Work for UPS, FedEx, Purolator, DHL?

[mslbebiz]

Just curious if anyone has experience working for any of these shipping companies? What are you thoughts about them? To be specific, I'm interested in the courier side.

I know some (most?) of these companies also offer something like a $1,000 referral bonus, so maybe we can help each other out. (I'm in Edmonton)

[adidas]

In 2007, i was desperate for a job. One day looking through the Hiring section in the Sun i stumbled upon a warehouse position. I went to the interview and got hired, immediately. After spending 2 or so hours on the computer and reading a 4 inch paper book i got put on the job.

After about an hour and 30 min i quit. Worst job ive ever had in my life.

The courier side of things might be better tho.

[HondaRice]

I know fedex is the best places to work from what I Hear. dont go UPS u go CRAZY

[mslbebiz]

Originally posted by adidas
In 2007, i was desperate for a job. One day looking through the Hiring section in the Sun i stumbled upon a warehouse position. I went to the interview and got hired, immediately. After spending 2 or so hours on the computer and reading a 4 inch paper book i got put on the job.

After about an hour and 30 min i quit. Worst job ive ever had in my life.

The courier side of things might be better tho.

LOL. Yeah, I couldn't handle warehouse either. It's no wonder they have such a massive turnover rate.

I think the courier side would be better though. At least that's what I'm hoping to find out from this thread :D

[Antonito]

Well, if you become a courier, try not to choke on a dick while you're out not making your deliveries and losing packages

Not that I'm bitter

[jeremyn]

i used to work for purolator,
and they have a pretty neat bonus program going.
after 3 months you get 500$
after 6 months you get another 500$
and then another 500$ after a year.

I was there for about 7 months and my friend got a 1000$ bonus for refering me.

[kamatayan]

Originally posted by HondaRice
I know fedex is the best places to work from what I Hear. dont go UPS u go CRAZY


Very true, I used to work for UPS. :banghead:

[Dj_Stylz]

I still work at UPS:( But i don't deliver packages or sort them.

[randedge]

I worked at UPS as a driver for 2 months. Lasted all of 2 months you say? Fuck, I'm surprised I stuck it out for 2 months.

1 week of training, 1 week of being a driver helper, and the rest as a full blown delivery driver.

The thing about the job is that if you consider what you do - look for an address and drop off or pick up packages - it can be well paying, low stress, and quite entertaining. This is what UPS drivers in OTHER centres think of the position. It's great!




BUT, this is Calgary.
Like most services and industries, the city grew too fast and too much before the company had a chance to catch up.

First and foremost are the facilities. It is too crowded, and inefficient for the volume they process.

Second, there are the routes. I believe that most of the drivers running routes are overburdened. The premise of the job is that you are guaranteed 8 hours should you finish early.

Like that ever happens.

You can barely get everything done in 12 hours, let alone checking out early. The worst part is, they set you up for this too - it is inevitable that you will pull overtime EVERY DAY.

Overtime sounds good. Lot's of money right? But I soon learned that it wears you down after you pull a whole 2 months of 12 hour days. I mean, I got so fucking stressed that it really seriously realigned the way I view life. No kidding. I started envying the bums I encountered downtown. I started thinking that destitution is a better option than sticking it out for a job that's turning you into an asshole.

Also, considering the fact that I was always in a hurry and pressured to meet deadlines and always be on time and finish everything I needed to do, it was inevitable that the first thing that I compromised was driving safely. I sped, I cut people off, in short I became an asshole on the roads. I have an ultra clean driving record and I want to keep that way. It's true that had I gotten into an accident, UPS' insurance would take care of everything. But still, it's MY record on the line and that became a contributing factor in my quitting early. The fact that EVERY DAY I had a close call because I was hurrying and pressured and stressed was an indication that one of these days, I would get myself into some serious trouble. It's just a matter of time and numbers. As well, it's not just
my own driving - it's other people's too! Even if I didn't sacrifice driving safely, I'm still stressed. There's still other bad drivers on the roads and if I'm not 100% being defensive, the chances that I'll have a run in with them are still very high.



