Why do some veteran drivers prefer swinging over their own route?

[Brownslave688]

I think I'm confused with your post. You have a bid route right?

Nope. Top cover driver. Why would I take the first route to open up when I can cover routes for guys with 25+ years in all year.

 

[Brownslave688]

Small center? Did you still like floating when the bids went up? Maybe those bid routes don't bonus like the city routes.

Not a bonus center and so I could care less about over/under. Likely wouldn't anyway.

 

[upsbeernut]

More money in my pocket. They me in the ass. I kick them in the nuts.

Then you have found the balance between money and overworkness. Kick them in the nuts for me too.

 

[UPSGUY72]

I could have my own route but it would be crap I not doing a crappy route every day. There are guys that can't adapt to doing a different route everyday and it doesn't matter how bad the route is they will bid it just to be doing the same thing every day.

As a cover driver I know that at least I'm not going to be on a crappy route everyday. More than not I'm going to be doing a pretty good route. Also they don't really expect to much from me (with that being said I pretty much scratch everyday). Also there are plenty of days I run split routes that are all house calls and no business especially during peak. I also punch out under 8 hrs a lot and get my guaranteed 8. I also get to take a lot of dead days.

I know about 30 routes in three centers in my area so I have a lot of knowledge on what routes are good and bad so when the time comes when I my own route I will not be bidding in the blind.

 

[wayfair]

I didn't mind cover driving until doing 5 different routes during a weeks span...

I had finally got a route, I thought, no one would ever bump me... lot's of dirt roads and oil rigs...

then I got bumped off, driver hated it and went to feeders... he bounced around so the bid was his for a bit

I liked the sheety route because I knew what I was doing everyday

 

[TooTechie]

doing the same everyday gets old. I've been tempted many times to bid off my route. And I have a retirement route

For me, it's comfortable. I'm ok with being in a rut at work as long as the checks cash.

 

[TooTechie]

Nope. Top cover driver. Why would I take the first route to open up when I can cover routes for guys with 25+ years all year.

When I was a cover guy that was me. I learned about 10 routes--almost all of them were pretty sweet. One 37 year driver with a route out in the woods takes 5-6 weeks together at a time and they'd have me do the route that whole time. Another 25+ year driver has a cupcake route almost 100% res, some out in the woods, some regular res and I'd cover all her vacations and days off. Both trucks were tiny (500 & 700) so I always looked forward to that.

 

[1080Driver]

Another thing is that they can't hold you to any production standards if you're covering different routes every day. Some days if you want to get out at a decent time, you turn it up; if you have no where to go & want some OT, turn it down.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

An even better question is why do some drivers think that they should be able to bid a route and then demand another truck for it or bring the truck from their old route over to their new bid? And even better.......why do some get to bid a route but then constantly pawn certain areas of that route on someone else? I say if you bid a route then you are also bidding the truck and the work that comes with it. Its that simple. Or should be.

 

[Richard Harrow]

I made it as high as #3 split driver (there were about 25-30 split drivers when I took my route) and I enjoyed it. If my route hadn't come up, I'd still be spit driving.

 

[sailfish]

Waiting for the one they want to come up for bid, I'd imagine.

 

[PT Car Washer]

An even better question is why do some drivers think that they should be able to bid a route and then demand another truck for it or bring the truck from their old route over to their new bid? And even better.......why do some get to bid a route but then constantly pawn certain areas of that route on someone else? I say if you bid a route then you are also bidding the truck and the work that comes with it. Its that simple. Or should be.

That is the way it is in my building. The package car is part of the route. I have also seen where the new bid driver get certain undesirable pick ups pulled off. Especially if he is a hot shot who will burn the route up.

 

[Brownslave688]

Another thing is that they can't hold you to any production standards if you're covering different routes every day. Some days if you want to get out at a decent time, you turn it up; if you have no where to go & want some OT, turn it down.

News flash. They can't hold you to production standards anyway.

 

[scooby0048]

Waiting for the one they want to come up for bid, I'd imagine.

If we did that in our center, we could go our whole career and never get the route we want. Average stay for a cover driver in our center is 10-18 years. Like the feeders, the only way you're getting a route is if you hired a hitman or the world imploded and you were the only one left.

 

[Cementups]

I think the OP was referring to long-term driver though. Guys with 20+ years driving. Some guys just don't like being on the same route every day. It's boring to them.
Personally I never minded cover most routes but the first chance I could get to have my own route I took it. It was a nice comfort of knowing where you were going every day and who you were dealing with. And also building a relationship with regular customers. It makes the days easier.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I think the OP was referring to long-term driver though. Guys with 20+ years driving. Some guys just don't like being on the same route every day. It's boring to them.
Personally I never minded cover most routes but the first chance I could get to have my own route I took it. It was a nice comfort of knowing where you were going every day and who you were dealing with. And also building a relationship with regular customers. It makes the days easier.

If you are cover driving for 20 years the customers know you almost as well as the regular driver.

 

[Grey]

If you are cover driving for 20 years the customers know you almost as well as the regular driver.

Maybe I'm confusing cover driving with swing driving. The difference isn't in the FAQ's thread.

 

[scooby0048]

Maybe I'm confusing cover driving with swing driving. The difference isn't in the FAQ's thread.

Maybe each area of the country uses different lingo but essentially, it's the same. We use the term swing driver here others call it cover driving. You are a FT, qualified driver but have no route of your own hence, you cover other routes when people call out, are on vacation, injury, etc.

 

[overflowed]

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[overflowed]

I think a very specific reason. Swings stay swings because of high intelligence. 1. Management can't really ride them about petty bull as long as the route gets done. This is very smart. 2. Intelligent people get bored easily. You'll eventually find those swings hanging in the truck at the end of the day if they take a route. I have never seen a swing, that's been a swing for a very long time, be of low intelligence.
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