The Truth About Working for UPS: What They DON’T Tell You

March 21, 2025

When people think about working for UPS, they often picture solid pay, union protection, and job stability. On the surface, it seems like a reliable career path—especially if you become a full-time driver. But what most people don’t see is the constant stress, poor communication, and the way the company treats its workers like numbers rather than people.

I know this firsthand. I started in the warehouse before moving into a regular temp driver position, and while the paycheck was decent, the frustration, lack of stability, and overall treatment made me realize something: If I didn’t choose myself, no one else would.

The UPS Experience: A System Built to Frustrate

No Work, No Warning.

One of the biggest issues with working for UPS is the complete lack of communication. Imagine this: You wake up early, get ready, and show up to work—only to be told they don’t have anything for you that day. No advance notice. No respect for your time. Just, “We have nothing for you today, you can head back home.”

That only happened to me a few times, but as a regular temp driver, you get used and abused because you’re cheaper labor. UPS would rather keep temps or newer drivers on the clock instead of those who have progressed to the higher hourly rate—because why pay someone $44 an hour when they can keep a temp working for much less? The result? More bullshit to deal with, more uncertainty, and more ways they try to cut corners at your expense.

I’ve seen drivers leave—full-time, regular temp, and even warehouse workers. In my experience, working for UPS is a dysfunctional system. Think I’m the only one? Watch this video as a former UPS driver explains why he had to call it quits. [ Watch Here ]

No Clarity, Just Last-Minute Chaos

Another massive frustration? Finishing your route and thinking you’re done for the day. There were countless times I would complete all my deliveries, start heading back to the hub—then suddenly, I’d get a call:

“Hey, we need you to go help another driver.”

“Hey we need you to go get the pickups from the UPS store.”

No heads-up. No message in advance. Just expecting you to drop everything and make it work. There were times I was sent to a store for pickups, only to arrive and find out another driver had already taken them. A complete waste of time and energy—further proving how terrible the communication is.

This wasn’t just an occasional inconvenience—it was my reality while working for UPS. In my personal experience, management lacked organization, clear communication, and regard for drivers' schedules. I could finish my shift, only to be hit with a last-minute assignment that pushed my clock even further. If I had plans with a significant other, friend, or family? Good luck. More often than not, I wouldn’t make it—because from what I experienced, work-life balance wasn’t a priority.

The Loaders: A Gamble Every Morning

Unlike full-time drivers with dedicated routes, regular temp and newer drivers are basically cover drivers—filling in when someone calls out. UPS drivers don’t load their own trucks; that’s the job of specific warehouse workers. But while full-time drivers usually have the same loader handling their truck (not always, but most of the time), temp drivers get whoever is assigned that day—meaning some days you get a solid load, and other days, it’s a complete mess.

Some days, you get a solid loader who organizes everything properly, making your job easier. Other days, you get someone who either doesn’t care or is completely new. I don’t expect perfection, but I do expect dignity and effort. And trust me, some of these loaders couldn’t care less—they’re just counting down the minutes until they can clock out.

The worst part? Some of these people were clearly under the influence while loading trucks. I won’t get into details, but you could tell when things weren’t right. Packages were missing, deliveries were out of order, and the mess inside the truck made the job twice as difficult. But no one held them accountable, and at the end of the day, it was on you to deal with the chaos.

The Pros and Cons of Working for UPS

I won’t deny that working for UPS has its upsides. It’s a union job, which means they can’t just fire you without reason. And if you make it to a full-time driver position, the pay and benefits can be solid. But to me, the cons far outweigh the pros.

Pros:

✔ Good Pay (Eventually) – Full-Time drivers make great money, and regular temp drivers do well too—but they don’t have the same job stability. They use you when it’s convenient, then cut you when they don’t need you anymore.

✔ Union Protection – Unlike other jobs, you have some level of job security once you’re in.

✔ Benefits (for Full-Time Drivers) – Health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off are great for Full-Time drivers. If you’re brought in as a part-time UPS employee, you have to wait nine months for benefits. But if you’re brought in as a seasonal driver for peak season, you get nothing. And once peak ends, they let you go—no warning, no heads-up, just gone.

Cons:

❌ Horrible Communication – No schedule consistency, last-minute changes, and a complete lack of respect for workers’ time.

❌ Unstable Workload – You never know if you’re working or getting sent home.

❌ Poorly Loaded Trucks – Some loaders don’t care, making deliveries a nightmare.

❌ Turnover is Insanely High – Due to inconsistent hours, low pay, and the grueling effort required in the warehouse. One day, you might get six hours; the next, they’ll cut you after an hour and a half. They’re always quick to get you off the clock—making it a complete waste of time.

❌ Mental & Physical Toll – Long hours, unpredictable shifts, and constant frustration wear you down fast.

The Breaking Point: Choosing Myself Over UPS

At some point, I had to ask myself: Why am I putting up with this?

Was I working for UPS just for the paycheck? The so-called job security? The hope that things would improve? The truth is, nothing changes unless you make the change yourself. UPS wasn’t going to fix its broken system for me. They weren’t going to suddenly start respecting my time or treating me like more than a number.

So, I made the call—I chose to put my mental health first because I had sacrificed enough.

Walking away from a steady paycheck is never easy, but the alternative was worse—staying in a cycle of frustration, stress, and feeling undervalued.

The Lesson in All This?

Working for UPS taught me a lot—not about logistics, but about self-worth. If you don’t stand up for yourself, no one else will. If you let companies take advantage of you, they will.

So, what’s the moral of the story?

I chose ME. Take CTRL or Be CTRLD.