Ups Freight

in response to "all non-union guys get screwed" I have to say; In the mid 90's I was a self-employed farmer. I worked at Yellow Freight in Salem IL as a casual. It was a good set-up for me at the time, they might work me a few days a week when I wasn't in the field. BUT, after about a year of doing this and not having any problems with customers or any accidents, a situation arose where I was dispatched to pick up a preloaded trailer at a factory about 20 miles from the terminal. I was sent in a single axle tractor to get the load. The bills added up to about 43,000 lbs. I backed under the trailer and the drives went about half-flat. I did't feel too comfortable. Another fulltime driver was there at the same time, he told me "thats the reason yellow has casuals". The full time drivers would refuse to pull the overweight load and the dispatchers knew it. His advice was to call the terminal and politely tell the dispatcher the situation and that I was uncomfortable with pulling the load. He also said there is a chance that I would not be called back to work if I did so. I went ahead and brought back the load and then talked to dispatch about it. That dispatcher never called me into work again. (another one would) Keep in mind I was paying my union dues every month. That was enough union business for me. I just saw in the paper today that the local usf holland terminal is looking to hire causal drivers. I drive for central transport and I talk to several holland drivers that I have gotten to know, and they have been saying that times are bad, business is down, road drivers with more seniority are bumping city drivers out of a job. Why then do they need more casuals? Seems like the union is fine if you have been in for about 20 years, otherwise....?

 

As far as the UPS freight driver goes; that sounds to me like a guy that screwed up one too many times and lost a good job. And regarding times bein' tough at USF Holland; I think it's only a matter of time until YRC pulls the plug on them it's just about over for Holland. Their terminal here locally is pretty much a ghost town meaning that none of the equipment ever moves.

 

In this area holland is THE big dog. You can be sitting in a dock next to a holland truck and when you leave there is another holland truck waiting to get your spot, then you get on the road and see two more before your next stop. Yellow and Roadway on the other hand are rarely ever at the places I go. Come to think of it I don't know anyone who works at Roadway.

 

That is probably a rule regarding fueling at a terminal.
My guess is that the rule says something similar to, "When fueling, the driver is not to perform ANY other function other than fueling.".

The reasoning behind this is to prevent fuel spills, and the resultant clean-up costs, not to "keep the roads safe".

I know of drivers being fired for causing fuel spills.

The guy must be a caffiene junkie, should have just waited 15 more min. for the coffee...

 

Why do you think the union getting involved with UPS Freight will improve the situation? I worked for Central Transport years ago, when they were still Teamsters, and the company pretty much did what they wanted. The local Teamsters didn't want anyone "rocking the boat", so to speak.

You've said yourself, it's politics. Union involvement will just bring another layer of politics to the mix.

 

Most big companies go by the ATA standards, you can send your accident info to them for a ruling and take that back to the co. might help might not. You can go to your state labor board and file a complaint, how long it takes is another thing .

Now about USF Holland- they and their sister company are closing
27 terminals, can't be that good there. they said there is already a feeding frenzy by the other trucking companies in the area for the freight
they will leave behind. Yellow and Roadway will have to fight for that with
everybody else.