You're standing in a parking lot. It’s 5:00 AM, the air is freezing, and a supervisor is staring at you with a clipboard. They want you to recite something perfectly. If you stumble, you might not have a job by noon. This is the reality of the UPS ten point commentary, a verbal gauntlet that every prospective package car driver has to run. It isn't just a list of rules. It is the holy grail of the Integrad training program, and honestly, it’s the thing that makes or breaks more careers at Big Brown than almost any other part of the induction process.
Most people think driving for UPS is just about moving boxes. It’s not. It’s about "The System."
The UPS ten point commentary is a specific set of safe driving habits—derived from the Smith System—that drivers must memorize word-for-word. Not "basically" word-for-word. Exactly. If the manual says "Check mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds," and you say "Check your mirrors every few seconds," you failed. It’s that rigid. It sounds overkill until you realize these drivers are piloting 10,000-pound brown tanks through tight residential neighborhoods where kids play and dogs roam free.
Why the UPS Ten Point Commentary is a Wall Most Hit
Integrad is the boot camp. You’ve probably heard stories. For one week, students are put through the ringer, and the verbal commentaries are the ultimate stress test. There are the "5 Seeing Habits" and then the "10 Point Commentary." While the 5 habits are the broad strokes, the ten point commentary is the granular, detailed stuff.
It covers everything from how you clear intersections to how you use your mirrors. You have to recite it while driving. Think about that. You are navigating a massive vehicle, checking your 18-inch mirrors, watching for pedestrians, and simultaneously performing a monologue that would make a Shakespearean actor sweat.
The pressure is real. I’ve seen grown men, former military, guys who have worked manual labor for twenty years, get "the shakes" trying to pass this. It’s because the stakes are high. Passing means a path to a six-figure salary with the best benefits in the industry. Failing means going back to the warehouse to sling boxes at midnight.
Breaking Down the Points (The Real Stuff)
Let's look at what is actually in the UPS ten point commentary. While the specific wording can vary slightly depending on the latest update to the driver's manual or the specific hub’s focus, the core principles remain the bedrock of the Smith System of defensive driving.
1. Starting Up at Intersections
You don't just go when the light turns green. You look left, right, and then left again. You're checking for that one person trying to beat the yellow light from the cross-street. It sounds basic, but in a UPS truck, your blind spots are huge. A split second of hesitation saves a life.
2. When Stopped in Traffic
You need space. Specifically, enough space to pull around the vehicle in front of you if they stall or if an emergency vehicle needs to get through. You should see the rear tires of the car in front of you touching the pavement. If you can’t see the rubber hitting the road, you’re too close. Period.
3. Count One-Two-Three After the Vehicle Ahead Starts to Move
This one drives people crazy. When the light turns green and the car in front of you goes, you don't. You count to three. This establishes a space cushion immediately. It feels like an eternity when someone is honking behind you, but UPS doesn't care about the guy honking. They care about the rear-end collision you just avoided.
4. Following Distance
This is the "4 to 6 seconds for speeds under 30 mph, and 6 to 8 seconds for speeds over 30 mph" rule. It’s about time, not feet. Why? Because feet are hard to judge at 50 mph, but seconds are easy to count. You pick a stationary object—a telephone pole or a sign—and count until your bumper reaches it after the car in front has passed it.
5. Use of Mirrors
Check 'em every 5 to 8 seconds. It’s a rhythmic scan. Forward, mirror, forward, mirror. You should always know exactly who is in your "no-zone."
6. Scan Steering Wheels
This is a pro tip. You aren't just looking at cars; you’re looking into them. Is there a head in the driver's seat of that parked car? Are the wheels turned out? If so, treat that car like it’s about to pull out in front of you. You look for signs of life.
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7. Stale Green Lights
A light you didn't see turn green is a "stale" green light. You have to decide on a "point of decision" before you reach the intersection. If it turns yellow before that point, you stop. If you're past it, you keep going smoothly. No slamming on brakes. No "flooring it" to beat the light.
8. Eye Lead Time
Look 8 to 12 seconds ahead. Most drivers look at the bumper in front of them. UPS drivers look a block or two down the road. This gives you time to react to a garbage truck or a construction zone long before you're stuck in it.
9. Pulling from Curb
Left blinker, left mirror, look over the left shoulder. You communicate your intentions. You don't just pull out; you verify it’s clear.
10. Eye-to-Eye Contact
Use your horn, lights, and signals. If a pedestrian is looking at their phone, they haven't seen you. Tap the horn. Get their eyes. If you don't have eye contact, you don't have a guarantee they won't step in front of you.
The "Word-for-Word" Trap
Here is the thing. Most people fail the UPS ten point commentary not because they are bad drivers, but because they can’t memorize. The UPS culture is built on "Methods." They want everyone doing everything the same way because it’s the most efficient and safest way discovered over a century of logistics.
When you're in the cab with a supervisor, they aren't looking for the "gist" of the point. They want the specific terminology. They want to hear "space cushion." They want to hear "point of decision." If you use your own words, you are showing them that you haven't fully internalized the UPS way of thinking.
It’s a psychological game. They want to see if you can handle the pressure of following strict protocols while the world is chaotic around you. If you can't memorize ten points, how can they trust you with a $150,000 vehicle and a cargo manifest worth triple that?
How to Actually Memorize This Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re prepping for Integrad, stop reading the sheet over and over. It doesn’t work. Your brain skips lines.
First, record yourself reading the commentary on your phone. Listen to it while you’re showering, while you’re eating, and especially while you’re driving your personal car. Start narrating your own driving using the 10 points.
"I'm stopped in traffic, I can see the rear tires of the car in front of me."
"The car is moving, one-two-three, now I'm moving."
Actually doing the actions while saying the words builds muscle memory. By the time you get to the training facility, it should be an automatic reflex, like breathing. You want to reach a state where you aren't "thinking" of the words—they are just flowing out.
The Controversy: Is It Outdated?
Some veteran drivers will tell you that the ten point commentary is "old school." With modern sensors, collision-avoidance systems, and cameras in the trucks (Lytx or similar systems), some feel the verbal recitation is a relic.
But UPS doubled down on it. Why? Because tech fails. Sensors get covered in mud. Cameras have blind spots. A driver who has the ten points burned into their brain is a driver who survives when the tech glitches.
Also, it’s a filter. UPS has a high turnover in the first year. The commentary acts as a barrier to entry that ensures only the most dedicated and disciplined individuals get the keys. It’s about the culture of "The Brown Way."
Actionable Steps for Success
To master the UPS ten point commentary and secure your spot on the seniority list, follow these specific steps:
- The 3-Sentence Rule: For every point, memorize the "Title," the "Why," and the "How." If you know why you are doing it, the words stick better.
- Write it Out: Don't just read. Get a legal pad and write the entire commentary by hand ten times a day. The brain-to-hand connection is a powerful memorization tool.
- Narrate Your Commute: Spend your 30-minute drive to your current job narrating every single thing you do using the UPS vocabulary. "Stale green light, point of decision reached, proceeding."
- Find a Partner: Have someone hold the sheet and stop you the second you miss a word. Don't let yourself finish a sentence if it's wrong. Go back to the start of that point.
- Visualize the Hub: Picture the supervisor sitting next to you. Feel the vibration of the engine. Practice in a high-stress mindset so the actual test feels like a relief.
Passing this isn't just about safety; it's about proving you belong in the circle of honor. It’s the first real step toward a career that can provide for a family for decades. Take it seriously, get the words right, and keep your eyes moving.