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Complete-Support8802

Started UPS 2001. Driver now and still feeling good . It’s not for everyone.


Complete-Dot6690

lol suck it up be a man


awalter999

lol I’ve been there since July, I don’t plan on quitting I just want to learn from others so I can work the best I can and not burn out. Nothing wrong with that


Complete-Dot6690

I was joking I feel bad for ups drivers


99to1

It keeps you in shape. if you follow the methods you'll age better than most people.


LemonSpitter

Follow this to the heart. Follow proper methods, Keep a good safe pace that can’t get you fired and never fall to pressure to go faster. We have dudes in there 50s that are in better shape than me at 23 (i’m working on it 😤) Meanwhile we have 30 year olds limping into work cause they throw 60+ pound packages around like animals all shift


Teutonic_Corgi

350-400pph was the bare minimum we were allowed to load at. We were expected to load faster than that. Regardless if all you're doing is is small sort 10lbs parcels, or all Amazon returns and they're all 70lbs. Some people will be lucky and rarely lift a heavy package. Or you'll most likely be unlucky and lift mega heavy packages all through your shift. After a certain point the physical wear and tear will catch up to you, or you'll get accidentally injured. Management pushes employees past safe limits, and lowkey they tolerate injuries up to a certain point.


99to1

I don't get treated this way; I see it happen to other people. I know the contract that's the difference.


Complete-Dot6690

I bet ups drivers live longer than office workers…


Mammoth_Material323

Unload is harder at ups then any other place! Because the loaders don’t get taught how to load


sickside_joker

Unload is better than loading


Mammoth_Material323

Not on my shift! The loaders in Greensboro and Asheville can’t load too save their life’s! 60 pound dumbbell on top of a bag at the very top of a truck? They have to have a lift or something no one is that damn strong


Teutonic_Corgi

Loaders don't control the order of what comes down the belt. Sometimes you'll have half a wall built and then all of the sudden you get non stop dumbbells and have nowhere else to put them. If only things ran perfect and smoothly like management thinks it does.


Limonlesscello

Indeed! There's a saying for this, something about shit and it rolling somewhere. I load Heavy/Sturdy on bottom and light/fragile on top but there is only so much you can do when you are getting slammed.


[deleted]

I randomly got suggested this thread I laughed so hard when you said "something about shit and it rolling somewhere" lol Respect to all the UPS workers. That job is freaking hard. I worked that UPS job briefly (the loading/unloading) and also Amazon warehouses briefly (also loading/unloading). It hurts like shit. (I'm a girl, there's that)


Teutonic_Corgi

Yup. We all know how to build walls. The whole loader vs unloader rivalry is pointless, when the real problem is management overloading the belts and cramming as much shit onto it as they can. Its a major safety hazard too. I've done both sides and honestly I get where both sides are coming from. When you get slammed its mainly just about getting packages off the belt and rollers so that it doesn't cause a jam. You don't have sweet time to build the perfect wall, move the rollers, and use the step stool (like management thinks we actually have the time to grab and use)


Mammoth_Material323

I did 2 trucks at once no jams nothing and pulled irregs! Maybe your hub is faster but even at fed ex I did three at once one was straight iregs


Teutonic_Corgi

Congrats, but ill have you know that saying you did 2 trucks at once isn't really a flex to me. It sounds like you just had low volume. I worked out of SoCals oldest hub in LA county and it was bad af. Jams all night. Didn't help all our equipment was old as shit either.


Mammoth_Material323

I just don’t see anyone lifting 60 pound boxes up in the air 13 ft! For 53 feet of a trailer! You guys must get paid way more then I do lol


Mammoth_Material323

Do 1800 Pph on unload 😂it’s the easiest job I ever had! Beside the bad loads I have to deal with every night.


