FedEx Truck Kills 2 Kids in MS.

[MrFedEx]

On 10-27, a FedEx Express truck (looks like a W700) rear-ended and killed 2 young girls, ages 2 and 6, in Senatobia, MS. According to police reports, the courier did not stop and rear-ended the Saturn, killing both children instantly. I've been doing a bit of research lately on serious Express accidents during the last year, and there are quite a few in which innocent people were killed or very badly injured.

As I've said before, Fedex doesn't publish accident data, and it certainly doesn't let employees know when serious accidents happen. Rear-enders, blowing through red lights and stop signs....all good indicators of distracted or perhaps speeding couriers trying to get it all done so they can keep their job. Sure, we see the posters of the wrecked trucks, but no associated story, and no connection to always pushing us to do more in less time.

Think any of this is associated with the big push for increased productivity? My bet is that it is, and that serious accidents are way-up, not that we'd ever be told. I hope that the family gets a bundle, and my thoughts go out to their parents, family, and to the courier. Fedex will throw him under the bus, and then scramble to reduce their liability. No amount of money can ever replace a life, especially that of a child. I only hope that the full story comes out.

See, Fred? There are consequences, I hope the extra cash in your pocket is worth it. As I have time, I'm going to post more of these. Feel free to help me bring this into the light and get it stopped, before more innocent people lose their lives. The corporate media doesn't want to cover this because FedEx is a big advertiser, so you'll likely find the information on YouTube (like this accident), or through local newspaper articles.

The word needs to get out there about just how "safe" FedEx really is. Talk with your local police jurisdiction or write a letter to your state's Highway Patrol and let them know what's going on. Don't play Fred's game and drive like an idiot to make SPH. It simply isn't worth it.

 

[menotyou]

RIP to the family

 

[quadro]

Very tragic. I cannot begin to imagine what the family is going through.

It was a Ground truck, not Express.

 

[LTFedExer]

It was a Ground truck, not Express.

I didn't know Ground had a SPH goal.


My condolences go out to the family of the kids.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Do you know how many guilty people were killed or very badly injured?

Time and place. Dave.

 

[Cactus]

I didn't know Ground had a SPH goal.

They still have to get their required work done within the time frame and all to often it's too much of a load.

My sincere condolences go out to the family.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We have had $1.8M in Tier 3 accidents in my district so far this year. Tier 3's average $45K in cost so $1.8M works out to 40 Tier 3 accidents in less than a year. Makes you wonder if the savings from the production push are worth it.

 

[cachsux]

I know there are many contributing factors in every accident. I also know that there is a certain "quality" missing in some of the drivers I see nowadays and it would be unacceptable back when I was pulled up to go driving.

 

[MrFedEx]

Very tragic. I cannot begin to imagine what the family is going through.

It was a Ground truck, not Express.

Express, not Ground.

 

[MrFedEx]

Do you know how many guilty people were killed or very badly injured?

Your point? My point is that these people were just going about their business, and suffered tragic consequences, hence their "innocence". What is more innocent than a child in the back seat of a car?

FedEx pushes it drivers to the limit, and sometimes well beyond. It's at the "well beyond" stage that bad things start to happen. Increasingly, thre is a pattern of Express couriers blowing through intersections, red lights, and stop signs. Maybe they were sneaking a peak at the PowerPad, or trying to beat the light. Or maybe they just were distracted by problems at home. I don't know, because these are things that don't appear on police reports.

What I do know, is that our accident rate is way up since FedEx started pushing for even more productivity. This equals drivers working through lunch when they should not be, speeding to try and make SPH goals, and, in general, cutting corners on safety. This has been acknowledged in company videos, but only to the extent that the talking heads say "we need to get our accident rate down", and not much else.

I don't know if you drive a truck or a desk, so maybe you don't know the difference.

 

[MrFedEx]

Express, not Ground.

Actually, you are right. The picture I saw only showed the front half of the logo. It was a Ground truck when I saw a larger picture. My bad, but the point remains. Push too hard, and bad things happen.

