Fed EX Working Hours

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Were you this vocal about those drivers when they were still called RPS? I'm sure the money hasn't changed much.

RPS was mostly single vehicle contractors, and they were really screwed. Most of them were netting about $25,000 per year and working 55-60 hours per week. Why do you think Fred bought them anyway?
 

LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
RPS was mostly single vehicle contractors, and they were really screwed. Most of them were netting about $25,000 per year and working 55-60 hours per week. Why do you think Fred bought them anyway?
Now you're blaming Fed for their 'lousy' pay, when it's been that way the whole time. I know you were vocal about their pay/salary back then, right?
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
It was easy for Fred to buy them because they were not a multi billion dollar Corporation back then. If Fred decided he wanted to go into the Ground business then he should of done it legitamley. Running a IC business is fine for Mom and Pop shops but when your a huge corporation that makes billions how is it you can live high on the hog and let the taxpayers subsidize your workforce.
Remember it doesn't bother Fred because he is rich and does not pay the same taxes as you so he has no problem letting you pay more.

Out here on the West we have a little company called ontrac that is ran by IC's I believe they deliver to 4 states only. They look like IC's in every since of the word. They use vans with magnets on them. Some of them have a shirt that says ontrac but not all. They show up in blue jeans their own jackets and their own vans. They do not give the apperance of a Company ran business. When I tell people how Ground is ran they cannot believe it. What do you mean you are not a employee? you look like one
What do you mean you do not get OT is that not illegal. I cannot believe a company as big as FedEx gets away with doing business this way isn't that illegal. My personal favorite FedEx is another example of a BIG CORPORATION that is killing the middle class nothing personal but we are switching to UPS.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Now you're blaming Fed for their 'lousy' pay, when it's been that way the whole time. I know you were vocal about their pay/salary back then, right?

Fred bought RPS for their route structure and for their business plan, which is essentially the same one, just tweaked enough to stay legal (for now).
 

Nathan Young

New Member
back again. so far this week i have done one 14 hour day and two 13 hour days; already 40 hours with 2 days left. this route is a supplemental from the ground route and the former contractor owned about one third the routes in the terminal until he sold most of the routes at the end of last year. new contractor is still learning the ropes and well most of new drivers are too. about the time, i am told not to start the clock until after we get our paperwork and about to leave the terminal after setting up the scanner; that is around 2 hours not counted in the time. we are also told to close our scanner right after our last stop and it saves the 1 1/2 hour drive not being counted also. so around 3-4 hours are not recorded within the 11 hour drive rule and 14 hour on duty rule.

most of the drivers/contractors do think i am getting messed around with but do not have anything to offer, i have asked. worked with a contractor for two days a week and route was way too large around 16 hour day, he is gone; worked with second contractor for xmas rush but ended after rush. i swap packages with the ground driver for 4 days a week since i can not make businesses in time daily. and the contractor has me run under a ground scanner instead of a fhd scanner to make more money. i have sometimes stood around for 30-45 minutes just to get stuff piped to me or have a scanner issue just as i was leaving; had two scanner trouble days in the last week. i make 500 a week but after taxes it is around 410 a week.down here the alabama/auburn rivery is fierce and all the mangement is bama fans while i am a auburn fan, get messed around with that too.

i do have a cdl-a license and worked with werner before coming with fed ex; gave me truck with broken speedometer and rpm meter; expired tag and insurance and broken lights and expected me to drive it; did not end very well and no other trucking firms will hire me; no criminal past and nothing to hide; only 24 and most wants to you be age 25. i have thought about reporting this to fed ex higher ups in memphis and philly and to usdot but might lose job and i suck at finding jobs ever since 2006. took me over 30+ applications to find first job in 2006. every job i have had around 10 has either been run by bad management, badly runned down, or been poked around with.

i know this has nothing to do with this but i will mention i a little overweight and have asperger's syndrome (high functioning autism)
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
Nathan let me offer you some friendly advice. If your truck is in non working order you are within your right to refuse to drive it. You will be the one to get the ticket not your boss. If you think he will pay for it, he won't. 500 a week is below minimum wage if you work up to 70 hours. 62.5 is all you can work if you work more you are entitled to OT, call your state labor board, this is how the shoddy contractors and FedEx get over on hard working people.
As soon as you have your scanner in hand you are on the clock. If they try and tell you to wait til you are ready to roll well you have just given 2 hours of free labor. That right there alone is how FedEx gets over on us. You have to be punched out by hour 14 so if you come back with packages they will need to make adjustments. If they decide to let you go then you my friend have one hell of a case. Trust me buddy no contractor wants to pay unemployment.
As for being a little overweight and having asperger's syndrome that does not matter as long as you do your job. However you have to remember if the DOT gets wind of it not only is your Contractor fined but so are you and none of us make enough to cover that. Go to work and do your job but don't break the law because you will be the one to get screwed.
One more thing don't bother calling Memphis they could care less about us remember we are making them a fat profit.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
And when you turn 25 immediately go get another job. And if you are overweight start eating mostly fruit and vegetables and lay off the fast food. You are young enough to turn that around. I had a stent put in an artery last month. Was very lucky to get that in time as artery was 99% blocked. An uncle of mine who ate at McDonald's all the time wasn't so lucky. Died at 48 from a heart attack. I'm 49. And I know with good fried Southern food it's not easy but do yourself a favor and start eating right.
 

