My delivery driver career begins in '99 with a now defunct company called Airborne Express. I was introduced to a tattered, out of date Thomas Guide and a well broken-in Ford Econoline. Up to that point in my working career, this was absolutely by far the best job and company I had ever worked for.
A few years later In '03, what eventually became a disastrous merger/takeover began with DHL. I did not like what was happening so, I applied at UPS. I don't have any specific memories of my UPS interview other than I felt I was regarded as a leprous beggar who had unwittingly wandered into the office with fresh dog-squeeze on my shoe. Seriously. What a bunch of holier-than-thou, condescending weenies.
Next I found myself in a comparatively tiny, messy FedEx Ground terminal. Yeah. They were looking for drivers alright. You bet yer heinie they were...and I was literally hired on the spot. Not long after, a route came up for sale. I borrowed money from members of my family and became a Ground contractor.
The following years were very prosperous for me. There were definitely alot of long, difficult, stressful days. But I was fine with that. However, for all the reasons, uncertainties, slings, arrows and horror stories that have been very well and exhaustively revisited by other former FedEx contractors on this site, I sold my contracts ten years after I started. The passing of the California Diesel emissions law was the final push I needed to sell out.
Next, I was hired and fired by the USPS. The woman training me for my route filed a complaint on me. Her accusation was a complete and utter fabrication. But that didn't matter. I was fired. The Union I joined talked a big game about "having my back." Yeah, the Union did absolutely nothing for me. The first and last Union I will ever join. As I am a veteran, I wrote a letter to the Veteran's Appeals Board. They responded by telling me I was ineligible as I wasn't a "protected" veteran. I'm still shaking my head over that ridiculous experience.
I applied and interviewed at FedEx Express. Twice. I thought that a spotless ten year run at Ground would be desirable. Suffice to say, I was not hired. But I did get a renewed lesson and appreciation for irony.
I was eventually hired by a regional delivery company called Golden State Overnight. It services only western states. I am happy driving for this company and they pay me enough to get by.
