New system for Ground

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
So as the first of the year approaches Ground is rolling out a new system not sure what it is called all I know is it consists of new scanners that they will be able to communicate through and send us on call pick ups til 2pm.

I am just wondering how they are going to control this remember we are not their employees and they should not be directing us to do anything right Judge Miller. If I deliver a area in the morning and get a on call pickup later that day for that area I am not going to break off route drive all the way back over there and then turn around and drive back to where I was. Can I decline this? Why should I work longer days for what I get paid? What if I have another job I need to get to? These are all the questions being asked by drivers as of now and they are not happy with this system.

We got through Peak and now drivers are voiceing their opinions louder than ever. This morning they sent preload home when packages were still coming down the belt. The managers starting yelling at drivers to load their trucks it was kinda funny because every driver basically said thats not my job I dont get paid to do that. Its not our fault you guys are sending preload home if you do that finish their work, atleast you get paid for it. So I dont know what happened from Friday morning til today but drivers in general at Ground have had enough and they are voicing it loud and clear.
I am thinking there is about to be a uprising at old FedEx Ground cant wait til tomorrow.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
I think the rumors are inflated. Sounds like CPC and it tends to be a more real-time customer service than anything. In fact, they've been very helpful. As far as the truck loading goes, I couldn't agree more. That is being addressed soon, however. Program called Vision and from all reports is very, very, good. Usually I'm skeptical about such things, but Fedex is slow and methodical about implementing these things and overall I thing that with a few tweaks over the first couple months, the tend to get the right.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I think the rumors are inflated. Sounds like CPC and it tends to be a more real-time customer service than anything. In fact, they've been very helpful. As far as the truck loading goes, I couldn't agree more. That is being addressed soon, however. Program called Vision and from all reports is very, very, good. Usually I'm skeptical about such things, but Fedex is slow and methodical about implementing these things and overall I thing that with a few tweaks over the first couple months, the tend to get the right.

This is the Dispatch/On-call program that we talked about a few months ago. On-calls essentially mean that you need to become more skillful at mixing pickups into your deliveries because they are at the customer's direction, and not scheduled the day before. At Express, for example, say you have a 1600 cutoff for on-calls. If the customers calls at 1559, guess what? They will get a pickup the same day, and the driver will have to work it in.

This sounds like Fred's foot into the door to make Ground service a clone of Express service. I would expect this initial phase to be greatly expanded in the future, which will also expand the FedEx span and scope of control. Lawyers, get your briefcases ready!
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Like I said before: Willing to pay? We'll do it. May need added resources and therefore increased revenue. I'm in.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Much-increased level of FedEx influence and control. Maybe you'll be out in the long run.

And that's where the 30% savings that Fedex has over UPS comes in, wouldn't you say? If I can get an extra 12%? Hey we're all still happy!
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
And that's where the 30% savings that Fedex has over UPS comes in, wouldn't you say? If I can get an extra 12%? Hey we're all still happy!

30% savings using FedEx over UPS the overall cost is like a 70 cent diffrence. For the diffrence however you get a professional driver who will do what he can to make you happy because he gets treated extremley well. For the people who choose cheaper services well thats exactly what they get. We dont go out of our way for anyone because bottomline we dont get paid to do so.
Now bbsam may pay his guys more sure but the majority of Contractors will not, more money for them. If you are given crapwages day in and day out and now your boss wants more but does not see the need to pay more what exactly do you feel the service of that driver will be. Not too high. There are like 20 something contractors in my building out of all of them one contractor pays per piece delivered and his drivers pull in over a thousand a week. In addition he gives 2 weeks paid vacation. So his guys yes will do whatever he wants but those of us who are barely making 10 bucks a hour will not. I just dont see how a new system will work for Ground when a majority of the Contractors do not appreciate their employees. We dont want more work we dont get properly compensated for the work we do now. Like I have said before you pay me a fair days wage, give me a bonus, give me a vacation, paid holidays and I will work hard for you, if not you get what you pay for
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Let's be honest; you haven't understood how the system works all along. The 30% is the cost savings experts believe Fedex realizes by using contractors. And on your last sentence, you've claimed that you work hard as it is for, yes, you guessed it crap wages.
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
Yes Sir bbsam I work hard and fast so I can get home. However as it stands now I dont reattempt any delivery, I dont wait around for pickups, If Fedex calls me for anything I dont answer my phone because it is my phone. My personal feelings when FedEx says its about the customer maybe true however they chose Ground and if they want a higher quality of service choose UPS. They will go back and wait around because they get paid to do so. For me the faster I get done the more I make. Why would any ground driver want to stay out their for 70 hours a week bending over backwards for customers and when he does the math for that 70 hours he has made below minium wage. Hence you get what you pay for.
I blow through my route and go home, now dont get me wrong if my Contractor paid a decent wage and gave us raises and lets say even a christmas bonus I would do these things however if they want us to do on call pickups now as well and you guys make more money but the driver does not why in the hell would any driver want to work longer and make more money for the contractor when he dosent return the favor. I am sure you are fair to your guys and you value their hard work but most are not.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Let's be honest; you haven't understood how the system works all along. The 30% is the cost savings experts believe Fedex realizes by using contractors. And on your last sentence, you've claimed that you work hard as it is for, yes, you guessed it crap wages.