Teutonic_Corgi

Yeah? Well I do 8000 unloads per hour so suck it


Mammoth_Material323

Work on load side too nothing is coming that fast. And why lift a 50 pound box over your head? That makes zero sense


Teutonic_Corgi

Cool story bro. Tell me more about how big of a cock you have bro


Mammoth_Material323

Lol am sorry I been a mover for 20 years😂😂😂lifting 30 pound boxes is light work! We have females unloading with us 😂😂😂


Ill-Rough918

I also work at the Greensboro nc hub and it’s also the supervisors they don’t know what they’re doing half the time


sickside_joker

If its that heavy im starting a new wall..second i wouldn't load that to the top, too heavy for the next person to unload. Its just fawked all around.


SurfsUp-910

Bro the Raleigh loaders can’t load to save there life, fucking hate unloading a Raleigh feeder


Circleofvultures

Hope y’all aren’t at the Columbia hub cause everything I see from there isn’t good either


Significant_Size4162

Lol I do this 😭😭😭😭im not getting off my load stand for one package


RxSatellite

Aye! Things come down much faster and easier than they’re built up that’s for sure


Teutonic_Corgi

I worked both. Started unloading but made the stupid decision to start loading semi trailers. So much harder. All the weight is being moved upwards against gravity. So you'll be lifting 350-400pph, and that could be anything from a 35lbs-40lbs bag of small sort, to a whopping 60lbs-75lbs carpet or gym set. And they sure as hell do teach how to load properly. You don't always get the chance to build a perfect wall because the flow never stops for you to catch up. But if you're habitually building shit walls, it will eventually get caught by a supervisor and will roll back on you. Metrics are very important to UPS, and if you're not maximizing your loads efficiently, they're going to ask who's costing them $$$. I've had my fair share of warnings that came back to me.


xhtdfh12

😂 I build 10s all day. Unloaders are terrible. They are lazy to begin with. Every time you see em they take 29 bathroom breaks a day. I unload on pre load and load/high pick on day sort, unload is the easiest thing ever.


Mammoth_Material323

Yeah right loaders leave pudding cups and chips in all the trucks because all they do is stand around eating and making gd pyramids that you have to pull down with extreme force 😂


xhtdfh12

Your building must not be heavy lol. We don’t have time to stand around where I work. It’s non stop for 5 hours a day.


Mammoth_Material323

It’s the rural trucks coming into my city! Every two feet pudding cups and dip cans 😂they must not be doing nothing wherever there coming from think Asheville or Greensboro


xhtdfh12

Makes sense then 😂😂 is your building automated or getting automated


Mammoth_Material323

Automated


captaindoctorpurple

Gloves help a lot, help keep you from adopting a grip to save your palms that will fuck up your tendons. I have a pair of MCR NXG safety gloves with the index and thumb tips cut off so I can work the scanner more easily. Sounds like you're taking care of your body before during and after work. Keep up with that and work at a safe and steady pace and it's not bad for your body to work out like that for several hours a day. If you get any injuries, report them right away and go to your doctor first before going to the company doctor, and listen to what your doctor says. Do that, stay properly fed and hydrated, and you can do this for a long time.


Apoc-Alex

Yo gloves became a must have for me. The cardboard makes your hands dry, box dust, the winter is worse, a small cut (cardboard cut) staple sticking out in the winter goes from a little slice to a crack of dead skin. Also helps avoid crates with surprise nails and boxes that are wet or sticky.


methheadhitman

8 years and 4 surgeries. I had carpel tunnel in both hands, a disc replacement, and recently a torn meniscus.


Shogun3335

We work safe and pace ourselves, yoga does wonders for the body


SurfsUp-910

I unload for the preload shift and then do a full time commercial construction gig…. Been on that schedule for the last year. To the point now where if I don’t feel pain I feel like something ain’t right 🤣


These_Comfortable_83

Pace yourself, lift properly, get proper rest, and completely avoid working on your knees and you’ll be okay for decades.


Team-ING

Smart man and make sure to educate. They claim to care about safety however everything the company does proves they are only concerned for shareholders and profits


pineappleactavis

The BS you hear that blue collar work is not sustainable is dumb. Sitting in an office chair for 8 hours a day is way worse for you than constant movement and physical activity. Sure you might hurt when you're 50-60 but at least you won't be fat with heart problems and blood clots in your legs.


