To feed(er) or not to feeder?

[bottomups]

Package will not get better, if you hate it now that hatred will only grow with the passing years. Take the feeder job and don't look back, you will not regret it.

Packages can get better. Bid on a high mileage rural satellite route. Almost feel quilty collecting a paycheck every week. Could deliver this area another 10 years if I had to.

 

[Johney]

Package will not get better, if you hate it now that hatred will only grow with the passing years. Take the feeder job and don't look back, you will not regret it.

Give it time feeder will catch up to package. It's still UPS. Once they blow their load on package and there's nothing left to do there whose next? It's still UPS.

 

[Johney]

Packages can get better. Bid on a high mileage rural satellite route. Almost feel quilty collecting a paycheck every week. Could deliver this area another 10 years if I had to.

Those are nearly unobtainable(here).

 

[greengrenades]

I have been in feeders 21 years. Right off the street. Nights this whole time. I personally wouldnt want a day run. Working days I woulld never see my kids, have to take a sick day to get any business done. Working nights I have all afternoon to spend with my kids and if I have any business to do I have the time to do it. As far as sleeper teams go I can see where it would be good for some but I really cant think of anybody I like well enough to spend that much time with in such a tight place for that much time.

My dad did what you did. He prefered nights as well. He says it's best to get off at like 8 or 9 in the morning so that way you can get off work and go get things done.

 

[Wally]

Of all the guys I have seen go into Feeders, only a few came back, so that must say something about the job. Give it a shot. You can come back, but maybe you will like it?

 

[Quigley]

Unfortunately in my center if you go into feeders from package, you have 30 days, but then you cant come back.

 

[Quigley]

Give it time feeder will catch up to package. It's still UPS. Once they blow their load on package and there's nothing left to do there whose next? It's still UPS.

Feeder cant catch up to package. The simple reason is you can only pull so many trailers at any one time and the speed limit will stay the same. If anything it gets better all the time with the new tractors coming in. It wasnt that long ago we had to drive non-power steering tractors, heaters and air conditioners that worked off and on. Now the trucks have power steering, power windows, power mirrors, heaters that will cook you in the coldest weather, air conditioners that will freeze you out and stereos in the dash. The only way it could get any better is to hire someone to drive for you while you take a nap.

 

[superballs63]

Unfortunately in my center if you go into feeders from package, you have 30 days, but then you cant come back.

We commit for 2 years.Which is why the decision is harder than it should be

 

[Quigley]

We commit for 2 years.Which is why the decision is harder than it should be

But at least you have that option if you dont like it. In 21 years I have never met anybody that went to feeders from package and wanted to go back.

 

[Johney]

Feeder cant catch up to package. The simple reason is you can only pull so many trailers at any one time and the speed limit will stay the same. If anything it gets better all the time with the new tractors coming in. It wasnt that long ago we had to drive non-power steering tractors, heaters and air conditioners that worked off and on. Now the trucks have power steering, power windows, power mirrors, heaters that will cook you in the coldest weather, air conditioners that will freeze you out and stereos in the dash. The only way it could get any better is to hire someone to drive for you while you take a nap.

I didn't say the equipment wasn't going to get better. I'm just saying they can and will at some point or another start holding feeder drivers more accountable for their time. Not as much as package,but when that is all that's left to micromanage it will be. You're crazy if you don't think it's coming.

 

[MoarTape]

Feeder cant catch up to package. The simple reason is you can only pull so many trailers at any one time and the speed limit will stay the same.

They still do the same old nitpicking. They expect have your tractor pre-tripped, set built and pre-tripped and be at the gate within about 27 minutes of punching in. I'd say that's about the worst of it and that really isn't that bad. Where I am, they don't really even give anyone grief about taking longer.

 

[Quigley]

Unless you can change the distance between point A and point B, change the speed limit, remove the governor that limits how fast you can drive or have any control over the road construction or conditions due to weather, there isnt much management can do about the time it takes to complete a run. And thats why in 21 years I nor anybody else in my center has ever been reprimanded over how long it took to complete my run. We are told "Better late then never"

 

[PT Car Washer]

Package will not get better, if you hate it now that hatred will only grow with the passing years. Take the feeder job and don't look back, you will not regret it.

Package car is not meant to be a career. Grow up and move out of your moms basement.

 

[Jones]

Package car is not meant to be a career. Grow up and move out of your moms basement.

Er, what?

 

[Dracula]

Thanks for the advice guys

I spoke with a feeder manager yesterday who told me, based on my FT date that more than likely I'll make the cut. So I'm just trying to make the most informed decision I can. as far as feeder seniority, I'm going to be like #2 or 3 from the bottom

I'm at about 6 years FT in delivery, and to be honest there are days when I think about quitting because I hate it THAT much. Just time for a change, not sure if I'll stay in feeders until I retire, or after a good while pop my head into delivery and see how things are going

I can't speak to your specifics, because as I read here, different areas have different situations. In my area we have over 300 feeder drivers. So we have every imaginable job that you might think off. We have plenty of sleeper jobs, plenty of local pickup/RR jobs, plenty of road jobs and quite a lot of mileage jobs. And we are growing.

When I went to feeders, like you, I hated-HATED package car. But I also wanted to work 12 hours a day, like I heard you could in feeders. When I got back there, I was surprised to find that most of our jobs averaged around 9 to 10 hours. Turns out, the package car drivers were the ones who got the 12 hours a day.

I get my 12 hour days now, but I get that by doing extra work after my shift is over.

Again, every area is different, so no telling what hours you would work there. But you might be surprised how much extra time you would have with your family. I can't tell you how many guys say they waited to go to feeders because they feared never seeing their family. When they went, they found they had more face time than they ever had in package car.

Either way, you will be shocked how much less stress you have in feeders than package car. Some different worries, yes, but if you are a safe driver, you're golden, man.

 

[cachsux]

We commit for 2 years.Which is why the decision is harder than it should be

Here feeder is for life........like herpes.

 

[cachsux]

Package car is not meant to be a career. Grow up and move out of your moms basement.

And PT car washing is?

 

[Dracula]

Here feeder is for life........like herpes.

But surprisingly enough, comfortable to live with.

 

[PT Car Washer]

And PT car washing is?

$30.70/hr.

 

[Dracula]

$30.70/hr.

And part-time.