The third reason why I think it was so stressful working for UPS was that I never thought I earned my route. As in, there never was a progression of workload.

When I showed a sign of getting a grasp of the whole process, I was thrown into an expert route with no prior familiarization run or anything like that. It was just, "Here's a truck, there's packages inside. Have a nice day".

Seriously.




Lastly, the tipping point for me was what one supervisor said. Normally, I can forgive bullshit. I'm a nice guy. But not when I've been pulling 12 hour days for two months and that everyday, instead of getting easier, the job just gets more and more overwhelming.

This was what happened: Help is available if you are overwhelmed by the volume you are processing. Sometimes other drivers have it easy and take workload off of others.

When I was on my easier route, I would always ask if there was someone who needed help. This is expected and that's the way it works. Teamwork right?


But when I got given the 'expert' route, I never got help from anyone, except on my last day when I HAD TO PHONE the supervisor himself to complain because I was having such a hard time.

Now, I'm the kind of guy who hates the sound of my own complaining. Really. I may be ranting right now, but these are teh intarwebz. I use it for ranting.

Anyway, in the middle of what was going to be my last day, I phoned to voice a gripe. Actually, not a gripe. More like a QUESTION.

I said, "How come other people near my route are always gong home earlier than me. How's their workload? The thing is, I don't think it's very fair that I'm still RECEIVING packages from them when the case is that I'm always the last guy back from that area. What do you think?"

And you know what the motherfucker said?

"We don't usually look at what other people do in this job. LIke if that's the attitude you have, then you won't have a good time."

What
The
Fuck?

Well, then and there I figured that that will be the last day I'll be spending on that job.

Seriously. What the fuck kind of answer was that? During the meetings in the mornings, 'teamwork' is emphasized. When I was new, I was expected to help the seasoned guys.

The fact that he would not have had the same answer if it was the other way around - if I had asked, who needed help - was the tipping point for me.

It's not fair. It's bullshit. And I'm not going to stick around to an organization that I felt was fucking me over.

Later in the day there was a supe change in shift. This was a nicer supe and asked if I needed help. I got help and I ended the night in a more positive note.

Still, my mind was made up. That was my last day.
LIke I said, I hate the sound of my own complaining. If the only way to get help in that company was to be as bitchy and as whiny as everyone else, then they can go fuck themselves. I don't play that game.

[randedge]

I should add:

HAD the supe told me that all I needed to do was work harder, maybe I would have responded well. Appealing to my ego could have been a better tactic. If he had said that other people are getting back earlier because they're just better at it, then I would have just stepped up my own efforts. I'm young. I'm still full of piss and vinegar. I got something to prove.

But nooooo. He insinuated that I was trying to pass on work on other people. Well, fuck that. I was gone.

[realazy]

Try ICS courier, they deal mainly with business mail and are smaller than the ones you've listed. I worked as a temp over winter break for them, but I worked in the office. They seemed like an ok place to work.

[Tik-Tok]

FedEx is ok, but don't expect decent benefits, 90% of them are "part-timers" (not by choice), but work 40+ hours a week, this keeps costs low for fedex.

[dragonone]

my friend graduated from ubc and is doing logistics for ups here in calgary, edmonton, as well as winnepeg

he's liking it so far

i'm guessing you're looking at being a driver or warehouse type of deal?

[Mr_John]

Have a friend thats been working as a delivery driver for FedEx for the past couple years now. Only complains during the Christmas season but its not even really complaining - its obviously just busy. He seems to be really happy working there and he gets some of his university paid for.

[randedge]

I have to add:

I wasn't totally fair.
It's different to other people and for some, they thoroughly enjoy it....

The people who say this are the lifers and the ones who've been at it for a while.
If you stick it out, it'll get better and seniority means the chances you'll be given a gravy route increases.

[snowboard]

i know people who love working at fedex. i worked there for a while, and really i didnt mind it. for a while i had to be in hella early and do gay duties, and it wasnt even that bad then lol.. for fedex if you courier, you show up in the morning, sort packages, scan them into your truck, then go and deliver them. its confusing as fuck at first, you just gotta remember a ton of codes lol