What are the pros and cons of feeder?

rushfan

Well-Known Member
I am 3rd in line to go into the feeder dept. I've decided to do so for unnamed reasons. What are some of the pros and cons of doing so?
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I'm next to go into feeders. Annual bid starts tomorrow. I could bid in......

But......

I'm scared.......

Scared of......







Driving a big rig? NO.










Working nights? No










Ballooning up to 300 lbs? YES! That's what scares me!


I'm not kidding. Package keeps us fit and strong. Eat anything, drink anything, NO PROBLEM!
But to go from a very active job you've done for MANY years to a sedentary job is going to get you fat.

So what should I do?
 

Covemastah

Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
rushfan are you ttq? how is your seniority ? if low you will be a vaca cover or a wad driver at first with a var start time each week!! aside from that you will be happy you will have more free time around the house to get things done ,on weekends wont have to jam everything in like lawn or painting ,stuff like that!! wont be as tired and have more time with the family. just do it,the only bad times in feeders is when it snows,just take it slow and safe,its alot better than humping a 150 lb pottery barn pkg up 3 flights of stairs kiddo you will love it!!!! let us know what you do,,after a week or 2 you will get alot more comfortable in that tractor and wiil be glad you did it good luck guy woodsy
 

Raw

Raw Member
I passed up on feeders about 3 years ago because of the on/off hours first few years, afraid that if for some reason I couldn`t sleep during the daytime I`d be falling asleep at the wheel, getting fat and/or a blood clot from inactivity, lots of feeder weight right behind me to squish me, what to do when I have the runs or #1 emergencys, and did I say getting FAT!
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
I am 3rd in line to go into the feeder dept. I've decided to do so for unnamed reasons. What are some of the pros and cons of doing so?


Rush, depends on how flexible you are. No, not your body, your LIFE! As a low senior driver, yes, you will get crappy jobs...covering vacs, sick days, options, etc, which means you will be getting phone calls all hours of the day and night. If you have nuff seniority (depending on how your center works), you might be able to zoot right into a bid. Here, it took me yrs to get to where I wasn't bounced back to PC after every peak only to get called up again when vacs started. Then it took ANOTHER few yrs to even get a bid job or run and you can imagine what THAT was like.

Yes, your body will like it. No more worrying if your knees are gonna blow out, your back, your veeblefetzer. But, as past comments have gone, you body will expand also. Don't forget to exercise.

Pay is greater. In most areas, overtime is mandatory. There ain't no 9.5 language in feeders.

You get to listen to tunes all day or all night. Hook up anything in your unit that will be allowed...XM, Sirius, CDs, MP3s, CB.

Depending on where you're located, winter driving can be pretty nasty. In MY case, I'd rather be driving a set of doubles in snow and ice then a squirrly PC. Just go slow and be careful. And don't listen to home base (250 miles away) when they scream "It ain't snowing here, so you ain't stopping!"

I feel that the worst job in feeders is still better then the best job in PC. Been doing it for 26 of the 29 yrs I been here. Good luck
 
I'm not kidding. Package keeps us fit and strong. Eat anything, drink anything, NO PROBLEM!
But to go from a very active job you've done for MANY years to a sedentary job is going to get you fat.

So what should I do?[/quote]

Stay in package car and be a skinny crippled guy. Feeder may not be active in the way you know it but drive down the road in heavy traffic with crappy weather and see if your heart rate doesn`t go up.
Getting fat all depends on your eating habits,the guys who are fat now are guys who were only kept thinner by package.

As far as going feeder,our board added a hundred guys in the last 18 months and not one of them would go back even with the sometime "bad"hours.

Pro:
Less physical work
Work stays the same year round(you`ll once again enjoy Xmas)
Work stays the same daily,your hours may be from 8 to 13 with a lunch but it`s the same work either way.
You`ll get to know the guys you work with better,you are around more between runs,you make runs together,have lunch together.
Make more money,our rate is slightly higher,the opportunity for extra hours,days are usually available.
If you can,want, sign up for 6th day(1.5x hourly)or 7th day(2x hourly) Same work more pay. It might seem a bummer to give up a day off until you realize you just made $775 for it.
Hours of work,feeder runs 24hrs a day, you can get on a shift that works for your lifestyle,by seniority of course,if you can`t get the time you want some guys swing which means you fill in for the guys on the time you want.
No more hassle when your ill. It`s DOT regulated,if your sick you call in and tell them and thats it. No "you got to come in" speach,etc. If they were to make you come in and you so much as scratch a trailer,it`s their ass more than yours. Also if you become ill at work you tell them and leave,same reason.
Everything is done by seniority,no more ass kissers on premium routes,etc.
If your a safe driver you`ll have no problem.

