UPS driver suffering from heat exhaustion 'passed out,' got into crash, Teamsters say
A Texas UPS employee was hospitalized after passing out while driving and getting into an accident due to heat exhaustion, union officials say.
A video shared by UPS driver's union, Teamsters Local 767, captures the truck swerving on the road, almost striking a car before crashing into trees. Photos show a busted front windshield and severe damage in front of the vehicle.
In a statement on Facebook, the union blasted the company, saying that they put "packages over people."
The Longview-based driver was traveling from the UPS location in McKinney on Friday when the incident occurred. During his trip, he started to experience "heat-related symptoms," including vomiting, according to the statement and KTVT. The driver then contacted his supervisor and was instructed to return to the facility.
"The company once again did not follow their own Recharge guidelines and asked the driver to drive himself in," the union said in a statement. "This is UNACCEPTABLE. The driver passed out while driving in and was involved in the accident."
USA TODAY reached out to Teamsters Local 767 for comment.
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Union calls on UPS to take accountability.
The driver survived the crash and was discharged from the hospital. Teamsters Local 767 argued the entire ordeal went against the company's heat safety procedures, adding that the supervisor should have called the police instead, KTVT reported.
“UPS has got to take responsibility for this and shut these drivers down," union principal David Reeves told the outlet. "They’ve gotta be responsible, frankly, for the safety of the driver along with the general public."
In a statement to USA TODAY, a UPS spokesperson said that they are aware of the incident involving the driver.
"We care deeply about his safety and well-being," the company added. "We can confirm the driver received minor medical treatment and went home. We continue to work with authorities to investigate and defer to them for questions."
2023 UPS-Teamsters contract called for air conditioning in every vehicle
The union said that the company ensured that all new vehicles would have air conditioning amid the scorching heat but alleges that they have not seen results, according to the news station. UPS confirmed that they "have hundreds of vehicles with AC on the roads today" and are making progress on their contractual agreement.
UPS avoided a Teamsters strike in July 2023 by agreeing to a new five-year contract that addressed heat-safety for drivers.
The contract dictated that UPS would add air conditioning to all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars were to get two fans and air induction vents, the contract said.
The statement continued: "The agreement with the Teamsters included equipping all new vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024 with AC and making modifications to our existing package cars to improve airflow, temperature and comfort for our drivers. We will continue to purchase and deploy new vehicles with AC as quickly as possible. We have also equipped the vast majority of our vehicles with heat shields and enhanced air intakes to better cool and ventilate the cargo area."
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].