Peak, 2014, A Disaster We Can Predict With Certainty

[Operational needs]

I asked my manager today what the plan for peak involves at my station. His response, "We're going to have as many PM couriers work the am as possible."

Umm, I may not be the smartest person in the world but, that was the plan last year, and every year in the 20+ I've worked at FedEx, and for years it worked. UPS, in many places, is calling retirees and asking them if they want to work, on top of the usual temp workers they hire. Last year was a total clusterphuk at my station. We were still delivering Christmas presents the week after Christmas. Obviously, only counting on PM help ain't cutting it anymore.

 

[MassWineGuy]

BTW, I heard a rumor that they are going to cut newdriver class down to three days. That will only make the situation worse.

I was just hired as a permanent part-time courier. I haven't started yet, but I was told I'd get three days' training on driving and one week on everything else. I worked seasonally for UPS during the last three peaks, so maybe I won't be as shell shocked as some.

 

[BigTex61]

I asked my manager today what the plan for peak involves at my station. His response, "We're going to have as many PM couriers work the am as possible."

Umm, I may not be the smartest person in the world but, that was the plan last year, and every year in the 20+ I've worked at FedEx, and for years it worked. UPS, in many places, is calling retirees and asking them if they want to work, on top of the usual temp workers they hire. Last year was a total clusterphuk at my station. We were still delivering Christmas presents the week after Christmas. Obviously, only counting on PM help ain't cutting it anymore.

That was our senior mongoloids plan last year. Alot of the pm did come in, however they were out to late and the am had to stop delivering and cover the pm. Resulting in am having to roll many 100,s of stops for the next day. These decisions of blinding brilliance are being utilized this year as well.

 

[MrFedEx]

That was our senior mongoloids plan last year. Alot of the pm did come in, however they were out to late and the am had to stop delivering and cover the pm. Resulting in am having to roll many 100,s of stops for the next day. These decisions of blinding brilliance are being utilized this year as well.

Isn't it amazing how they don't learn from their mistakes? It's like sticking your hand in the fire, saying "ouch", then throwing your whole body into the flames. Truly retarded.

 

[I Am Jacks Damaged Box]

Isn't it amazing how they don't learn from their mistakes? It's like sticking your hand in the fire, saying "ouch", then throwing your whole body into the flames. Truly retarded.

FedEx is truly just a one trick pony. Never proactive, only reactive.

 

[hypo hanna]

That was our senior mongoloids plan last year. Alot of the pm did come in, however they were out to late and the am had to stop delivering and cover the pm. Resulting in am having to roll many 100,s of stops for the next day. These decisions of blinding brilliance are being utilized this year as well.

It's the magical thinking of fedex mgmt. the truth is there are only so many man/woman hours available to any one location. At my station we aren't able to handle the present volume. The PM shifts are every bit as blown out as the AM. (It never seems to occur to them where that freight comes from every morning). Add in the inadaquate training for new hires, increased sick calls and morale at its lowest and you have a recipe for another failed peak.
Hiring a bunch of ramp and hub handlers and adding flights won't fix the problem.
Peak2014 is going to be a wild ride.

 

[barnyard]

Been thinking about this for a bit.....

I think that it is interesting how many people here talk about delivering stuff due before Christmas, the week after Christmas this past year.

UPS has everything in its system caught up within 2 days of Christmas and many buildings finished Christmas eve clean.

Yet, if you listen to the news coverage about last years peak, UPS is the one that failed, FE is almost never mentioned as having anything late.

How did FE dodge that bullet??

 

[bbsam]

Been thinking about this for a bit.....

I think that it is interesting how many people here talk about delivering stuff due before Christmas, the week after Christmas this past year.

UPS has everything in its system caught up within 2 days of Christmas and many buildings finished Christmas eve clean.

Yet, if you listen to the news coverage about last years peak, UPS is the one that failed, FE is almost never mentioned as having anything late.

How did FE dodge that bullet??

I think a lot of it has to do with UPS over promising. FedEx may have failed, but they didn't promise or have the implied promise that they wouldn't fail.

 

[Route 66]

Yet, if you listen to the news coverage about last years peak, UPS is the one that failed, FE is almost never mentioned as having anything late.

How did FE dodge that bullet??

probably Fred's talking wallet somehow came into play again....continually gets him out of all sorts of excrement.

 

[barnyard]

I think a lot of it has to do with UPS over promising. FedEx may have failed, but they didn't promise or have the implied promise that they wouldn't fail.

UPS suspends all service guarantees the week or 2 before Christmas. The days are marked on the UPS calendar.

 

[bbsam]

UPS suspends all service guarantees the week or 2 before Christmas. The days are marked on the UPS calendar.

I know that when Ground warned Walmart of possible service failures, suddenly a lot of Ground trailers were replaced with UPS trailers. I think UPS was more than happy to simply cash that check and disregard possible failure. If they did it with Walmart, I guess anyone would be fair game.

 

[STFXG]

We turned away a ton of volume as well. UPS promised to take it and couldn't handle it.

 

[I Am Jacks Damaged Box]

Just finished reading this gem, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...e-villages-to-add-peak-shipping-capacity.html.

FedEx would never, ever, think of anything like this. Actually, if one knows their history in this industry, they would also know that while Fredward
was hustling elementary school playgrounds for lunch money, UPS came up with the idea of next day air delivery, a.k.a. FedEx Express. That idea proved to be about 30 years ahead of it's time.

 

[hypo hanna]

Just finished reading this gem, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...e-villages-to-add-peak-shipping-capacity.html.

Fear not loyal fedex customer! We are actively working on the next flashy gizmo, (expected launch date, 2016), that will make your shipping experience trouble free. We hope to be able to cut in half the time it takes to track your package to the wrong city!

(UPS mgmt concentrating on operations. fedex mgmt concentrating on whistles and bells).