Yet another driving question

[Mojo the Drummer]

When I first started here a while back everyone told me "oh.. you'll be driving in a year". Obviously that is not the case nor am I really upset about it. However, the longer Ivd been here the more unattainable it seemed. Not just because you have to work maybe 7+ years (at my hub at least) to get there, but even then they can have you drive for seven months of the year and then send you right back to the hub at the drop of a hat. This makes things a little difficult, I can handle a long wait because it's worth it. But you have to make ends meet in the mean time and it's a bit difficult to get a full time job while waiting for a driving bid, only to quit that job to drive for less than a year and get sent back to part time work. My hub is in NC, so I'm not sure if Right to Work has anything to do with this, but it's really asking alot of someone to quit their full time day job with no guarantee that they will remain in the driving position for even a year. Any thoughts on this or suggestions? Also, I'm interested to hear what everyone's take on the current bid freeze is, this may be geographical, but in four years I've never seen one single fellow part timer go driving an not have to come back to the hub eventually.

 

[brownmonster]

Yes its a Right to Work thing. Doesn't anybody retire. We have a couple retirees every year. Many new drivers over the last several years.

 

[menotyou]

Lately, if someone retires here, they try retiring the route. Grievances still pending.

 

[Mojo the Drummer]

I believe they are retiring the routes as I overheard a few drivers mentioning that. At the time I didn't really know what they meant and assumed if it wasn't allowed the Union would be all over it. Not too many of the drivers are actually retiring though. The last two routes which were retired were done so because two drivers played a bout of fisticuffs w/each other. The first two PTers on the sen. list started getting excited but the bid sheet never went up. I actually got the specific numbers last night, while there have been some driving bids (all Sat. Air) posted, only full time employees can sign up, there has not been a driving bid posted for which part timers were eligible in over four years. Should I ever be so lucky to get my name on a bid sheet is there any way I can make sure the position is guaranteed? If I'm terrible at the job/get in accidents I can understand being sent back to the hub, but I've got a family, house payment etc. I cannot leave the security of my day job only to wind up with less than I had before after they decide to send me back to the hub. That just makes no sense and it's kind of a crummy way to treat dedicated and patient employees (I realize they don't care about that but it's worth mentioning) especially give all which was "promised"; again, I know they don't care about that but some of us still believe upholding verbal promises/contracts whenever possible. Kind of like when I promise to work NDA on Christmas Eve each year even though I've never spent a Christmas Eve with my wife or son. Such is life though, better two jobs than none!

 

[ORLY!?!]

To me driving isnt worth it anymore. They've changed things around on the cover standerd, whereas you will be working 5 years anyways to get the 25$ an hour startings. Thus you might be covering for longer then that, denied a set full time route and have fears everyday of being pulled to work another route because someone called out. Also, starting full time pay for drivers, not cover, is like 14.81$ an hour. Some of us make as much or more already then that as is. Covers make around 18$ something an hour starting.

Plus having to put up with all their crap and being fired at anytime for pointless shows of their authority.

I never really wanted to drive, I was just looking for a job. As I seen things play out its obvious the driving job is probably the worest thing you can get into. For me, four hours in and out everyday, all the down time, yearly raises, getting 6 weeks of vacation and benefits make this job worth it.

Most people in the building will either never driver, wont drive or cant drive for UPS. In turn, UPS might and will hire off the street. Thus those unexpecting people either quit, get fired and/ or get pulled into the building anyways due to lack of performance.

Driving might of been worth to those who are posting now, hey it pays the bills. Yet the time spent everyday on the road, they dually miss out on life. Today its gotten to the point where UPS is in control of the terms and only has made things more complicated for those intrested in it.

Lastly, I like to say, I'm tired of the new hires showing up and be expecting to drive by the end of the shift. We had a guy come in to be trained on the perload. The soup training him did about 95% of the work, then he was told to start working. He grabed one box and the look on his face changed. He had the mainline soup come over and he told him he wanted to drive not preload. He didnt come back after day one. I see it as people working in the building are just as important ( if not more ) then drivers ( no offence to any of you ).

 

[UnconTROLLed]

To me driving isnt worth it anymore. They've changed things around on the cover standerd, whereas you will be working 5 years anyways to get the 25$ an hour startings. Thus you might be covering for longer then that, denied a set full time route and have fears everyday of being pulled to work another route because someone called out. Also, starting full time pay for drivers, not cover, is like 14.81$ an hour. Some of us make as much or more already then that as is. Covers make around 18$ something an hour starting.

Plus having to put up with all their crap and being fired at anytime for pointless shows of their authority.

