Easiest Peak Ever....so far

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Is everyone else having the easiest peak ever? Maybe this topic was mentioned already but I usually keep my BC participation to a minimum during peak (for me peak is all of November and December and sometimes the first two weeks of January) for several reasons so I would have missed it. So far the latest I've clocked out was around 8:30. I've clocked out before 6:30 more than a few times. Several days I had to be sent to help someone else or make pickups in order for the route to "plan." I have yet to have a helper but I expect that to end sometime next week. If not that week I'm sure I'll be forced to endure one the following week even though it's actually counterproductive to use one on the type of route I'm on.

I've been able to walk through my truck plenty of times and usually have shelf space to spare. My route, which is a peak route, is dispatched well almost every day so far and I haven't had to deal with 30 stops in a row having the same SPA numbers so far either! This is all so unreal and seems just to good to be true and I feel that it won't last. I mean we all know the drill.....when things are actually running smoothly at UPS a desk jockey finds a way to throw a wrench in it all from afar with one swift expulsion of hot air via a conference call. Did UPS really....ACTUALLY get peak right this year or are they about to screw up a good thing like they are prone to do?? This is what's going on in my building anyway.

 

[joeboodog]

Quiet! Don't jinx it! If the spam hits the fan we will know who to blame.

 

[BrownTexas]

Same here. Struggling to work til 7 now. At the beginning of "peak" it was miserable with them cutting routes since we had no 9.5 protection, but now it is a breeze. Even have a route by my house now so I get to eat with the family.

 

[You've Got Mail]

It's a nice and easy peak because I'm working here. You're welcome.

 

[ManInBrown]

Easy Breezy. Almost scary easy, like wondering what the Heck is going on. Didn't even break 45 last week. 40-70 less stops on car per day, compared to last peak.

I can't wait till the casuals leave. I miss my OT

 

[JL 0513]

Yeah, I'm hungry for more work! I only got 47 hrs M-friend this week so I signed up to deliver Sat air today for 3 more hrs. So far, no more hrs than at any other time of year. Granted, I have a helper 3 hrs a day. The volume is here, it just seems that UPS really pumped up the help to avoid last years problems. My helper was hoping for 8 hr days. Yup, that's what HR promises these guys so they sign up. He's only gotten 3 a day and says he should have just applied for unemployment which would have paid more. He's losing money busting his ass.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Seems like easy money for less hrs. Running Monday to Saturday. For 2 weeks avg 53 hrs.

 

[Brownslave688]

The fat lady ain't sang yet.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Yeah, I'm hungry for more work! I only got 47 hrs M-friend this week so I signed up to deliver Sat air today for 3 more hrs. So far, no more hrs than at any other time of year. Granted, I have a helper 3 hrs a day. The volume is here, it just seems that UPS really pumped up the help to avoid last years problems. My helper was hoping for 8 hr days. Yup, that's what HR promises these guys so they sign up. He's only gotten 3 a day and says he should have just applied for unemployment which would have paid more. He's losing money busting his ass.

I'm not hurting for hours. Even with the early clock outs. But it is definitely a reduction compared to all previous peaks. I signed up for Saturday work (as I usually do when it's offered) too because all of the TCDs/Saturday drivers are working enough hours for Saturdays to be considered "extra work." The problem is that the same old bunch keep grabbing it all up. Most of them are part of the 25 year plus crowd. I told another driver that if I'm having to sign up for Saturday work and any other extra work that late in my career over junior drivers that probably need it more then to go ahead and slap me around for not being more financially savvy throughout my career. It's funny because some of the guys that hog all the extra work act like, and some even out right say that, they are in such great shape financially. So, why are they having to keep signing up for extra work then? LOL!

Anyway.....I'm really liking the peak so far. Not because of the hours but more so for the easier to manage loads. Don't get me wrong...there are still blown out routes but its usually much much worse. But maybe I should stop talking about it like another member said to avoid a jinx.

 

[jumpman23]

Yeah has been easy as hell and with a good jumper also. Lovin it, aint killing myself and still getting lots of ot lol.

 

[Driver7906]

I've still been working the long hours but it hasn't been that bad at all, with the exception of a ridiculous past-9:00 a.m. start time for a couple days. I figured that wouldn't last with the service failures we had in our center.

 

[Dub]

Thursday I punched out at 5:38 and friday I punched out at 5:47. First time I've punched out before 6:30 all year.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Bottom line : We have 8 days of hell to be prepared for. We are fully manned and ready to take it on.
If we look better than FedEx and USPS, it will change volume direction for next year.

 

[Brownslave688]

Bottom line : We have 8 days of hell to be prepared for. We are fully manned and ready to take it on.
If we look better than FedEx and USPS, it will change volume direction for next year.

I'll take 8 days of hell over 2 months any day.

 

[soberups]

I have been working 60 per week like I always do, but I leave the building every day knowing that I will be able to get all my stops off. Last year, I was having to perform triage on a hopeless dispatch and decide which 50 customers weren't going to get delivered each day. UPS opened a new building in Beaverton, a few miles from mine, and sent 60+ routes over there which alleviated the horrible overcrowding we have been dealing with for decades. We are adequately staffed and it looks like we are going to have a successful peak this year.

 

[Jones]

We didn't get a new building but they did put a shanty town in the employee parking lot that can handle 60 routes. They even gave it it's own slic so the hubs can build dedicated loads for it.

 

[Brown Stain]

I have been working 60 per week like I always do, but I leave the building every day knowing that I will be able to get all my stops off. Last year, I was having to perform triage on a hopeless dispatch and decide which 50 customers weren't going to get delivered each day. UPS opened a new building in Beaverton, a few miles from mine, and sent 60+ routes over there which alleviated the horrible overcrowding we have been dealing with for decades. We are adequately staffed and it looks like we are going to have a successful peak this year.

wow wish i could work 60 per/wk

 

[soberups]

wow wish i could work 60 per/wk

It loses its appeal rather quickly.

 

[margaritaville]

I worked 59.5 hours this week but havent had to sheet anything as missed so far this peak. Last year i saw drivers coming back with like 60 missed.

 

[Box Ox]

Yep. Last week was an absolute disaster at my center but this week was amazingly easy. Had a great helper and punched out earlier than I do off-peak when nobody needed help. Seems the higher ups are determined to over-provision routes and not screw Christmas up even if there's another spike.