 

[snackdad]

Here is more on this posting.
FedEx truck involved in fatal accident near Senatobia - WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS:

I totally agree with cachsux on his comment about a certain "quality" missing in newer drivers.
It used to be that couriers were a very experienced crew of professionals that had the unique blend of being weather-proof, great with customers, incredible common sense and able to drive week in and week out with exact precision. We did the right things when no one was looking and we never had unreported accidents or occurrences. Theft in stations was never a problem in the early days. We were there for a career. The most recent batch of couriers are there for a job. They are not expected to last very long and are treated as such by management. If you last too long now you are shown the door. Most of the new hires are covered in tats, messy and missing uniform, keep their trucks full of fast food wrappers instead of supplies and lack professionalism.
Sadly I think FedEx is on its way out. In the next 5 years or so it will implode. Lawsuits will tear the company apart again and again in retribution for all the dishonesty and cost cutting blunders. For those that think companies last forever remember Eastern Airlines, PanAm, Airborne Express, Enron, WAMU, etc..
FedEx is truly on the decline. Consumer complaints about FedEx - Failed Deliveries

 

[MrFedEx]

Here is more on this posting.
FedEx truck involved in fatal accident near Senatobia - WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS:

I totally agree with cachsux on his comment about a certain "quality" missing in newer drivers.
It used to be that couriers were a very experienced crew of professionals that had the unique blend of being weather-proof, great with customers, incredible common sense and able to drive week in and week out with exact precision. We did the right things when no one was looking and we never had unreported accidents or occurrences. Theft in stations was never a problem in the early days. We were there for a career. The most recent batch of couriers are there for a job. They are not expected to last very long and are treated as such by management. If you last too long now you are shown the door. Most of the new hires are covered in tats, messy and missing uniform, keep their trucks full of fast food wrappers instead of supplies and lack professionalism.
Sadly I think FedEx is on its way out. In the next 5 years or so it will implode. Lawsuits will tear the company apart again and again in retribution for all the dishonesty and cost cutting blunders. For those that think companies last forever remember Eastern Airlines, PanAm, Airborne Express, Enron, WAMU, etc..
FedEx is truly on the decline. Consumer complaints about FedEx - Failed Deliveries

I stayed up late last night and did some research on accidents involving FedEx. The vast majority of the bad ones involved Ground vehicles, especially tractor-trailers, but also local delivery vehicles. But there were also a lot of accidents involving Express, including several fatals where the courier was clearly at fault (e.g. running a light).

One has to wonder if the productivity push is also happening at Ground, which wouldn't be surprising given the Express-style management in the terminals. If and when the E2/XS changeover happens, FedEx management is going to want Express-level productivity as well.

I see safety violations every day, some of which are on the courier, not on the company. At my station, the managers have the cell numbers for most couriers and don't hesitate to call during the AA delivery cycle. Guess what? Couriers answer, even while they are driving,( a direct violation of policy) because they can't afford to lower SPH by pulling over. Yesterday, when I was leaving the building, I witnessed several people checking their PowerPads while driving, another violation.

Here's the deal. FedEx absolutely knows that they are pushing couriers to do more than is safely possible. This is especially true when there is late freight, a massive shipment of Apple products, Amazon etc. or during peak. If you know that your job is on the line or that you're going to get another OLCC for not making goal, maybe you are going to take that cell phone call while you are moving or look at the PowerPad. It's a risk that many will take, even if it's stupid. The same goes for speeding, trying to beat lights, and working through your break when you should be getting something to eat and getting out of the truck for awhile. Management expects you to do this is most locations, because they are under pressure from above to improve the numbers. My manager has actually told several couriers to be on "break" while they are returning to the station in traffic, and the couriers actually do it because they don't want the confrontation (and OLCC) for not making SPH.

Sooner or later, attorneys are going to see the pattern, and tag FedEx with more payouts. Eventually, the media will also get onboard when the number of accidents override FedEx's power as an advertiser. The general public just sees FedEx, and they can't distinguish between the opcos, which is completely understandable.

 

[vantexan]

I got into an accident about 4 years ago and remember seeing some instructions advising to not admit guilt. Earlier this week managed to make very light contact with a concrete post. While describing the situation noticed in the packet a card stating if customer admits they are at fault ask them to state so on this card and sign it or something close to that. Absolutely terrible situation and a shame anyone loses their life over such a trivial thing as delivering pkgs.

