DRA will be the death of express

fedupforsure

Well-Known Member
I have been on DRA for about 5 months now. This stupid program will be the demise of fedex. It has me making left hand turn on major highways all the time and driving in circles. I waste more time than I ever thought possible. Combine this with the hour break(psp haha) it takes me way longer to do my route than it ever has. I see this program as a way for fedex to be able to get rid of us long timers and replace us with mental midgets who will work for slave wages and just follow a manifest. I wonder what the cost was to conceive it and put it into action. What ever it was, the brains above at fedex are the mental midgets. All this money they are spending to track productivity and push this and that are wasting way more money than they will ever recoop. And the worst part is that even when they figure out this new program is not working, they are too proud to admit they made a mistake and dump it. I get more hour now than I have in a long time because of the hr break which causes me to have overtime.
I have lost all faith in upper mgt in this company. I think it is now run my morons and will be run into the ground in the not too distant future. I thank the powers that be that I am very close to retirement.
 

STFXG

Well-Known Member
You're thinking too short term. FedEx can afford to spend years getting the program fully developed and functional. It will get better with time. They will phase out older couriers and bring in new hires that will cost less all while increasing productivity, reducing the number of needed drivers/equipment and greatly reducing training costs. Long term this will increase profits or they wouldn't be doing it. You all just get to be the guinea pigs.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I have been on DRA for about 5 months now. This stupid program will be the demise of fedex. It has me making left hand turn on major highways all the time and driving in circles. I waste more time than I ever thought possible. Combine this with the hour break(psp haha) it takes me way longer to do my route than it ever has. I see this program as a way for fedex to be able to get rid of us long timers and replace us with mental midgets who will work for slave wages and just follow a manifest. I wonder what the cost was to conceive it and put it into action. What ever it was, the brains above at fedex are the mental midgets. All this money they are spending to track productivity and push this and that are wasting way more money than they will ever recoop. And the worst part is that even when they figure out this new program is not working, they are too proud to admit they made a mistake and dump it. I get more hour now than I have in a long time because of the hr break which causes me to have overtime.
I have lost all faith in upper mgt in this company. I think it is now run my morons and will be run into the ground in the not too distant future. I thank the powers that be that I am very close to retirement.

DRA is just one of many symptoms of a highly dysfunctional Express culture in which only the "smart" elite matter, and the labor peons do not. Express has become a culture of "yes men" where nobody dares to challenge the constant flow of bad decisions from upper management. To do so would mean the death of your own career, so you go along, not by choice, but by force.

I have seen this idiocy in-action for many years, and now it's getting to the point where it is outright ridiculous...but nothing changes, because it can't if it threatens the geniuses who "lead" this company. Like Enron, they pull something out of their ass, declare it brilliant, and then squash anyone like a bug who dares challenge their wonderful idea. DRA is the perfect example of this. Great companies with good leaders debate decisions openly and invite criticism, because it makes sense to get opposing viewpoints and possibly better ideas. Not here. The Pope and his bishops make a dictate (however stupid) and then cling to it as if it came directly from God himself.

Because FDX is highly profitable, even a highly defective Express opco can survive for a very long time, propped-up by Ground profits. Simply put, our upper management has a fixed-mindset that requires constant validation of their "brilliance", not a growth-oriented mindset that is open to change and input from frontline employees.

Where do stellar benchmark companies go when they need answers and ideas...to frontline employees. They pay them fairly and recognize their value. Not at FedEx. All hail the great kings Smith, Thornton, and the rest of their court!! That's what they want, and in the meantime Rome burns down around them.

I love watching it, because it's like seeing a bad disaster movie unfold before your eyes. Yes, Matt, please coat your body with honey and then step into the grizzly bear cave. Hey Fred, slap another layer of fish guts on you before you go diving in shark-infested waters, and Dave, make sure you carry your anvil when you go skydiving.

These people have huge egos that need constant care and attention, and nothing else really matters.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I have been on DRA for about 5 months now. This stupid program will be the demise of fedex. It has me making left hand turn on major highways all the time and driving in circles. I waste more time than I ever thought possible. Combine this with the hour break(psp haha) it takes me way longer to do my route than it ever has. I see this program as a way for fedex to be able to get rid of us long timers and replace us with mental midgets who will work for slave wages and just follow a manifest. I wonder what the cost was to conceive it and put it into action. What ever it was, the brains above at fedex are the mental midgets. All this money they are spending to track productivity and push this and that are wasting way more money than they will ever recoop. And the worst part is that even when they figure out this new program is not working, they are too proud to admit they made a mistake and dump it. I get more hour now than I have in a long time because of the hr break which causes me to have overtime.
I have lost all faith in upper mgt in this company. I think it is now run my morons and will be run into the ground in the not too distant future. I thank the powers that be that I am very close to retirement.

