Sunday June 22nd will be my last delivery day on my own routes. I am working on sharing a route with another carrier in the future -- but am really looking forward to taking a break.
At the beginning of my blog I asked the question: "Why would anyone sign up for this?" and I guess I'm still questioning myself on this point. There are several factors that have lead to my decision to let go of my routes.
1. This "part-time" job kind of takes over your life -- and your family's life. It is a crazy schedule that is highly disruptive to family life -- I suppose that's true to any job that contends with a grave yard shift...I just think most of those jobs are full time or if part time they also involve days off of the schedule to normalize family life for a few days. That's not the case with this job -- there are NO days off. Which leads to reason #2.
2. There are NO days off. It's 7 days a week...365 days a year! No weekends, no holidays, no bad weather days...nothing! Yes, you can have someone sub your route but it's expensive and leads to unhappy customers so you wonder if it's worth it. In the 10 months I've been delivering the paper I have had one weekend off -- two delivery nights -- that's it -- and it wasn't to go on vacation -- it was to attend a funeral out-of-state. I am amazed and in awe of the carriers who have done this for years and years and years! I suppose you adapt, but my family is begging me to give this up.
3. Vehicle operating costs are only increasing! The price of gas is nearly $4 a gallon. I drive 65 miles a day to do my routes. My van gets 15 miles to the gallon (lots of low rpm running...and idling). So it costs me $16 a day to run my route. I deliver 240 papers @ 12 cents a paper... That's $28.80 gross, $12.80 net and if I have to bag the papers it's another $3 expense for the day. Not much for 4-5 hrs work. Sundays I make more, but that's one day in 7 to make a decent wage.
You go through brakes pretty quickly too and my poor little van has experienced many other little problems in this last 10 months due the route -- like my driver's side door lock no longer works properly, my window doesn't run smoothly in the track any longer, these are overuse problems! Thank heavens for a mechanic husband!
4. I actually put in my two week's notice once before -- and then withdrew it. I think this is a flawed production and delivery system. Pretty cheeky for a relative newcomer to comment on. But I wrote two letters to Cox media -- see the links below. To be fair -- after the 2nd letter the delivery times improved and have been pretty consistent the last few weeks (I wasn't the only upset carrier and a couple walked off the job or put in their notices - long time carriers!)...but I think we're all just waiting for the other shoe to fall.
1st Letter Written 3/7
2nd Letter Written 4/22
I'll miss a lot of my customers -- so many were kind and encouraging. Just like in any large group there were a few who were less than pleasant too but on the whole I've felt very fortunate. My family has been very supportive -- they've walked the walking route with me, they've helped every Sunday in one way or another and my wonderful husband has been actually delivering part of my route on Sunday for the last couple of months. This experience has been tremendous in regards to teamwork and I truly could not of survived without their help. I'd also like to say a huge thank you to Sarah Bailey who introduced me to this wild and crazy world of being a newspaper carrier -- she and her family are amazing -- in the dictionary their family picture is right there as the illustration under the definition of Teamwork!
Kathleen
4. I actually put in my two week's notice once before -- and then withdrew it. I think this is a flawed production and delivery system. Pretty cheeky for a relative newcomer to comment on. But I wrote two letters to Cox media -- see the links below. To be fair -- after the 2nd letter the delivery times improved and have been pretty consistent the last few weeks (I wasn't the only upset carrier and a couple walked off the job or put in their notices - long time carriers!)...but I think we're all just waiting for the other shoe to fall.
1st Letter Written 3/7
2nd Letter Written 4/22
I'll miss a lot of my customers -- so many were kind and encouraging. Just like in any large group there were a few who were less than pleasant too but on the whole I've felt very fortunate. My family has been very supportive -- they've walked the walking route with me, they've helped every Sunday in one way or another and my wonderful husband has been actually delivering part of my route on Sunday for the last couple of months. This experience has been tremendous in regards to teamwork and I truly could not of survived without their help. I'd also like to say a huge thank you to Sarah Bailey who introduced me to this wild and crazy world of being a newspaper carrier -- she and her family are amazing -- in the dictionary their family picture is right there as the illustration under the definition of Teamwork!
Kathleen
I hope you find this comment someday.
ReplyDeleteYou worked 10 months, l was a carrier for 16 years.
Oh how can relate to your comments.My daughter was 14 when she was hired by our local papers.
She needed extra money to save for her future schooling and she was willing to work for it
I drove her on route each morning.
We never had off days except when there were heavy snowfall and all cars were requested to be off road so the snow plows could clear the streets
I later took over my daughter's routes in her sophomore year in college the late papers caused her to miss a couple important exams, she decided to quite.
I worked on until 2014.
The terrible winter of 2013-2014 took a toll on my car.
I had to pay 2,000 during a 8 week period for repairs. It was too much
Gas was expensive and so many carriers quit because the winter was rough on their autos. I had to cover an area. I said I would never return because of the high crime.
What was the final straw for me was in August 2014. The bodies of 3 local woman were found one of the body of the murdered women was found 2 houses down from one of my customers home, in an abandoned house.
I always delivered in the dim lit pre Dawn hours.
That was it for me.
I quit.I am glad I did I finally got the rest I needed for.
I know how you felt as a carrier.
I hope life is well for you now
Best of luck in all your future endeavors!