Who is responsible for checking oil in the trucks?

[want to retire]

It is part of the pretrip here. When I started driving, if we needed oil, we were told to write it up on the DVIR. Several years ago, it was changed to the driver has to add oil when needed. From what I have seen, the only people that do not check their oil are former air drivers and 1 in particular. If I am going to be off and know that she will be covering the route that I am on, I add oil if it is close. I had her regular air car a while back and had to add 4 qts of oil into a 4.3 liter GM. The engine blew that day and my supe tried to give me a warning letter for not checking the oil. We went through the DVIR and I reminded him that I added 4 qts that morning. The shop steward said to me, very, very quietly, "You watch, even though she should get a warning letter, he won't even say anything to her." He was right.

When I did feeder training, we were told that the pretrip included checking the oil and the power steering level (uses motor oil in tractors).

I am not sure that I would like to have others check the oil for me. When I open the hood to check, I am also looking for future problems, anything leaking (I caught a couple of water pumps as they were failing, saving a tow and on road aggravation), plus it is easier to see the front tire condition with the hood up.

Yep, really a good idea to take a look in there. I have found all kinds of wrenches and rags and what not in there. The very best time to take a really good look in the engine bay is AFTER a mechanic works on the vehicle. You just might find a loose something, wrench, rag anything. Rags can catch fire......putting you at risk....YOU! Mechanics are human. We, they make mistakes. It's silly(to me) not to at least take a quick look. Two pairs of eyes.

 

[laffter]

If package car drivers are "required" to check their own car's fluids, when are they required to do so? During what time of their shift? I have never seen a driver life the hood of his own car during preload in 1+ years of working there, nor have I seen one do so during twilight in the two weeks that I double shifted.

 

[Integrity]

Anyone,

Where can I find the documentation that this is part of the proper pre-trip or law?

I have never seen a driver check the oil on a package car or feeder.

Thank You!

Sincerely,
I

 

[bottomups]

I'm a satellite driver and check the oil once a week while fueling up. For everyone else on telematics, don't they have a sensor to alert the center on oil level and/or pressure? We were told a couple years ago that telematics main objective was to help automotive keep the fleet in great running order!

 

[want to retire]

Anyone,

Where can I find the documentation that this is part of the proper pre-trip or law?

I have never seen a driver check the oil on a package car or feeder.

Thank You!

Sincerely,
I

Ok, so you've watched a feeder pre-trip? They just jump in and go....start of the day? Wow, really? BTW- what does a winged, yellow man in tights do at UPS?

 

[want to retire]

Anyone,

Where can I find the documentation that this is part of the proper pre-trip or law?

I have never seen a driver check the oil on a package car or feeder.

Thank You!

Sincerely,
I

If you really want to see it in writing.....go to the U.S. Department of Transportation website...........you can read the WHOLE regulation.

 

[Integrity]

Anyone,

Where can I find the documentation that this is part of the proper pre-trip or law?

I have never seen a driver check the oil on a package car or feeder.

Thank You!

Sincerely,
I

Ok, so you've watched a feeder pre-trip? They just jump in and go....start of the day? Wow, really? BTW- what does a winged, yellow man in tights do at UPS?

want to retire,

Do you know where I can find the asked for documentation?

Integrity---- I am at the core of who we are and all we do!!!!

How are you doing strengthening your core?

Sincerely,
I

 

[iowa boy]

I,

UPS Package Delivery Methods | Teamsters for a Democratic Union

Look up part one, page 5.

Where I'm at, we have been told it is our responsibility.

 

[ajblakejr]

Anyone,

Where can I find the documentation that this is part of the proper pre-trip or law?

I have never seen a driver check the oil on a package car or feeder.

Thank You!

Sincerely,
I

Do you drive?
I take offense at the reply posted.

I never watched a package car driver pre / post trip package car.

I have seen drivers check oil levels and I have checked oil levels on a tractor.

And the most important item for a driver to watch in the cab when the engine is started is...?
OIL Pressure

 

[oldupsman]

Interesting.......our mechanics would laugh in your face(as well as mgt.) if you demanded/relied on them to check your oil daily. That goes for w/s fluid, coolant, steering fluid, hub oil etc.

