C
Crazy Horse
Guest
I am a speck in the eyes of the public when I drive down the road, and our trucks look real bad for the most part. Doing it on the cheap, that is the appearance policy.
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Great Topic! 
I know this will be interesting. I'll share some fun stories a bit later.
One thing I will say is a UPS Parcel driver was embarrassed to see the UPS brand logo trailer hooked onto a piece of crap Overnite duct tape mobile.
When I drive a fully matched UPS branded tractor trailer, I get Kudos from the UPS Parcel and Feeder guys. Otherwise, they don't want to know me.
Maybe we can negotiate it into our next contract: Article 50
"All equipment branded as Overnite will be donated to the closest junk yard."
"No UPS Freight CDL holder will hook Non-Union Overnite equipment to Union UPS Freight equipment"
I know this will be interesting. I'll share some fun stories a bit later.
One thing I will say is a UPS Parcel driver was embarrassed to see the UPS brand logo trailer hooked onto a piece of crap Overnite duct tape mobile.
When I drive a fully matched UPS branded tractor trailer, I get Kudos from the UPS Parcel and Feeder guys. Otherwise, they don't want to know me.
Maybe we can negotiate it into our next contract: Article 50
"All equipment branded as Overnite will be donated to the closest junk yard."
"No UPS Freight CDL holder will hook Non-Union Overnite equipment to Union UPS Freight equipment"
Good Grief Charlie Brown!!
Ooooops -
My daughter and I beheld an ugly sight last week in Cullman, AL - I was just amazed they let this ugly sight out on the streets, even in redneck country! Overnite tractor with slapped on UPS door logos, the "O" symbol still on the wind shear, a bona fide UPS 48' trailer. The whole rig from nose to butt was filthy.
Well alrighty then - either the checkbook has dried up, or there are a lot of hooks being made in total darkness around here!
Darkstar
Great Topic!
I know this will be interesting. I'll share some fun stories a bit later.
One thing I will say is a UPS Parcel driver was embarrassed to see the UPS brand logo trailer hooked onto a piece of crap Overnite duct tape mobile.
When I drive a fully matched UPS branded tractor trailer, I get Kudos from the UPS Parcel and Feeder guys. Otherwise, they don't want to know me.
Maybe we can negotiate it into our next contract: Article 50
"All equipment branded as Overnite will be donated to the closest junk yard."
"No UPS Freight CDL holder will hook Non-Union Overnite equipment to Union UPS Freight equipment"
Ooooops -
My daughter and I beheld an ugly sight last week in Cullman, AL - I was just amazed they let this ugly sight out on the streets, even in redneck country! Overnite tractor with slapped on UPS door logos, the "O" symbol still on the wind shear, a bona fide UPS 48' trailer. The whole rig from nose to butt was filthy.
Well alrighty then - either the checkbook has dried up, or there are a lot of hooks being made in total darkness around here!
Darkstar
Yes, UPS image. I quit washing mine. I'm waiting to see how bad they let it go before UPS will order it washed. So far they have no problem with it. So much for the UPS image we all heard so much about when they bought Overnite. It's worse now then when we was Overnite. At least the drivers cared enough to wash them on their own time. But UPS has showed all of us how they could care less about our runs and what they pay. Or if we can even make a living on them. Contract carriers galore. Just call us:
DIRTY BROWN
BusterNite
TB Legend
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- 18
This is no lie!!!!!!!Last night I came up on two UPS feeder drivers. I always try to find what channel they are on to listen to what they say and to say hello. The first driver I passed said, look at this sweet looking machine (I have a new tractor about 7 months old never washed) The next driver said, yes but the trailers looked as rough as their drivers. Hows that for Image????
Could it be .......
.... the clean rigs "O" had on the road one of the images UPS saw, (you know if a dirty "O' rig was spotted out and about by any of Harwood's boys, the rig had better just have come thru a mud storm, or out of the north where frozen weather kept it from being washed - or the driver was in a heap of trouble!) did not realize the extra effort the drivers put into having the cleanest rigs on the road.
Maybe we are looking at this all wrong - true, the re-branding needed to have been done first, no argument about that - but really, when did a caring driver ever leave a yard and begin his/her trip with a dirty rig before all this UPS business? "O" is gone, that is true, but underneath it all, the same drivers, for the most part, are still driving those rigs. If you start out with a negative (dirty equipment), then the whole trip turns into a negative.
