UPS Freight Diary:

If you haven't heard by now, then you likely will Tuesday. i believe we will be voting whether to strike.

i do want a new suburban, but that's not why i'm asking.

 

Actually on second thought i DON'T want a new suburban; i just saw an escalade (which is basically a suburban with a fancy grill) on the turnpike today towing, or trying to tow a 16' enclosed trailer. While the bumper wasn't scraping the pavement, it sure was sagging bad.

This was a 16' enclosed trailer now, not a 36' gooseneck or 5th wheel........

 

Grounds are that UPS is H'sing around. i haven't really analyzed the situation to comment one way or the other.

We are in the middle of new contract negotiations.

 

Well, if you really want to know:

UPS Rising

 

Meanwhile i continue to collect $1200-$1600 per week checks pretty much listening to podcasts, music and eating.

This is not even at top rate yet.

 

Sat out one night, hence the lower pay---it happens occasionally. i wasn't complaining because i could get some rest. This is not a guaranteed position----meaning you might not work every night. Reality-wise, you ARE going to work every night because we have a crap-load of freight, but occasionally it does happen that you will be sitting.

2) Tractors don't have enough caster............

 

1) Had a run/leg of 288 miles on fri night. This is the longest trip/leg i've had. i've had quite a few 240 mile legs and i think my average is 170-ish. But this was definitely the longest leg i've had so far. Total miles for the night was 550 and that is also my highest mileage night so far.

2) Rained all week 24/7; i have discovered that screwing around with a converter dolly in the rain, with deep puddles is STILL better than dealing with "slow" and/or rude customers and/or inside deliveries and/or residential customers who want you to bring THEIR treadmill down to their basement AND take the box away even if they do tip...........

a) i fail to see how a person could afford an upscale, large sq. ft. brick home in an upscale neighborhood and drive a Mercedes, yet have difficulty with basic functioning such as disposing a cardboard box?

3) Forward Air and CRST are two outside carriers that apparently do linehaul for us. (And forward Air apparently uses O/O contractors themselves....... sub,sub-contractors?)

4) Speaking of contractors, it appears that UPSF apparently allows older tractors for our O/O program. Older as in 90's; i've seen two FLD's hauling for us so far! So, if you're an O/O with an older truck, you may want to check us out. i think it's a pretty good deal if you don't mind driving at night......
Also, if the truck is that old, then they are still running paper logs?

Here are my thoughts on outside contractors(and this is a big factor in the current contract negotiations): We have a HUGE amount of freight, obviously. If we don't have enough company drivers to move the freight (and we don't), then how to pick up the slack? If we don't move the freight fast enough, then customers get p$%^^d off and we lose business. This is where the contractors come in.

As far as the notion/assertion that company drivers are sitting while contractors run, i don't think it has affected me---i've sat out about two nights since i've started and again, i wasn't complaining because i got some good rest.
If this is in fact happening, then it's a problem. At any rate, the company has to also keep the contractors moving or else they'll quit and now we, the company have a problem with moving the freight......

i look at them as human beings first, O/O businesses second: That i know of, there have been no tires slashed, no-one has been attacked---yet; Yes, we are greedy, but we're not A-holes..........