Well if it is so easy doing our job and earning $100k+ why is it so difficult for people to sign up and actually become package car drivers? We make less than other trades who have 4 year journeyman programs like electricians, plumbers or sheet metal workers. They can say all they want about how much we earn it’s not easy and not glamorous. Peak, rain, snow, heat yeah it’s really easy work.
Now that's funny. You're comparing your job to a Tradesman. A plumber, electrician, sheet metal worker, mechanic, etc.
Anyone can do your job. It's difficult to sign people up now because nobody wants to work. Every business has help wanted signs posted. It's not about the money, it's about people getting free stuff and not working.
Yes, you deliver in the rain, snow, etc. While it may be physical, you're driving a truck delivering cardboard boxes. Anyone can do your job. Take an 18 year old kid. Give him a loaded package car and a map. The DIAD is basically a cell phone. He'll figure it out in 2 minutes.
He/she will get those packages delivered. Maybe not even all in one day, but they will be delivered. Give him/her a month, and they'll actually be pretty good at it. Maybe not up to the time constraints UPS wants, but they'll get the job done.
Take this same kid and put him in a brand new house without the sheetrock installed yet. Tell him to wire it, tell him to plumb it. Ain't gonna happen. Those jobs require knowledge and skill. Sure, he may have replaced an outlet in mom's basement, so he may have a few outlets in, but I guarantee you it will not pass inspection, will not be up to code. How high off the floor do the outlets have to be? What gauge wire? How many outlets on a circuit? How far apart do you put the outlets? How many lights on a circuit? What size breakers? How do you rewire an existing home with the sheetrock already there?
On the plumbing side, how do you install a closet flange? What size pipe for what area? Can you even solder pipe, or crimp PEX correctly? How about pressure tanks and septic systems? Backflow preventers? Floor drains in concrete? Pressure loss based on pipe length?
Bring this same kid to an auto repair shop. Show him a car that has a blown engine and tell him to fix it. Transmission work? Again, ain't gonna happen. These jobs require training, skill and knowledge. You will not make it in these jobs if you are not very smart and can't learn. And you have an extended learning period to get all the knowledge and know all the codes.
Most of these jobs also require you to be certified, well, except the UPS mechanics. They do not to be ASE certified, they only need to be UPS certified. And to become certified, you'll need to have mastery of practical, theoretical, and specialized knowledge. It takes time, skill knowledge and usually an apprenticeship. Not everyone can do it, in fact, plenty cannot.
A UPS driver takes no skill or smarts. Am I over simplifying it? Maybe just a little, but not really. The only issue as to why someone can't make it as a UPS driver is because they are not fast enough. But anyone can do the job, given time. Not everyone can be a plumber, electrician, mechanic no matter how much time you give them.
. The same time spent in an apprenticeship instead of UPS full-time progression nets you 50+/hr and contracts that aren't concession-packed. Stop feeling guilty as if you've found some gem of a job. It isn't that hot.