So maybe someone could check to see what the policy (and I do not mean at the terminal level, there has to be someone at HQ that can check this situation out) is for the drivers who want to run their equipment thru wash bay before leaving the yard is, and post it.
I will mention no name, but surely everyone remembers the truck line that had the dirtest rigs on the road, and I mean they were only cleaned up for picture time. The first thing that went before the company went belly up was the water, then cash siphoned off to start up a non-union branch. UPS may not realize the effort put in by the former "O" drivers to have the best looking rigs on the road, and maybe all the heck everyone has been going thru since UPS bought "O" has left a sour taste in a lot of mouths, this is a form of "not caring".
You know, it could be a lot worse - "O" could have been just another name on the list of "used to be". There may be a UPS logo on the tractor, but no company can rebrand a true "Overnite" driver! It may not "belong" to you, but no matter what tractor you drive, it is your home away from home. Can you write it up for being filthy?
Darkstar
Yes, UPS image. I quit washing mine. I'm waiting to see how bad they let it go before UPS will order it washed. So far they have no problem with it. So much for the UPS image we all heard so much about when they bought Overnite. It's worse now then when we was Overnite. At least the drivers cared enough to wash them on their own time. But UPS has showed all of us how they could care less about our runs and what they pay. Or if we can even make a living on them. Contract carriers galore. Just call us:
DIRTY BROWN
.... the clean rigs "O" had on the road one of the images UPS saw, (you know if a dirty "O' rig was spotted out and about by any of Harwood's boys, the rig had better just have come thru a mud storm, or out of the north where frozen weather kept it from being washed - or the driver was in a heap of trouble!) did not realize the extra effort the drivers put into having the cleanest rigs on the road.
Maybe we are looking at this all wrong - true, the re-branding needed to have been done first, no argument about that - but really, when did a caring driver ever leave a yard and begin his/her trip with a dirty rig before all this UPS business? "O" is gone, that is true, but underneath it all, the same drivers, for the most part, are still driving those rigs. If you start out with a negative (dirty equipment), then the whole trip turns into a negative.
So maybe someone could check to see what the policy (and I do not mean at the terminal level, there has to be someone at HQ that can check this situation out) is for the drivers who want to run their equipment thru wash bay before leaving the yard is, and post it.
I will mention no name, but surely everyone remembers the truck line that had the dirtest rigs on the road, and I mean they were only cleaned up for picture time. The first thing that went before the company went belly up was the water, then cash siphoned off to start up a non-union branch. UPS may not realize the effort put in by the former "O" drivers to have the best looking rigs on the road, and maybe all the heck everyone has been going thru since UPS bought "O" has left a sour taste in a lot of mouths, this is a form of "not caring".
You know, it could be a lot worse - "O" could have been just another name on the list of "used to be". There may be a UPS logo on the tractor, but no company can rebrand a true "Overnite" driver! It may not "belong" to you, but no matter what tractor you drive, it is your home away from home. Can you write it up for being filthy?
Darkstar
UPSFreightDUId
TB Lurker
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Now about equipment appearance, not sure about ya'll but we a have a few 45' railboxes at our yard we use in the city and for trap trailers. They have the USAZ, FSTZ reporting marks, anyways how can UPS parcel run those? Have you seen the UPS parcel trailers that run the rails? Those things are beat to hell! Those rail trailers are even worse, that dirt/grime is caked on from years of rail use...I guess the appearance policy doesn't stretch to the rail/intermodal equipment. Years ago around the holidays, UPS puts into service older 28' pups from other LTL carriers, they were painted gray and had the basic data/reporting marks but were beat up as well...
I also love how we still have the porchlights on the volvo airshields that still light up at night...
We have a contractor mechanic at our terminal at least once a day or more, I told him as much as hes up here, they might as well hire him and give him an office here!
I also love how we still have the porchlights on the volvo airshields that still light up at night...
We have a contractor mechanic at our terminal at least once a day or more, I told him as much as hes up here, they might as well hire him and give him an office here!
