First day as pre-loader and I want to quit

[Gross67]

I had my first day as a pre-loader yesterday and I seriously feel like quitting! The training was so fast its like the supervisor expected me to do everything on my first day. The job is not that hard its actually easy if I was able to do it at my own pace. My problem is I cant keep up with the flow! I have to constantly look at my chart for each box on where its supposed to go in the drivers truck. While I am doing that my packages pass me on my belt and the employees complained that they keep having to pull my packages because I missed them. WTF its my first day!

Everyone I work with looks like they have been to jail. Luckily my drivers were understanding because I loaded up those trucks like SHYT. Does it get better? or should I just quit? I am a student however I wanted to maybe make a career out of working at ups. I have to work tomorrow 3am-8:30am and I am already feeling anxiety :/

 

[Myleftsideistan]

Its a simple question you have to ask yourself, it gets better because you get better. But it was hard at first for everyone.

 

[F5Fury]

I started preload back in March and sorting was easy but the loading 4 trucks at first was hell. Stick with it and you will get better with time. Just make sure you show up on time and do your best.

 

[Drink Craft Beer]

I had my first day as a pre-loader yesterday and I seriously feel like quitting! The training was so fast its like the supervisor expected me to do everything on my first day. The job is not that hard its actually easy if I was able to do it at my own pace. My problem is I cant keep up with the flow! I have to constantly look at my chart for each box on where its supposed to go in the drivers truck. While I am doing that my packages pass me on my belt and the employees complained that they keep having to pull my packages because I missed them. WTF its my first day!

Everyone I work with looks like they have been to jail. Luckily my drivers were understanding because I loaded up those trucks like SHYT. Does it get better? or should I just quit? I am a student however I wanted to maybe make a career out of working at ups. I have to work tomorrow 3am-8:30am and I am already feeling anxiety :/

Getting over 5hrs in August??? Find that hard to believe for a pre-loader.

 

[Gross67]

Yes for some reason in Ottawa, Canada UPS is different. The shifts are ALWAYS 3:00am-8:30am for pre-loader. During peak they said I might have to stay 3:00am-9:00am .

 

[Bagels]

Even domestically, there are sorts that work in excess of five hours every day. We have a Preload in our area that has a single, long belt & two unload doors; it's not possible to further expand the build and preparations were made to replace it before the economy tanked. While UPS has diverted volume to other nearby facilities, this particular one is located in the region experiencing heaviest suburban sprawl & thus Preloaders work in excess of 5 hours every day.

 

[BadTipper]

Preload is the worst. Hang in there for a bit and get promoted to a sup like me. We get benefits

 

[Drink Craft Beer]

Even domestically, there are sorts that work in excess of five hours every day. We have a Preload in our area that has a single, long belt & two unload doors; it's not possible to further expand the build and preparations were made to replace it before the economy tanked. While UPS has diverted volume to other nearby facilities, this particular one is located in the region experiencing heaviest suburban sprawl & thus Preloaders work in excess of 5 hours every day.

That's exactly the set-up that I'm in, but don't have the volume to see those hours. Very tough to see 20+. Peak though, we see at times 7+hrs a day.

Plus I didn't realize the OP was referring to a Canadian hub. In which I'm sure things are done differently.

 

[Macbrother]

Sucks your coworkers aren't understanding. They can really make or break your experience there, although if you really want to make this a career, you have to be tough enough mentally and physically to slog regardless of your environment. I was kinda lucky, my PT sup was friendly and competent, and the guy behind me (who had to pull all my ****) was very understanding and taught me a lot my first week.

Does it ever get better? Well, no, not really. Not until you attain such seniority as to get a better position within the sort when one opens up. In fact there are days where it can get much, much worse. Weigh the alternatives carefully.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Preload is the worst. Hang in there for a bit and get promoted to a sup like me. We get benefits

OK, I'll bite. You call those benefits?

 

[Bagels]

That's exactly the set-up that I'm in, but don't have the volume to see those hours. Very tough to see 20+. Peak though, we see at times 7+hrs a day.

Plus I didn't realize the OP was referring to a Canadian hub. In which I'm sure things are done differently.

I agree things are probably done differently in Canada, but as I mentioned above, there are still domestic UPS employees in space-constrained (or time-constrained) sorts who regularly work 5+ hours each day.

I work one one of UPS's largest Preloads, and for the first several years of my career we regularly worked 40/hour weeks. The issue was staffing -- UPS simply couldn't attract enough people to work here, so we'd utilize a third of our unload doors and Preloaders would load 6 package cars (pre-PAL days, when everything was memorized). They never offered larger wages, although they did offer a $1,000 bonus on your first anniversary, if you had something like 5 or fewer call-ins.

 

[Bagels]

Judging by all the likes by "Loyal Teamstr" ... the OP, BadTipper and other newly registered posters are probably the creation of Loyal Teamster.

 

[DevaAnne910]

Welcome to the Chaos! Sadly, most of the "Sups" do just what you experienced. You may have an "ol' timer" that will be willing to help you out and give you tips. Ask your co-worker if you feel like you want to stay. Folks who've done this job awhile, learned that until "newbie's" prove their gonna stay, most don't bother to learn your name. In our center, for every 10 new hires, 1 might stay. The more you do it the better you'll get. Even having done this for 17 years, I still have days where I feel like calling it quits. It gets better...hang in there

 

[TxRoadDawg]

Preload is the worst. Hang in there for a bit and get promoted to a sup like me. We get benefits

OK, I'll bite. You call those benefits?

And I was about to ask what subcontractor he worked for. why am I thinking benefits should be replaced by another word that starts with a B.....

 

[superballs63]

Anyone responding to this thread with any bit of serious(ness?) is nuts. This is just our beloved troll having a discussion with himself, ignore any "new" members, after a while Mr. Teamster will get mad that nobody likes him

 

[Gross67]

Anyone responding to this thread with any bit of serious(ness?) is nuts. This is just our beloved troll having a discussion with himself, ignore any "new" members, after a while Mr. Teamster will get mad that nobody likes him

I'm not even a troll. The reason I joined this site was because it has a forum for UPS employees. It would have been useless to ask for advice anywhere else.

 

[superballs63]

You would be the exception. lol.

Your profile picture kind of made me think you weren't our loyal troll

 

[Wally]

Preload is the worst. Hang in there for a bit and get promoted to a sup like me. We get benefits

Like what?

 

[nicky]

I'm not even a troll. The reason I joined this site was because it has a forum for UPS employees. It would have been useless to ask for advice anywhere else.

Stick with it, I have a new loader for my route who is on I think day 5 tomorrow. He is not doing a good job but to me its our job as the senior guys to help him learn. I mean we all know training is essentially throwing you in the deep end to see if you can swim. The biggest thing I always have a problem with is pay attention to bulk. Use the rear doors for bulk stops if available because if I can walk through the truck I can deal with just about anything else.

 

[P700slave]

Then quit and go work at McDonalds