Saturday Ground Update

[mitchemracing4]

So We are starting this in July ( supposedly ) I'm an RTD and A Saturday Air Driver . I know that Saturday air will be cut . BUt what about RTD's . With 40 extra drivers being hired . When these two groups merge in the middle of the week on Tuesday through Friday there are going to be tons of people that are open . Will they even use RTD's at all ?

 

[ManInBrown]

So We are starting this in July ( supposedly ) I'm an RTD and A Saturday Air Driver . I know that Saturday air will be cut . BUt what about RTD's . With 40 extra drivers being hired . When these two groups merge in the middle of the week on Tuesday through Friday there are going to be tons of people that are open . Will they even use RTD's at all ?

They are hiring 40 new drivers to roll this out? So no current M-friend drivers are being switched to T-S?

 

[mitchemracing4]

They are hiring 40 new drivers to roll this out? So no current M-friend drivers are being switched to T-S?

In my center they are . 20 for our West center and 20 for our East center . You know they wont be adding routes during the week for those extra Full Time drivers so what will happen with all the extras ? guaranteed layoff at least one day a week ? As far as people switching , I don't know the details on that . I just wonder If Ill still cover be able to drive during the summer and what will happen with all the extra drivers that wont have anything to do .

 

[sandwich]

They are hiring 40 new drivers to roll this out? So no current M-friend drivers are being switched to T-S?

My building was the first to go Saturday ground. And yes plenty of people who were already fulltime got switched to Tuesday through Saturday. I don't know who agreed with you but they are wrong.

 

[Interceptor]

So do they just canibalize Monday's volume to run as many Saturday routes as possible? Or is it going to actually gain us extra volume?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

So do they just canibalize Monday's volume to run as many Saturday routes as possible? Or is it going to actually gain us extra volume?

Initially, yes, but the hope is that it will lead to additional volume.

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

Initially, yes, but the hope is that it will lead to additional volume.

Lol... I remember when Division would send people down to ride with a handfull of drivers to drum up sales leads. They would eventually see that the reason the driver didn't submit any leads was because there wasn't anything to submit. Their solution was to write up an address and make up a business or use an existing business which doesn't ship anything and submit the lead.
A lot of hope is being put into Saturday delivery, so it will be funny when Amazon stabs UPS in the back yet again.

 

[3 done 3 to go]

Lol... I remember when Division would send people down to ride with a handfull of drivers to drum up sales leads. They would eventually see that the reason the driver didn't submit any leads was because there wasn't anything to submit. Their solution was to write up an address and make up a business or use an existing business which doesn't ship anything and submit the lead.
A lot of hope is being put into Saturday delivery, so it will be funny when Amazon stabs UPS in the back yet again.

Unfortunately. I see this ending also.

 

[turq]

How many of you have shipped a package by UPS? Let me tell you we are damn expensive. The only thing we have going for us over them is our service and technology (and looks... we are totally a better looking bunch). There are times, when I am expecting a package that I hope they use a competitor, because I know I will get it on the weekend. We have to compete, and that means delivering on Saturday. It's a new world and we have to change with it.

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

Fedex used to be around here on Saturdays but I don't see them around anymore. My guess is they decided on doing only specific zip codes.
Saturdays may work in the big city, but its not going to work out here in mostly rural areas. Roll with the changes all you want, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where it won't work. We only run 3 or 4 Saturday air drivers and only to specific zip codes as it is now.

 

[opey]

How many of you have shipped a package by UPS? Let me tell you we are damn expensive. The only thing we have going for us over them is our service and technology (and looks... we are totally a better looking bunch). There are times, when I am expecting a package that I hope they use a competitor, because I know I will get it on the weekend. We have to compete, and that means delivering on Saturday. It's a new world and we have to change with it.

We are definitely the most expensive at retail rates, commercial customers get huge discounts. it basically costs $15+ to ship a package anywhere thats not local and weighs a couple of lbs. Our pricing gets better than the competition when you get into heavy packages though, go figure...

 

[mitchemracing4]

So my initial question which no one seems to know , or at least hasn't answered , What happens to RTD's ? Will they still be used or are they cut for good since there are all these extra drivers during the busy time of the week ? It would be nice to at least get an idea if I'm going to loose 20,000 a year because I cant drive .

 

[Covemastah]

With Walmart gearing up to go to war with Amazon , I could see us getting that volume and Saturday delivery would be a well used selling point to them

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

With Walmart gearing up to go to war with Amazon , I could see us getting that volume and Saturday delivery would be a well used selling point to them

I would think this has already been discussed at Corporate.

 

[Covemastah]

I would think this has already been discussed at Corporate.

Yes ,, they called me on it !!

 

[BROWNCAT]

Isn't Walmart a FedEx account as of right now?

 

[bbsam]

I would think this has already been discussed at Corporate.

We are already delivering two stops at Walmart every day. Store and volume to be picked up by customers at the store location. Also they have been talking about 6 day Ground operations for a couple years now so my guess is Walmart will definitely be on the forefront of the 6 day operations.

 

[Covemastah]

Don't think Fedex could handle the amount of volume if Walmart opens the flood gates ,

 

[BROWNCAT]

Don't think Fedex could handle the amount of volume if Walmart opens the flood gates ,

Maybe not yet, but remember that FedEx is not longer a far second anymore... Aggressively investing in capacity handling improvements and new buildings... I try not to underestimate anymore...

 

[bbsam]

Don't think Fedex could handle the amount of volume if Walmart opens the flood gates ,

I think we had the majority of it a couple years ago.