I will always look back with fond memories of Overnite. Not a perfect company but a company I choose to work for and WAS loyal till UPS bought them. Most drivers washed and took pride in their truck because they took pride also in Overnite. One thing my TM told me before he left the company (UPSF)
He was talking to someone from corporate and they couldn't understand why so many drivers had hard feelings working for UPS.
His response was the people choose to work for Overnite and was loyal to the company. They didn't choose to work for UPS. Plus the changes they made laying off. Cutting runs so they can save a couple of bucks here and there. Bringing in contract carriers to skim the cream off the top leaving us runs that we can barely feed our families on.
You better believe the only way my truck will see a wash job is if UPS spends the money to wash it. Does that mean I don't wash my windows and keep the inside clean where I have to sit and work. NO!
If people ask me where I work I say.
DIRTY BROWN
imported_trucker69orso
TB Lurker
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Equipment appearance.
I pedal a 2007 48' UPS branded trlr. Nice looking piece of equipment. I drive (and share with a linehaul driver),a 1999 International 8100 with 986,000 + miles on it.
The engine is original and leaves huge black soot stains on the trailer. Feeder and package drivers get angry that my crap tractor is ruining new equipment.
I was told by the shop manager that we are not allowed to wash equipment off the clock and the TM said that we are being held to the 30 minute idle time (For pretrips,paper work,drop and or hook etc.)
Sooooo, I just shut my mouth,and drive a dirty truck. I clean the glass as needed and leave everything else. It kills me cause I've always kept a clean truck,but you can't beat city hall....
Great Topic!
I know this will be interesting. I'll share some fun stories a bit later.
One thing I will say is a UPS Parcel driver was embarrassed to see the UPS brand logo trailer hooked onto a piece of crap Overnite duct tape mobile.
When I drive a fully matched UPS branded tractor trailer, I get Kudos from the UPS Parcel and Feeder guys. Otherwise, they don't want to know me.
Maybe we can negotiate it into our next contract: Article 50
"All equipment branded as Overnite will be donated to the closest junk yard."
"No UPS Freight CDL holder will hook Non-Union Overnite equipment to Union UPS Freight equipment"
I pedal a 2007 48' UPS branded trlr. Nice looking piece of equipment. I drive (and share with a linehaul driver),a 1999 International 8100 with 986,000 + miles on it.
The engine is original and leaves huge black soot stains on the trailer. Feeder and package drivers get angry that my crap tractor is ruining new equipment.
I was told by the shop manager that we are not allowed to wash equipment off the clock and the TM said that we are being held to the 30 minute idle time (For pretrips,paper work,drop and or hook etc.)
Sooooo, I just shut my mouth,and drive a dirty truck. I clean the glass as needed and leave everything else. It kills me cause I've always kept a clean truck,but you can't beat city hall....
- Credits
- 362
I know some Road Drivers go to terminals that have truck washes. They come back nice and shiny.
However, I drive a duct taped old Volvo/White city tractor and only the rain washes it.
The interior and windows are all I clean.
I say another two years and we should start seeing some decent changes.
What happened to the new equipment that was announced to enter the ups freight system in 08? The year is half over. Maybe the second half? Ups has got me trained .I don't notice the equipment until someone, usually a customer, mentions it. At this point I am just trying to do my job and be safe to the best of my ability under the existing circumstances.
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I hear they are being allotted on an "As Needed" basis.
Good job in being positive and doing your best with what you have. I do the same thing within reason.
I'm starting to become the "Deadline King"
johnny big rig
TB Lurker
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Amen Skeeter, My 03 Volvo was chromed up ,tanks polished and always looking good inside and out. But since the purchase our so called "wash bay" (again term used very loosely)has been inop and the hose is cut down to about 15 feet long you bring your own soap and Big Brown had cleaner brushes grace his back than the one we have to wash windows with.So I wash windows and every now and then when time permits I'll wash the whole truck on my time and dime. The pride is gone! I was entering the Interstate the other day and a feeder driver said "Come on Big O" " I just can't bring myself to call you guys UPS yet" I said "Yeah it hurts for us too". Hopefully, shortly we will feel the same or somewhat close to the pride we held for the Big O, And it won't be so bad to say I work for UPS Freight.So until then keep on truckin'. As Overnite drivers we will always be the "Best Drivers the Industry has to offer". Peace Out
There you go .....