 

[whenIgetthere]

I was talking to a fellow courier the other day and she was panicked that she was at 90% for the past month, and said she has been finding herself speeding to make service, like MFE describes. This is a 25 year courier I am talking about. I mentioned that I would request a check ride everday till it happens. She has a long extended route, so we all know the numbers can never add up on a route like that. I asked her to do everything by the book and get that check ride. I hope she takes the advise of me and a couple of others who said the same thing.

 

[Cactus]

My manager has actually told several couriers to be on "break" while they are returning to the station in traffic, and the couriers actually do it because they don't want the confrontation (and OLCC) for not making SPH.

That manager should be fired. What he's doing is condoning falsification. I addition the DOT could impose some severe fines for this. You're not supposed to drive on breaks, period.

If the numbers aren't to his liking, then he needs to checkride with these couriers instead of this knuckleheaded idea.

 

[MrFedEx]

I was talking to a fellow courier the other day and she was panicked that she was at 90% for the past month, and said she has been finding herself speeding to make service, like MFE describes. This is a 25 year courier I am talking about. I mentioned that I would request a check ride everday till it happens. She has a long extended route, so we all know the numbers can never add up on a route like that. I asked her to do everything by the book and get that check ride. I hope she takes the advise of me and a couple of others who said the same thing.

Extended routes are a problem because your stops can be so variable, and the temptation to speed over the "gaps" between stops can be strong, especially when your job is being implicitly threatened, as in the case of the 25 year employee you described. FedEx still tries it's best to get rid of senior employees so they can be replaced with new, lower-cost alternatives. Your advice sounds like the correct way to approach the problem. You might mention the ongoing age discrimination suit (FedEx v. Holowecki) to her and have her check it out online. This is the case that made it to the Supreme Court, where it was allowed to proceed after a procedural error on the part of the complaintants.

If we would all just stop playing their game, our situation would improve. Don't speed, and just do everything by the book.

 

[Catatonic]

Time and place. Dave.

I see your point Dave but it was obvious with OP original post that the OP did not care anything about the people killed but was just using the story to grind his axe. That sort of disgusted me and I reacted to that. I think the rest of the posts in this thread backs up my surmising of the intent of the original post.

PS - I did not see posts 2, 3 and 4 before posting my response to Post 1.

 

[DS]

I witnessed several people checking their PowerPads while driving, another violation.

With telematics,we are not allowed to even turn on the diad while the truck is in motion(not in park),
they call it recording while idling.The only good thing about this is that when you're on the highway on
the way back to the building,you have to ignore it when they message you.
According to ups,the push in production should have no bearing
on a professional driver if he follows all the rhetoric in the 5 seeing habits and the 10 point commentary.
To be honest,other than obvious unavoidable accidents,this should be true.
Being human,ofttimes our sense of urgency overrides our training,and we become complacent.OK I was not going to talk about this but I feel like I have to now.
I'm ashamed to admit it,but I friend'd up last week. I did a resi on a quiet side street.See #9 of the 10 point,
L signal L shoulder L mirror ....forgot about the right mirror and the slight tailswing hit the knob of a fire hydrant which I parked about 3 feet behind.
Did about $1000 damage to a brand new workhorse.Got taken out of service for the day,and had a safety ride the next.
My 7th accident in 21 years,5 deemed avoidable.My center manager pointed out that I cost them $2500 for a tier 1 accident,about $200 for the 2 drivers that had to
finish my route,plus the $1000 damage I did to the package car.
An old newfie told me once awhile ago when I told him I've been coming her 20 years and I've never hit anything.
He said,I've been across Newfoundland 5 times and never hit a moose,but that don't mean it could never happen.
OK sorry for the rant...
Fedex,ups...whatever...be careful,

 

[Mr. 7]

I see your point Dave but it was obvious with OP original post that the OP did not care anything about the people killed but was just using the story to grind his axe. That sort of disgusted me and I reacted to that. I think the rest of the posts in this thread backs up my surmising of the intent of the original post.

PS - I did not see posts 2, 3 and 4 before posting my response to Post 1.

Seems to me like you should read the whole thread before responding.