Thinking of going into feeders.

[Rick Ross]

Just moved to Feeders. We are in a center located in a port city in the south east that is growing like crazy.
It seem every quarter there is a list for feeders posted.
It's been just 2 weeks of actual work after feeder school. One week covering a TDP route and now just into my second week of covering an overnight run.
Been with the company 17 years PT. I just went full time Package last summer.
Still new, a super rookie and all I have to say is do it.
You won't regret it.

Jacksonville?

 

[Oh4ore]

Savannah GA.

 

[Faceplanted]

Pick your poison. Go to feeders, get out of shape, have health issues due to sleep schedule and lack of hard work (unless you can make it to the gym)

Stay in package, workout every day and possibly put wear and tear on your body

With recent cancer studies showing working out and getting lots of sun exposure (vitamin d that is metabolized specifically from uva and uvb rays being a massive help from getting cancer) choose what's is better for you.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

Here's the God honest truth: If you have to ask if going Feeder is a good choice for you and your family, then, you deserve to stay your ass in package and get kicked in the balls every damn day for the rest of your miserable career. Feeder is for big boys and girls. This is the big leagues and you either know you want in, or you don't have what it takes. These aren't ice cream wagons. There is a skill set and mentality that requires command and confidence, in order to earn your CDL and drive the highways with a sobering, deadly amount of responsibility behind you, EVERY MILE. Save yourself the drama and let someone else have the extra $40K. There's a reason Feeder drivers don't get punked by middle management: we've earned the job and respect the responsibility to safety and moving volume.

 

[Johney]

Jacksonville?

They're pulling guys with way less company time then that into feeders in Jacksonville.

 

[Faceplanted]

Here's the God honest truth: If you have to ask if going Feeder is a good choice for you and your family, then, you deserve to stay your ass in package and get kicked in the balls every damn day for the rest of your miserable career. Feeder is for big boys and girls. This is the big leagues and you either know you want in, or you don't have what it takes. These aren't ice cream wagons. There is a skill set and mentality that requires command and confidence, in order to earn your CDL and drive the highways with a sobering, deadly amount of responsibility behind you, EVERY MILE. Save yourself the drama and let someone else have the extra $40K. There's a reason Feeder drivers don't get punked by middle management: we've earned the job and respect the responsibility to safety and moving volume.

Here's the God honest truth: If you have to ask if going Feeder is a good choice for you and your family, then, you deserve to stay your ass in package and get kicked in the balls every damn day for the rest of your miserable career. Feeder is for big boys and girls. This is the big leagues and you either know you want in, or you don't have what it takes. These aren't ice cream wagons. There is a skill set and mentality that requires command and confidence, in order to earn your CDL and drive the highways with a sobering, deadly amount of responsibility behind you, EVERY MILE. Save yourself the drama and let someone else have the extra $40K. There's a reason Feeder drivers don't get punked by middle management: we've earned the job and respect the responsibility to safety and moving volume.

i was driving "feeders" around since you were driving ice cream trucks. It's not about having what it takes, some people have a nice route in package, know the contract thus managment leaves them alone, and actually enjoy the job and the Normal living hours that package can be if you know what your doing.

Others get abused and harassed by managment daily, stress out about meaningless numbers and hand a terrible life in package.

 

[Jones]

Pick your poison. Go to feeders, get out of shape, have health issues due to sleep schedule and lack of hard work (unless you can make it to the gym)

Stay in package, workout every day and possibly put wear and tear on your body

With recent cancer studies showing working out and getting lots of sun exposure (vitamin d that is metabolized specifically from uva and uvb rays being a massive help from getting cancer) choose what's is better for you.

I think that's a false choice you're setting up there...

 

[Faceplanted]

I think that's a false choice you're setting up there...

You are correct. In some locations you can be in feeders and still put wear and tear on your body doing CPU routes for your first 3-5 years being a feeder driver.

 

[Jones]

You are correct. In some locations you can be in feeders and still put wear and tear on your body doing CPU routes for your first 3-5 years being a feeder driver.

I was more referring to your suggestion that the choice was "stay in package and be healthy or go to feeders and get cancer"...

 

[Faceplanted]

I was more referring to your suggestion that the choice was "stay in package and be healthy or go to feeders and get cancer"...

I'm saying is it's easier to live a healthy life in package, specifically if you follow the methods. This is especially true now with low steps and power steering as knee and shoulder injures were a major problem for package guys.