Con:
More mental work,which can be stressfull when new.
Stress,sometimes, it`s always in your head that what your driving is bigger,heavier,longer,turns different,stops different,and can kill you a lot quicker than a package car.
Work stays the same year round,same trucks,same roads,same railyards and pickups. But! There`s no humping Nordic tracks:thumbup1:
Hours of work,ie bids,are by seniority. Higher guys get the choice time,but remember what seems like a choice time may not be what fits your life. I have picked midnights since I went feeder 11 yrs ago,it may not seem like a good time to some but I am home everyday by 1pm. I see my kids when there awake,I eat dinner with my family every night,I get my errands done while stores are open. My week begins at 12:01 Mon:sad: but ends at 12 noon on Fri:thumbup1: . You`ll find what works for you so don`t worry about the round the clock hours.
Some mgmt hates us more because we are the top scale people doing what appears to them to be easy work. You may have a run in with mgmt but in feeder you`ll know the contract inside and out and there`s always a steward or two on your shift.
If your one of those guys who drives a package car like a sports car you better get over it quick because you`ll have an accident if your lucky or dead if your not.

Like I said it takes getting used to but not one guy on our board has ever wanted to go back.
 

antimatter

Member
PROS:

Your back and knees won't hurt anymore, you won't hate coming to work, you'll make more money, the quality of your family time will improve (you won't be wiped out all the time), all of your Package injuries will heal up, your hands will not be callused any longer (so your hands arn't like vel-cro) , you can have a CB radio, a satellite radio (it's the best), CD, TV (no kidding, I have one for breaks or turn-arounds) and you can snooze while resort facilities load your trailer.

It's like working for a different company... and the BEST is walking out of the building (around 0830) any morning during December and knowing you don't have to put up with that package "slave driving" mentality anymore. The farther I get away from package, the better I like feeder.

I am lucky because I work in SoCal where all we have to deal with is periodic rain and traffic. Overtime is easy money and nearly all of my fellow package drivers ask about feeder because they know I like it so much better.

CONS:

1)Learning to function on less sleep is hard for some, but I am one of those who only got 5 hrs a night anyway, so the change did not really bother me.

2) Overcoming fear of learning something new. As a long time employee, I was pretty comfrortable in my Package Center and going to the "bottom" in a new classification (feeder) 9 years ago was daunting, it remains the best move I ever made at UPS. After a while piloting a big rig with a set or a 53 footer, will be like driving your own car... you should still have a healthy respect for the size and the potential damage it can do, but you do become relaxed.

3) Watch what you eat and exercise and you'll live longer no matter WHAT you do for a living. And you will feel better, too...

Good luck with your decision.

A
 

krazyk

New Member
I was a personal trainer for 8 years before I became a driver. When you go to feeders you need to lift weights on your free time so those extra calories can build shaply muscle not fat. Compound excercises like, bench press, squat and pull ups work the best. Dont just eat crap. Make sure you eat good balanced meals, which everyone should be doing anyway.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
I'm next to go into feeders. Annual bid starts tomorrow. I could bid in......

But......

I'm scared.......

Scared of......







Driving a big rig? NO.










Working nights? No










Ballooning up to 300 lbs? YES! That's what scares me!


I'm not kidding. Package keeps us fit and strong. Eat anything, drink anything, NO PROBLEM!
But to go from a very active job you've done for MANY years to a sedentary job is going to get you fat.

So what should I do?

Join a gym! I hear ya 9-5, I like to eat and I eat a lot. If I ever got injured or stopped driving for UPS, I would balloon in a matter of a few weeks. Besides my job I do 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times per week. I would have to up this if I would like to keep the same waistline. It doesn't help that I like to drink beer too.:thumbup1:

My advice is if you go into feeders, start an exercise program. Besides keeping you trim, its also really good for your heart which in turn should give you more years to enjoy your teamster pension.

