New Air/Cover Driver Question

[NewUPSguy]

Hello all,

I finished driving school couple weeks ago, and they've had me do airs a few times since, on Saturdays and once during the week. I've also rode with a Sup for training for a cover driving route all day after my preload shift two times so far. It's not too bad and I can't wait to see my next paycheck!

Before driving school I thought the driving would be the hard part, and now just a couple weeks in, I feel fine driving. Even my backing is getting better, something I was overly hesitant to do at first. Now its just focusing on learning the diad and locations...

And to the point...

When I'm driving is it normal to have to look up every stop on the map? Deliver a stop, look up the next, and so on? Feels like I'm moving like a snail. I am unfamiliar with the area, so does this come with experience or am I missing a step, a trick, something? My Sup says he can deliver Any route, only needing to look at a map a handfull of times.

Just looking for any tips/tricks to help me just starting out. I'm am liking the extra hours and do like the job...so far.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Sounds like your sup is starting you out slow. After you have been to the same stop a couple times, I hope you do not need to look it up on a map. Do you need to look up your home address on a map to get home? Should be the same after a while. Hang in there because you are in a good place job wise. After a while you can tell people you don't work for UPS, you just drive around and they pay you $25/hr.

 

[By The Book]

Hello all,

I finished driving school couple weeks ago, and they've had me do airs a few times since, on Saturdays and once during the week. I've also rode with a Sup for training for a cover driving route all day after my preload shift two times so far. It's not too bad and I can't wait to see my next paycheck!

Before driving school I thought the driving would be the hard part, and now just a couple weeks in, I feel fine driving. Even my backing is getting better, something I was overly hesitant to do at first. Now its just focusing on learning the diad and locations...

And to the point...

When I'm driving is it normal to have to look up every stop on the map? Deliver a stop, look up the next, and so on? Feels like I'm moving like a snail. I am unfamiliar with the area, so does this come with experience or am I missing a step, a trick, something? My Sup says he can deliver Any route, only needing to look at a map a handfull of times.

Just looking for any tips/tricks to help me just starting out. I'm am liking the extra hours and do like the job...so far.

Sounds like your looking up stops when you are driving Saturdays. This is normal. As for cover driving you may not know the area because you won't always be on the same route. If you just came out of driving school and are getting to go on road with a sup,consider yourself fortunate. Usually there are many other higher seniority part-timers that should go on road first. If they are taking you on the same rte. each time then get a printout of your manifest and put it against a map and highlight your areas. If you enlarge your map that helps also.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Repetition=experience. Doing the same job everyday you naturally will get better. The worst thing is when you get bounced around and can never learn one area before they send you somewhere else.

 

[NewUPSguy]

Sounds like your sup is starting you out slow. After you have been to the same stop a couple times, I hope you do not need to look it up on a map. Do you need to look up your home address on a map to get home? Should be the same after a while. Hang in there because you are in a good place job wise. After a while you can tell people you don't work for UPS, you just drive around and they pay you $25/hr.

Yea, definitely starting me out slow when I'm on my own and I do remember the stops and roads I've delivered. But so far everyday has been different route/area. Just gonna take some time, I guess.

Sounds like your looking up stops when you are driving Saturdays. This is normal. As for cover driving you may not know the area because you won't always be on the same route. If you just came out of driving school and are getting to go on road with a sup,consider yourself fortunate. Usually there are many other higher seniority part-timers that should go on road first. If they are taking you on the same rte. each time then get a printout of your manifest and put it against a map and highlight your areas. If you enlarge your map that helps also.

Yea, my hub has recently sent a lot of us to driving school and I was first on the list. Thats a good idea getting a printout, I did just buy a nice book map off ebay, just started highlighting today.

Repetition=experience. Doing the same job everyday you naturally will get better. The worst thing is when you get bounced around and can never learn one area before they send you somewhere else.

Yea, for now its fill in where needed with a Sup or an extra Air route they add at the end of the preload.

Thanks for the responses

 

[BigBeef42]

Hello all,

I finished driving school couple weeks ago, and they've had me do airs a few times since, on Saturdays and once during the week. I've also rode with a Sup for training for a cover driving route all day after my preload shift two times so far. It's not too bad and I can't wait to see my next paycheck!

Before driving school I thought the driving would be the hard part, and now just a couple weeks in, I feel fine driving. Even my backing is getting better, something I was overly hesitant to do at first. Now its just focusing on learning the diad and locations...

And to the point...

When I'm driving is it normal to have to look up every stop on the map? Deliver a stop, look up the next, and so on? Feels like I'm moving like a snail. I am unfamiliar with the area, so does this come with experience or am I missing a step, a trick, something? My Sup says he can deliver Any route, only needing to look at a map a handfull of times.

Just looking for any tips/tricks to help me just starting out. I'm am liking the extra hours and do like the job...so far.

Easy answer

It comes from experience. Supes make it look easy because theyve been doing it for years, if not a decade. They rub it in.... all day long too.

Dont worry about it.

If you use android... download road warrior. Then upgrade to the pro version for free. You enter in all your stops and then press the optimize button and it finds the quickest route for you. This lets you get to know the area without the late airs

My supe says its ok to use navigation as long as we dont physically touch the phone while the car is on.



Sent using USPS

 

[PT Car Washer]

Easy answer

It comes from experience. Supes make it look easy because theyve been doing it for years, if not a decade. They rub it in.... all day long too.

Dont worry about it.

If you use android... download road warrior. Then upgrade to the pro version for free. You enter in all your stops and then press the optimize button and it finds the quickest route for you. This lets you get to know the area without the late airs

My supe says its ok to use navigation as long as we dont physically touch the phone while the car is on.



Sent using USPS

Sups have been driving for decades? Months maybe. Not a big gadget fan but whatever. Just give me a paper map I can read. LARGE PRINT if available.

 

[By The Book]

New ups guy, are you just starting your progression? What is your pay rate?

 

[NewUPSguy]

New ups guy, are you just starting your progression? What is your pay rate?

Yea, just starting driving. Havent seen my paycheck yet, was told $12.5 for air driving and around $26 to cover drive.

 

[By The Book]

Yea, just starting driving. Havent seen my paycheck yet, was told $12.5 for air driving and around $26 to cover drive.

Nice, were you hired as a cover driver? Your not a full-time driver in 30 day probation I take it.

 

[NewUPSguy]

Nice, were you hired as a cover driver? Your not a full-time driver in 30 day probation I take it.

Nope, not a full time driver. I've been on preload for 3 years, and now driving mostly every Sat. and after the preload when needed.

 

[By The Book]

Nope, not a full time driver. I've been on preload for 3 years, and now driving mostly every Sat. and after the preload when needed.

In our area you would be a utility driver/Saturday driver. Has your center posted an annual drivers bid for those part time employees who want to drive? If your driving now with only 3 years in are the other Saturday drivers in your center driving also?