Just started seasonally, feel like I'm on too difficult a route. Suggestions?

[Karma12345]

I haven't spoke with my supervisor just yet because I've only had two days without him. Going to give it my best another day or two but just looking for some feedback. The route I'm on he tried to train several other people on prior to me but said they couldn't handle it. I'm on a mall route with several businesses around it and some residential. The morning to noon commits I have no problem making, but between organizing my truck and running all over the mall I get behind and I'm barely on time starting my pickups. When I return to the mall for pickups I still have some to deliver that I couldn't get to but had no time commits. I know I'll get more proficient over time but right now I'm completely skipping my break and with peak season hitting very soon I don't feel like I will get proficient enough to keep up with peak and ever have enough time for a break. Most drivers I trained with are on mostly residential routes and say it's fairly easy. This route I feel will stress me out close to the point of having to leave back to my old job. If feeling overwhelmed on a route is it common to be swapped or do they normally say "tough ". I know its a fast paced stressful job, but the last two days were beyond my stress threshold.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Welcome to peak at ups. I suggest you stick it out.

 

[hyena]

I haven't spoke with my supervisor just yet because I've only had two days without him. Going to give it my best another day or two but just looking for some feedback. The route I'm on he tried to train several other people on prior to me but said they couldn't handle it. I'm on a mall route with several businesses around it and some residential. The morning to noon commits I have no problem making, but between organizing my truck and running all over the mall I get behind and I'm barely on time starting my pickups. When I return to the mall for pickups I still have some to deliver that I couldn't get to but had no time commits. I know I'll get more proficient over time but right now I'm completely skipping my break and with peak season hitting very soon I don't feel like I will get proficient enough to keep up with peak and ever have enough time for a break. Most drivers I trained with are on mostly residential routes and say it's fairly easy. This route I feel will stress me out close to the point of having to leave back to my old job. If feeling overwhelmed on a route is it common to be swapped or do they normally say "tough ". I know its a fast paced stressful job, but the last two days were beyond my stress threshold.

I'm not being a d* but they'll tell you tough

 

[jaker]

I always thought the mall routes are the easiest

I know you want to think you have a hard route and yes some other guys couldn't do it either , but what you are seeing is the real life of a driver and what it really takes to be one

We make the job look easy , but you just learned that what you see is not what it really is and welcome to our world that we live in all year

 

[burrheadd]

Seriously?
SMH!!!!

 

[Karma12345]

That's what I figured. At least the mall is open late so I can make some deliveries during my pickups. Will try to find someone else that has done this route for some insight. No idea how they knock this out and actually have time to eat something. Thanks for the reply.

 

[sailfish]

If you're running the residentials with everything else try skipping them entirely until after pickups and businesses are done.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Mall volume should lighten up the closer we get to Christmas.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I haven't spoke with my supervisor just yet because I've only had two days without him. Going to give it my best another day or two but just looking for some feedback. The route I'm on he tried to train several other people on prior to me but said they couldn't handle it. I'm on a mall route with several businesses around it and some residential. The morning to noon commits I have no problem making, but between organizing my truck and running all over the mall I get behind and I'm barely on time starting my pickups. When I return to the mall for pickups I still have some to deliver that I couldn't get to but had no time commits. I know I'll get more proficient over time but right now I'm completely skipping my break and with peak season hitting very soon I don't feel like I will get proficient enough to keep up with peak and ever have enough time for a break. Most drivers I trained with are on mostly residential routes and say it's fairly easy. This route I feel will stress me out close to the point of having to leave back to my old job. If feeling overwhelmed on a route is it common to be swapped or do they normally say "tough ". I know its a fast paced stressful job, but the last two days were beyond my stress threshold.

Malls are notorious for not planning well. That means you are not given enough time to deliver most of those bulk stops and there is also no time factored in for lunch. Our mall guy has been on his route for decades and runs at least an hour over every day. Most mall route drivers have to run and skip (or delay) their lunches in order to get everything done without missing commits. But many will deny it.

 

[Karma12345]

My supervisor was having me do half of the residential right before starting my pickups, although the only experience he had on the route was a couple of days trying to train other people prior to me. My first day without him my truck was almost as full coming back as it was when I left that morning, and the second day I had random packages all over the place. Think my preloader thought it was Easter. We will see how tomorrow turns out.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Our mall driver (now retired) was normally one of the first in every night. It was rumored that he would call his infrequent pickups to see if they had stuff going out.

 

[jaker]

Our mall driver (now retired) was normally one of the first in every night. It was rumored that he would call his infrequent pickups to see if they had stuff going out.

Same here , the covers all bid on the mall route

 

[Pooter]

Tough it out OP. You will get better and things will run smoother as you gain experience and route knowledge. Good luck eating that sandwich with peak around the corner

Mall routes tend to get hammered in November in order to stock up for Black Friday/Christmas and lighten up during mid December.

My advice is skip residentials until the end. I assume it's gravy residentials if it's a heavy retail route but then again it's ups we are talking about....

 

[Karma12345]

I saved phone numbers in my phone for the businesses that normally don't have pickups so i can call them before heading there. Annoying going to the 10th floor of a building to find out they don't have anything. The pickups I can knock out fairly quick except a few of the larger stores in the mall at the end that have 100 - 250 pickups.

 

[ManInBrown]

I saved phone numbers in my phone for the businesses that normally don't have pickups so i can call them before heading there. Annoying going to the 10th floor of a building to find out they don't have anything. The pickups I can knock out fairly quick except a few of the larger stores in the mall at the end that have 100 - 250 pickups.

The mall has 10 floors?

 

[Karma12345]

No, as I said, "I'm on a mall route with several businesses around it and some residential."

 

[Pooter]

Sounds like our promenade nightmare route I dodge it like the plague.

Ask who the bid driver is for that route. He will be the most helpful person to ask.

 

[silenze]

Our mall routes are getting slammed. We have a feeder trailer that gets dropped off with the deliverys

 

[Purplepackage]

Mall routes can feel overwhelming at first because of the amount of bulk that you are delivering all day. Just get a system that works for you and it will become easier. And like everyone said just skip resi stops and hit them after pick ups before you head in

 

[ManInBrown]

Take your meal, everyday. Save all residential stops for the end of the day. If they have to come get your pickup pieces then so be it