I never really wanted to drive, I was just looking for a job. As I seen things play out its obvious the driving job is probably the worest thing you can get into. For me, four hours in and out everyday, all the down time, yearly raises, getting 6 weeks of vacation and benefits make this job worth it.

Most people in the building will either never driver, wont drive or cant drive for UPS. In turn, UPS might and will hire off the street. Thus those unexpecting people either quit, get fired and/ or get pulled into the building anyways due to lack of performance.

Driving might of been worth to those who are posting now, hey it pays the bills. Yet the time spent everyday on the road, they dually miss out on life. Today its gotten to the point where UPS is in control of the terms and only has made things more complicated for those intrested in it.

Lastly, I like to say, I'm tired of the new hires showing up and be expecting to drive by the end of the shift. We had a guy come in to be trained on the perload. The soup training him did about 95% of the work, then he was told to start working. He grabed one box and the look on his face changed. He had the mainline soup come over and he told him he wanted to drive not preload. He didnt come back after day one. I see it as people working in the building are just as important ( if not more ) then drivers ( no offence to any of you ).

Covers here are "FT" and are at 30/hr after three years making seniority. No different than bid route drivers, infact many prefer covers because you are doing different routes weekly or even daily. Plus there will be days where routes are cut and you have a day off if you want it.

You are thinking seasonal temps or casuals.

Agree about missing out on life. That is one thing that you can never get back.

 

[ORLY!?!]

Covers here are "FT" and are at 30/hr after three years making seniority. No different than bid route drivers, infact many prefer covers because you are doing different routes weekly or even daily. Plus there will be days where routes are cut and you have a day off if you want it.

You are thinking seasonal temps or casuals.

Agree about missing out on life. That is one thing that you can never get back.

Of course they are, covers will drive over the 160 day mark and then some. If you went into full time driving stright out, then its 14.81 an hour. I guess some would rather drive a regular route then be moved weekly or daily around, cant blame some of them.

Covers work vacationed drivers, call outs and added routes ( junk routes ). It maybe different place by place though. Thats what I see here, and theres a ton of covers and only a few non covers. And then we have a ton sitting at home UPS can call at anytime and ask to drive. I mean its a huge bottle neck here and I'm sure a lot of other places.

 

[Re-Raise]

I preloaded for 7 years and have been a full-time driver for over 18. I make more money on Monday then I used to make all week on the preload.

Sure there are things the company does that make my day hard sometimes but the extra 50 to 60 k a year are worth it. I wouldn't say I have missed out on life. I work days and I don't have travel away from home for weeks at a time like some jobs require.

To each his own I guess.

 

[ORLY!?!]

I preloaded for 7 years and have been a full-time driver for over 18. I make more money on Monday then I used to make all week on the preload.

Sure there are things the company does that make my day hard sometimes but the extra 50 to 60 k a year are worth it. I wouldn't say I have missed out on life. I work days and I don't have travel away from home for weeks at a time like some jobs require.

To each his own I guess.

Did you do cover first?

 

[Re-Raise]

Did you do cover first?

Not cover driving the way you guys describe it. I went straight into the progression and have never been laid off.

I did have to cover a lot of routes before I was able to bid my own route after about 3 years but I worked every day.

To the OP we currently have part-timers with over 12 years waiting to drive at my center in the midwest. We are also running fewer routes than we ran when I started preloading 25 years. The packages are there they are just doing a lot more with fewer drivers on the street.

Most of this can be attributed to gains from new technology and increasing the overtime of the existing drivers.

 

[ORLY!?!]

Not cover driving the way you guys describe it. I went straight into the progression and have never been laid off.

I did have to cover a lot of routes before I was able to bid my own route after about 3 years but I worked every day.

To the OP we currently have part-timers with over 12 years waiting to drive at my center in the midwest. We are also running fewer routes than we ran when I started preloading 25 years. The packages are there they are just doing a lot more with fewer drivers on the street.

Most of this can be attributed to gains from new technology and increasing the overtime of the existing drivers.

I was told by a full time driver to only take cover if I wanted to drive, or else they hose you in pay. After looking at the start pay for stright in full timers, its an obvious fact.

 

[Re-Raise]

I was told by a full time driver to only take cover if I wanted to drive, or else they hose you in pay. After looking at the start pay for stright in full timers, its an obvious fact.

I am not sure what you mean. When I started driving if your current rate of pay was higher than the wage you would start at as a driver you stayed at your current rate. You would never make less per hour, and of course you got a LOT more hours.

 

[dqs95124]

There are no cover driver's. Period. We are all the the same. We attained senorirty did our time. I see ups has done there job.along w/ the union for the next contract. Great job guys!!