chriscraft,
there is no doubt that a UPS driver makes more money per hour. I will take the $2.00 less an hour to be home with my family anyday. My day is already done while you are probably just taking lunch. That $80. gross a week more just doesnt seem quite enough to me for all the things you will miss out on. On the back of my Money magazine there is a great ad from CITI Bank. "Remember, the people you work for are waiting for you at home right now." "your most valuable hours won't be found on a timesheet...so go home, your junior partners miss you. Pretty much hits it on the head for me. As far a pensions go im going to disagree. At Fedex Express our pension is a formula which is calculated by years of service and your three highest grossing years. Its not a set amount, and for someone like me who started driving when I was 21 and worked 12 hour days for the first 8 years of full time, will do much better than someone who worked 8hr days. I finally got an 8hr route a few years ago and now just have to complete my 25 years of full time service. My brother who drives for UPS has to work 30 years to max out and is worried that the under funded pension will not be there when he is ready to collect.
As far as ground, were going to have to wait and see. I only see the IC's on my route and both are happy. Ground IC's need volume to make money and Fedex Corp. seems to think there will be alot comming there way in the next few years. Were gonna have to see how it all pans out.
