Or maybe you are overstating the exception in an attempt to make it seem the rule. Maybe over the years you've become so used to seeing Ground in a certain light that you haven't seen the strides (along with the volume) they've taken.
No, so sorry. Most Ground drivers fall into the type I have described many times before. Here are a few helpful guidelines on general spotting characteristics.
1. Not in proper uniform
2. Lack of attention to personal appearance and hygiene
3. Beards. Scraggly or untrimmed
4. English. Often not so good
5. Tattoos. Frequent and large
6. Driving skills. Sometimes not so great
7. Safety. Again, sometimes not so good.
8. Vehicles. Often dirty or dented
9. Service ability. Often poor or otherwise deficient. Unable to provide reliable and timely deliveries and pickups.
I see Ground drivers all the time, and they run the gamut from ultra-professional to complete slobs. It's obvious that FedEx doesn't yet have full control over this aspect of the business. I also hear daily complaints about Ground. Mis-deliveries, non-deliveries, missed pickups, rude drivers, late drivers who don't seem to really care, and on and on. My guess is that any volume they've taken has been strictly due to lower rates in a recession and not from a vastly improved product. You may run a great operation with very professional people, but I don't see it as a general Ground characteristic. As long as you pay crap wages, Ground will only advance to a certain point.