Local nonunion courier companies doing UPS deliveries

[thecontractor]

I work for a local courier company with the contractor model. In the past 2 years I have witnessed more and more UPS deliveries coming through the system. These jobs are for UPS Express Critical, UPS Freight, and UPS supply Chain (I believe this is SonicAir). I'm very curious why UPS would use these carriers for their work. Is this trend going to continue?

 

[over9five]

Based on the amount of "shiny wheels" I see everyday, I would guess yes.

 

[tieguy]

I work for a local courier company with the contractor model. In the past 2 years I have witnessed more and more UPS deliveries coming through the system. These jobs are for UPS Express Critical, UPS Freight, and UPS supply Chain (I believe this is SonicAir). I'm very curious why UPS would use these carriers for their work. Is this trend going to continue?

troll alert!

 

[scratch]

What is "UPS Express Critical", never heard of that. I know that in very remote areas, like parts of Alaska, we do use independent contractors. I know someone about a hundred miles from Fairbanks that told me the UPS, Fedex, and DHL driver is the same guy in a white unmarked truck.

 

[raceanoncr]

If this is not a troll thread, I will throw some things in here. First of all, what's a contractor model?

Next, frieght companies for many yrs have used contractors or other frieght companies to deliver some of their frieght. For example:
The old Overnite (now UPS Frieght) did not and still does not deliver to all areas. If they've got a trailer load of stuff for outstate (at least here) where they don't deliver, they hire other outfits, sometimes called local dray firms to take it and pass it out. Same with pickups. The dray firms will pick up and bring it into local terminal to sort and be hauled with UPSF.

Next, almost all the outfits you just mentioned are non-union. Who's gonna fight it? And what good would it do?

 

[DS]

re:model
January 10, 2008 - 9:55 p.m.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Top managers of FedEx Corp. said Thursday they have no plans for major nationwide changes in the company's reliance on contract drivers for its ground delivery division.
"We're continuing to operate with our independent contractors, so you have to go from that premise," said Dave Rebholz, chief executive of FedEx Ground.
Rebholz joined FedEx chief executive Frederick W. Smith on a late afternoon conference call with market analysts to underline the company's confidence in defending the independent-contractor model against a challenge by the Internal Revenue Service.
re:express critical
http://www.upsexpresscritical.com/customer/index.jsp

 

[thecontractor]

Thanks for some good replies. My question is answered - these UPS divisions are not union. So, there is nothing to stop UPS from continuously opening seperate entities to beat out union hires? Well, then UPS Express Critical and others are operating like freight brokers, "We have the work, who will do it for our suggested rate". Anyone familiar with local courier companies know that they will take any work at just about any fee until drivers turn down poor paying jobs. The IC model, for anyone who does not know is how all courier companies operate. It has become so widespread that anyone coming into this industry without this model would be unable to compete.

 

[tieguy]

Thanks for some good replies. My question is answered - these UPS divisions are not union. So, there is nothing to stop UPS from continuously opening seperate entities to beat out union hires? Well, then UPS Express Critical and others are operating like freight brokers, "We have the work, who will do it for our suggested rate". Anyone familiar with local courier companies know that they will take any work at just about any fee until drivers turn down poor paying jobs. The IC model, for anyone who does not know is how all courier companies operate. It has become so widespread that anyone coming into this industry without this model would be unable to compete.

told ya he was a troll.

 

[Coldworld]

tie, ha, whats up with the smoking baby....I think the elk was more you.

 

[Coldworld]

What is "UPS Express Critical", never heard of that. I know that in very remote areas, like parts of Alaska, we do use independent contractors. I know someone about a hundred miles from Fairbanks that told me the UPS, Fedex, and DHL driver is the same guy in a white unmarked truck.

Its probably like fedex custom critical trucks that you see once in a blue moon on the freeways. This cant be a very large part of their business, I del to some truckstops and see maybe one fedex custom critical truck every couple months.

 

[huskres]

Its probably like fedex custom critical trucks that you see once in a blue moon on the freeways. This cant be a very large part of their business, I del to some truckstops and see maybe one fedex custom critical truck every couple months.

Custom Critical is Fedex's hotshot service...Just like Panther 2 and such...

 

[trickpony1]

It's my understanding that Fedex's Custom Critical is their "hotshot" product.

There are shippers that will pay BIG BUCKS to move their shipment from point A to point B quickly and non-stop. The distance between point A and B could be great enough that it requires a sleeper team. Ever notice those Fedex Custom Critical trucks are all short wheel base (cheaper to operate) and they all have sleepers?

Does UPS have a comparable "hotshot" product? I don't know. Perhaps UPS needs to explore this aspect of the market.

 

[raceanoncr]

It's my understanding that Fedex's Custom Critical is their "hotshot" product.

There are shippers that will pay BIG BUCKS to move their shipment from point A to point B quickly and non-stop. The distance between point A and B could be great enough that it requires a sleeper team. Ever notice those Fedex Custom Critical trucks are all short wheel base (cheaper to operate) and they all have sleepers?

Does UPS have a comparable "hotshot" product? I don't know. Perhaps UPS needs to explore this aspect of the market.

UPS doesn't need this. Sure, it's called for in a lot of cases and by shippers, but UPS don't care. If you pay extra for it, we'll just hold it over anyway, miss service, because it costs UPS too much to move it.

Can you tell I'm being facitious?

 

[JonFrum]

It's my understanding that Fedex's Custom Critical is their "hotshot" product.

There are shippers that will pay BIG BUCKS to move their shipment from point A to point B quickly and non-stop. The distance between point A and B could be great enough that it requires a sleeper team. Ever notice those Fedex Custom Critical trucks are all short wheel base (cheaper to operate) and they all have sleepers?

Does UPS have a comparable "hotshot" product? I don't know. Perhaps UPS needs to explore this aspect of the market.

http://www.upsexpresscritical.com/customer/index.jsp

 

[Fighting4yourRights]

told ya he was a troll.

I happen to find trolls to be quite attractive - sexy even. I once had a short, yet hot and steamy, romance with a dwarfed troll. Oh GOD it was hot.