New full time driver

[JL 0513]

I haven't been taking a lunch. While I'm doing a pick up ill throw a lunch into the board and then before I stop complete the pick up ill finish the lunch. Idk how one can fit a lunch into a day. Heck i'm already what seems like an hr behind when I first clock in.

Yes, it does seem like a lunch in the day of a UPS driver sounds impossible right now, but in a couple months, it will be know problem. Assuming they keep you on the same route for a while. If they bounce you around after you make seniority, it will remain a challenge but after while you just know numerous routes.

I can do 145 stops/275 pieces, 10 pickups, 80 miles in an 8.5 hr day (9.5 span with full lunch taken) without trying too hard. You'll probably be able to do the same if you're competent. May seem impossible now but just keep your spirits high, it will come.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Is the hr lunch a UPS country wide thing? I was told we only get 30 min.

We only get 45 minutes here----I would be content with just 30.

 

[stangwithnos06]

Lets stay on topic here please.

 

[stangwithnos06]

I can do 145 stops/275 pieces, 10 pickups, 80 miles in an 8.5 hr day (9.5 span with full lunch taken) without trying too hard. You'll probably be able to do the same if you're competent. May seem impossible now but just keep your spirits high, it will come.

How long have you been doing this route? I can see if I was on my same training route for say months getting better and better. But yea when I start swinging that's gonna suck.

 

[UPSGUY72]

I haven't been taking a lunch. While I'm doing a pick up ill throw a lunch into the board and then before I stop complete the pick up ill finish the lunch. Idk how one can fit a lunch into a day. Heck i'm already what seems like an hr behind when I first clock in.

If you have to skip your lunch but put it in the board to make your 30 days so be it just make your 30 days after you make your 30 days take your lunch all that they can do is give you a hard time if your over allowed after your in.

 

[JL 0513]

How long have you been doing this route? I can see if I was on my same training route for say months getting better and better. But yea when I start swinging that's gonna suck.

1 year. From here on out I'm going to be cover driving ("swing"). Got lucky to have one route first year (previous guy retired a year before bidding time).

 

[mrbrownstone]

I too am right there with you. I started driving on Tuesday May 6 with a sup for three days and then was out on my own on Friday of that same week. I then drove last Tuesday through Friday on my own (Monday they didn't need me). So I have been out total of 8 days, 5 on my own. I have all of the EXACT same concerns as you.

I drove over peak but quite honestly that was much easier because I was in a rental box truck doing the exact same businesses everyday with no resis except for an occasional 1 here and there.

Like you I thought about dq'ing myself but decided not too and also like you I struggle reading a map and have been very used to using gps on my phone.

Also every driver I have talked to just keeps saying don't worry it will get easier and while that may be true it doesn't help with the stress we feel now not knowing where in the world we are or where our next stop is.

Finally, I figured out a plan that seems to be helping me tremendously that I devised on my own.

First, I decided I wasn't going to try to to learn the whole route overnight but rather in small chunks. Like your route all of my businesses are super close together so I learned them the fastest. Next I decided what resi areas/streets were the easiest for me to remember and I started remembering them and I mean only a few roads in a development such as the main roads that go from one side to the other.

Then recently I came up with another idea. When I am at home in the evening I look at my route on Google Maps and I have it zoomed out so that I can see the streets but not names. I then point to each street and name it. If it intersects with other streets, I name them too that way I can remember where I am while I am driving. I am still doing this and am obsessing over it until I know every street name from any direction.

I quickly found that simply memorizing the streets names from one direction doesn't work because you may hit that street from a different way depending on your stops for that day, so when I look at the map and name the roads I name them in different order each time to make sure I really know them. Lastly I also try to picture the map in my head as I am driving and that seems to help.

Hopefully that helps you. Believe me when I say I am struggling too. I only have about 85 stops on a 120 stop route and it takes me from 8:45 start time until about 6 or later to finish. Oh and I don't eat all day but clock an hour lunch anyway since I figure I waste that much time figuring out where to go and am so stressed I have no appetite anyway.

