Working The Preload, Week 2

[Computerrock1]

Hello All,

Tomorrow will be the start of my second full week as a preloader and I was wondering if some of you would be willing to give some tips and impart some wisdom to help me get to the goal of 224 boxes an hour. At the moment I can do 170 boxes an hour with minimal mistakes. I am concerned that I may not make the cut because at this point I am not certain I am capable of reaching the goal, I know this takes time but unfortunately training is minimal and I am my training manager's first trainee. My biggest problem I think is simply that it hasn't become reaction yet, I still have to think about everything which considerably slows me down.

So anyone have any tips or advice to help me get to my goal before my three week evaluation?

Side Note:
If I don't make the 224 Boxes per hour, is there anyway to convince management to keep me or place me in another position perhaps?

Thanks All.

 

[barnyard]

My tip would be to search "new preloader"

Should be enough tips to read to keep you busy for days.

 

[UPSGUY72]

smooth and steady wins the race...

 

[serenity now]

if you're showing up on time, not causing problems, and doing your best, while also trying to improve i don't see them letting you go.........

 

[Brownslave688]

if you're showing up on time, not causing problems, and doing your best, while also trying to improve i don't see them letting you go.........

This is pretty much what I posted before the app crashed.

Also OP don't fret it takes most people 30-60 days to become comfortable with a new job. You'll get there.

 

[wgf46]

Safety first, do your absolute best with regard to safety. You'll get better and smarter with time. We are paid by the hour, not by production. The Union only recognizes an honest days days pay for an honest days work. Don't fall trap to the numbers game, do your safest and best.

 

[TearsInRain]

show up every day 15min early and setup the area/trucks you'll be on: move trash out of the way, arrange send agains, close/open doors/windows for a breeze, whatever

work as instructed and focus on putting the right packages on the right cars in the right sequence

don't run, don't do anything stupid or unsafe, but work at a brisk pace: don't dawdle

speed will come with time

 

[laffter]

Speed will naturally increase over time. However, accuracy is something you need to start working on now. Stuff on the shelves should be in pretty close sequential "order". Bulk stops should be placed together or in the same general area. Any packages put on the floor should be in sequential order. Example: don't put 2000's in the back of the friggin' truck unless it's early irreg or your driver asked you to do that for him for a specific stop.

Do your drivers communicate with you, or do they show up bitching and moaning, pretending like you've been chillin' and relaxing all day and now they have to do the real work? If you have decent drivers, they may compliment your work to management. While load quality is not of very high importance to preload, it does leave an impression on those directly above you... assuming they have souls.

I find that you have to have something going for you to stay off "the radar". Either you have to be fast and make their numbers look good, or you have to be very accurate and hope that your drivers make it known that they are happy with you. If you show up late all the time, are slow, your drivers are bitching about your loads, and you misload every day, you should not expect to make it past your 30 days. Although... we have someone like that in my building who has been working here longer than me. *shrug*

 

[Computerrock1]

​Thank you all, I actually feel much better about the security of my job after reading these posts.
To answer some questions for laffter:

The drivers don't show up until the last 5 minutes of my shift and frankly most treat me like crap. I had one yell at me the other day for something I didn't know (certain packages were labeled to be sent off to other cars other than the one that it was labelled for) (i don't recall what they are called) and my training manager hadn't told me about until all the irregs were already loaded, those were my only misloads for the day. It kinda sucks because I have met and helped out some other drivers with irregs and they were rather nice, but the four I've got (exception of one) are all asshats.

I am trying to stay off the radar but, apparently my tm has made some mistakes while training me and now management is watching everything he is doing which means they are watching me as well...

 

[laffter]

​Thank you all, I actually feel much better about the security of my job after reading these posts.
To answer some questions for laffter:

The drivers don't show up until the last 5 minutes of my shift and frankly most treat me like crap. I had one yell at me the other day for something I didn't know (certain packages were labeled to be sent off to other cars other than the one that it was labelled for) (i don't recall what they are called) and my training manager hadn't told me about until all the irregs were already loaded, those were my only misloads for the day. It kinda sucks because I have met and helped out some other drivers with irregs and they were rather nice, but the four I've got (exception of one) are all asshats.

I am trying to stay off the radar but, apparently my tm has made some mistakes while training me and now management is watching everything he is doing which means they are watching me as well...

Those misloads you're talking about... chances are a split was cut from that route but never actually pulled off the truck? I'm not entirely sure how that would happen. Here, management folk come by with sheets of paper and re-scan those packages themselves, then pull them off the trucks. If that's how they do it where you are, then that would their fault, not yours.

