New Cover Driver

Undertow82

Well-Known Member
So....just started cover driving for peak. Passed school, rode two days with a supe who said I was doing good and seemed positive that I would be ok. Next day after riding with supe for two days they tell me to take the day off because they "messed up the route and didn't want me to be blind in the dark. Day after that I was told to take the day off because the route was "extremely light". So first day out alone I do ok, was over but still done by 6:30. Next day was horrible, decided I would try to clear streets I was on instead of coming back around and well, totally screwed myself. They ended up pulling off all my pickups and taking about 30 stops off me. So the next day I was a "helper" for another driver who was pretty heavy. Next day out alone, they pulled another 30 stops off me saying I was behind. Next day doing preload. Just got a text saying pre load again tomorrow. They haven't told me I was disqualified, the supes have followed me 2 out of the three alone days and said I was doing fine. I'm confused as to why they have me working pre load instead of learning more of this route a week before peak actually starts? Is this the infamous UPS logic or am I about to be disqualified and they are just playing games with me. Any advice?
 

joeboodog

good people drink good beer
So....just started cover driving for peak. Passed school, rode two days with a supe who said I was doing good and seemed positive that I would be ok. Next day after riding with supe for two days they tell me to take the day off because they "messed up the route and didn't want me to be blind in the dark. Day after that I was told to take the day off because the route was "extremely light". So first day out alone I do ok, was over but still done by 6:30. Next day was horrible, decided I would try to clear streets I was on instead of coming back around and well, totally screwed myself. They ended up pulling off all my pickups and taking about 30 stops off me. So the next day I was a "helper" for another driver who was pretty heavy. Next day out alone, they pulled another 30 stops off me saying I was behind. Next day doing preload. Just got a text saying pre load again tomorrow. They haven't told me I was disqualified, the supes have followed me 2 out of the three alone days and said I was doing fine. I'm confused as to why they have me working pre load instead of learning more of this route a week before peak actually starts? Is this the infamous UPS logic or am I about to be disqualified and they are just playing games with me. Any advice?
Mondays tend to be a bit on the light side. In two weeks, unless you are a total friend* up, you will have more work than you can imagine.
 

Undertow82

Well-Known Member
What do you mean "clear streets"... did you run out of order and not by edd or orion?
Exactly. If I was on a particular street or close to a stop that was down the board I would try to knock it out real quick and it isn't advisable unless you know the area extremely well. I don't.
 

Undertow82

Well-Known Member
Mondays tend to be a bit on the light side. In two weeks, unless you are a total friend* up, you will have more work than you can imagine.
Oh yea Mondays are lighter but from my preload experience we would normally start around 4am. Tomorrow we're starting at 2am. Which seems weird if it's light. I don't know. I just want to learn and that's hard to do 2 days out of a week.
 

joeboodog

good people drink good beer
Oh yea Mondays are lighter but from my preload experience we would normally start around 4am. Tomorrow we're starting at 2am. Which seems weird if it's light. I don't know. I just want to learn and that's hard to do 2 days out of a week.
I can pretty much guarantee that starting Tuesday after Thanksgiving, we will be totally swamped. Should you have more seasoning before the spam hits the fan? Absolutely. As far as earlier starts Monday, they want to get the drivers on the road as early as possible to take advantage of as much daylight as possible and to get pickup volume back to the building as soon possible.
 

Mst3k

Well-Known Member
You will be fine. You are a cover so are not guaranteed work every day. Just chill and enjoy the stree free days.
 

Box Ox

Well-Known Member
You're fine. You might have been bumped back into preload because bad numbers still count against management prior to Thanksgiving or non-training route permanent drivers refused to be bumped out and take a dead day so you could keep training.

When I started driving for the first time as a seasonal I was barely prepped and thrown into the deep end during peak because I wasn't needed until then. Permanent drivers were the best source of info if I had questions.

You probably aren't prepared but there also won't be much in the way of expectations from management. They'll just be glad they've got one more body in to deliver whatever they can.
 

Pooter

Well-Known Member
Believe it or not, I'm sure there are 10 drivers in the same boat as you.

For whatever reason UPS likes to train new drivers last minute :D

Do your best come peak and remember that "at some point, you get to go home"
 

StoptheAct1212

Well-Known Member
Just a heads up. your doing fine. your just seasonal and pretty much just a body. its not you.
All permanent full time and some cover drivers are guaranteed the work before you. get whatever you can get....
And Mondays the work is in the building. ready to go... so mondays can be wrapped up earlier and get drivers on tve road as early as possible
 
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