HomeDelivery

Well-Known Member
you have a CDL, you should be driving those trailers instead = more $

good luck next year!

I also practiced entering later start and logging off early so my hours worked seemed lower than what I am actually doing as well...

but when I was working for the temp agency last peak, I surely entered the on duty time when I had the scanner on hand & when I step into the van to load/ sort my parcels! (paid by the hour is better!)
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
So, if the pay is the same now as it was when it was still RPS, I don't see the problem.

The problem (and I will show some bias here) is that Fred didn't roll over and do what MFE wants him to do. He didn't make all the contractors employees and tweaked the system to stay within the law. Furthermore, MFE views Ground not as a part of FDX, but as a competitor taking "food off his table", and though he bad-mouths Ground at every turn, he grudgingly admits to it's continued success and growth.
 

LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
I've tried to explain it to you repeatedly. It's like having a conversation with a brick.
You can explain all you want. I'm not saying they should, or shouldn't, be paid more. My point is you never said a word about the pay when it was RPS. Now that it's under the FedEx brand, you have a problem with it. Either way, it's the IC paying them, not FedEx.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
You can explain all you want. I'm not saying they should, or shouldn't, be paid more. My point is you never said a word about the pay when it was RPS. Now that it's under the FedEx brand, you have a problem with it. Either way, it's the IC paying them, not FedEx.

Ok, I'll say it for you. RPS was a very bad deal for drivers because they had to work 60 hours per week and also pay for all of their vehicle operating expenses. Their net pay was low, around $25,000 to $30,000, which is very low considering the long hours. FedEx liked the idea of passing-off most of the costs of a ground operation to a contractor, so they bought RPS. I wasn't on this site when RPS was under Roadway and then Caliber control, so that's why there weren't any comments from me.

Early on, Ground driver/contractors were dropping like flies because they quickly discovered there was no money in it. I'd see newspaper ads offering routes and trucks for sale frequently. That's stopped, because FedEx did improve pay, and contractors were actually making money. For example, bbsam does very well, but his drivers do not. The IC or ISP pays them, but FedEx really runs the show.
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
I am sure MFE really didn't think about RPS back in the day because it was just another company doing basically the same thing. Back in the day I dont think any of you cared because you were FedEx Express. FedEx buys out RPS and starts Ground because they want their piece of the pie in the Ground business. The problem with this is they run it basically the same way, turn into FedEx Corp, and the addition of Ground makes FedEx look like trash.
How many Ground trucks do you see out there running around and you can still see RPS under the white or off white, paint. They could not even take a heat gun to the RPS and remove the decal. How many times do you see a Ground truck smoking, leaking, or on the side of the road with the hood up.
Then there are the employees. Some look like they have not shaved in 3 weeks have long hair, piercings, and covered in tatto's.
Their uniforms are falling apart because the Contactor does not get them new ones. Now FedEx is sending drivers home to clean up before they hit the road problem is they should have no say. No one trashed FedEx except for FedEx when they decided to run operations this way. We all know why they decided to run it this way which is to keep the Union out.

Their are some good people working at Ground. Who came to Ground because it was about 100 dollars every 2 weeks better than unemployment, this people will leave at first chance because we all want to be treated like productive members of society again by both our employer and our counter parts. I especially love it when I hear how we take food off your table now remember we are trying to raise a family too and we are not taking food off your table that would be UPS air services because to the best of my knowledge Express never delivered Ground. Consumers would not choose Express over UPS ground services if Ground was not here, they want a cheaper price.
Instead of having a attitude towards the Ground drivers who have nothing to do with this blame Fred he is the one who did this to the Company and he is the one who created all the annomsity between the diffrent divisions.
Would you sing a diffrent tune if they rolled it all into one and we went union? I bet you would.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
PSSSSST 267: Tell your contractor he is already buying you new uniforms whether you order them or not. Comes out in one of the weekly deductions.
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
Well thats good to know. All we ever get is I cant afford it from him and he hasnt paid for them from management. You would think if they want us representing FedEx and looking professional they would hand out uniforms every 6months and ask for old ones back,
 
Top