Here's "The System". FedEx operates a Ground network with "Independent Businesspersons/ISP's", who contract with FedEx and then hire drivers at indentured servant wage levels, thereby bypassing unions, fair wages, and most operating costs. This results in a huge competitive advantage for FedEx. which can easily undercut competitors on price. The scam works for contractors because FedEx cuts them in on the action, but still takes the lion's share of profits. In the meantime, FedEx pretends that contractors actually run their own business, when, in fact, FedEx (the corporation) makes the major decisions and is contantly pushing for increased productivity and even more profits. What's not to understand?
 

Cactus

Just telling it like it is
Here's "The System". FedEx operates a Ground network with "Independent Businesspersons/ISP's", who contract with FedEx and then hire drivers at indentured servant wage levels, thereby bypassing unions, fair wages, and most operating costs. This results in a huge competitive advantage for FedEx. which can easily undercut competitors on price. The scam works for contractors because FedEx cuts them in on the action, but still takes the lion's share of profits. In the meantime, FedEx pretends that contractors actually run their own business, when, in fact, FedEx (the corporation) makes the major decisions and is contantly pushing for increased productivity and even more profits. What's not to understand?

You forgot to say that Fred runs the company with a Hitler modled attitude.
 

FedEx2000

Well-Known Member
The way I see it, and from what bbsam says, the money is there. FedEx is paying it to the contractors, they, in most cases, are the ones not passing it along. Since they are independent contractors, FedEx cannot tell them what to pay their drivers. FedEx can set rules/guidelines for the results they expect...but they cannot tell you how to do it, hence the fact that you can go out and run the route how you see fit, as long as the results are what has been agreed to. Don't get me wrong, I think most Ground driver's are grossly underpaid, but I put that on their contractor, not FedEx itself.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
The way I see it, and from what bbsam says, the money is there. FedEx is paying it to the contractors, they, in most cases, are the ones not passing it along. Since they are independent contractors, FedEx cannot tell them what to pay their drivers. FedEx can set rules/guidelines for the results they expect...but they cannot tell you how to do it, hence the fact that you can go out and run the route how you see fit, as long as the results are what has been agreed to. Don't get me wrong, I think most Ground driver's are grossly underpaid, but I put that on their contractor, not FedEx itself.

Here's the deal, and that's the fact that FedEx really runs Ground, not the contractors. They are simply window dressing.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Here's the deal, and that's the fact that FedEx really runs Ground, not the contractors. They are simply window dressing.

Prove it and you'll be a very, very, rich man. Lyn Farris and the folks at Fedex Watch have failed. Your turn.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Prove it and you'll be a very, very, rich man. Lyn Farris and the folks at Fedex Watch have failed. Your turn.

I'd love to, but I don't have Fred's power and money. As I've said before, their undoing will be their inability to keep the hand out of the cookie jar. They will micromanage those freaking cookies until they are the leanest and most profitable around. At that point, the cookies will be deemed to be employees, and the jig is up.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
The way I see it, and from what bbsam says, the money is there. FedEx is paying it to the contractors, they, in most cases, are the ones not passing it along. Since they are independent contractors, FedEx cannot tell them what to pay their drivers. FedEx can set rules/guidelines for the results they expect...but they cannot tell you how to do it, hence the fact that you can go out and run the route how you see fit, as long as the results are what has been agreed to. Don't get me wrong, I think most Ground driver's are grossly underpaid, but I put that on their contractor, not FedEx itself.


But isn't it in FedEx's best interest to have better paid Ground drivers, assuming the money is there? If true then the contractors are undermining Ground's success. FedEx has known about the poor pay for, oh I don't know, as long as there's been a Ground, right? Looking at the way pay has gone at Express, I think FedEx is very happy with the pay Ground drivers are getting and are working towards getting Express couriers as close to Ground pay as possible. They are only interested in paying as little as possible that'll keep couriers and drivers at it, and are constantly looking for the lowest common denominator. Their answer is to raise starting pay to attract newhires rather than reward those stuck in their web.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
But isn't it in FedEx's best interest to have better paid Ground drivers, assuming the money is there? If true then the contractors are undermining Ground's success. FedEx has known about the poor pay for, oh I don't know, as long as there's been a Ground, right? Looking at the way pay has gone at Express, I think FedEx is very happy with the pay Ground drivers are getting and are working towards getting Express couriers as close to Ground pay as possible. They are only interested in paying as little as possible that'll keep couriers and drivers at it, and are constantly looking for the lowest common denominator. Their answer is to raise starting pay to attract newhires rather than reward those stuck in their web.

The poor pay is an integral part of the "plan". Ground drivers are meant to be disposable. If they ever started making $16-$18 per hour en masse', the profit structure would be in shambles. Underpaying for labor is probably the biggest key to the success of Ground, and one of the biggest incentives to keep pay low is more of the cream off the top for the contractor. If he has to pay more, then FedEx has to compensate the contractor more so they (the contractor) don't lose any money. In other words, there is little incentive to raise the overall pay of Ground drivers.
 
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