To help expedite delivery of 28,000 air-conditioned vehicles under the current national contract, United Parcel Service (UPS) has signed a new letter of agreement with the UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to begin retrofitting 5,000 package cars with air conditioning for the hottest delivery zone in the country.
“The Teamsters Union appreciates UPS’s recognition that our members in Zone 1 need real relief from the heat, and they need it now,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “The rank-and-file at UPS are essential workers who move the American economy. In 2023, the Teamsters secured historic heat protections for our members, and there can be no further delay in the implementation of these safeguards. We look forward to working with UPS to ensure this retrofitting is completed on schedule to get our members the relief they deserve.”
The 5,000 package cars will be retrofitted with air conditioning by June 1, 2027, and dispatched to the Teamsters’ hottest delivery areas in mostly Southern and Southwest states. The first 2,000 vehicles readied under the agreement will be retrofitted by June 1, 2026.
The agreement also designates that 100 package cars will be upgraded with air conditioning vented into the cargo compartment under a new pilot program to evaluate strategies for greater heat relief. This is an evolution of UPS’s commitment under the 2023 National Master Agreement to ventilate cargo compartments with retrofitted air ducts. The results of the pilot program will be reviewed by the joint Teamsters/UPS Package Car Heat Committee.
“Since our union ratified the National Master Agreement, the Teamsters heat committee has been working with UPS to study the best ways to retrofit vehicles for better ventilation. We are eager to start testing A/C in the cargo compartment, inarguably the hottest part of the package cars,” said Karla Schumann, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 104 in Phoenix, Ariz., and Chair of the Package Car Heat Committee. “This is a positive step for UPS to speed up delivery of air-conditioned vehicles by utilizing retrofitting for our most affected members.”
The retrofit of 5,000 package cars will contribute to UPS’s obligation under the current Teamsters contract to deliver 28,000 new vehicles equipped with air conditioning. Zone 1 applies to UPS Teamsters in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
The agreement also designates that 100 package cars will be upgraded with air conditioning vented into the cargo compartment under a new pilot program to evaluate strategies for greater heat relief.
All these youngsters screaming for air conditioning are going to be mighty disappointed once the air-conditioning starts breaking and it doesn’t get fixed lol.
The agreement also designates that 100 package cars will be upgraded with air conditioning vented into the cargo compartment under a new pilot program to evaluate strategies for greater heat relief.
This is the thing.
Also, I wonder how many of these runner gunners are going to keep their doors closed in the summertime?
All these youngsters screaming for air conditioning are going to be mighty disappointed once the air-conditioning starts breaking and it doesn’t get fixed lol.
Parts on order OK to drive
Or it doesn't cool them like their personal vehicle driving with the windows up all day.
Or it doesn't cool them like their personal vehicle driving with the windows up all day.
Yep, this isn’t Feeders these package cars are the most filthy dusty mess I’ve ever seen nothing like kicking on the AC so you can suck up some more of that.I’d rather keep the doors open and get some fresh air.
Do it in long pants like back in the day also. The Cargo area is the only thing that could to be cooled down a bit. Give me a buck more a hour and keep your damn AC. Could be up in a attic running ductwork/cable in Phoenix or Miami in August.
Do it in long pants like back in the day also. The Cargo area is the only thing that could to be cooled down a bit. Give me a buck more a hour and keep your damn AC. Could be up in an attic running ductwork/cable in Phoenix or Miami in August.
I don’t think it will do much good. Those who really need it will not be able to take advantage of it because they delivering and digging for packages in the back of the truck more than they are driving. Those with routes where there’s actually time to close all of the doors and drive long enough to feel the cold air are on routes where people have survived for decades without air-conditioning because they ride with the doors open and catch a breeze.More focus should be placed on dispatchers and pre-loaders. Their mistakes and habits cause drivers to spend too much time in the back of the truck where the heat gets to us the most. Dispatchers working in the temperature controlled office can easily split the numerous duplicate sequence numbers they are sending us out with now. And preload supervisors can actually listen to drivers for once and implement the changes we suggest so that their loaders aren’t adding to the time we spend back there. And it would help if drivers weren’t slamming energy drinks and sodas while trying to do a job that requires that you being in the heat most of the day. I see that every year.Air-conditioning well just end up being ian expensive novelty more than a solution.
When you’re looking into the 8000s for one stop, then the 3000s then into the 6000s and finally finding the missing 2000 in the floor in the very back, AC up front is moot.
