How Much Can UPS Change Your Bid Area or Bid Work?

If you've ever come in to find your delivery area is completely different from what you bid, you're not alone. This is one of the most common frustrations for UPS package car drivers and feeder drivers alike. The good news: your contract has real, enforceable limits on how much UPS can change your bid area or bid work — and specific rights you can exercise when they cross those lines.

The 50% Rule: When Your Package Car Area Changes Permanently

The single most important protection for package car drivers is the 50% rule for permanent route changes.

Under the Western Region Supplemental Agreement, when a driver's assigned delivery area is permanently changed by 50% or more of its delivery stops, the driver has the right to follow the major portion of the original delivery area. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]

This means UPS cannot simply gut your bid area and expect you to accept whatever remains. If more than half your stops disappear permanently, you have the right to go with the bulk of the work.

When more than one driver's area is affected, those affected drivers are afforded the opportunity to bid the changed areas among themselves in seniority order. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]

The 50% Rule: When Your Area Changes Temporarily on a Given Day

There is also a separate, parallel protection for day-to-day temporary changes. When a driver's bid delivery area is temporarily changed on a given day by 50% or more of its delivery stops, the driver has the right to choose one of the following:

1. Follow the major portion of the delivery stops, if seniority allows.
2. Work as an unassigned driver with seniority rights recognized.
3. Take the day off, if staffing allows.

Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]

This is a critical distinction: even on a single day when your area is massively rerouted, you are not simply at UPS's mercy. You have three options to protect your time and your seniority.

When a New Area Is Created From Your Route

What happens if UPS splits your area so significantly that it creates a brand-new area? The contract addresses this directly.

When a driver's area is split to the extent of creating an additional new area, the affected driver is allowed to select either of those areas before the other area is even posted for bid. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]

In other words, you get first choice before anyone else can bid the new territory carved from your old route.

How Permanent Vacancies and New Areas Must Be Posted

UPS cannot simply reassign bid work without going through a proper posting process. Under the Western Region supplement:

• A package car area permanently vacated or newly established must be posted within 5 days for a 5-working-day bidding period. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 9 ^[4]
• The posting must include geographical descriptions, area boundaries, loop designation, current package car size, and whether the area is a designated training area. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]
• The successful bidder is awarded the area the Monday following the expiration of the 5-day posting period. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]
• A permanent vacancy is defined as an area delivered 3 days a week for a 30-day period, excluding extra areas established during peak season. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]

If the bid is not awarded as outlined, the case may be referred to the Union and Company Chairpersons of the Western Region Grievance Panel (or their designees), who have the discretion to issue an immediate remedy. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]

Your Right to ORION/Telematics Data on a New Bid Area

This is a lesser-known but valuable contractual right: within the first 15 days of accepting a new bid package car area, a driver may request that the Company print and provide either the ORION screenshot or a Telematics screenshot of each of the first five days worked. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 10 ^[2]

• If you request it on the actual day, you get the ORION screenshot.
• If you request it after the day has passed, you get the Telematics screenshot.

This matters because it creates a paper trail showing what your new area actually looked like in the first week — useful if UPS later tries to pad the area with more stops than what was originally presented.

Feeder Drivers: Protections When Your Bid Schedule Changes

Feeder drivers have their own set of protections against UPS unilaterally changing their bid work.

Under the Western Region supplement, all feeder schedules are bid annually on a seniority basis, with annual bids taking effect the first full week of May. Article 6, Section 1 ^[6]

For permanent feeder vacancies and new schedules that arise after the annual bid:

• The new schedule must be posted within 5 days for a 5-working-day bidding period.
• The successful bidder is awarded the schedule the Sunday following the expiration of the 5-day posting period.
• A permanent feeder vacancy is a schedule that runs 3 days a week for a 30-day period, excluding peak season extra schedules. Article 6, Section 1 ^[6]