Wait a second. Looks like there will be no teamster pension when you retire, so screw it. Live it up with all the bad habits you can think of, it will give you less years after you retire so you won't have to worry about outliving your money:w00t:
 

MR_Vengeance

United Parcel Survivor
i don't understand why you guys worry about getting fat. out of 30 plus feeders i work with only 2 of them is overweight. i lost weight when i came to feeder due to lack of sleep............:bored:
 

dave_socal

PACKAGE/FEEDER
Pros: more money Cons: Less personal time Pros: you get to see the counrty Cons: You may slide off road when you hit black ice and be part of the country Pros: Less wear and tear on body Cons: more wear and tear on your belt and shirt buttons. Pros: You'll see many a sunrise Cons: You'll see many a sunrise Pros: No more rude consignees Cons: no more hot babes signing for a driver release pkg. Pros: Your an elite Class A Commercial Truck Driver Cons: other truckers & truck stops eeeh! Pros: extra points on your license Cons: Random drug testing including alcohol lower BAC(.04 CA)Pros: a lot of quiet time to work on those pesky personal problems and sudoku games Cons: No one is awake when you are and they certainly dont want a phone call to chat. and finally Pros:CB radios Cons: getting cut off on HWY/FWY (you think package cars get cut off try a big rig near a popular off ramp yikes!):w00t:
 
V

veteran driver

Guest
well, after 19+ years of package I went feeder. I thought I would gain weight but ended up losing a few pounds. there is no place open to stop and eat at night and I found the less stressful work made me not want to eat so much. the hours do kind of suck. but its a lot better then what I had to do under PAS. just don`t pack a big lunch and make safety top priority you do not have to hurry in feeder and its best if you don`t. take as much time as you need to do the job safe.
 

diesel96

Well-Known Member
I feel that the worst job in feeders is still better then the best job in PC. Been doing it for 26 of the 29 yrs I been here. Good luck

Raceanonc stole my thunder here,but this sums it all up!

Yes depending on your metabolism you could gain weight,I used to tell my girl"Don't worry Babe there's more of me to love".But that only goes so far.So for my 20th yr service award I got a bicycle,and started doing sit ups to slim down.

And yes,you'll start out as cover driver(like a rookie) and start times will vary week to week.But once you acclamate your self with the Tractor and Equipment and learn where your going life is good.

Very important to get your sleep,if you feel you didn't get enough,take a power nap right b4 start time.

Also,you MUST take your HR lunch by law if you work more than 8 hrs.Something un-heard of in packages.(you can take a power nap on your lunch break also).Good luck

And last,Stop smoking WEED , You'll get randomly tested once you get a CDL with UPS.
Alcohol cunsumption went down also working nights.The 7-11 clerk would give me a funny stare when I buy a beer at 7:ooam.
 
Last edited:

hoser

Industrial Slob
So what should I do?

eat fewer calories, but most importantly, be active. get a gym membership or start cycling as a hobby. :wink:

you don't have to get fat, it just happens out of the fact that you pull long hours, get kinda stressed, but you're sitting majority of the time. hold the cream in your coffee and bring an apple instead of a donut. go to the gym once you're done your shift, ride the bike for 30 mins while watching tv/listening to music/reading the paper, have a shower, grab a session in the steamer, go to bed while everyone goes to work.

it seems very easy for me to say this at the age of 21, but getting into a routine at the gym and with the diet feels friend'n great. it doesn't require a lot of effort, just a bit of discipline.

well, after 19+ years of package I went feeder. I thought I would gain weight but ended up losing a few pounds. there is no place open to stop and eat at night and I found the less stressful work made me not want to eat so much. the hours do kind of suck. but its a lot better then what I had to do under PAS. just don`t pack a big lunch and make safety top priority you do not have to hurry in feeder and its best if you don`t. take as much time as you need to do the job safe.
bring a cooler full of fruit, sandwiches, and never eat out. that's what kept me in shape in package.
 

dirty moose

Well-Known Member
How do you even go about finding the list for this position?
And are there requirements for it? such as age?
does UPS train you for class A?
 
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