Are you ready for 30% more work? The perfect storm?

[UnconTROLLed]

Pkg volume has been pretty average in our hub. Up slightly from sept./oct.

 

[brownIEman]

Where I am, the bulky 80-100 stop trips are bid by the senior drivers. They have no interest in "burning up the residentials."

A lot of them have already worn threw a set of knees and are unable, or better yet, unwilling to "burn up the residentials". They have earned the right to bid these, what we call "old man routes". They have paid their dues with their bodies maneuvering the old beasts like the 800's.

Take off a handful of dock stops, and throw on 40-60 more stops and it will not be pretty for anyone involved. With or without a helper.

Well, I agree with you in one respect. If we have operations that are going to purposefully implement less efficient solutions just because some older guys feel "entitled" to not have any additional work during our peak season, then you are absolutely correct. We are more effed than I thought.

 

[upspuppet]

12 hours and a shower at over $30 an hour!

 

[Stop Complete]

We are already working close to Christmas hours in my center most days. I really don't care how much volume they plan on giving me. I will do what I can do and not sweat the rest of it. We are on plan to run more than double the number of temp drivers that we had last year, 5 times what we had the year before. Most of these havent been put on the road yet, while only 2 or 3 are working more than a day or two each week. Most of these temps will be bodies filling a position, rather than a lot of real help. We are hiring 30 temp drivers off the street this year for my building (5 centers), having exhausted all available inside help. Sounds like a screwed up peak. The plan will probably be to pull every available body from every inside management function during the last week or so, as they have done in the past when we have had snow or ice storms. I'll put in my 55 or 60 hours each week and go home and let them worry about the rest. Its a great time not to be in management. This will be my 35th peak season with the company. Experience has taught me not to sweat the the things that I have no control over. I'll drive my little brown truck down my little brown road and deliver my little brown packages. And I'll laugh my way all the way to the bank.

In my center, not sweating it generally gets you less hours for the week. Example: Yesterday (Cvber Monday) I had the typical nightmareish "peak load" close to 300 stops, was scheduled to meet my Driver Helper @ 2pm. I called my center, and also sent several messages about an hour prior to confirm my meet location, and it turns out that they 'ran out' of helpers. Needless to say, I still made it back to the building between 8:30-9pm dealing with the mess to the best of my ability. Apparently, still not good enough for management. Turns out that I was told this morning that my start time will be 10:30am today??? I know for a fact that there will be Seasonals starting at 8:30am, and I am FT. I wonder if this keeps up, should I look into filing a grievance?

 

[BrownChoice]

One of my drivers is already delivering 35%more stops as normal time of year. Another is doing 46% more than normal. Not sure compared to past peak, although i do know ups has barely been using us preloader utility drivers much lately.
I havent delivered any Ground pckgs since early October!!! Or driven during the week unless its for shuttling late next day air/misloads...

 

[Rainman]

In my center, not sweating it generally gets you less hours for the week. Example: Yesterday (Cvber Monday) I had the typical nightmareish "peak load" close to 300 stops, was scheduled to meet my Driver Helper @ 2pm. I called my center, and also sent several messages about an hour prior to confirm my meet location, and it turns out that they 'ran out' of helpers. Needless to say, I still made it back to the building between 8:30-9pm dealing with the mess to the best of my ability. Apparently, still not good enough for management. Turns out that I was told this morning that my start time will be 10:30am today??? I know for a fact that there will be Seasonals starting at 8:30am, and I am FT. I wonder if this keeps up, should I look into filing a grievance?

Anytime you think you are getting the shaft, file. The worst thing that can happen is that they will tell you that you are wrong. If you let them start abusing you, they will continue until you force them to stop. Better to stop it early than to let it keep on and on. It only causes you more grief in the long run if you let them push you around unnecessarily.

 

[Rainman]

Well, I agree with you in one respect. If we have operations that are going to purposefully implement less efficient solutions just because some older guys feel "entitled" to not have any additional work during our peak season, then you are absolutely correct. We are more effed than I thought.

Speaking as one of these "old guys", its not that we feel entitled, its the fact that our bodies willl not take the abuse that we once could. I wish that I could go out there and burn up the resis like I used to. Unfortunately, worn out knees and 2 bad disks in my back have slowed down my ability to move like I once could. The mind is willing, but the body won't let me. I can still pull off a good day every once in a while. I AIN'T AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS, BUT IM AS GOOD ONCE, AS I EVER WAS.

 

[Wally]

My route is mostly all residential. Peak is easier for me, sans the longer hours. Sort, scan, and drive. "Helper, please close the door so I stay warm, thanks"!

