Hopefully new different Seasonal Driver Questions

[Donatin5]

Good Morning BrownCafe,

There was a posting for a seasonal driver position in the city I live in, so I pretty much went to the information session yesterday (Friday) along with two others who decided it wasn't for them, and since I didn't know what to expect other than I'd be walking into a boot camp situation where my past roofing job would be like a piece of cake compared to driving for UPS, I went ahead and did quite a bit of reading, scouring the forums, trying to pictures (hardly any) of the DIAD V, just to soak in some information- and memorizing the 5 seeing habits and 10 point commentary.

Any who, the gentlemen was very nice and clear about explaining the situation and answering questions about the position/training/requirements, and definitely shared that when a lot of drivers aren't smiling, they're grinding their teeth due to the very tough nature of the job, as I can imagine. We got several packets of information to study over and if we were still interested, to give HR a call on Monday to start training. In addition to the 5 habits/10 points were about 4-5 smaller sections of more info that we'd be tested on, and I learned that we'd have to go to the secretary of state to get a chauffeur's license, which was new to me.

The person that spoke with us mentioned that of all the time he's been there (didn't say how long) he's only seen one other seasonal driver that's been hired on as a full-time permanent driver. I love the idea of working so hard/trying to do a [safe] awesome job that I could possibly be the second person he's ever seen, and it's not so much the physical/endurance aspects of the job that sound a bit "frightening" or the driving safely or being friendly with customers or being able to put up with getting yacked at for whatever hopefully small reason, but we were told that we'd basically be fill/cover drivers for when the full-time drivers are gone for whatever, and that we'd have different routes to cover, basically, and that they'd call us the night before to let us know if we'd be working the next day.

I've driven quite a bit in my car around various parts of the medium sized city/area here, except for obviously every single small street, but HOW the heck do you guys/gals find where to go? My biggest concern is the navigation issues. I wish I had stayed long enough so my brain would have thought of this question earlier? Do they print out a map of your route that includes a dot/symbol of where each delivery is? I saw a picture of a DIAD V that showed a list of addresses on it, just as reference, and assumed most of you permanent driver already know where to go, and I also remember the guy mentioning that getting a roadmap may help, but I'm curious as to how I'd supposed to know where to drive/turn next WHILE I'm driving (?) since looking at the address on the DIAD wouldn't seem to suffice with pointing out a physical location?

He didn't mention anything of ORION devices as I assumed those are navigation helpers (?) in the truck but yeah, I was wondering if anyone would be nice enough to chime in with tips/advice/help for a total newbie who might be getting say, a different route to drive on every other day. If there IS a map print out of the route, is it just a matter of a noob taking it one package at a time and taking a few seconds to look at the map to figure out where to go next while paying attention to get on the correct street listed on the DIAD V and pretty much trying to memorize the street of the next delivery after the previous delivery?

Anyways, before I ever started reading anything driver-related last week I figured that UPS had to have had some sort of possible real-time GPS navigation... guess not.
From all that I've read, I can barely imagine how tough and strenuous the job is on all the drivers out there (and probably loaders, etc) too, so very awesome job with all the hard work you do.

P.S. While I was waiting in the HR hall to go in (I was there a half hour early) I made a comment to one of the younger HR guys about the "browncafe" - lol. The person shot this site down a little bit and made it sound like just a bunch of disgruntled UPS employees get on here to chat. I haven't really seen anything too much like that so I just smiled to myself about that one.

Say you have a new route, and know you'll have a new route the next day, etc... how do you know where to drive to next? I suppose that's my biggest question. I know time is crucial and if I'd be delivering 100-200 packages on a route, time is of essence and I'd just want to do the best, safest job I could.

My apologies for the long post when I could have just asked the questions.

 

[silenze]

Doing an outstanding job wont get you hired on full time. Its kind of like a lottery. If they have to hire someone from off the street they may call you back within 6 months. But definitely treat the job as on call seasonal work. Expect to be used abused and then thrown out with the trash.

 

[MC4YOU2]

Hey Donatin5, welcome to the BC! I'll do my best to start off the answer brIgade.
For the most part, you'll be trained on your first delivery area by a person that is called an On Car supervisor. They will demonstrate and explain the delivery and navigation process for you and then you will do the same while they observe you for a few days.
After you learn the general process, you'll likely then get moved around to other routes, generally getting one day of ride along training per route with the supervisor along with you.
Later, if you become proficient, you may get assigned to do a route or two "cold", completely solo with zero training. It does happen, but it's not the normal or even the best way to learn for everyone.
Every center is different, in that some do, while others do not utilize Orion at this time. Some have an older system like my old center but they are scheduled to get it next month.
You'll develop a familiarity with any delivery area after several times of working though a route in it. Maps, except for a few cases, are very cumbersome and time consuming. They're great to have as a backup plan, but you wouldn't get the job done if you were to use it for most of the day.
As for the members on BC, you'll find a pretty good group on here really. Just like anywhere, the opinions vary widely, but most have been where you are before and likely have some pretty good info.
You have already done more than most folks do, just in investigating the upcoming process.
My best advice is this; Always be safe, no matter what! Learn to do each facet of the job safely, and let experience make your routine smoother as you learn new things.
Good luck!

 

[Donatin5]

Awesomeness, Thanks for the responses, much appreciated

Silenze- Yea the "on call" part was a little change of direction from what I was expecting, to be full-time I guess, but that's okay and yeah, ha, he pretty much summed up exactly what you said about getting terminated at the end. I definitely wouldn't be expecting to be super lucky enough to get hired on permanent at the end, and its funny one of the other guys there thought it was a permanent gig despite the job title saying 'seasonal' - so he was put off pretty quick. I saw two drivers in package cars on my way out there and both looked like seasoned vets, especially the lady with the terminator glasses.