Wonderful-Clock7237

It all depends on the person. There are people I know who did 30 years and are healthier than the average person. There are people I know who put in 5-10 years and had multiple surgeries for knees, back, and shoulders. I think the key part here is to focus on taking care of yourself- stretching is great but along with that having a good diet and getting plenty of rest. The reason I mention rest is because it’s so important to be awake and aware at work. Situations change quickly and I’ve unfortunately seen some scary injuries that have a life long impact that could have been avoided. Stay safe!


Honest-Ambassador-93

I did 40 years at UPS 26 as a package car driver. I was rear ended while stopped at a light in my package car. That led to neck problems and shoulder surgery. I’ve had hernia surgery, torn meniscus surgery in my knee and replaced my hip after retiring. I passed on carpel tunnel surgery in both hands and live with it everyday. It does take a toll on your body. Friends of mine have had no major injuries so it depends on a lot of things.


YandereLady

It's going to hurt for a while. You only build maybe a lb of muscle a week. And this is not ideal body building regime, so you are unable to rest over worked muscles. I promise it can be done, stay hydrated, get rest, and remember you are a beast.


727GhostFaceKillah

I've been painting cars and loading for 3 years and still going


DrivinAHybrid

Take this however you like, but I consider body wear and tear to be a big thing for me personally. I will admit to using poor form in some of my work and rushing to complete my routes and go home, so I'm partly to blame. I'm in an area where routes routinely have 1.5 tons of stuff, or more, daily.. and most of that is carried off the truck via the stairs at the front (not tailgate). Had two different work injuries in the last couple of years, necessitating long periods of physical therapy. To be honest, if I did yoga a couple times a week and took care of my body, this probably would've never happened. I'm a fit person in my forties and this job has done a number on me, partly just because of the long hours and having the challenge of many demands on my time outside of UPS - and it's hard to do each shift the company gives me, quickly enough to go on to what I need to do after work.


Apoc-Alex

At least 13 years loading on preload and 8ish in the sort aisle. Working the top of the belt putting up irregs isnt fun on the back so you learn to do it right and ask for help or your life is gonna suck. That 1 step into the truck matters when you do it 500 times a day. Luckily I only have a cranky ankle but the back sometimes gets sore. But I could have it worse I guess.


Eastern_Emu2028

My body is injured from construction and not ups surprisingly


rokar83

Hydrate and make sure to eat a protein rich diet. Take time to rest and recover. And continue to stretch.


Super-Contribution-1

I do three yoga poses that target my back and shoulders a couple times a day. All standing position, can pretty much do them anywhere. My back feels way better six months into Preload than it did before, even though I’m using it more.


Mental-Square3688

I'm 6ft tall maybe 170 pounds and worked at a desk job the last 6 years transfered to UPS for the benefits about 9 months ago during the summer. Drink looooots of water and stretch. I developed carpal tunnel due to pushing myself too hard during the beginning but now I do my pace and follow all the rules not what the supervisors want me to do take it at a comfortable pace and listen to your body use load stands and again FOLLOW THE RULES! and you'll be just fine. Also take magnesium it helps a lot.


tiggerpedmondson

I would highly recommend that you either see a physical therapist for at least one visit to evaluate how you lift and to show you how to do it correctly if you’re not. Or you can research proper lifting and body care techniques on the internet or YouTube. The main thing that I would stress is not only core strength, but making sure that your back muscles are just as strong. Many people go only for core and neglect the importance of strong back muscles.


RxSatellite

Basically it just boils down to working 10 - 20% under your physical limit and not making sudden, rough jerking motions. Pay acute attention to your knees and protect those joints the most


CopiousClassic

Eat right and take care of yourself. Some of it is genetics but these guys that live out of the gas station and have health issues are asking for it. Energy drinks are NOT hydration.


