UPS Freight Diary:

This is pretty lame for niteliner (although i still managed to beat McUzi this week......).

However, i think what happened was:

1) It was only monday thru thursday dockwork. Sunday was just drop and hook (you don't work the dock on sundays apparently;----this niteliner run is Sun-thurs---many hubs in our system have gone to Sun-thurs).

2) i was likely taking a long time to come off lunch----when we get to the hubs, we usually drop trailers, then fuel (which i wasn't rushing thru either...) and then take lunch; i was very probably taking my time coming back from lunch. We get an hour. Thus, this meant less dockwork time.

Now a few words about niteliner:

1) One advantage of niteliner bullplop is consistency----you'll be home at the same time every morning AND you'll get back early A.M.; i thought i was able to sleep better this way. i'm not so sure now.

2) The actual dockwork is not difficult; 99.8% of the freight is on pallets. i only had to handle 3 things the whole week: 2 large, but light rolls of bubble wrap, which i put on the forklift blades anyways, and a small box. i actually enjoy operating a forklift and unloading and loading trailers. But there are other reasons why i'm still not turned on by niteliner dockwork.

3) i unfortunately had some microsleeps last weeks. This may be one DISadvantage of niteliner: There is pressure to get back home asap so that the freight can be put on the city trucks asap and get them out of there. Whereas with extra-board or other routes, you can basically pullover and take a nap anytime generally. So, this may cancel out #1 above?

i may or may not discuss more on all these topics this weekend.

 

Actually, i think there MIGHT be an error with this check as there's no way i spent more time dropping and hooking than dockwork. Granted, i did not spend THAT much time on the dock last week, but i think it was more than 6.25 hours? (Mon-thurs)

a) i may have forgotten to input "dockwork" on my elogs for one of the nights and stayed "off duty?" Like i said, i was VERY casual and mosey-ing coming back from lunch.....
The most likely reason i can think of.

ai) However, i think there's something in the new contract that states that drivers may stay on "drop and hook," or "on-property," while doing dockwork, thus staying at the higher payrate (dockwork is/was .25 cents less per hour). i will have to ask my shop steward.