To drive or not to drive...that is the question

[iruhnman630]

I vote 'no', although not with the enthusiasm the poll response puts on it.

Overall it has more pros than cons, but one of the biggest cons is leaving your future livelihood in the hands of too many factors beyond your own control. That scares the crap out of me every day.

 

[TooTechie]

Thanks for all the great responses. To answer some of the questions: the job is a regular permanent full time slot not a casual one. I'm 37. I'm an insurancekadjuster handling bodily injury and damage to cars from an office 100% inside. 46k May sound like decent pay to some in this thread however I have 3 kids and the benefits at the insurance company suck hard and would cost me like $ 110 a week.

 

[bumped]

Your decision really lies on the plan for the worst. What would you do if you took the driving job and didn't make it? All it takes is a hit while parked. Does management like you? They can disqualify you and not give you a reason. What will your options be?

 

[brownmonster]

I've never heard of a driver starting in January. This is typically when they run the least amount of areas and have the least amount of people on vacation.

 

[TooTechie]

I work on the night shift now and management likes me because I'm like a Swiss army knife. I work primarily in the sort aisle and driving a train but can also pickoff, load or unload as needed but that's probably irrelevant as it's night shift and I have never even meet any management of the drivers or preload shift. It's a pretty big hub.

 

[bumped]

As stated earlier by others...

This is a joint decision with both you and your wife.

If you didn't make it, and went back to part time will you be OK?

 

[TooTechie]

No I couldn't live on part time income. If I had to bust my butt to make proficiency work through lunches whatever that's what I would do. The wide has been pushing hard for me to drive and has made it clear she only cars about the benefits and eventual top pay and not Mt happiness but that's a separate issue

 

[TooTechie]

Sorry autocorrect just kicked my ass on that last post

 

[serenity now]

No I couldn't live on part time income. If I had to bust my butt to make proficiency work through lunches whatever that's what I would do. The wide has been pushing hard for me to drive and has made it clear she only cars about the benefits and eventual top pay and not Mt happiness but that's a separate issue

does she know you call her "the wide"

 

[bumped]

You have your answer. Happy wife = Happy husband

 

[Catatonic]

You saved all that money for retirement and probably won't tap into it. Many just live off the pension and don't touch the 401k.

That's the plan until 70.
My pension (non-Union) is not COLA adjusted, so in 10 years, it will only have half the purchasing power.
Then the 401k will help out.

 

[OVERBOARD]

I've never heard of a driver starting in January. This is typically when they run the least amount of areas and have the least amount of people on vacation.

Post peak, lots of O.T.. Last year my center tried to block the month of January for vacation, It didn’t work but there is only one driver a week off.

 

[packageguy]

Need some advice/input.

I lost my main job back at the tail end of 2009. I've been working two jobs ever since. I'm an insurance adjuster during the day and love it but it only pays 46K per year then I work inside in the hub 3rd shift part time sorting getting like two 2 hour naps a day between jobs trying to make up some of the money I was making before.

I got the call today offering me a full time driving job. The job starts the day after New Years (Wednesday). Assuming I pass the road test & dot physical my concerns are:

Not being able to give my current employer a decent notice
$4/hr loss of pay taking 2 years to get back where I am now creating a financial hardship
What if I don't hit proficiency within 30 days and lose the driver job after quitting my main job
Quitting a job as an insurance adjuster that I truly enjoy, to drive in the heat, cold, rain, etc.
Assuming I won't get home until after 7pm as a driver & never seeing the kids
not being able to go to kids school concerts & what not?

Now, the pros as I see them would be
after 3 years when I'm at top pay it will be really good money, way more than I'm making in insurance.
having only 1 job and actually getting a normal night's sleep after 3 years of hell.

Thoughts?

​Listen to over9five. Brown up You will be happy in the end.......

 

[uber]

The possibility of 80 to 100k to deliver packages? Are you kidding? The jaded drivers seem to love to congregate at this place. But, seriously this job isn't that bad. Anytime I get a little flustered, I think about how I've been through way worse **** than a little cardboard.

 

[brownmonster]

The possibility of 80 to 100k to deliver packages? Are you kidding? The jaded drivers seem to love to congregate at this place. But, seriously this job isn't that bad. Anytime I get a little flustered, I think about how I've been through way worse **** than a little cardboard.

Give it time greenhorn.

 

[barnyard]

My retirement is in elephant poop. It's like gold, gold I tell ya.

I went out tonight with friends and they all agreed that my goal of 2-4 cups a week is way too low. I should plan on 2-4 a day.

I have not even started yet and I am making more money.

Suckers.

 

[OptimusPrime]

My retirement is in elephant poop. It's like gold, gold I tell ya.

I went out tonight with friends and they all agreed that my goal of 2-4 cups a week is way too low. I should plan on 2-4 a day.

I have not even started yet and I am making more money.

Suckers.

Might be barking up the wrong tree.

Kopi Luwak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The elephant digestive tract might be robust enough to fully digest them.

 

[instantK]

Id recommend it... its tough and long hours at times BUT every job is tough and long hours more today than ever before. I'm a new cover driver and most times i'm done by 5:30-6. It's a secure job with good pay you can;t beat that in todays economy... When i get frustrated I often think of quitting but remind myself every job sucks

 

[bottomups]

I run a "retirement route" with lots of windshield time. Would recommend that to anybody out there for what they pay me. However, see and hear a lot of horror stories of bricked out 10 cubes, delivering 450 parcels and picking up 500. Wouldn't want to work that hard at my age and would recommend that you bypass driving and find something else. All in all, when I started in 82, UPS was a great company to work for. Don't believe that so much anymore.

 

[Packmule]

I refused to vote because I hate polls that give me extreme choices only. As for driving, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Depends on you and what your goals in life are and what you are willing to deal with to achieve them. Many benefits to being a driver, but it has its drawbacks too. Just depends on whether or not you can live with them.