are you tiring of the greenhorns?

[59 Dano]

What about the 20 year plus couriers who don't do a damn thing because the have "earned the right"? Let's not act like it's just the new people at Fedex.

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard a 20 year courier say that kind of thing...

They can be the biggest friend'ing crybabies that you'll ever meet. Their goals are too high, their route boundaries extend too far, their schedules aren't right, blah blah blah. It never ends.

And then the swings run 115% on their routes.

 

[vantexan]

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard a 20 year courier say that kind of thing...

They can be the biggest friend'ing crybabies that you'll ever meet. Their goals are too high, their route boundaries extend too far, their schedules aren't right, blah blah blah. It never ends.

And then the swings run 115% on their routes.

Seeing as you don't actually work with couriers you'd be broke!

 

[vantexan]

The company can, at the very least, count on that 20 year courier to get the job done. Yeah, there are some who try to cherry pick their routes in the morning. Meaning, some may try to dump a box over 100lbs or dump that one stop that's on the outskirts of their route. But for the most part management knows that 20 year person will be back at the end of the day without issues.

It's why the company keeps giving raises to topped out couriers. Mid-range couriers are much more likely to quit since they're getting royally screwed, but topped out couriers have a decent enough deal to stay until retirement. FedEx would be seriously hurting if the backbone of the courier force started leaving in droves too.

 

[overflowed]

It's why the company keeps giving raises to topped out couriers. Mid-range couriers are much more likely to quit since they're getting royally screwed, but topped out couriers have a decent enough deal to stay until retirement. FedEx would be seriously hurting if the backbone of the courier force started leaving in droves too.

The 5-10 year are leaving right now, experienced but not broken down yet. This is what the company is trying to keep with incentives. They realize they are young enough to bounce to something better because they're getting a raw deal. Watch for this segment to get a better bump in pay again, that's my guess.

 

[MassWineGuy]

That is true. Ground wages but want UPS output.

FedEx definitely isn't pressuring its drivers to work as hard as UPS pushes their drivers. I was out delivering this morning for the first time, except for occasional 08 deliveries on my pickup route. I definitely was not overloaded and had just one SDR, but I'm still pretty new. But when I finished I met a veteran driver and took a bunch of his Saturday deliveries to help him out. Even long-time drivers get behind.

 

[overflowed]

Wait till after peak MWG.
It's nice that you help out though, that's how this company used to be like. Now? Everyone just clears.

 

[Cactus]

Then come here and complain about the performance of new hires that you refuse to help.

It's not his job to train these newbies and I'm sure he's got a full plate already. The company drops the ball, goes on the cheap with training and the couriers are expected to pick up the slack?

I don't think so.

 

[MassWineGuy]

Wait till after peak MWG.
It's nice that you help out though, that's how this company used to be like. Now? Everyone just clears.

I'm very interested to see how things are in non-peak times. You may be right. Then again, I'm part time so if they push me a little, I'm more than happy to get a few more hours in per week. As it is now, I chose to have 10 percent of my pre-tax wages go to my 401(k). I have a ton of catching up to do.

Having recently completed the 10, no 5, make that 3 day courier school, let me say that the company is living a fantasy if it thinks this is anywhere near enough time to adequately train new drivers. Not only isn't there enough time to learn, retain and practice various procedures, there are entire areas that aren't even mentioned, let alone covered in the shallow depth three days allows. I've learned more from actually being on the road and from veteran drivers.

The sense I got from our instructor at Boston(ian) division h.q., was that he has a vested interest in doing all the courier, driver and other training because his job depends on it. He has no assistant and isn't interested in getting any, so he's totally overwhelmed and overworked. New couriers pay the price. I also despised that he made all of us stand during the entire class. And that he encouraged us to ask questions, but when anyone did ask he wasn't interested in answering.

I did learn, though, that FedEx international shipments have a 700 percent profit margin.

 

[dezguy]

Then come here and complain about the performance of new hires that you refuse to help.

VERY rarely do I need or ask for help. I'm a big boy and have been doing this for a long time. I know what I can take out and still get done at a decent time. It's been a VERY long time since I asked a newbie to help me out.

 

[Operational needs]

I'm very interested to see how things are in non-peak times. You may be right. Then again, I'm part time so if they push me a little, I'm more than happy to get a few more hours in per week. As it is now, I chose to have 10 percent of my pre-tax wages go to my 401(k). I have a ton of catching up to do.

Having recently completed the 10, no 5, make that 3 day courier school, let me say that the company is living a fantasy if it thinks this is anywhere near enough time to adequately train new drivers. Not only isn't there enough time to learn, retain and practice various procedures, there are entire areas that aren't even mentioned, let alone covered in the shallow depth three days allows. I've learned more from actually being on the road and from veteran drivers.

The sense I got from our instructor at Boston(ian) division h.q., was that he has a vested interest in doing all the courier, driver and other training because his job depends on it. He has no assistant and isn't interested in getting any, so he's totally overwhelmed and overworked. New couriers pay the price. I also despised that he made all of us stand during the entire class. And that he encouraged us to ask questions, but when anyone did ask he wasn't interested in answering.

I did learn, though, that FedEx international shipments have a 700 percent profit margin.

Why did he have you guys stand? No chairs?

 

[Cactus]

I also despised that he made all of us stand during the entire class. And that he encouraged us to ask questions, but when anyone did ask he wasn't interested in answering.

Sounds like a real a******. By not answering questions he's just practicing the Memphis style only without the usual tap dance that goes along with it.

I did learn, though, that FedEx international shipments have a 700 percent profit margin.

Nice. Yet if you spend 10 minutes helping a customer with an AWB and commercial invoice you get dinged for it because it affects your SPH.

 

[Route 66]

Why did he have you guys stand? No chairs?

probably figured they weren't going to be there long enuff for them to even bother sittin' down.

 

[adhawk]

Why did he have you guys stand? No chairs?

Did you have Webb potts?

 

[whenIgetthere]

I was going to ask the same question, but adhawk beat me to it.

 

[adhawk]

I was going to ask the same question, but adhawk beat me to it.

That guys a dic

 

[Operational needs]

Did you have Webb potts?

No. Never heard of him. I had a great trainer when I went last year. Very relaxed and we could ask anything.

 

[MassWineGuy]

I had Webb. Generally a nice seemng person, but like I said, extremely over his head in terms of teaching effectively given his current workload. His explanation for standing was that he "found that people pay closer attention when they're not sitting down." My view is that it's the instructor who inspires people to pay attention or fall asleep.

 

[Route 66]

His explanation for standing was that he "found that people pay closer attention when they're not sitting down."

That guy is a power-hungry idiot IMO. Was this courier training or some sort of retarded boot camp? Did he leave the heat turned down to 40 as well?

I would've grabbed a chair. What could he do about it?....kick you out for choosing to sit?

Even in military and law enforcement/fire training, the students since sit for the classroom aspect of the curriculum. And I believe it's perhaps just a little more crucial that they absorb the information being fed to them. Oh, that's right - those guys never have to deal with The Golden Package. Never mind

 

[MassWineGuy]

He couldn't turn down the heat because we were in the same wing as the district manager and uppity ups. I found the three days very stressful and overwhelming. The delivery and p/up simulations he had us do the last day were brutal and I just decided not to complete the exercise. I've learned more by being in the field, and I think I'm either very near or past my 30 days post-courier school. Three day courier training is quite ineffective.

 

[Route 66]

Three day courier training is quite ineffective.

I'd imagine....It's just another sad sign of the current state of affairs.