The Impact of Climate Change on UPS Drivers: A Call for Action
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Chapter 1: The Reality of UPS Drivers in Extreme Heat
How effectively are corporations preparing for the challenges posed by climate change? This question arose as I reflected on a recent alarming article in the New York Times detailing instances of UPS drivers collapsing due to soaring temperatures.
Many of the smaller UPS delivery trucks lack air conditioning, resulting in internal temperatures that can soar up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, as evidenced by thermometer images shared by drivers on social media. The investigation by Livia Albeck-Ripka revealed that over 270 UPS and USPS drivers have suffered from heat-related illnesses or been hospitalized.
One notable case is that of Nicholas Gubell, a 26-year-old UPS driver in Long Island, who collapsed while on duty. Paramedics had to use ice packs to cool him down. He stated, “People are dropping like flies out here. It’s very brutal.”
Indeed, the situation is dire. Albeck-Rupak notes that last year, a 23-year-old UPS driver, Jose Cruz Rodriguez Jr., was found deceased in a company parking lot in Waco, Texas, shortly after beginning his employment. Similarly, Esteban David Chavez Jr., another young driver, tragically died while delivering packages in Pasadena, California. Recent footage from a Ring doorbell captured another driver collapsing in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Consider the account of Tony Bell, a UPS driver from Texas, who expressed, “There’s only so much a body can handle.” Bell, 45, was hospitalized for heat-related issues after working on a sweltering 103-degree day in July. Despite consuming 12 bottles of water and a Gatorade, he was informed by doctors that he had narrowly avoided a heart attack. “I was scared that was it,” he admitted.
While it’s challenging to attribute any single day of extreme heat to climate change, the overarching trend is undeniable. The 2018 National Climate Assessment—compiled by 13 federal agencies—illustrates that the frequency of heat waves has escalated from two per year in the 1960s to six annually in the 2010s, with the heat-wave season extending by 45 days.
This raises the pressing question: Are American companies truly equipped for the significant disruptions that climate change will impose on them and their workforce?
Section 1.1: UPS's Preparedness for Climate Challenges
It appears that UPS may not be adequately prepared. Insights from UPS employees in the article suggest a troubling reality. Several workers reported that their requests for in-truck fans went unaddressed, while one employee humorously noted that the only heat management training involved recommendations to “drink water and eat cucumbers and watermelons.” However, increased water intake leads to frequent restroom breaks, which drivers, who spend much of their time on the road, find difficult to accommodate.
Nevertheless, it’s likely that UPS is not alone in this regard. Many large corporations may not be fully prepared for the implications of climate change.
I once held a more optimistic view regarding major companies’ recognition of the warming climate, believing that their pursuit of profit would compel them to address the stark realities of the greenhouse effect. In a 2010 article for Mother Jones, I spoke with several executives across various industries—ranging from ski resorts to insurance firms—who expressed concerns about climate change affecting their business models and were making plans accordingly.
This led me to conclude that, despite various criticisms of large corporations, they were at least realistic about climate challenges. I wrote, “This makes capitalism a curiously bracing mechanism for cutting through ideological haze and manufactured doubt.” While politicians and commentators might manipulate climate science for temporary gain, serious industrialists facing “climate exposure” cannot afford such delusions. A brief exploration of the websites of industrial associations—from aluminum manufacturers to agribusinesses—reveals straightforward acknowledgments of climate change's grim realities, akin to statements you might hear from environmental groups. Last year, Wall Street analysts produced 214 reports evaluating the risks and opportunities stemming from a warming planet. A report from McKinsey & Co. suggested that climate change will disrupt industries with a force comparable to that of mobile technology on communication.
However, 12 years later, I find myself less optimistic. Incidents like those involving UPS drivers provide little reassurance.
Chapter 2: The Urgent Need for Corporate Action
The first video highlights the urgent call for change from UPS workers following a driver who fainted and crashed due to extreme heat conditions.
The second video showcases the story of a Texas UPS driver who passed out and crashed amidst the extreme heat, underscoring the need for immediate corporate action.
Clive is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, a columnist for Wired and Smithsonian magazines, and a regular contributor to Mother Jones. He’s the author of "Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World" and "Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing our Minds for the Better." Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @pomeranian99.