It sucks to have crappy drivers. Mine are always fairly decent to me. And I was lucky to have the drivers I did when I started working here. My "reputation" for being a good loader (regarding load quality, not necessarily misloads) started with them. If you have any "spare time" to talk to your drivers, and if you think that talking to them may help, I'd ask what you can do to improve your loads. Hourly positions at UPS require minimal education. There are plenty of people in these well-paying positions who are selfish bags. Some don't know how to load their own cars. All they know is if it's good or bad, at the end of the day. But I guess it's worth a shot. Maybe they're used to certain stops being placed in certain positions but aren't clever enough to figure out that they should tell you.

Part time sups typically don't know very much. They definitely don't know the routes they are training you on. They don't know what the drivers were used to with the previous loader. They really don't even know how to put together a decent load. This is very unfortunate, but it's the reality of preload. It's sort of up to you to figure it out, usually with the help of the drivers, as unpleasant as that might sound in your situation.

 

[DainGrant]

Everyone pretty much summed it up. This is not a production job. So work smart not hard and you will be around for a long time. Best of luck kid

 

[TooTechie]

Until you make seniority I wouldn't feel super comfortable but it's good that you're showing you care and want to improve to make book. There are some great suggestions in this thread. The only thing I would add is make sure you read every pal label carefully to avoid misloads and make sure you're walking into the right truck. If you're looking at the moving cages it is not hard to turn around and walk into the wrong truck.

Avoiding stack outs except for big stuff, irreg, bulk and RDR/RDL etc will save you time at the end of the shift. Try to hustle while trying to make seniority walking safely but quickly back and forth so you can keep your cages clean.

Thats all that comes to mind right now--I hope its helpful.

 

[QKRSTKR]

If you do pull out of a boxline it helps to sort stuff out in the cage. Straight line belt I have no idea. Try to make multiple carries into the cars as well. Don't walk in one car with just one little pkg. carry 2 or 3 pkgs in the car if you can.

 

[Computerrock1]

Well I would like nothing more to say that all of the tips have been helpfull, at this moment I haven't gone back to work. Both monday and today my supervisor texted right as I left my house that I wasn't needed for the day... I am trying not to worry about this but two days in a row is a bit much. Any ideas, should I be worried or is this common practice?

 

[UPS Preloader]

Well I would like nothing more to say that all of the tips have been helpfull, at this moment I haven't gone back to work. Both monday and today my supervisor texted right as I left my house that I wasn't needed for the day... I am trying not to worry about this but two days in a row is a bit much. Any ideas, should I be worried or is this common practice?

Once again, if your not notified the day prior and before the shift ends, your entitled to work. If it were me, I would ignore the texts and show up for work as I am guaranteed 3.5 hours at that point.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Our preload have people "on call" everyday. I am not sure about contract rights untill you make seniority. Maybe one of the contract experts can answer that one. I know even a bad job is better than no job and this what you have.

 

[jibbs]

If it were me, I would ignore the texts and show up for work as I am guaranteed 3.5 hours at that point.

I am not sure about contract rights untill you make seniority.

That was my first thought. I was under the impression that an employee still within their first 30 days of employment at UPS could be subject to termination for any reason (or without reason) at any time. Within the first 30 days, that is.

If my understanding of that is correct then it might be the wiser choice to take the beating for 30 days and then, once you've got a protected job, start invoking contractual obligations regarding the 3.5 hour daily guarantee.

 

[TooTechie]

That was my first thought. I was under the impression that an employee still within their first 30 days of employment at UPS could be subject to termination for any reason (or without reason) at any time. Within the first 30 days, that is.

If my understanding of that is correct then it might be the wiser choice to take the beating for 30 days and then, once you've got a protected job, start invoking contractual obligations regarding the 3.5 hour daily guarantee.

I agree. In my building new inside part timers who haven't made seniority can be bumped/cut and sent home or asked to stay home. Here they are not guaranteed 3.5 until they make book.

I would not rock the boat until you make seniority, however if it is your part time sup asking you to stay home I would make sure you mention something casually to your full time sup next time you see him in a positive way about how motivated you are to "succeed" and make sure they know it wasn't your idea to stay home.

 

[Computerrock1]

Alright, so... Don't show up if they tell me to stay home and simply ride the rapids till my 30 day evaluation is up. I can do that, I don't want too because I need the paycheck and losing days makes me feel uneasy but I can do that...

 

[UPS Preloader]

Well I would like nothing more to say that all of the tips have been helpfull, at this moment I haven't gone back to work. Both monday and today my supervisor texted right as I left my house that I wasn't needed for the day... I am trying not to worry about this but two days in a row is a bit much. Any ideas, should I be worried or is this common practice?

I apologize, I got the thread mixed up earlier. (I had thought you were the one that got hired in Nov. and then officially hired right after the holidays.) Where as you have not obtained seniority you need to work or in this case not work as directed until you obtain seniority. Once you obtain seniority, you should hold them to the contract. Until then you need to kiss their .