Substitute "I have been of meth for about 5 months now" for the first line, and then read the rest of the post. It still makes sense, at least from a FedEx perspective. The courier has to behave like he/she is on some sort of brain-deadening chemical that causes them to do stupid, illogical things. DRA is like a drug, a hugely defective one like Thalilomide.
 

thedownhillEXPRESS

Well-Known Member
Substitute "I have been of meth for about 5 months now" for the first line, and then read the rest of the post. It still makes sense, at least from a FedEx perspective. The courier has to behave like he/she is on some sort of brain-deadening chemical that causes them to do stupid, illogical things. DRA is like a drug, a hugely defective one like Thalilomide.

I think a lot of the engineers were on meth ​while working on DRA
 

hypo hanna

Well-Known Member
I don't think we can give DRA all the credit for killing off express. There are so many stupid ideas coming out of Memphis right now you can't blame just one.
 

MAKAVELI

Well-Known Member
Well, there you have it. End of discussion.

stfxh you are drinking the cool aid. I have been with this company for almost 30 years doing this job and this will NOT increase productivity
He just doesn't get it. No program is going to be more efficient then a seasoned courier. DRA wasn't intented to make couriers be more efficient, but to be able to put new lower paid couriers on road and get " acceptable" productivity. Which many on here are saying is a total failure.
 

STFXG

Well-Known Member
Well, there you have it. End of discussion.

stfxh you are drinking the cool aid. I have been with this company for almost 30 years doing this job and this will NOT increase productivity

Because all you experienced couriers run like a well oiled machine? Im not talking about YOU. You are being phased out. Route knowledge and experience will be replaced by a computer program that can put anyone in the seat and do what you do.

How efficient are new hires? How long does it take to have a new route down?
With a new PT work force and a revolving door of new hires productivity will increase. Apply the Smith System and Get The Big Picture.

There's a big difference in the learning curve between new Home Delivery and Ground drivers. You will see the difference (if you're around then).
 

thedownhillEXPRESS

Well-Known Member
Because all you experienced couriers run like a well oiled machine? Im not talking about YOU. You are being phased out. Route knowledge and experience will be replaced by a computer program that can put anyone in the seat and do what you do.

How efficient are new hires? How long does it take to have a new route down?
With a new PT work force and a revolving door of new hires productivity will increase. Apply the Smith System and Get The Big Picture.

There's a big difference in the learning curve between new Home Delivery and Ground drivers. You will see the difference (if you're around then).

What about presenting a nice image for the customer?

Fred thinks sending someone that looks like he wants to rob your house in order to save some money is gonna work?

​its collapsing already
 

Sniper

Well-Known Member
Dynamic Roads ......for a penny a day. I have used the "common sense" version of roads for 21 years now. I have a mild form Dyslexia, I can read and comprehend just fine but 1309 ends up 1390 if I don't watch what I am doing. Ran the downtown city P-1 routs and the rest of the day it was many miles and not near the stops. I overlooked one in a small town....had to backtrack 15 miles. From that day on I wrote down my stops and have been for years. I have had 3 overlooks since then just because I didn't glance at my "cheat sheet"...which was MY fault. I have yet to use roads and my penny a day version serves me well... This is a tool I have used all these years before DRA was a twinkle in the eye of any engineer.

see... I left the "e" out of routes.... lmao..
 
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thedownhillEXPRESS

Well-Known Member
Because all you experienced couriers run like a well oiled machine? Im not talking about YOU. You are being phased out. Route knowledge and experience will be replaced by a computer program that can put anyone in the seat and do what you do.

How efficient are new hires? How long does it take to have a new route down?
With a new PT work force and a revolving door of new hires productivity will increase. Apply the Smith System and Get The Big Picture.

There's a big difference in the learning curve between new Home Delivery and Ground drivers. You will see the difference (if you're around then).

This new wave of employee isn't exactly sitting well with the big "professional" shippers we have.
Sure, they need no brain to follow a manifest, but that lacking brain is losing us accounts when they have no ability,nor the desire or people skills to deal with major customers.

​UPS still has a professional image, we are just trash.
 
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