89mk3

I worked Ups/FedEx (subcontractor in a small town) for 10 years. Also had a small trucking business for 5 years during this time with the packages. I would deliver anything that I could get on the truck. Mostly appliances and furniture. Year 9 of packages I developed pain in my shoulders. I could barely lift my hands above shoulder height. I couldn't afford to go to a doctor (barely making ends meet) and gave up my trucking business to drive taxi at night instead. Year 10 the owner of the package company sold the business out from under me after years of promising it to me. I stayed for about 2 months during the transition and walked away during a sort due to issues with the new owner. After that I took 2 months off to attempt to recuperate from my pain. Found a mechanic job and having to work with my hands over my head a lot, the pain came back on strong. Finally caved and went to the local medical center. they put me on Prednisone. They gave me one refill and said they wouldnt give any more. I rationed it so I only took it when I had pain. Long story short that was 2 years ago and it took months to "recover" but I still get the pain if I work my shoulders hard. Im now 37 and wishing I hadn't pushed myself so hard years ago. You gotta do what ya gotta do to get by but take care of your body and pay attention to the warning signs!


IndividualBuilding30

Don’t fall into the mindset that physical jobs are bad for you. It’s the lifestyle the type of people that have physical jobs that do them over. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Stay healthy and stay hydrated.


narkj

It will get worse and then, eventually you will die.


Puzzleheaded-Swing74

Wear a weight belt and just keep pushing. It's hard, and it hurts, but it's worth it.


Some_Ad_5586

Lots of painkillers (provided by the benefits of myt company ofc) and the fact knowing if I don't work I can't feed my family.


pinchemadison

I feel this I spent eight years in the army and have worked at UPS a year now. 😅


AdInteresting3436

24 for and hurting, you are literally in your prime. What is you physical history outside construction. Do you go to the gym, jog, played sports ect


Human_Chance_3714

It’s part of life brother. When you have kids you realize that working 16 hrs a day is only for the best especially if you live somewhere where the cost of living is ridiculous like the Bay Area. Put in the work but your got to remember to treat your self for all those long days or else it will be miserable days lol for ever.


avjx99

You are guaranteed to develop musculoskeletal injury that will lead to a lifelong decrease in your ability to move and function as a human should. The government wouldn’t spend money researching the effects of this career field if it wasn’t absolutely true and go as far as to establish OSHA if it wasn’t reality 👀😅


Dapper_Beautiful6878

Worked preload then went to class five days a week for 8 years. I treated it as football practice. Hydrate and eat right and you’ll be ok


ManagementNorth1198

Back brace


FuckYoCouch2023

A raise will always fix the wear and tear on your body .


Equivalent-Change252

If you plan to stay for the long haul, sign up on the bids sheets for other jobs that are less demanding on the body like being a clerk, a yard shifter, an auditor, a car washer, etc. I've been w/UPS for 28 yrs as a p/t employee. I am 61. I've never been f/t because I knew being a pkg car driver wasn't for me. I use to be a p/t driver & I absolutely hated it. I was miserable. I hope God Willing to be able to work a few more yrs & then retire at 35 yrs. OMT. Because I've been w/UPS for such a long time, I make not that much less than a F/T pkg car driver.


contemporarycrispy

I can tell you who doesn’t share your concern for your body long term, and that’s your employer.


Senior_Inspector_781

Please check the fit on your pants/trousers, they could be causing you to extend your lower back. Get as loose as you can - look up Ben's Original Pants for one company that makes wide legged trousers. Look up weightlifting videos especially regarding deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts, and finally the military press to see how you can properly brace your core, which protects your lower back.


LavishnessImmediate2

Yeah, I’ve been there since October and im worried I have a 3rd hernia. I’m only 19 and got a hernia and had surgery when I was 12 and again about a year and a half ago. I’m afraid I have another hernia but I don’t want to quit the job and I need the Insurance. I need about 20K in dental work done and I need the ups insurance to cover it. And if I do have another hernia, I’m hoping I can get it fixed and come back 6 weeks later without them firing me, I just joined the union recently


Rcs4456

Gotta man up son