Foodservice Delivery Driver - Any Advice?

Syco foods, Gordon food service.(GFS) Dunkin donuts (Ndcp) Reinhart food service (Rfs) Dean food(milk)

 

I started food service when I was 46 quit when I was 49. I had pain in my knees, elbows, wrist, ankles. I never had pain in any of those places before. Glad I did it. Won’t go back.

 

Should note I did milk for 2 yrs. Tweaked my back first year and hurt it permanently on the second along with bad carpal tunnel severely acting up from.hand truck hitting me in the wrist.

 

Started when I was 26, been doing it the last 16 years. It’s definitely hard on your body. My hands and knees kill me all the time now. My back is no problem.

Depends on your location and where are your deliveries are to. We have guys that run team into to New York City three times a week, I couldn’t do that. I like my two day regional run in upstate New York.

Get good boots, but the soles will wear quickly running up and down the ramp

 

I work for ndcp (Dunkin’ Donuts) and really like it. I’m 26 though and already had a physical job before doing this so it wasn’t much of a shock. NDCP pays really well, work a 4 day work week (50-52 hrs/wk) as a rule not the exception, they run two guys in a truck, and the frozen and dry is all set up by stop so there isn’t much digging for product. All the trailers are lift gates on the rear where the dry comes out on pallets, and the freezer and cooler are on side doors. Sometimes the cooler has a side gate as well. But even without a side gate, with two guys there isn’t a ton of climbing in and out.

I wouldn’t want to do this job if I was by myself everyday. Most of our days are 1000-1200 cases, occasionally less or more.

So yeah, depending on where you are, I’d look into them if I were you

 

can you think of anyway to reduce the wear and tear on your body? I’m on the 26 end and I’d like to do this for 10-15 years while my kids are in the house. But I’d also like to not be a mess at 40 when I’m done lol.

also what do you like for boots?

 

Martin Brower is easier than most. Everything comes off on carts.

 

People telling horror stories about working…who would have thought?

I did it. I have had much tougher jobs. Those blocks of cheese and 6/10 cans and Coke syrup are heavy, yes, but the job is nowhere as grueling as a beer route. And it paid twice as much for a shorter day. It paid me, 30 years ago, $1200/week. It was my first $1000/week job.

 

I’ve been using these Keen’s for the past few years. There’s a lot of room in the toe, there is a kind of grip surface on the front so it helps pull the handcart out from under the stack if things are wet or snowy.Men's Milwaukee Waterproof (Steel Toe)

As for reducing wear and tear, I was fine for about 10 years or so. But I would recommend not jumping out of the trailer. We don’t have lift gates so if there’s no room for the ramp and you can’t reach the steps, you’re jumping.