Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[olroadbeech]

I gave up about 5 years to transfer to another hub without the work following me. It was a hardship transfer.
Best decision I ever made.

 

[Well-Known Member]

Feeder is the best job in the company by far.

In your opinion.

I know too many package drivers that thought feeders was the ultimate end all. They ended up going back to bundles because they couldn't adjust to working nights or to the boredom of driving 500 miles everyday.

Too each his own...

 

[Yeet]

In your opinion.

I know too many package drivers that thought feeders was the ultimate end all. They ended up going back to bundles because they couldn't adjust to working nights or to the boredom of driving 500 miles everyday.

Too each his own...

This divide is even true in feeders. Some drivers loathe running local and others hate going long. To each their own.

 

[burrheadd]

I gave up about 5 years to transfer to another hub without the work following me. It was a hardship transfer.
Best decision I ever made.

 

[Driver7906]

In your opinion.

I know too many package drivers that thought feeders was the ultimate end all. They ended up going back to bundles because they couldn't adjust to working nights or to the boredom of driving 500 miles everyday.

Too each his own...

True. It’s not for everyone.

 

[ManInBrown]

Package driver has always been a tough job but it used to be a job you could retire from, though with aches and pains. It’s not a 20+ year job anymore.

UPS also wants to systematically and progressively turn it into a lower paying job. They already have the process started with the 22.4 jobs. They want to get all these old time, top scale paid drivers to retire so they can continue to usher in the new way of doing things and pay newer drivers less money to do the same job.

Feeder is the best job in the company by far. Stress free, save your body and your mind. If they’re still hiring for feeder at your hub, jump on the ship before it sails away.

Not only that, they also don’t want old time drivers with a backbone, polluting the minds of the fresh faced runners. That’s why package managers love it when someone gets called to feeders.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

I actually asked my optometrist if there were glasses (like you see advertised) that help with night driving. He said no...

Same.
Says the anti-glare lens upsell is just BS.

The new white HID type headlights can really be brutal though.... to the point of moving the power mirrors to save your night vision.

 

[quad decade guy]

Giving up my 10+ years of package car seniority to go feeder was worth it to me. Long term physical (and mental) health is more important than seniority.

I’ve watched working conditions in packages go to hell in the last few years and it makes me more glad that I got out of there. I used to love that job for a long time and I do miss the better days but those days are gone now.

I gave up 23 years full time seniority for feeders. It took that long to get a slot. And then went to the bottom.

 

[quad decade guy]

Package driver has always been a tough job but it used to be a job you could retire from, though with aches and pains. It’s not a 20+ year job anymore.

UPS also wants to systematically and progressively turn it into a lower paying job. They already have the process started with the 22.4 jobs. They want to get all these old time, top scale paid drivers to retire so they can continue to usher in the new way of doing things and pay newer drivers less money to do the same job.

Feeder is the best job in the company by far. Stress free, save your body and your mind. If they’re still hiring for feeder at your hub, jump on the ship before it sails away.

If this is true.....why don't they(UPS) offer some sort of incentive? There is a loss/gain for the company at some point. For the driver the losses can be huge......60%....per year. Example: Say I make $100k a year for simple math. I'm only 58....if I wait till 65 I'll get 600 more a month(vs. 62) from SSI.....into perpetuity. So, I can have 4 years or 7 till retirement. So, what would the number be for UPS to "buy me out"? They can either wait me out or figure what hiring a "new" progression driver would cost vs. me.....who would have to be trained etc. There is a number. Now, my money is on UPS does nothing.

 

[quad decade guy]

Not only that, they also don’t want old time drivers with a backbone, polluting the minds of the fresh faced runners. That’s why package managers love it when someone gets called to feeders.

Well.....maybe...maybe not. My customers liked me and had seldom complaints.....in other words, my mgr. didn't have to spend much time on me. Training and breaking in rookies consumes lot's of time and makes the numbers look bad. Good, seasoned drivers are an asset to a center. Why would you want to lose them? Matter of fact, I've seen mgr's pull tricks to try and keep them....