Feeders requires you to work out which can be hard after 55-60 hour work weeks

 

[Jones]

I'm saying is it's easier to live a healthy life in package, specifically if you follow the methods.

Feeders requires you to work out which can be hard after 55-60 hour work weeks

There is some truth to that but it's not the whole story. At least in my area nobody in feeders is working 55-60 hour weeks unless they want to, I work around 50 hours a week and have no problem getting to the gym every day. Stress is also a factor in your overall health picture and the stress level is waaay lower in feeders. I was definitely a methods guy, I had a nice route and never let them abuse me but it's still no comparison to what I'm doing now.

 

[Snack]

I'm so looking forward to the day I can get into feeders. Currently slinging cardboard in the hub part-time along with a full-time day gig.

Of course, UPS will probably be utilizing self-driving trucks by that point.

 

[Johney]

i was driving "feeders" around since you were driving ice cream trucks. It's not about having what it takes, some people have a nice route in package, know the contract thus managment leaves them alone, and actually enjoy the job and the Normal living hours that package can be if you know what your doing.

Others get abused and harassed by managment daily, stress out about meaningless numbers and hand a terrible life in package.

You've been out of package too long, there is no such thing as a nice route anymore. Our top p/c guys are miserable, unfortunately they never wanted to go into feeders.

 

[Indecisi0n]

Anyone have any good truck stop stories?

 

[Faceplanted]

You've been out of package too long, there is no such thing as a nice route anymore. Our top p/c guys are miserable, unfortunately they never wanted to

I'm still in package. I am comfortable with "feeder" equipment from a previous time in my life before ups. I got to enjoy old school 2 stick macks and other fun stuff with obnoxious jakes that would annoy a 5 block radius.

Give me a month or two on any route and I can make it a nice route.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

i was driving "feeders" around since you were driving ice cream trucks. It's not about having what it takes, some people have a nice route in package, know the contract thus managment leaves them alone, and actually enjoy the job and the Normal living hours that package can be if you know what your doing.

Others get abused and harassed by managment daily, stress out about meaningless numbers and hand a terrible life in package.

Yeah, but that was back in the 1900's, when everything was unicorns and rainbows. Package has changed and it's micromanaged and impersonal, now. Wake up. It's a kick in the ass, everyday.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

You are correct. In some locations you can be in feeders and still put wear and tear on your body doing CPU routes for your first 3-5 years being a feeder driver.

Yeah, that 8 stop CPU run really breaks a body down. Don't forget the carpal tunnel you'll likely get from turning on the A\C and heater. Holy crap, what kind of wuss are you?

 

[Faceplanted]

Yeah, that 8 stop CPU run really breaks a body down. Don't forget the carpal tunnel you'll likely get from turning on the A\C and heater. Holy crap, what kind of wuss are you?

CPU routes in my building deliver 300-500 pieces some of them to malls or docks where employees don't help. I have helped these guys and the work is much much harder than any package route. Granted they start pu at 3 and it's smooth sailing after that. When the heat index is 110 and your in the back of the trailer with no breeze delivering to an outdoor outlet mall it's sucks.

Your calling me a wuss and your the one who couldn't handle package and the managment harassing you.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

CPU routes in my building deliver 300-500 pieces some of them to malls or docks where employees don't help. I have helped these guys and the work is much much harder than any package route. Granted they start pu at 3 and it's smooth sailing after that. When the heat index is 110 and your in the back of the trailer with no breeze delivering to an outdoor outlet mall it's sucks.

Your calling me a wuss and your the one who couldn't handle package and the managment harassing you.

That work you described is a regular package rte, now. I know that back when you were pulling a horse drawn carriage full of packages, everything was a pound or 2 and you didn't do pickups. Now the average package car is a P12 and we're doing 170-200+ stops with a full pickup string. So, no, I was man enough to succeed in package and smart enough to move into Feeder and make more with less physical labor. Nice try though, Grandpa Ahab.

 

[Kicked Your Dog]

I'm still in package. I am comfortable with "feeder" equipment from a previous time in my life before ups. I got to enjoy old school 2 stick macks and other fun stuff with obnoxious jakes that would annoy a 5 block radius.

Give me a month or two on any route and I can make it a nice route.

Dude, we're talking about UPS Feeder: the best of the best, Top Guns, Teamsters. Why are you bringing up your experience as a "gypsy trucker" working for uncle Jester? Youre probably the driver who always has something to say at every PCM and drives your customers crazy for lingering in the office and staring too much.