MC- Thanks for the warm welcoming and additional insight, and from what you said it definitely sounds like it varies from place to place on how they send seasonal drivers out on the road by themselves. That's also cool to hear about getting a ride along with a supervisor, that's nice to hear to have someone with experience will be able to call out mistakes and help point stuff out and stuff. Yeah it didn't sound like the center I went to had Orion setup.

One last question- Do drivers who go out on new routes "cold" usually get that route printed out on paper to use for general navigation before departing?

 

[clean hairy]

One word of caution.
If you leave with 8 hours work and get in after only 7 hrs 30 min, you will be given more work., as long as you come in early, more work will be piled on you.
Deliver at a safe pace, take your breaks and lunch when you should.
Develop a thick skin, you will be screamed at for coming in 6 min later than when you should have been in.
You will be threatened "you should have had that delivered in 30 seconds, it took you 42 seconds" "Do you realize how much time that adds up to in day?" I don't see you making Seniority if you don't pick up the pace, perhaps we should just go back to the building now, if you can't go any faster?"
Oh, you also have to know (or used to have to know your next 5 stops). Floor stop, from the back of the truck, one time pick up, next day air stop, and bulkhead door stop. ( I think that is correct)

 

[MC4YOU2]

As for a printout, there's no map really as such, though yes you could certainly use one you might bring for general info. I used one early on, now everyone new uses their smartphone. They will print out a paper "manifest" tho, at your request, if your center is using a preload (part timers that load from like 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.) to load the trucks. It's not a map but instead a list of addresses in a somewhat orderly (I'm being overly generous) list.
The pre Orion system is called EDD, and that's where the info in the diad screen comes from. The paper manifest matches that diad list.
The system before that, still in use but rarely, is driver sort and load. I suspect tho, you'll at least have EDD.
It's true there are many drawbacks to the seasonal job. If however you desire to become a permanent driver, there is a process.
UPS promotes drivers first from the part time hourly (non mgmt) ranks on a 5 to 1 rotation. Meaning 5 part timers will get a chance at driving and then 1 "off the street" person will get their chance. In my building that "off the street" person is a part time supervisor who wants to become a driver in each case100% of the time.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Our new(er) drivers will come in an hour or so early, request a printout of the manifest for their route and will then sit at the picnic table with their printout, map(s) and smart phones and plot out their area for the day. I will offer assistance as needed and advice if requested.

There was a driver going out blind on a rural route that I used to run on Friday. We sat down and went through his manifest and map until he felt comfortable with where he needed to go. I gave him my cell phone number----he must have been OK as it never rang once all day long.

The bid driver for that route was doing safety observations instead of running her area.

 

[box_beeyotch]

Our new(er) drivers will come in an hour or so early, request a printout of the manifest for their route and will then sit at the picnic table with their printout, map(s) and smart phones and plot out their area for the day. I will offer assistance as needed and advice if requested.

There was a driver going out blind on a rural route that I used to run on Friday. We sat down and went through his manifest and map until he felt comfortable with where he needed to go. I gave him my cell phone number----he must have been OK as it never rang once all day long.

The bid driver for that route was doing safety observations instead of running her area.

Sometimes that's not always necessary. I've lived in the city whee I deliver all my life, so I know general areas and how to get around. The delivery points are key when you run blind.

 

[TheKid99]

I'm guessing you're from Michigan? Lol.

 

[box_beeyotch]

I'm guessing you're from Michigan? Lol.

Me? Not even close lol

 

[TheKid99]

Me? Not even close lol

Lol nope not you, the op.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Sometimes that's not always necessary. I've lived in the city whee I deliver all my life, so I know general areas and how to get around. The delivery points are key when you run blind.

While you may know general areas and how to get around you would not know number breaks, delivery points, traffic flow, areas to avoid during certain times of the day (schools), etc.

 

[Brownslave688]

Sometimes that's not always necessary. I've lived in the city whee I deliver all my life, so I know general areas and how to get around. The delivery points are key when you run blind.

This is why I prefer to run rural routes blind over city routes blind.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This is why I prefer to run rural routes blind over city routes blind.

The only problem with that is a wrong turn in the country could cost you 5-10 miles (or more) while a wrong turn in the city mean you just have to drive around the block.

 

[box_beeyotch]

The only problem with that is a wrong turn in the country could cost you 5-10 miles (or more) while a wrong turn in the city mean you just have to drive around the block.

Exactly. I'm the opposite. I prefer the city, way more fast paced. To each their own.

 

[MC4YOU2]

I could have bid many rural routes over the years, but chose to stay in town. Pros and cons for both. Rural routes I did always had the muddy/snowy/dusty/rough driveways, and more chain ups. On the plus side, less stops and bulk, better scenery.
In town, no comparison to the above almost the exact opposite on all counts. The main thing for me personally was just long periods of not seeing another human. Makes some people crazy. It would've done that to me.

 

[TooTechie]

The drivers you see grinding their teeth...it's not due to the difficult nature of the job as it's honestly not that difficult once you learn what to do and not to do. It's dealing with management, being over-dispatched or a combination of both.

You have to bust your butt in the beginning while racing the clock without getting into an accident or getting injured, without missing commit times and while trying to learn/remember all their acronyms and safety drivel. If you get hired on permanently and not just seasonally then the job isn't difficult, just somewhat challenging. When you're a cover guy covering other routes or doing random splits (work pulled off another route) it can be challenging to not know an area well and having to be quick while reading a map to figure out where the stops are and how best to get there. Orion is supposed to simplify this...but...yeah...