What was your first full week driving like?

[Mattmac0912]

I just finished mine and I’d be curious to know what people say. I mean like on your own not with the on road

 

[DriverNerd]

It was fine. Got done with all 90 stops in about 10 hours. I thought I was killing it.

 

[542thruNthru]

I was told that I was born to do this job and that I was the greatest driver to ever sit behind the wheel.

I thought it was a little over the top but hey they were right.

 

[...]

Had a rough first couple of days, but still managed to run 45 minutes under on Saturday (day 3). I think the Target pickup can be thanked for that.

 

[DOK]

Remember the first day 31 years ago, sup training me, last pickup was a mile drive down a narrow dirt goat path in the dark and it started sleeting, 200 or so packages out of a barn. While we were driving out of there I remember thinking what am I getting into.

 

[mcsketcher]

It was weird. I was “doing the best out of the new people” with 150ish stops per day. Then I got a full 200 stop day, a terrible load, in a new area, and I was out stupid late.

 

[preloader2driver]

My first job was delivering real estate magazines to driveways and we had to make copies of the Thomas Bro. maps to deliver to whole neighborhoods. I did 8 years of preload so knowing the truck and having a really good sense of direction I killed my 30 days. I did so good that on my first week after I passed I learned a new route EVERYDAY of the week. It sucked.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

All I remember was getting progressively more work, getting it done faster and faster and watching my over allowed increase. It was truly bizarre, it was like I was in the twilight zone.

 

[Fido]

I had 200 stops my first day
I didn’t finish

 

[Thebrownblob]

We still had keys when I started driving. And little blue slips that we could fill out to tell the Preload how they did. Times have changed.

 

[TearsInRain]

they gave me a semi-rural route in the blind straight out of integrad, first week of peak

it really opened my eyes to how many dogs free roam during the day

 

[Mattmac0912]

Yeah I mean I got a really nice route right around the area that I’ve worked for 5 years and not too much work yet. It’s a ton of stress at times and hard physical work but it’s also fun and way better than being on the inside on the sort so

 

[Mattmac0912]

^But when you see your first check it’s pretty worth it

 

[Two Tokes]

I just finished mine and I’d be curious to know what people say. I mean like on your own not with the on road

Was a heavy business ghetto resi training route during the middle of the summer
Never saw it again after my 30 days and happy for it
Truly had nightmares and did some sleep walking

 

[JustDeliverIt]

First time out was in a bulk van for peak. But this was before they were all rented, had a UPS 24’ stick bulk van. Delivered a few plazas/strip malls, picked those up and then did a resi neighborhood near it, maybe 40-50 resi stops. Was so happy when the next route I had was a package car, made me feel like I was flying even though it was a 800 stick. Still better than climbing in and out of those bulk vans.

 

[Shift Inhibit]

I just finished mine and I’d be curious to know what people say. I mean like on your own not with the on road

I had a chubby all day ! Then got too cavalier, shut bulkhead door with keys sitting on section 2!! Midway thru metro

 

[DriverNerd]

First time out was in a bulk van for peak. But this was before they were all rented, had a UPS 24’ stick bulk van. Delivered a few plazas/strip malls, picked those up and then did a resi neighborhood near it, maybe 40-50 resi stops. Was so happy when the next route I had was a package car, made me feel like I was flying even though it was a 800 stick. Still better than climbing in and out of those bulk vans.

The old manual cattle cars had some damn heavy clutches.

 

[AccidentProne]

We still had keys when I started driving. And little blue slips that we could fill out to tell the Preload how they did. Times have changed.

Curious on what most drivers wrote to the preload. I'd imagine a lot of talking.

 

[Brownwind]

I was told that I was born to do this job and that I was the greatest driver to ever sit behind the wheel.

I thought it was a little over the top but hey they were right.

I ripped up my old man retire route and felt like a running wonder. Little did I know it was the best route ever and would take twenty years to get back to my retirement route.

At the time I finished my first week I had a 12 something an hour wage and I thought it was amazing. Definitely miss my p500 and the respect I got from making my thirty days. I had to be pressed and shined. (Now my sub looks like he’s homeless and hasn’t bathed. Sickening to me watching some kid who doesn’t know how to iron his shirt gets to do my route)

 

[Commercial Inside Release]

Curious on what most drivers wrote to the preload. I'd imagine a lot of talking.

If you are in a small center, then you know they basically dragged the preloaders out of their inevitable stack out, and then unceremoniously threw them under the bus.