Looking for advice regarding my career and possible advancement

Well I would slowly start looking around I would look in the order you listed, Now UPSF is not the same as straight UPS! I'd certainly hang in there, Keep your record clean, You will do fine.

 

For UPS you really need to start at the bottom as a loader then work your way up to a driver then lump boxes for 20 years to get into line haul. I've heard less populated places are easier to get into. UPSF how ever will hire off the street

 

My biggest regret when it comes to driving was not going to UPS Parcel after i left the military. If you are in your Mid 20's i say apply and take any position avail (Car loader, part time helper etc) eventually you will go out with a supervisior on a training run to see if you cut it. Personally, screw linehaul, doubles and anything CDL related. The CDL regulations are getting to be a first class Joke and it just isnt woth it any more considering you will make more money per hours worked in a Parcel truck with less headaches then the B.S. Logs, Hazmat crap etc. I have several freinds that work parcel including some young female freinds that make a terrific living. I regret getting back into trucking after the military, its not the same industry like it was in the late 70's-early 80's. Thank god i'm less then 8 years away from pulling the plug. I look at new drivers at our terminal getting into the LTL industry in their mid 20's and feel sorry for them that they have 40+ years of this crap to deal with. Trust me after a couple of years in LTL , the romance of driving a Semi disappears real quick!

 

@markstevens I hate to say it but peddling will do that to you. The 2nd time I was on layoff from YRC I was ready to pull the plug and stop trucking all together. Then when I got offered the road position I took it for a try and really really enjoy it. I do miss running around everywhere and variety of routes that YRC had but as of now UPSF is better in the long run. Also with parcel your knees would be shot right away

Flatrax yea I like it here. And starting pay is a joke but Top rate is the highest of all LTL carriers. My run is quite short and I spend more time on a Nissan forklift than my tractor but it is what it is. Eventually once I get seniority I won't have too

 

My girlfriend's dad did Parcel in Brooklyn. I don't think his shoulders and knees agree with your statement, it is great money but it's a lot of work compared to running a 400 mile meet.

Although I guess if you live in Houston or somewhere where everything is flat you don't have to worry about delivering heavy crap on a sixth floor lol

 

Also with UPSF I was hired onto a bid run so I never had to go on the extra board.

Oi! My mother for so.e reason wants me to do parcel. I had her speak to a friend of my dads and he told her that after 18 years of parcel and in Queens NY his body is shot and can't wait to get into the feeders. Now my mom approves lol