I was an NFL star but now I’m an Amazon driver – 3 things are hard but I make millions
A FORMER NFL star has revealed he is now working as an Amazon driver making millions.
Sidney Tarver has gone from the football field to the driver’s seat and is now running a thriving trucking business.
Sidney, once a linebacker at Cleveland Browns in 2011, started a business venture after his sport career was cut short by an injury.
He launched People First Logistics, a delivery service provider contracted by Amazon.
This is a seasonal job, you do this to pay the bills. It’s just until people figure out what they need to do
Sidney Tarver
His team boasts over five million packages, managed 20,000 routes and created jobs for more than 400 people.
But working as a driver in the delivery industry also comes with its challenges.
He said it is a demanding hob which involves being on the road for long hours through harsh weather conditions.
Sidney admitted: “You are dealing with rain, sleep, snow and sunny.”
And it comes with physical and mental challenges – including limited lunch breaks and extended working hours.
The entrepreneur said: “Do you think I want them coming here working 10 hours a day for me?”
‘LOW PAY’
Sidney also admitted the job is not as rewarding as his career as a sportsman.
He called on Amazon to raise wages for drivers as they manage high volumes of deliveries.
The business-owner stressed that drivers deserve competitive pay comparable to leading delivery companies.
He added: “I want at least like Amazon to help us get that raised to $25 (£20) an hour.
“We just delivered 5.9 billion packages last year and I’ve delivered over 7.2 million packages. You want to take car of these drivers.
“If you’re delivering more stuff than FedEx, UPS and all of them, we deserve to be paid like the number the number one delivery company in the world.
“Amazon I need you to boos that up for us. We need you to invest in us so we can take our operations to the next level.
“But we know what we signed up for.”
DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS
Sidney also said workers can handle difficult customers on a daily basis.
He said: “This is not an easy job dealing with bad customers.”
Adding to the demands of the job, Sidney said the role is a temporary source of income rather than a long-term career.
The former player said: “This job is not for everybody. Only the strong are going to survive. I don’t think this is a permanent 30-year career anymore.
“This is a seasonal job, you do this to pay the bills. It’s just until people figure out what they need to do.”
However, he said the role offers the opportunity to explore different landmarks and locations during his routes.
He added: “One of the best things about being a driver is you get to just notice landmarks and cool places.”
It comes as a glamorous young woman revealed she’s constantly judged and made fun of by other men for being a truck driver.
Loredana Zainea, 28, decided to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and became a trucker.