Onward... sort of

Code 82 Approved

Titanium Plus+ Level Member with benefits!
In 2007 I took a position as a private swing driver for 5 contractors at Ground who desired more vacation. Off the bat, as a rookie I learned 5 routes and did it for $500/week cash that year. The next year introduced another member to the group, and my pay increased to $600 cash. Oddly I had 6 weeks vacation and never used it... I always drove my favorite route and got vacation and the cash too.

Year 3, one of my original 5 lost his single route (my fav) contract due to a bs integrity issue, but by then FDX had started eliminating single route contractors and paying people for cash as well. It was a sad talk to the remaining 5 single routes that I was going to cover the route absorbed from the DQ.

I did that route from 09 to late 2013 until I broke my leg on a slippery driveway. Pay went up, year by year but I had to start equal to the other employees. I got dropped down to one week of PTO that first year, which I never used.

As time went on, we had wonderful experiments like drop box duty for ground, extra $100 per day to do 30ish Express drop boxes between 4-7pm,
I did my route and covered a straight truck for a pregnant at-risk miscarriage employee for almost double daily pay for 6 months... I just tried to go above and beyond what most people wanted to do with a career.

After the leg break, my favorite route was sold, I did it for the new owner for a spell until I landed my first BC role. Did that out of 4 terminals and learned an entire section of the metro area I'd not been to. That was an eye-opener for me as his route collection was fairly large for my metro area. It was also my first experience with anyone who had HD routes. But I learned all of his routes and was quickly promoted to BC.

So I'm running between all these buildings day to day never knowing what I'm being sent to or what to cover due to vacations or call-ins... on top of BC duties of making the freight plan for the next day.

I was noticed by a contractor of what I could do, and was offered a job as his BC. That's where I've been and going on 5 years now. But he just retired and I'm moving onward. Sort of. I gave 2 weeks notice 4 weeks ago and am still there. The nice guy in me doesn't want to see the new owners fail, but the reality is I'm leaving tomorrow.

I'll add to this as the weekend interviews unfold.
 

bacha29

Well-Known Member
In 2007 I took a position as a private swing driver for 5 contractors at Ground who desired more vacation. Off the bat, as a rookie I learned 5 routes and did it for $500/week cash that year. The next year introduced another member to the group, and my pay increased to $600 cash. Oddly I had 6 weeks vacation and never used it... I always drove my favorite route and got vacation and the cash too.

Year 3, one of my original 5 lost his single route (my fav) contract due to a bs integrity issue, but by then FDX had started eliminating single route contractors and paying people for cash as well. It was a sad talk to the remaining 5 single routes that I was going to cover the route absorbed from the DQ.

I did that route from 09 to late 2013 until I broke my leg on a slippery driveway. Pay went up, year by year but I had to start equal to the other employees. I got dropped down to one week of PTO that first year, which I never used.

As time went on, we had wonderful experiments like drop box duty for ground, extra $100 per day to do 30ish Express drop boxes between 4-7pm,
I did my route and covered a straight truck for a pregnant at-risk miscarriage employee for almost double daily pay for 6 months... I just tried to go above and beyond what most people wanted to do with a career.

After the leg break, my favorite route was sold, I did it for the new owner for a spell until I landed my first BC role. Did that out of 4 terminals and learned an entire section of the metro area I'd not been to. That was an eye-opener for me as his route collection was fairly large for my metro area. It was also my first experience with anyone who had HD routes. But I learned all of his routes and was quickly promoted to BC.

So I'm running between all these buildings day to day never knowing what I'm being sent to or what to cover due to vacations or call-ins... on top of BC duties of making the freight plan for the next day.

I was noticed by a contractor of what I could do, and was offered a job as his BC. That's where I've been and going on 5 years now. But he just retired and I'm moving onward. Sort of. I gave 2 weeks notice 4 weeks ago and am still there. The nice guy in me doesn't want to see the new owners fail, but the reality is I'm leaving tomorrow.

I'll add to this as the weekend interviews unfold.
Another example of the same old time honored question.........How long can you withstand the physical beating and what will become of you when you can no longer do so ?

It would appear that there was nothing provided in the way of an employer funded healthcare and disability/retirement plan. As a result this individual after expending more than a decade of his peak earning years, he's coming away with nothing......Simply disposed of. And to make matters worse for him chances are that leg fracture fills up with arthritis and will give him pain and mobility problems for the rest of his days.
 
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