is under Article 40. You may also want to use the search engine on BC. Instead of asking what air driving is in your post and waiting for a reply, you could have had your answer much more quickly.
As you can read in article 40, there is provision for full time air driving as well as part time air driving and even "air walking." Now just because the provision exists in the contract, it does not mean that every hub will have someone in such a job. There are many small centers without any air drivers at all. The hub I work out of has only part time air drivers, such as me, as well as "Article 22.3" full-timers who do what would otherwise be a part time air route and then something else, like get all the trucks staged in the building overnight before the preload begins.
As far as how long you would have to wait to get a part time air route, that simply depends on the particular building at a particular time. I went driving in less than 4 years, and my wait was longer than it needed to be at the time, in 2003. For a time I had the absolutely coolest sup on the preload and was basically happy doing what I was doing.
If the air driving job of which I speak sounds appealing to you, I would encourage you to see what the air driving opportunities are at both of the buildings at which you are considering working. Try to find out how many of the current air drivers on the roster see themselves as carreer air drivers, and for how many is the air driving possibly a stepping stone to full time package car. The question can be answered quite easily without speaking to the individuals: simply note how long they have been air drivers. If it has been for a time period much longer than what is a normal wait for being able to go full time package car, they are probably right where they want to be.
On this issue, you may want to look through my other posts to get more information, in short, I do want to warn you that I am not sure what the future holds for air driver classification in the contract that is to come. There have been attempts to scale back the use of air drivers...
I would discourage you from worrying too much about which building you would be better suited for based on the type of equipmant used on the preload. If you can lift a 70 lb weight off a table two feet high, carry it 15 feet, and place it on the ground, you mosy certainly should be able to do the job at either facility.
Finally, through your posts, I feel I have gotten some sense of your personality...I think you are in at least some ways a bit like me...take this for whatever its worth to you...
You seem to consider carefully the things you will undertake, ask appropriate questions, and then make a decision. You would NOT be one to just come home one day with three cute puppies you saw at the animal shelter which you just spontaneously happened to walk into on the occasion your family sent you to the grocery store for a loaf of bread. You would consider carefully the cost and time commitment involved...I can only commend you for your ways...
Now with that said, the passing years have also taught me to better appreciate just how unpredictable life is...for both good and bad, and how our carefully laid out plans can, in the twinkling of an eye, need a total make over.
The uncertainty of life, I believe is a spiritual issue regardless of what faith one may or may not practice. As I have been writing, my mind has been going... Here, for what ever its worth is a hymn that was sung recently at the church I go to. The words speak for themselves and represent what my attitude is to the uncertainties of life:
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew,
me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendor, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
newborn worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth the almighty Giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ, his Son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
