In a recent development, UPS has failed to fulfill its promise of equipping delivery vans with air conditioning this year. Despite the agreement made with the Teamsters union last year, no new vans with AC have been purchased by UPS, leaving drivers at risk as temperatures continue to rise across the country.
According to the Teamsters union, almost none of the nearly 100,000 brown package vans owned by UPS have air conditioning. This has resulted in temperatures inside the trucks reaching dangerous levels, with some areas exceeding 120 degrees. The union, representing over 300,000 UPS employees, highlighted the urgent need for relief from the heat to ensure worker safety.
The issue of AC in UPS vans was a major point of contention during contract negotiations between the union and the company last year. As part of the agreement reached in July, UPS committed to including air conditioning in all vans purchased after January 1. Additionally, existing vans were supposed to be retrofitted with fans, heat shields, and air scoops to mitigate the extreme temperatures.
While UPS claims that fans have been installed in all vans and two-thirds have been retrofitted with heat shields and air scoops, no new vans have been purchased this year. The company cited the need to replace existing fleet and package volume as factors influencing their purchase decisions.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of progress, the Teamsters union stated, “We are midway into the summer, and frankly UPS is not moving fast enough.” They emphasized the importance of providing adequate cooling measures for drivers working in the vans.
UPS mentioned that there are only a small number of vans, in the hundreds, equipped with AC. These vans include electric vehicles and specialized ones for rural areas, but they represent only a fraction of the UPS package vans in operation.
Despite the slow growth in the number of vans with AC, UPS remains committed to ensuring worker safety through various heat mitigation efforts. These include installing ice machines, water fountains, specialized cooling gear, and additional fans in its facilities. However, the lack of air conditioning in the majority of UPS vans on the road continues to be a concern for drivers and the union.
In conclusion, while UPS has taken steps to address heat-related issues, the absence of air conditioning in the vans remains a pressing issue for drivers facing extreme temperatures during their delivery routes.