 

[MangoMango]

I agree with a lot of you here, but for me, the loader is the one who decides if you work late or early. My loader before peak had me peeling off stops like a joke. My loader now likes to load where ever he can find room. He gets no breakfast on Fridays. haha

 

[kingOFchester]

So how is the plan working out for you?

Threads about working Saturday.
Threads about working Sunday.
Threads about working Christmas.
Sober telling us that the work is just getting piled up.

Yea, just a regular peak. Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[Mr Shifter]

Here in Houston we are running full routes on Saturday or Sunday and flew in drivers across the nation to get this stuff delivered. The HUB has miraculously managed to churn out the volume.

 

[oldngray]

Houston we have a problem?

 

[Bagels]

o how is the plan working out for you?
Threads about working Saturday.
Threads about working Sunday.
Threads about working Christmas.
Sober telling us that the work is just getting piled up.
Yea, just a regular peak. Nothing to see here, move along.

For the past several years, UPS has been fortunate that the weather has cooperated nationally. Not so this year, although outside of Texas, things could be much worse. In some areas (including mine), initial volume levels caught UPS off guard but UPS quickly recovered. Sans a few days (which shouldn't be unexpected), most drivers here aren't pulling any more work than they were last year. The biggest challenge has been finding driver helpers. The past two years, the weather here has been mild -- in the 40s most days with very little precipitation. This year there's been plenty of snow & cold rain, with most days below freezing. UPS has discovered that much like in years past, most people won't work for near-minimum wage in these type of conditions.

On the inside, we've been accumulating mega hours -- I worked 7 more hours in three weeks than I did in four last year -- but that's a derivative of the improving economy / people simply unwilling to get up at 12AM to perform intense manual labor for minimum wage... just like how things were the first 10 years of my career!! We had 50+ people quit within a few days this year... we didn't lose that many people in the past three years combined.

With few exceptions, only areas that work Sat./Sun. are doing so this peak. I doubt any UPSers will be delivering packages on Christmas Day... too expensive, too much of a possible PR nightmare -> at that point, UPS has already ****ed off the consumer, so why not wait another day?

 

[kingOFchester]

Nothing to see here. All is good. Move along.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Fuzzy math aside, your predictions were spot on.

Merry Christmas.

 

[kingOFchester]

UPS calls the epic fail "The perfect storm".

A stupid truck driver predicted this in October, with what has been called fuzzy math.
Shorter period, more volume predicted, no increase in seasonal hires, a plan to cram more work into the system and the knowledge that a ton of people wait till the last minute was a clear indication that the perfect storm was sitting off the coast. The radar should of picked it up.

Anyway, here is UPS calling it the perfect storm.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...nts-meals-194826084--abc-news-topstories.html

 

[oldngray]

UPS calls the epic fail "The perfect storm".

A stupid truck driver predicted this in October, with what has been called fuzzy math.
Shorter period, more volume predicted, no increase in seasonal hires, a plan to cram more work into the system and the knowledge that a ton of people wait till the last minute was a clear indication that the perfect storm was sitting off the coast. The radar should of picked it up.

Anyway, here is UPS calling it the perfect storm.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...nts-meals-194826084--abc-news-topstories.html

We live in the world of new math now. It goes along with common core taught in schools and the fuzzy math used to sell Obamacare.

 

[Inthegame]

UPS calls the epic fail "The perfect storm".

A stupid truck driver predicted this in October, with what has been called fuzzy math.
Shorter period, more volume predicted, no increase in seasonal hires, a plan to cram more work into the system and the knowledge that a ton of people wait till the last minute was a clear indication that the perfect storm was sitting off the coast. The radar should of picked it up.

Anyway, here is UPS calling it the perfect storm.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...nts-meals-194826084--abc-news-topstories.html

All hail the king...

 

[Dragon]

UPS calls the epic fail "The perfect storm".

A stupid truck driver predicted this in October, with what has been called fuzzy math.
Shorter period, more volume predicted, no increase in seasonal hires, a plan to cram more work into the system and the knowledge that a ton of people wait till the last minute was a clear indication that the perfect storm was sitting off the coast. The radar should of picked it up.

Anyway, here is UPS calling it the perfect storm.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...nts-meals-194826084--abc-news-topstories.html

I thought they were quoting you KOF.... All hail the King!

 

[dqs95124]

Did you recently sign the Hours of Service certification? You can work up to 14 hours per day but can only drive for 12.

Nope 14 hrs punch to punch. Full time driver here 14 hrs driving