.... question answered. I certainly understand what Skeeter is saying, and agree, no driver should have to pay the cost of having their rig washed, and being proud of working for "O" it goes without saying that a person would want to have a clean rig. Maybe after the dust settles (no pun intended), UPS gets their ducks in a row, these problems of substandard equipment and dirty rigs will be taken care of.
From the UPS package trucks I have seen around here, the UPS equipment on the roads, it seems having clean equipment is a must for those drivers.
Since time will not be alotted for the road drivers to run the rig thru bay washes at the terminals which have them, no washing allowed off the clock, then all a person can do is like everyone is doing, making the best of a bad situation.
Anyone ever thought of having a camera handy for the dirtiest, messed up UPSF rig they run across, and posting it to youtube? Do that enough times, post the link everywhere possible, someone is going to see it in management. Kinda like a contest for the rattiest, dirtiest UPSF rig of the week ....
Geeeeesh - the things I think of
Darkstar :smilie_132:
.... question answered. I certainly understand what Skeeter is saying, and agree, no driver should have to pay the cost of having their rig washed, and being proud of working for "O" it goes without saying that a person would want to have a clean rig. Maybe after the dust settles (no pun intended), UPS gets their ducks in a row, these problems of substandard equipment and dirty rigs will be taken care of.
From the UPS package trucks I have seen around here, the UPS equipment on the roads, it seems having clean equipment is a must for those drivers.
Since time will not be alotted for the road drivers to run the rig thru bay washes at the terminals which have them, no washing allowed off the clock, then all a person can do is like everyone is doing, making the best of a bad situation.
Anyone ever thought of having a camera handy for the dirtiest, messed up UPSF rig they run across, and posting it to youtube? Do that enough times, post the link everywhere possible, someone is going to see it in management. Kinda like a contest for the rattiest, dirtiest UPSF rig of the week ....
Geeeeesh - the things I think of
Darkstar :smilie_132:
Dirt, duct taped and dented. The way we like em'here in the frozen barrens of Northern New England. A total disgrace!!! Fedex Freight retired a bunch of AF city kitties and bought New Int'l city kitties for my area. And they are washing the trailers too. This goes along way towards public relations. But why would we do something like that? I can't even get marker lights, not to mention matching wheel rims, (I have a black one, grey one and two white ones on my tractor). It was bad when we were "O", it is far worst now. A monkey could do a better job allocating and directing the purchase, maintenance and appearance of our equipment than who ever the moron(s) we have in charge now. If they were trying to achieve total embarrassment of the Company, then they've achieved it!!! :ranting:
BusterNite
TB Legend
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.... question answered. I certainly understand what Skeeter is saying, and agree, no driver should have to pay the cost of having their rig washed, and being proud of working for "O" it goes without saying that a person would want to have a clean rig. Maybe after the dust settles (no pun intended), UPS gets their ducks in a row, these problems of substandard equipment and dirty rigs will be taken care of.
From the UPS package trucks I have seen around here, the UPS equipment on the roads, it seems having clean equipment is a must for those drivers.
Since time will not be alotted for the road drivers to run the rig thru bay washes at the terminals which have them, no washing allowed off the clock, then all a person can do is like everyone is doing, making the best of a bad situation.
Anyone ever thought of having a camera handy for the dirtiest, messed up UPSF rig they run across, and posting it to youtube? Do that enough times, post the link everywhere possible, someone is going to see it in management. Kinda like a contest for the rattiest, dirtiest UPSF rig of the week ....
Geeeeesh - the things I think of
Darkstar :smilie_132:
I like that Idea. Everyone has a camera phone on them and you would not have to go out of your way to find some dirty, ratty rusted out piece of junk.
imported_clutchcargo
TB Lurker
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UPS FREIGHT doesn't want their equiptment washed.
It plainly states in the contract that a road driver cannot wash his tractor on the time clock.
It plainly states in the contract that a road driver cannot wash his tractor on the time clock.
BigEmpty53
TB Lurker
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I'm driving Motor Cargo tractor hooked up to Overnite duct tape van. The only part of UPS that pulls into customer dock is the driver.
That's odd I've duct tape on tractors but never on the vans. Sounds like that story is a little stretched.
