North Texas UPS driver dies, collapses from heat-related symptoms, union says

A UPS driver in North Texas experienced heat-related symptoms Friday that resulted in the driver crashing his delivery truck, according to the workers' union.

Video posted on Facebook from Teamsters Local 767 showed the brown UPS truck turning into the woods and crashing into a tree along Texas 121, north of McKinney. McKinney is about 35 miles north of Dallas.

The unidentified driver, who is from Longview but was assigned to work at the company's McKinney facility, was transported to a hospital, where he received medical attention and was released Saturday, the union said in its social media post.

The worker experienced “heat-related symptoms” and called for help, but UPS told the worker to go inside himself. The company did not follow its “recharge instructions”, the union said.

“This is UNACCEPTABLE. The driver lost consciousness while driving and was involved in the accident,” the union's statement says. “The company continues to put packages on people. This is the third incident in the McKinney Building alone. Don't trust the company to do the right thing for your health and safety.”

In August 2023, the Dallas Morning News reported that McKinney UPS employee Chris Begley died of heat-related health problemsaccording to company and local union officials. Dave Reeves, the union's president, said the 57-year-old collapsed in a customer's seat. Begley was hospitalized days later and died.

UPS told NBC News that it was aware of the most recent incident and was working with authorities to investigate. “We care deeply about (driver) safety and well-being,” the company said in a statement.

The union said it will meet with UPS management this week about the incident, according to reports from NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.

UPS employees have been publicizing the need for it for years heat-related safety protocols. In 2023, the union representing UPS workers reach a contract agreement with UPS requiring air conditioning to be installed on trucks, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

He said the company agreed to equip all larger delivery vehicles, smaller express vans and all of the company's popular brown package vans purchased after Jan. 1, 2024, with air conditioning systems in cabin.

The temperature in the cargo area of ​​a truck it can rise to 140 degrees or moreaccording to NBC News.