Question for the old school guys - How'd ya start your day?

[Wally]

With technology and GPS making the job much easier than it used to be it has gotten me curious. Old school guys who delivered 90s or early 2000s how'd you start your day? Like we go in now adays and are able to print a map with the dots showing your delivery area. How was it for you guys? Did they have a method to lay out your route that day? How'd you start the day? Much respect to old school guys. My hub here in Sparks NV had an oldschool truck with 960k+ miles on it no power steering manual. Absolute piece of hahaa. Was on one of the rural routes here. Truck finally died but man I wonder how big the forearms are on the oldschoolers. Thanks!

So dumped on a route cold, you never did before, you would look at the shelf, look at a map, drive there and start delivering. You would jot down a section of stops. Sorting was a big part of the job.

 

[728ups]

Been off of it for 2 years only time I miss it is at the golf course

I miss it when I'm fishing. Cope and Redman just went well with fishing

 

[UnionStrong]

Threw my cooler in the truck, with map book and extra stylus and pen inside. Asked the preloader how it’s looking. Hit the roach coach for a muffin and coffee, BS and gossip for 20 minutes, PCM and away we go. Another day in paradise.

 

[LoadJockey]

Thanks all for the replies! It definitely seems like there was more comradery many years ago. Now its everyone rushing to print their stuff and go. Which I think is ok, I get it get done and get home to the family. Just hard to make some buds now adays. Always been curious about how the old guys did it so well. Maps are a big part still because you cant use GPS on the rural routes. ORION or google will try to make you take an atv trail . It seems like SPAs were better back then. Now adays I'll have a 4000s package that's literally the next culdesac and the route planner trying to get me to skip it. Dumb as bricks!

 

[LoadJockey]

You know Frankie aka @olroadbeech ?

I'm still relatively new driver only 2 years in. Is he Carson or sparks center? Many people I don't know too well. Mornings are chaos

 

[Wally]

Thanks all for the replies! It definitely seems like there was more comradery many years ago. Now its everyone rushing to print their stuff and go. Which I think is ok, I get it get done and get home to the family. Just hard to make some buds now adays. Always been curious about how the old guys did it so well. Maps are a big part still because you cant use GPS on the rural routes. ORION or google will try to make you take an atv trail . It seems like SPAs were better back then. Now adays I'll have a 4000s package that's literally the next culdesac and the route planner trying to get me to skip it. Dumb as bricks!

Do they still have RD routes? They were the toughest because unless you knew the customers you couldn't find homes. Where I am, they did away with RD's to implement the 911 system.

 

[finaddict]

Map and a compass, no . That was it. started 1989

 

[RUDoneYet]

I usually got there about half hour before start time. Would look down the belt to see how preload was doing.
Checked my slot for the days call tags or one shot pickups. This is before Diad. Then check the union bulletin board for any new
postings about union business. Then check the company board for new postings concerning business changes.

Went up to the locker room to change into uniform. Depending on the time of year, put on the proper
clothing and footwear. I kept 2 pairs of boots so I always had a dry pair to start the day. Then I would
open the shoe shine box and shine my shoes. After that I would check myself in front of the full length
mirror and made sure I looked presentable. After all, I was a professional.

Then hang with the rest of the drivers for about 5 minutes discussing business, gossip, whatever, before the PCM.

After the PCM I went down to the car, checked my supplies for the day and the load. This was before Diad so I
went to the first section and checked my first couple stops. See, I actually knew where I was going. Didn't need a
computer to tell me.

Then I turned on all my lights and 4ways. Walked around the entire perimeter of the package car making sure
all the lights were working properly. Also checked all the tires for any flats or low air pressure. Checked the gas cap
to make sure it was secured properly. Had a fellow driver next to me check my brake lights when I pumped them
in the cab to make sure they worked. Secured the car doors. Last thing was set my mirrors.

Put the package car in first gear and off I went on my merry UPS way.

Feel free to mock all you want.

What is this "first gear" you speak of????

 

[728ups]

Do they still have RD routes? They were the toughest because unless you knew the customers you couldn't find homes. Where I am, they did away with RD's to implement the 911 system.

i was always thankful when I was covering a route and the driver had a box of note cards in the truck with the RD1 and RD 2 details

 

[oldupsman]

i was always thankful when I was covering a route and the driver had a box of note cards in the truck with the RD1 and RD 2 details

I had an entire small notebook filled with names on different roads with a description of the house.
"John Williams, Outback rd., 3rd house on the left, white with green trim.

Had a customer whose packages used to come through,
George Wilson P.O. Box 57 UPS knows Pineville Pa.
He hated when I took vacation.

 

[UnionStrong]

I had an entire small notebook filled with names on different roads with a description of the house.
"John Williams, Outback rd., 3rd house on the left, white with green trim.

Had a customer whose packages used to come through,
George Wilson P.O. Box 57 UPS knows Pineville Pa.

Pole numbers sucked. # 18 # 18 1/2… try finding them at night in the woods.

 

[Sissy Brown Short Shorts]

Map and a compass, no . That was it. started 1989

First month I ran Saturday air I used my phone GPS for every stop. I went miles over my phone data plan, 150$ in overage fees. I bought a map and used that to get me to the area then printed out maps of the route to see specific stops at the office. Everyone thought I was nuts. My dad was a long haul trucker and taught me how to read maps as a young kid. A trait nobody my age has anymore. Now I work dumb like the company likes and use mapnav and Orion trace, gonna put my kids through college with that extra money.

 

[Babagounj]

A map and my "bible" , a book of street names and numbers.
The book was very important since it listed where other streets intercepted by house numbers.
( published by the same company as the map maker }
Flying blind was a normal way of life.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Finish my coffee and check the day's eDVIRs

 

[quad decade guy]

A map and my "bible" , a book of street names and numbers.
The book was very important since it listed where other streets intercepted by house numbers.
( published by the same company as the map maker }
Flying blind was a normal way of life.

Once my maps faded and shredded....never got another one.

Area knowledge was pretty effective in 14 years on the same route.

If they gave me some weird split....I just stumbled through it.....however long it took.

I always had tons of pickups and NDA. I had to be back. When they screwed me with an odd split.....things have consequences.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

Punch in. Go to work.

 

[PASinterference]

No preload when I started. Driver sort and load. We started at 645-700 and were on the road by 8. Got diads in '90 right before I started driving. My on road that trained me didn't have a clue how to use it. High step p1000 with a 4 speed and no power steering. 70 lb weight limit. Service was a priority back then. Now it's just the perception of service that matters.

 

[Steelheader]

I started in 1991 on paper. Completed my 30 days on old paper as they were launching DIAD 1.

I would check stop counts. Back then sequence numbers always stayed the same. So I knew what areas were on each shelf. I would check to make sure I had enough paper for the day, COD slip plus COD envelope. Grab pickup manifest for the day and any one shots (ODPU today) and call tags. Had appropriate maps ready just in case I had an oddball street. Mind you Thomas guides weren't that great on rural routes. I used fire station maps out there since they were more accurate.

 

[Steelheader]

Me in 1991. No shorts yet. You can see my paper timecard in my pocket.

 

[UnionStrong]

I started in 1991 on paper. Completed my 30 days on old paper as they were launching DIAD 1.

I would check stop counts. Back then sequence numbers always stayed the same. So I knew what areas were on each shelf. I would check to make sure I had enough paper for the day, COD slip plus COD envelope. Grab pickup manifest for the day and any one shots (ODPU today) and call tags. Had appropriate maps ready just in case I had an oddball street. Mind you Thomas guides weren't that great on rural routes. I used fire station maps out there since they were more accurate.

Yep