Founded in 1907, United Parcel Service is among the biggest shipping companies in the world and is currently employing directly more than 530,000 people around the globe. You can imagine how difficult it is to retain a balance between profitability and keeping your employees happy, and UPS does regular meetings with its team leaders to hear what the workers on the road need. As a result of recent talks, the company announces it will finally equip its delivery trucks with air conditioners.
Of course, this isn’t the whole story. Not every UPS delivery truck will have an AC as the agreement between the firm and the so-called Teamsters is for all newly purchased US small package delivery vehicles to come with air conditioning starting January 1 next year. UPS promises it will allocate new vehicles to the hottest parts of the country where this is possible.
For everyone else – there will be cabin fans! UPS says it will install cab fans on all delivery vehicles that don’t have an AC from the factory within 30 days of contract ratification. A second fan is planned for installation by June 1 next year.
As an additional measure, UPS will also install exhaust heat shields to minimize heat conduction from the engine into the floor of the vehicle. According to preliminary tests, this measure should lower the cabin temperature by up to 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Those shields will be installed on all future new vehicles and retrofitted to existing delivery cars within 18 months of contract ratification.
Another measure agreed between the company and the Teamsters is the addition of a forced-air induction system that is designed to bring fresh air from the front of the vehicle into the cargo area. This solution will be included in the production of new delivery vehicles moving forward and will be retrofitted to existing vehicles within 18 months of contract ratification.
“We have always remained open to solutions that keep our employees safe on hot days,” UPS said in an official press release. “The Teamsters raised AC as a top priority for their members, and the new solutions we’ve agreed to will improve airflow, temperature, and comfort for our employees."
