Hey all, been on here a few times looking up what to expect and figured I'd post a type of thanks and farewell post. Little backstory. I worked for the USPS for about 4 months until Nov of 2015 when I was unfairly removed by a very bad postmaster. I was in my probationary period which management can fire you for no reason. I was good, everyone told me so. The best new hire they had ever seen. Learned 3 routes in 2 months (wasn't supposed to learn that many so soon) and ran 2 of them in under the evaluated time a few days. I fell slightly into depression over it, as I felt it was a job I could finally stay with, I was so tired of awful minimum wage jobs. It was nice to have a future. The fact that there was no real reason I was removed still bugs me to this day.
I finally found the motivation and applied to UPS around the middle of august this year. I liked delivery, I thought UPS would be like the post office without some of the really terrible parts so I figured I'd try. I had a kind of interview that explained the job on sep 1st. I would be hired as a package handler that was trained to drive so I could fill in for drivers when needed. The package handling I wasn't interested due to my slightly long commute making it about not worth it (with driving time and fuel factored in my profit/hr was like 4.50). However the days I would drive would make it worth dealing with due to the substantial pay and daily hour increase. After my meeting I did not hear anything about my hiring for weeks. Until yesterday. I was called by a driver supervisor (I think was his title) and he explained the work further and asked if I could come in the next day for a road test. I said absolutely and thanked him.
I was told all through the process that I needed to know how to drive a manual transmission vehicle. I have known how to do this since I was a young teenager due to dirtbikes and driving my dad's old FJ40 around his property. This ability was reinforced later in life by of course driving normal cars with manual transmissions. I never had a problem. Today was a different story.
I arrived early, ready, and feeling pretty good about my test. Supervisor arrived, we went over daily checks and procedures, to give me a brief example of daily operations, then we got in the truck. He drove to a nearby industrial complex for me to get familiar with the truck before the road test. It was a perfect location for this as it was a dead end area, with a few perfect intersections that looped around to practice in. I took the wheel, started off fine, I liked how the truck pulled away as 1st gear was nice and short for starting out easily, made it part way around the loop, and came to an intersection with a stop sign. He explained to me then that you are not to shift in the intersection in case you stall, which would leave you stranded. He told me to start out in 1st, then as soon as it starts rolling, shift to second before you start to turn and use second to travel through the intersection. Easy enough I thought, but this one thing would ultimately prevent me from being able to be hired.
The truck used, as I expected from reading on here, was probably one of the worst they could find. I understand the "if you can pass your test in this you can drive anything" reasoning, I just wish the worst one was a little better. Now as I said I was used to dirtbikes and cars that had fairly nice gear selection. I was SO unprepared for the play in the shifter, and the difficulty in finding and engaging a gear. 3rd would pop out while driving too, I was told to use it sparingly and use 4th instead. Also, the shift pattern was one I wasn't used to, but could understand, with reverse in the top left. Not normally a problem, but the play in the shifter made finding 2nd too difficult for me to familiarize myself with in the 10 or 15 minutes I had to practice before the test.
I tried the intersection as told, using first to start moving a little, then shift into second, and then make the turn. Screwed this up pretty bad my first time as I would never shift like that in anything else. I would use 1st gear to make the turn, then shift into second when I needed to. First try at doing this I started out fine, went to shift to 2nd before I turned, couldn't find it instantly then stalled it, really frustrating. Instructor said something along the lines of this is why we're out here with no traffic, if this was on a road with traffic you may have been rear ended. Quite discouraging thing to say. Started it back up and made it to the next intersection, tried it again and stalled it again. I realized then I probably should have given it much more gas when shifting to 2nd but this was abnormal feeling as it's not what you would do in any other car, you would just shift and let off the clutch, then accelerate. Now I'm really nervous and getting pretty frustrated, never had a problem stalling anything else I ever drove. I think I only really did once when I was learning with a car on a hill. I could also tell the instructor was losing interest in me working for UPS really quickly. Started it back up, went for another loop, made it back to the intersection I stalled the first time and successfully made the turn with the shifting. Made it to the intersection I stalled the second time and stalled again. I even gave it more gas when shifting into second than I thought I should and it still stalled. It was at this time he said we might as well not ever start the actual test.
That was a real punch to the gut. I had $40 in my bank account, would be $30 after I paid for the gas to get there. I actually drove my car that's 2 months out of inspection, needs brakes, an oil change, a new window motor, and who knows what else in the near future to get there, risking a fine that I wouldn't be able to pay in order to try and work. I needed this so badly. He took the wheel, we went back to the distribution center, shook hands and sent me on my way. On the way back I asked if all the trucks were manuals like this and if they weren't how often would've I been driving one. The real kicker was his answer, they actually had to borrow that truck from another location because every single truck at this location was an automatic. This made me think while I beat myself up on the drive home that maybe there were some drivers there working who might not be able to drive that truck I had to drive. I did not know this of course and of course mean no disrespect to them, but the thought of the possibility made it sting even worse. The supervisor offered to see if I wanted on a call list if they needed full time package handlers. I thanked him and said that I would appreciate a call, but this was just a formality as I said that wouldn't really work for me and would probably turn it down if offered.
Now here I am, writing a book on a forum site that if anyone reads it all I'd actually feel sorry for them. Sorry and thankful, because this had really made today one of the most upsetting days since I was unexpectedly removed from my last delivery job. I understand the reasoning behind not being hired. I don't argue that at all. I would do the same if some 22 year old kid performed the same as I did. I knew the truck was drive-able as he could drive it without much problem; but I'm sure he had several hours in it compared to my 15 minutes. It's just so frustrating because I know I could've done it; and I'll really be kicking myself over it for a really long time.
If anyone would have some words of encouragement (not sure if those are in great supply around here or not) or some criticism I could go off it would definitely not fall on deaf ears. Thanks.