P.S. you can pm me if you want to talk more about it. I feel your pain.

 

[UPSjedi41]

Make sure when your businesses are done you stop and organize your next 15-30 resi stops. Should only take 5-7 minutes. Deliver all those and reload the next set of 15-30 and repeat. It does get easier. Hopefully you are running the route the same way everyday and complete each section one at a time. Once you know where the breaks are in each section it helps. Try to get a sense of where the numbers are going up and down when the streets run east-west and north-south. Print multiple maps for each section of the route and use it as a guide. Do not panic they are only boxes.

 

[stangwithnos06]

Its good to know I'm not the only one. Looks like my first problem is I have no set routine. I just follow what EDD tells me. I have just been winging it. Looks like I need to come up with something that will make things a little easier for me. I appreciate all the helpful reply's.

 

[BrownTexas]

When you are in your 30 day package it is a different game.

I would say GPS is your friend but only to a degree. Don't use GPS to tell you how to get there. Use it to find the stop and notice the roads you need to take to get there. It will help learn them without having to spend the time to unfold a map and look it over.

Take a lunch. Even if it is only 10 minutes. You need to rest. It will allow you to think of a game plan. It doesn't count towards your time allowance.

If you aren't coming in early and setting your truck up you should. It will help you save time trying to find everything once you are on road.

Talk to your loader. He might have put a stop somewhere that you won't know of unless you talk to him.

When you have room, set up your truck. Most of your time is going to be looking for packages, so set up 10-20 stops as you go.

If you're having trouble with your area go drive around it on the weekend.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[ajax25]

I wouldn't recommend trying to memorize all the streets. You are going to need to know how the numbering system works in your area when we all become swing drivers so I suggest just starting to learn that now. I take my 30 min lunch but eat for about 10-15 min and then either organize my load for the rest of the day or get going depending on how my morning went time wise. Like I said it seems to me (correct me if I'm wrong veteran drivers) that as long as you show improvement and don't get in an accident or make any huge mistakes you should be fine. At least that's the sense I get.


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[ajax25]

Hey you two other new guys, did anyone sit you down and explain what is expected of you as a new driver during your 30 days? ie: what it takes to make it? Nobody had ever given me any guidelines or numbers I have to hit or anything like that


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[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You have to be able to do the route either at or under the planned day. That is called "scratch".


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[ZQXC]

Make sure when your businesses are done you stop and organize your next 15-30 resi stops. Should only take 5-7 minutes. Deliver all those and reload the next set of 15-30 and repeat. It does get easier. Hopefully you are running the route the same way everyday and complete each section one at a time. Once you know where the breaks are in each section it helps. Try to get a sense of where the numbers are going up and down when the streets run east-west and north-south. Print multiple maps for each section of the route and use it as a guide. Do not panic they are only boxes.

Excellent advice for someone starting out. You can print out the map pages from google. Use the zoom feature to get the most area you can while still being able to read the street names. After you get them printed, put 2 adjacent map pages back to back and laminate them. The laminate protects them but also stiffens them, making them easier to hold and read.

 

[JL 0513]

Hey you two other new guys, did anyone sit you down and explain what is expected of you as a new driver during your 30 days? ie: what it takes to make it? Nobody had ever given me any guidelines or numbers I have to hit or anything like that

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I was never told about what exactly I needed to do to make it. Your on car sup/trainer will likely just tell you how you're doing and keep pushing you to do better.

You have to be able to do the route either at or under the planned day. That is called "scratch".


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That's not necessarily the case. May depend. I wouldn't expect people to be capable of scratching a route in their first few weeks on the job unless maybe they work through their whole lunch.

Although if you're running an hour+ over everday on your last week, you may have a problem.

 

[mrbrownstone]

Hey you two other new guys, did anyone sit you down and explain what is expected of you as a new driver during your 30 days? ie: what it takes to make it? Nobody had ever given me any guidelines or numbers I have to hit or anything like that


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In my case I may just be summer seasonal. I drove during peak then went back to the hub then got called to start May 6th. Interestingly my center manager asked if there was any reason I wouldn't be able to work the next 31 days and I said no there isn't any reason that I wouldn't be available to work.

