Air driving questions

[greenyoshi48]

My question is how is the road test for air drivers? do they need to know stick shift? or is the test taken with an automatic truck? when I worked as a driver helper my driver told me that UPS is getting rid of the stick shift trucks because it's becoming a thing of the past. I also am guessing that they might just give me the test on one of those small vans. My interview is on 7/21/15 in the west 43rd street UPS facility in NYC. I really hope I take the exam with an automatic truck things would be so easier for me.

 

[silenze]

Sorry. The road test for air driving is the same as package. The truck they select may be a manual transmission in a large truck.

 

[greenyoshi48]

Sorry. The road test for air driving is the same as package. The truck they select may be a manual transmission in a large truck.

thank you

 

[FrigidFTSup]

Our air drivers take the smallest cars we have to the airport everyday, but they, along with everybody who drives in our building gets taught on our biggest and most difficult truck. If you can drive that, you can drive anything. Plus as peak comes around the nice automatics become less and less. Chances are you won't be in a new automatic unless they give you a uhaul.

 

[margaritaville]

You need to know stick to pass the test but once you're an air driver you generally drive automatic, atleast on saturdays. When i became an air driver i had to drive a crappy old stick.

However, when i became a fulltime driver, they were using the crappy stick on the first group going out. And someone in that group wrote up a mechinical issue on it since its a piece of garbage. So they had to send it to the mechanic. Since i was in the second group we got to use a medium size ups automatic van since it was the only thing that could hold the group. So easy haha.

 

[Box Ox]

Most air driving is done in little automatics. But every once in a while the shiz might hit the fan and the next thing you know you're rolling bulk stops in a big truck that turns wide and has a barely functioning 2nd or 3rd gear that you've gotta know how to pop in and out of to keep going.

It was a huge benefit to me that I was road tested in and started in the biggest piece of junk stick shifts at my location.

If you were gonna be tested in a small van there'd be no point in doing it in the first place. Management and you both have to know you can drive anything when the clock is ticking and you're stuck with what you've got.

 

[greenyoshi48]

i feel sad now... how fast do you guys think stick shift can be learned?

 

[FrigidFTSup]

i feel sad now... how fast do you guys think stick shift can be learned?

My sup and I did it in an afternoon. But I went back and tried it again a couple time before I felt comfortable saying I knew how to drive stick.

 

[PT Car Washer]

i feel sad now... how fast do you guys think stick shift can be learned?

You are not going to be driving a Porsha. Driving a junky truck that goes 5 MPH in first gear and 20 in second. Getting used to the size of the truck and using mirrors will be a bigger problem if you are not used to driving a commercial vehicle.

 

[greenyoshi48]

Thanks guys hopefully I can learn the mechanics of stick shift in 2 days, if not I lost a good opportunity.

 

[DriverMD]

Thanks guys hopefully I can learn the mechanics of stick shift in 2 days, if not I lost a good opportunity.

The thing I was told is that if you're starting on a flat surface, put the car into second gear instead of first. The catch point in all the manuals I drove was near the end of the pedal's extension. Other than that, the hardest part is getting used to how much space you take up on the truck.

 

[PT Car Washer]

The thing I was told is that if you're starting on a flat surface, put the car into second gear instead of first. The catch point in all the manuals I drove was near the end of the pedal's extension. Other than that, the hardest part is getting used to how much space you take up on the truck.

I believe the UPS testers want you to start off in low gear.

 

[FatherBrown]

I believe the UPS testers want you to start off in low gear.

They do, but after the test there's no need to use that gear ever again.

 

[greenyoshi48]

I've been taking some stick shift lessons, and I'm doing just great. The only thing im worried about is the size of the truck, since i only been practicing in a regular car, my other question is how does the road test go? just backing up and moving foward with some turns? or do we have to also park as well?

 

[Box Ox]

my other question is how does the road test go

Was just a big loop around the area for me. Had to back to park it upon return. Sup had a sheet to rate different aspects of the ride. Enough points = pass.

The only thing im worried about is the size of the truck, since i only been practicing in a regular car

-Be sure you're making wider turns during the road test than you would in a regular car so the back end of the PC doesn't clip anything or bounce a curb.

-Be ready for reverse to be top left gear on the shifter, where 1 would be for most cars. 1 is bottom left in the PC. Most drivers start in 2. But don't do that unless the sup says it's cool.

-You'll have to apply more foot pressure to the clutch and gas in the PC. Hopefully the sup will invite you to get a feel for it in the parking lot before you move on to open road.

 

[silenze]

Use your mirrors. Block off the rear view mirror in your car and only use the side mirrors to back

 

[FrigidFTSup]

I've been taking some stick shift lessons, and I'm doing just great. The only thing im worried about is the size of the truck, since i only been practicing in a regular car, my other question is how does the road test go? just backing up and moving foward with some turns? or do we have to also park as well?

In my center you do a big loop through the town. Test you out on different streets to see how you perform. Then they have you demonstrate backing into the building.