UPS P&D to Linehaul

It won’t be a roadblock. It’ll be a big challenge going from no experience to p&d. Linehaul is more forgiving for new drivers. However, p&d is an “easier” lifestyle transition. Typically your working nights doing 5-600 miles in linehaul.

 

Good luck and I hope this job works out for you. It sounds like a tremendous opportunity for you because normally UPSF don't have any type of training program for students. Hopefully they'll start you off slowly and train you the right way instead of just throwing you the keys after a couple weeks of training and then tell you to "go get em tiger" because that could be disaster in the making.

P&D can be difficult at times for even the most experienced drivers because of all the various different locations that you'll have to deliver to. Seeing that you're in South Jersey, most likely you'll have to deliver to Philly at some point. Hopefully they'll ease you into the job by starting you off as a Yard Jockey first, so you can perfect you skills on backing. And then start you off on a Straight Truck Residential, so you can learn what P&D is all about and learn how to use the Liftgates, pallet jacks, and how to make residential deliveries as well. Then they MAY start you off as a Combo driver, working the docks and then occasionally doing a short distance P&D run here and there until you get the hang of things. Then when you get the hang of things, you may eventually get a bid run or wind up on Extraboard. Give it a couple years or two, build up your seniority, and then when a Linehaul position opens up, jump on it like fish to water, and watch your bank account start to grow.

Just make sure you know in advance that you can survive off the low starting payrate, because many people can't. Your not gonna make any real decent money until around year 3, when your up around $24 an hour. And since you're gonna be hired under the current contract and not the new one that's gonna be underway, you may be stuck with the current pay progression and not the new one. And also, make sure you have some steel tip shoes, otherwise they'll just send you home. Tuck in your shirt, cut your hair, hide all visible tats, clean shaven, and most importantly...pucker up your behind...because you'll be working for UPS. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!

Just kidding...lol. All jokes aside, UPSF is pretty laid back and it'll be great Career move. Not a lot of people can say that they started they're trucking Career with UPS. Good luck and you "MAY" also be able to keep your beard too at UPSF, that's if you have one....

Yes... Yes... NOOOOOO...

 

Sho Nuff pretty much laid it all out there. Personally, I don't have much use for unions(although I'm really amazed the remaining Saia drivers haven't called the Teamsters by now--if there were ever a use for a union in this day and age, that'd be it), but it's a very good job with a stable, high-paying outfit, with the opportunity to move laterally to different divisions. Honestly, I think you lucked out getting this gig. Pay attention, keep learning every day, and keep us updated!

 

Contract negotiations are already under way. If you want updates on UPSF's negotiations, here's a link that you can follow....

UPS/UPSF Contract Updates

And yeah, your gonna struggle for the first 2 years. Starting payrate I think is around $17.25 after you pass your probation period. Don't expect too much OT as a P&D driver. Normally you'll start somewhere around 10:30 am and finish around 7-8pm. You may be able to ask the TM if you can come in early to work the docks. Or if you get lucky, they might have a Combo Dock/Driver position available, but those guys put in A LOT of OT. 12-14 hours a day is the norm, and usually none of the Senior drivers want it. It'll definitely give a new guy plenty of OT to survive the beginning payrate, but other than that, only expect to get around 45 hours per week. On the plus side, P&D drivers have weekends off, so you may be able to grab a part-time job to supplement your income, unless you have a spouse that can help you out for the first 2 years before you start making any real money.