As far as expectations I was told by my On Car Sup and center manager that they expect me to follow the methods and not get into any accidents or have any injuries. I was not told about how fast to go. Maybe I am just putting too much pressure on myself. I know OP is going for his 30 days but not sure I am.

I just don't know where the line is between working by the methods yet not being to slow so I am paranoid.

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[jumpman23]

Just get the supes to print you out maps of the route your running, and study it. The one tool that is going to help you the most on this job is REPETITION. Just like anything else you do in life, its all repetition. You guys will be fine trust me. Just try and not worry about it so much. Its not good to dwell on things, its not healthy. If your having one of those moments, shut it down and get yourself together soldier lol. The importance of taking mental breaks if your stressing, is very important whether your driving at work, or in your everyday life. Mental breaks are highly underated, we all can you use them to our advantage. Good luck boys

 

[Mack Grant]

To start off I have been with UPS for 9 years. I have done everything from loading trailers, clerking, bulk, preload, you name it I have done it. Seven months ago I decided I wanted to give air driving a stab. Turns out I really liked it. PM air not EAM. I enjoyed being out on the road on my own with no one looking over my shoulder. Long story short I'm now 2 weeks into full time package car driving and I'm struggling bad. 70 stops is taking me 10-11 hrs a day. I have zero road knowledge because I never really thought I needed it. Always used a gps or like map quest. My business stops are somewhat easy cause they are all close to each other. when I get to my resis stops is when I start to struggle. I never know witch way to go. I follow trace by the way. Whats going to happen when I swing drive and I don't know the area at all? I mean my training route i didn't know either but i have been out there for going on 3 weeks now. I thought about just giving up and disqualifying myself but why be a quitter? IDK its just so hard and I have no idea what I'm doing. Having zero road knowledge scares me to. I did not go into this thinking it was going to be a cake walk. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew I was going to want to quit. I suck with the DIAD to.

What exactly does ORION do? I hear it tells you where to go? if so how? I also keep reading its a complete disaster. So was EDD when it first launched. I hear anyone can be thrown out in the blind with ORION and know exactly where to go? Is this true? My center is still about a year out from getting ORION. I'm in INDPLS IN if it matters.

Everyone goes through this. When I was trained one of the supes basically used me as a driver helper for 2 days and was shocked when I went out by myself for the first time and had 25 stops done at 1:30pm.

Look at a map when you get home late So you can memorize the street names. If you can manage it drive the route on the weekend.

Know what your boundaries and main roads are.

Understand that the trace is generally broken into sections meaning in the morning after your air you'll deliver you first business stops, then you'll deliver resi stops, then pickups etc. Try to get an understanding of what the trace wants you to do and how it wants you to drive the route.

And here's the most important: talk to the senior drivers in your center about how to drive the route. There are drivers that you see every morning at the PCM who know it better than any mgmt possibly could. Go and pester them for answers. They'll help because they remember how it was for them too. Good luck.

 

[stangwithnos06]

Today was a little better but that's because a sup rode with me. we had 80 stops. we were done by 5. I'm on my own the rest of the week and next week my sup is on vaca so its all me for here on out. I'm try and push my self a little harder tomorrow. have 30-35 stops off by 12. I hear 50 stops off by noon is smoking fast? Anyway I appreciate all the kind words.

 

[joeboodog]

Today was a little better but that's because a sup rode with me. we had 80 stops. we were done by 5. I'm on my own the rest of the week and next week my sup is on vaca so its all me for here on out. I'm try and push my self a little harder tomorrow. have 30-35 stops off by 12. I hear 50 stops off by noon is smoking fast? Anyway I appreciate all the kind words.

That is another little trick I use and that is set goals throughout the day. So many stops off by noon. So many off by pick ups. Have only so many stops left after pick ups. I am not a runner but it keeps me off their production radar.