Exact opposite in my 32 years in a major east coast hub. Pre-trip was strictly outside the vehicle.
Anything under the hood or cab was strictly the mechanics job. In fact the mechanics wanted that way.
Didn't want the drivers screwing anything up.

 

[want to retire]

Do you drive?
I take offense at the reply posted.

I never watched a package car driver pre / post trip package car.

I have seen drivers check oil levels and I have checked oil levels on a tractor.

And the most important item for a driver to watch in the cab when the engine is started is...?
OIL Pressure

It sounds like some of our drivers wouldn't know what an oil pressure gauge is or what it's for......or how to read it. I wonder how many engine related service failures are caused by these policy's?

 

[oldupsman]

Matter of fact, I have repaired(had several customers who would loan me tools and their shop) many a throttle cable, fuel line etc. on area to get through the day. Waiting for a mechanic/replacement pkg car would take too long. Mgt. didn't care who fixed it(neither did the mechanics) as long as the pkgs got delivered. Used to get all kinds of swag(hats etc) to avoid a road call. My motivation was that I wasn't going to get any help anyway(deliveries/p/up) and just get on with it. Mgt. would usually send out a Chile's gift cert. or some such to the customer for helping out. Ah, the old days.....

Again exact opposite. When something broke on the car, I simply parked the vehicle safely and called the center
for a mechanic. One of my mechanics loved when I called in on a breakdown. Got him out of the shop for the
day. Old Walt come out, we sit down have a cup of coffee and fix it if he could. If he couldn't we transfer the load
to the car he brought out and I'd finish the day in that car. As far as what got done or picked up not my problem.
That's why you have a center manager. And if I had to work until 9, fine. 45 bucks an hour was okay with me.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I am not a certified mechanic so I am not checking the oil. If the gauge reads low then ill write it up but that is as far as i will go.

 

[oldupsman]

I am not a certified mechanic so I am not checking the oil. If the gauge reads low then ill write it up but that is as far as i will go.

Heck, on some of the old cars the gauges didn't work half the time anyway.

 

[Indecisi0n]

Heck, on some of the old cars the gauges didn't work half the time anyway.

About 30% of the trucks gas gauges dont work here. I fill every truck everyday (im a split driver).

 

[want to retire]

Again exact opposite. When something broke on the car, I simply parked the vehicle safely and called the center
for a mechanic. One of my mechanics loved when I called in on a breakdown. Got him out of the shop for the
day. Old Walt come out, we sit down have a cup of coffee and fix it if he could. If he couldn't we transfer the load
to the car he brought out and I'd finish the day in that car. As far as what got done or picked up not my problem.
That's why you have a center manager. And if I had to work until 9, fine. 45 bucks an hour was okay with me.

Around here, roadcalls are the equivalent of missed pickups. Mechanics and mgt. sure don't like them. Especially mechanics. I have been told a wrecker for a feeder can be $1000. But see- when you work till 8pm every night.....it gets old. Never saw a mechanic "happy" about a roadcall(32 years). Interesting.

 

[want to retire]

Heck, on some of the old cars the gauges didn't work half the time anyway.

Yes! that's why you look at the dipstick! See?

 

[Indecisi0n]

Yes! that's why you look at the dipstick! See?

Where you trained to check that oil?

 

[oldupsman]

Yes! that's why you look at the dipstick! See?

I see what you're saying guy but in our building it was simply not my job as a driver in our district.
Honestly, if my center manager would have seen me lifting the hood before I left the building he would have
gone nuts. Strictly exterior pre-trip. And most guys didn't even do that. Pre-trip was one
those things that just was not enforced. In package. Feeder guys were much more diligent.
But again strictly exterior, never under the cab. We were a very pro-union building.
The mechanics saw anything underneath as job security. Drivers, keep your hands off.

 

[want to retire]

Where you trained to check that oil?

Yes! I'm assuming you meant "were"(no disrespect implied" )