I guess all the areas are differant. In New England UPS does have both positions in our location. They are paid by the hour. We also have Team Drivers that are paid by the mile. You go out for a few days then return for a few days off.
The tractor trailer training is offered when the company has a need in our local union's facilities. You will attend the school and be paid to attend. Upon completion you will get on the qualified list and begin driving as a feeder driver. If you attend their school you will have to give them time as a driver and can not bid out of the feeder position until that time has been done. Some drivers dont like feeder positions afther they get into it(most love it) and still have to stay until their time has been served. In our local both positions are bid by seniority. The Sleeper Team Runs are bid by the senior member and he hand picks his team member. The regular feeder runs you pick the job you want and have it until the next bid.
Some things you have to consider. How long does it take to go from the job you have now, to being a package driver, and then to become a feeder driver. In my local the wait has been around 5 to 8 years, last I asked, to get from a parttime preload job, to a full time package driver job. I havnt asked in a while what the average is, it may have come down. Then to go from having enough seniority as a full time driver to getting into one of their schools, just guessing again, about 15-20 years. If a package driver already has a CDL he asks to be tested and put ont he qualified list to bid a feeder drivers job. Necessary seniority to bid one, around 16-20 years, maybe higher now with the current layoffs. As you can see it is a long road to become a feeder driver here. Some of these times have changed, over 9/5 can possibly give you some better time frames.
Here are a few suggestions. You chose what will work best for you, taking into consideration your age, abilities and career goals.
You want to be a tractor trailer driver. Do some research about Trucking Companies that are hiring. You will find that not many will hire you without experiance. The over the road companies will, they will pay you around 400 a wekk for the first half of their company training program, then gradually increase your pay until you pass their training. Its all over the road, meaning you will be gone for 8-12 weeks, driving in a rig with a driver trainer as a sleeper team. After the training is complete you will be looking at around 600-800 a week, or more if you do sleeper team work, depending how busy they are. If your truck aint hauling, you aint getting paid any money. If you cant live with that way of life, or the low inconsistant wages, you can check your local area for driving jobs with paving companies, they will usually take you right out of school and put you to work. If you are in an area like me, its only so many months a year of work. Then you will get laid off in the winter, unless they rent their trucks out for plowing, some do, some dont. Oil delivery companies will take grads out of school, but not until you get your haz-may indorsement. Moving companies will also hire school grads, but again, its over the road, home whenver. Freight companies will also hire school grads. Be smart, do your research before you attenf the training school. Visit these type companies I mentioned prior to attending the school, ask them if they are hiring, and if they hire NEWLY LICENSED DRIVERS SCHOOL GRADS, and are they hiring now, or do they forcast hiring. That license doesnt guarantee you employment.
You could try this to.
Go to the school. Keep your parttime job at UPS while you attend, even if it means doing the classes on weekends, why, because you will have some money coming in while you attend, the benefits too. Most of the schools are staffed with career road drivers, mostly older now and not wanting that road life anymore, and they will teach you to drive. Been there, done that, and they gave me a lot of tips that I use today. Check into getting a student loan for the class, the cost is around $6000. Yes, its a lot of money, but you will make it back. You dont have to start paying it back until 6 months after you graduate from the class. You can keep your part time job with UPS while you look for local work. Dont quit your job until you have one lined up. Or how about keeping both. Can you transfer to the midnight shift? Man them hours will eat you up, but, there are part time driving jobs out there. You can do both, while you work your way up the seniority ladder with UPS. Why would I suggest both, UPS has the best pay and beni's on the industry. Good luck and happy trucking.
