46 year old starting out as package handler

[Bagels]

I take it you're at a larger hub. I'm lucky to get 4 hours and that's only because of being at the end of the belt.

I work on one of UPS's largest Preloads and I often beg for 3.5. There's a building about 30-45 minutes from mine that's a single belt facility, and due to capacity constraints, Preload is 6+ hours per day. (I'd transfer, but they're allegedly opening a new building soon.) So it's not size... it's how UPS uses it .

 

[Bagels]

I don't know if this was a serious or troll thread but...

After the economy crashed, oodles of 40-somethings joined our sort, desperate for a job with benefits. For most of them, UPS was intended to be a band aid. However, after they learned what FTers made, several stuck around and have since went into driving, despite now being in their late 40s/early 50s. They qualified while oodles of 20-somethings did not.

Do they plan on working for UPS for 30 years? Probably not. But it's a strong, viable job for the next 10-20.

 

[jumpman23]

I don't know if this was a serious or troll thread but...

After the economy crashed, oodles of 40-somethings joined our sort, desperate for a job with benefits. For most of them, UPS was intended to be a band aid. However, after they learned what FTers made, several stuck around and have since went into driving, despite now being in their late 40s/early 50s. They qualified while oodles of 20-somethings did not.

Do they plan on working for UPS for 30 years? Probably not. But it's a strong, viable job for the next 10-20.

Driving isn't supposed to be a 30 year gig nowadays more like 15 to 20 if your lucky. Jobs too hard physically to do it that long and makes you question really if they know that and have done it on purpose. If you started after the year 2000 or so in driving most likely your body will be broken down and wont come nowhere near 30 years of driving.

 

[Rainman]

Driving isn't supposed to be a 30 year gig nowadays more like 15 to 20 if your lucky. Jobs too hard physically to do it that long and makes you question really if they know that and have done it on purpose. If you started after the year 2000 or so in driving most likely your body will be broken down and wont come nowhere near 30 years of driving.

Amen brother. I've been driving 30 and my body feels broken down some days. That's why I bid a country route this time. I'm looking forward to getting on it soon.

 

[By The Book]

Driving isn't supposed to be a 30 year gig nowadays more like 15 to 20 if your lucky. Jobs too hard physically to do it that long and makes you question really if they know that and have done it on purpose. If you started after the year 2000 or so in driving most likely your body will be broken down and wont come nowhere near 30 years of driving.

And that is why you should follow all their safety rules so you can walk out of this place without being all broken down. It's up to you really how much you value your ability to have a healthy, injury free life after ups. I've seen a lot of runners break down around the 20 year mark. Try to be a scratch driver if you can, that is good enough in my book. Not all routes are fair, on paper, I get that so don't feel you have to give up your time etc. to make scratch.

 

[jumpman23]

Doesn't matter if you follow all the safety rules or not, the body isn't designed to do this job everyday day in and day out for years with the repetitive motion you put your body through. Kinda like if you run 5 miles everyday, eventually itll break your body down regardless at some point or another. Doesn't matter if you go slow as molasses everyday, its the repetition getting in and out of truck and lifting, that puts your knees, back, hips, ankles, shoulders, wrists etc under stress everyday for years.

 

[watdaflock?]

After the economy crashed, oodles of 40-somethings joined our sort, desperate for a job with benefits. For most of them, UPS was intended to be a band aid. However, after they learned what FTers made, several stuck around and have since went into driving, despite now being in their late 40s/early 50s. They qualified while oodles of 20-somethings did not.

I find UPS much less stressful than the white collar business world. The worst I have to deal with is a Southern twanged micro managing supervisor who's begging for another harassment grievance.

 

[jumpman23]

I find UPS much less stressful than the white collar business world. The worst I have to deal with is a Southern twanged micro managing supervisor who's begging for another harassment grievance.

This job is cake dude really once you've been doing it for a while, just hard on your body not your mind dude.

 

[MrWon]

Oh yeah.. The secret numerical designation for all masons...good eye nova!

Hmmm.... Surely not the square and compass.! I think nova may be a psychic elk or moose or something.

 

[HBGPreloader]

I take it you're at a larger hub. I'm lucky to get 4 hours and that's only because of being at the end of the belt.

I'm not sure how we gauge the size of the hubs, but it seems pretty big to me - 2 box lines with ~50 cars each and a belt with ~12 more.
I consider myself lucky because my drivers are the first to leave. If I wanted the extra time, I could stay and help others wrap up.

 

[HillcountryBrown]

Im new at UPS, Im 55.. Im in Construction and work out. I work package handler 2 am til 9am then I hook up with my driver as his helper 930 am tl 1 pm. Im not going to say its easy, you have to be crazy or enjoy working. these guys have alot of good advise. It would be best to just try it out.if you have the right mind set. and a hot tub to get into after work. go for it.....there will be some smart ass sup out there, first day after all was loaded i had a huge 100lb box ready to slide in the truck and he wanted it put back on the belt for some reason, I just lean that bitch over and slide it to him and kept on going about my business, then the person that was training me had to leave right at 9. no big deal i finished loading. you just get pass all the stupid mind games and get your job done. Plus I got extra construction work from another sup. Dont think being a driver is just driving, remember this all those packages you load, well when driving you have to unload, im not talking about 2 feet, you have to carry them into a building or dolly but still. Hats off to all you guys Thanks for the good words of wisdom...

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Driving at 76 years old? This has to be a joke.

thinking ahead...hey, soon the new 70's will be the old 50's

 

[Billy Ray]

At 50 years old, drivers begin to break down, or get worn out. vision gets bad, health isnt what it used to be and recovery time from a days work starts to take longer.

Didn't know that......

Guess I better make an appointment at the vet to be put down.

 

[nystripe96]

I honestly don't think anyone past the age of 70 can be a full time driver. Granted there are some very active 70 year olds out there, it's just that burning 3000-5000 calories/day after 60 let alone 70 is wishful thinking. If I am lucky enough to make it to 60 at UPS I'll gladly punch my retirement ticket. That would put me at 31 years with the company

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I honestly don't think anyone past the age of 70 can be a full time driver. Granted there are some very active 70 year olds out there, it's just that burning 3000-5000 calories/day after 60 let alone 70 is wishful thinking. If I am lucky enough to make it to 60 at UPS I'll gladly punch my retirement ticket. That would put me at 31 years with the company

We used to have what were mockingly called retirement runs, which were primarily rural areas with a lot of miles and not a lot of packages.

We don't have these anymore.

Humping cardboard at 70? No thank you.

 

[Mugarolla]

We used to have what were mockingly called retirement runs

We call it Feeders.

 

[Catatonic]

We used to have what were mockingly called retirement runs, which were primarily rural areas with a lot of miles and not a lot of packages.

We don't have these anymore.

Where did they go?

 

[cosmo1]

Where did they go?

Must have sent them this way. Those were all I ever did here.

 

[wayfair]

I work with a 60 year PC driver, he plans to retire in a couple of years.

 

[Anthonysg0113]

I work with a 60 year PC driver, he plans to retire in a couple of years.

Everybody's always waiting for the next contract.