 

[olroadbeech]

Probably the main complaint about feeder is the schedule which can be graveyard in some cases and perhaps the lack of time for the gym. Some guys that came over from package ballooned up weight wise after awhile.

 

[MyTripisCut]

Probably the main complaint about feeder is the schedule which can be graveyard in some cases and perhaps the lack of time for the gym. Some guys that came over from package ballooned up weight wise after awhile.

 

[quad decade guy]

Probably the main complaint about feeder is the schedule which can be graveyard in some cases and perhaps the lack of time for the gym. Some guys that came over from package ballooned up weight wise after awhile.

Our huge building still only has a handful of what I would consider day jobs(9 to 5) or early a.m.(say 0500-0700).

With all respect......your statement is hugely understated.

 

[Siveriano]

That’s why package managers love it when someone gets called to feeders.

This was kinda my case.
I was on my manager office getting some warning when I told him straight up " How about I put a transfer to feeders and you just sign it, its kinda obvious that we cant work together, you keep trying to get me and I keep giving false hopes, so why dont we call it a day and each goes its way"

I you not he just said " oh ok, yeah thats works" and signed the transfer and to make it even funnier once I left for feeders like 2 weeks later he even got a promotion.

 

[Siveriano]

Good, seasoned drivers are an asset to a center. Why would you want to lose them? Matter of fact, I've seen mgr's pull tricks to try and keep them....

This is true, mainly when I finish with 145 stops by 2100 and still have better numbers than the rookie that did 200+ stops by 1930.

 

[Cowboy Mac]

This is true, mainly when I finish with 145 stops by 2100 and still have better numbers than the rookie that did 200+ stops by 1930.

Not only that but customer service. These new guys want to follow Orion and deliver businesses at 5 pm or after they close, and get pickups early, and complain to the customers when their stuff is not ready 3 hours before the pickup time. Might take me all night but you won’t have any problems with service.

 

[olroadbeech]

Our huge building still only has a handful of what I would consider day jobs(9 to 5) or early a.m.(say 0500-0700).

With all respect......your statement is hugely understated.

Reno has a ton of day feeder runs due to all the industry. They also have that giant industrial park with Tesla , Amazon , and other mega businesses.
They just hired 100 feeder drivers off the street. When I started I was #99. When I retired there were 185 feeder drivers. Now over 300. ( I was told )

I preferred graveyard anyway. Had a cake run from Reno to almost the Oregon border. 95% in country high desert. Just switched trailers with OR driver.

 

[Yeet]

Reno has a ton of day feeder runs due to all the industry. They also have that giant industrial park with Tesla , Amazon , and other mega businesses.
They just hired 100 feeder drivers off the street. When I started I was #99. When I retired there were 185 feeder drivers. Now over 300. ( I was told )

I preferred graveyard anyway. Had a cake run from Reno to almost the Oregon border. 95% in country high desert. Just switched trailers with OR driver.

You can keep night driving in my state. Construction every night rain or shine and it rains damn near every day during the summer. So your already limited night vision is made worse with blinding rain, ty traction, having to go down to one lane and dodge cones and construction workers who stand one foot into the only open lane, and get pushed out of your lane every time some a*hole owner/op flies by you going 10 over.

 

[Jones]

You can keep night driving in my state. Construction every night rain or shine and it rains damn near every day during the summer. So your already limited night vision is made worse with blinding rain, *ty traction, having to go down to one lane and dodge cones and construction workers who stand one foot into the only open lane, and get pushed out of your lane every time some a*hole owner/op flies by you going 10 over.

Sounds awful.

 

[ManInBrown]

You can keep night driving in my state. Construction every night rain or shine and it rains damn near every day during the summer. So your already limited night vision is made worse with blinding rain, *ty traction, having to go down to one lane and dodge cones and construction workers who stand one foot into the only open lane, and get pushed out of your lane every time some a*hole owner/op flies by you going 10 over.

There’s nothing worse than that one construction worker that feels the need to stand 3 inches from the only open lane of traffic. I swear they act like they wanna die. Was headed to Wilpa one night and in the summer there is constant traffic on that stretch of the PA turnpike. This idiot was on his hands and knees with his backside inches from the only open lane of traffic.