Crucially, if a bid feeder schedule is abolished, or if the established start time is permanently changed by 1 hour or more, or the scheduled paid day is changed by more than 2 hours, the affected driver is allowed to exercise their seniority to bump any less senior driver. This bumping chain continues for an additional 10 bumps, at which point the last affected driver is assigned to the remaining schedule. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 9 ^[4]

Bidding During Leave of Absence or Vacation

UPS cannot use your absence against you in the bidding process. The contract is explicit: a driver on leave of absence during the period a bid is posted shall not be deprived of the opportunity to exercise their seniority, provided bids are submitted within the defined bidding period. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]

The same applies to vacation: time limits in the bidding process cannot be used to deprive a driver on vacation of the right to bid a job posted while they were out. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]

It is the driver's responsibility to advise their steward or someone else to notify them of job openings they might be interested in while they are away. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]

Part-Time Employees: Bidding Preferred Jobs

Part-time employees also have meaningful bidding rights that limit how UPS can move them around. Under the Western Region supplement:

• The Employer must fill all vacancies and permanent new jobs for part-time employees from the part-time selection list in all months except December. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]
• Seniority part-time employees have the right to place their name on a preferred job list covering positions such as preload, sorter, clerical, irregular train, hazmat first responder, carwasher, loader, and unloader. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 11 ^[1]
• In preload operations, preloaders may select specific load positions or work stations when there is a permanent vacancy. In hub operations, employees may select permanent vacancies in specific work areas. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 12 ^[3]
• While the Company can direct employees to work areas where additional work is needed, this must be done in seniority order from those available in the immediate area, and the provision cannot be used as subterfuge to remove an employee from their preferred work area. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 12 ^[3]
• The successful selector shall be assigned within 5 days of the completion of the selection process. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 12 ^[3]
• A maximum of 25% of employees on a shift may change shifts in any one calendar year, and any employee obtaining a new shift position must remain on that shift for at least 6 months. Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement 2023-2028, p. 12 ^[3]

The 9.5 Protections: Limits on How Much Work UPS Can Pile On

Even beyond the physical boundaries of your bid area, UPS's ability to pile excessive work onto your day is also contractually limited.

Under Article 37, drivers who opt into the 9.5 list have the right to file a grievance if UPS continually works them more than 9.5 hours per day on any 3 days in a workweek. The Company must make a reasonable effort to reduce package car drivers' workdays below 9.5 hours for those on the list. Article 37, Section provided ^[5]

• If the employer is found to have assigned excessive overtime in retaliation for a driver opting onto the 9.5 list, the Co-Chairs have discretion to award a penalty at triple time. Article 37, Section provided ^[5]
• If a driver is paid a penalty more than 4 times in a calendar year, a meeting must be scheduled with the District Labor Manager, Business Agent, and Co-Chairs within 45 days of filing. Article 37, Section provided ^[5]

Note: The 9.5 protections generally do not apply from November 15 through January 15 of the following year. Article 37, Section provided ^[5]

What Rank-and-File Members Say

Members on forums like r/UPSers note that in practice, having a bid route does not make it completely untouchable — a higher-seniority driver who is bumped off their own route can bump you off yours. ^{[7] [8]} This is consistent with the contract's seniority-based bumping procedures. The key is knowing when those bumps are and aren't allowed, and making sure UPS follows the proper posting and notification process every time.

Regional Note

The specific rules described above — particularly the 50% stop thresholds, the 5-day posting requirements, and the feeder bumping chain — come from the Western Region of Teamsters UPS Supplemental Agreement. If you work under a different supplement (e.g., Local 688, Local 89 Louisville, or another regional rider), your rules may differ in some details. Always confirm with your steward which supplement applies to your building.

What to Do Next

If UPS has changed your bid area or bid work in a way that feels wrong, talk to your steward immediately — there are time limits on grievances and your steward needs to know quickly. Bring any paperwork you have about what your bid area was originally supposed to include. You can also use TeamstersGPT with your specific supplement selected to look up the exact language that applies to your situation.