what was your first route?

[Indecisi0n]

Be thankful you are at least young, dealing with that first route.

How young? You have pictures?

 

[Orion inc.]

Funny thing is 9 hours isn't too bad at all.

9 hours is the new 8 hour day. I'd love a 9 hour route

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

9 hours is the new 8 hour day. I'd love a 9 hour route

That's all I usually work since I got on the 9/5 list.

 

[Wally]

First route was newspapers. No Orion so I took too long.

 

[DumbTruckDriver]

My first route was a good mix of businesses and resis, with moderately heavy pickups. On top of that, it was in a part of town that I knew, so that helped. It was a good route.

If you're having a hard time now, just wait until you get thrown on a blind route and there's no one in the jump seat to tell you where to go.

 

[oldupsman]

It seems like the first route they are teaching me (day 6 of training) is supposed to be "permanent" instead of what they hired me for --cover driver. The two days they have been training me on have been long assed days..9+ hours, and that's with another person (sup) driving the route. I don't even know the roads. In the book they gave me for training, it breaks down the days for in class, and then on the job training. It said that they are supposed to give 6.5hour route in the beginning to learn everything, but this seems like much longer than a 6.5 hour route since it takes 9 hours or so to complete. I seem to lose steam at around 2-3pm , there are so many heavy boxes to deliver and then receive at the end of the day. at the end of the day, the truck's full again...it's like being a preloader , but with added responsibility of driving. Not to mention getting all those signatures for businesses, hunting people down just so you can get them to sign takes time too.

I've been told that 3 or 4 people have quit because of that route....so why am i being put into a difficult route head first? Most of the businesses have massive amounts of heavy packages they not only receive, but ship out everyday--one after another. (car dealers, etc). I don't think i can handle this physically day in an day out. It would be dangerous and stupid of me to be half asleep at the end of the day and operate a gigantic brown metal box.

I applaud and respect all those who are doing this day in and day out, I guess this is not for me.

Ah, the preloader who thought, "How tough can it be, all those guys do is drive around and deliver boxes all day."

 

[Orion inc.]

That's all I usually work since I got on the 9/5 list.

I'm on the list. They just pay the grievances now. I have 2 major accounts that get early delivery commits and later pick ups.
Cha-Ching every month!

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I'm on the list. They just pay the grievances now. I have 2 major accounts that get early delivery commits and later pick ups.
Cha-Ching every month!

Excellent!

 

[TheScratchKid]

I seem to lose steam at around 2-3pm , there are so many heavy boxes

 

[tacken]

Be smarter than the route. If you cant so sorry!!!! You deliver boxes (1) at a time.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Be smarter than the route. If you cant so sorry!!!! You deliver boxes (1) at a time.

1 at a time? No wonder it takes you so long.

 

[tacken]

Upstate that's a good oneeeeeeeee hahahaha!!!!!!!

 

[9.5er]

Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

 

[8000Shelf]

You will get in the flow and get more accustom to the long physical days. What you are describing is an average day as a driver. Some days will be better and some worse. It does get easier though. A lot of it is attitude and learning the game. With that said, go back to p/t while you still can if you feel you can't hack it. I certainly wouldn't blame you.

 

[scratch]

My first route was an industrial park and I drove a straight truck with a 24' box. An old tilt-cab Ford with air brakes. I went out everyday blown out with about 400 packages and I would pick up 600+ from my fifty shipping accounts. I had overflow every day and I had to get help getting pickups covered every night. This was in the mid-80s before FedEx Ground, so we owned the market then. The previous driver on that was killed in his personal vehicle, and three new drivers couldn't handle it before I bid on it. I went full-time straight out of the Hub on a bid route, I never had to swing drive.

 

[ManInBrown]

I'd love a 9 hour day. What are you complaining about?

 

[Grey]

Already have your own route? Lucky!!

 

[BrownThunder]

Hang in there brother, I just finished day 4 and part of me felt like hey we're setting me up too. Every day bro I'm getting murdered with these GD bulk pick ups. Hundreds and hundreds of airs, and In the air shuttle too so I gotta get all my work done on time to meet with other trucks to absorb their airs and jam back into the hub in time to unload them.

Like really? You have 3 pallets of ing NDA irregs? you!

It's still fresh, all you can do is change your attitude and boss up. Don't be afraid you're not alone in the struggle. Rookies all over the country are getting their collective asses killed.

 

[jbg77]

Quit so you can give someone else who is willing to do it a chance.

 

[WorknLateHuh]

my first route was a normal mix of bulky commercial stops and then cushy easy resi's from 12:00 and on. 115 avg miles, 8:20 start, and 0 pick ups. Looking back on it, it was great. I stayed on that route for a year as a cover driver.