Should I take a part time courier job with fedex or get my cdl?

Mfav24

Member
I know this is a ups site and this is such a random thread but I'm having issues in life my girlfriend wants to take the next step and I've seemed to have no luck finding a good career. fedex has offered me a part time position but I also looked into getting my commercial drivers license. the license is obviously more appealing since it opens up plenty of doors but I feel like I'm passing up on a good opportunity and would like some advice
 

silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
Cdl all the way. Since fedex is probably part time you can do both. I got my cdl at a technical college while part time at ups. Some even offer weekend programs. There is a big demand for cdl drivers
 

Mfav24

Member
fedex will help me get my cdl but I have to wait 2 years until j can transfer stations. the issue with getting jt and going to school is that one school is night hours the other is day hours. I have my permit already but I can't start the day school until I'm completely done with training at FedEx
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I know this is a ups site and this is such a random thread but I'm having issues in life my girlfriend wants to take the next step and I've seemed to have no luck finding a good career. fedex has offered me a part time position but I also looked into getting my commercial drivers license. the license is obviously more appealing since it opens up plenty of doors but I feel like I'm passing up on a good opportunity and would like some advice

Get the CDL. FedEx is a waste of space, and of your time. It is NOT a good opportunity, unless you enjoy abuse and low pay. If you're into that, then you've found your home.
 

Mfav24

Member
Get the CDL. FedEx is a waste of space, and of your time. It is NOT a good opportunity, unless you enjoy abuse and low pay. If you're into that, then you've found your home.
damn it's really that bad? I've heard such good things and some
bad thing. a buddy of mine worked there for 4 years and loved it but left only because he didn't get full time
 

yadig

Well-Known Member
Yes, it's that bad. Your buddy is an exception to the rule.
I'm a RTD at a ramp. It's not a bad job for the most part. Its actually getting alot easier getting full time, mainly because of high turn over. You will never top out and they are gonna have to adress this in the near future. There having to resort to hiring off street. They have never done this in my 25 years... I would let them train you and get 1 yr experience and your haz endorsement. Then go to UPS or Fedex Freight, walmart etc.. Thats the ugly truth...
 

fedex_rtd

Well-Known Member
I'm a RTD at a ramp. It's not a bad job for the most part. Its actually getting alot easier getting full time, mainly because of high turn over. You will never top out and they are gonna have to adress this in the near future. There having to resort to hiring off street. They have never done this in my 25 years... I would let them train you and get 1 yr experience and your haz endorsement. Then go to UPS or Fedex Freight, walmart etc.. Thats the ugly truth...
We just hired a kid off the street, because nobody else wanted the job.

It's a sad thing, that a ramp manager would try to explain the high turnover at the ramp, by saying lots of people are getting "promoted" into DGO positions. If that is true where did all these DGO positions come from??? Answer...people that are not locked into FedEx get out.
 

DontThrowPackages

Well-Known Member
I know this is a ups site and this is such a random thread but I'm having issues in life my girlfriend wants to take the next step and I've seemed to have no luck finding a good career. fedex has offered me a part time position but I also looked into getting my commercial drivers license. the license is obviously more appealing since it opens up plenty of doors but I feel like I'm passing up on a good opportunity and would like some advice
CDL. At one of my stops, a woman told me of her husband making 6 figures driving commercial. Granted, he doesn't come home everyday but they're living nicely. If you're a young couple and don't want to be apart or trust issues then maybe look for alterative options. Find a company with a Union and your odds of supporting a family comfortably increases greatly. Good luck.
 

whenIgetthere

Well-Known Member
We just hired a kid off the street, because nobody else wanted the job.

It's a sad thing, that a ramp manager would try to explain the high turnover at the ramp, by saying lots of people are getting "promoted" into DGO positions. If that is true where did all these DGO positions come from??? Answer...people that are not locked into FedEx get out.

When trying to explain all our late freight due to lack of RTD's, our SM let it slip that we're losing lots of RTD's to Wal-Mart and UPS Freight. Unusual for him to be truthful, that's for sure.
 

Serf

Well-Known Member
The motto near me is have FedEx pay for your CDL, secure it, than apply to UPS ASAP. Bide your time. Express will not hire lawyers to go after you once you break your contract. And your CDL will not be rescinded. FedEx RTD start at 18 here, UPS Freight 30.50.
 

Mfav24

Member
The motto near me is have FedEx pay for your CDL, secure it, than apply to UPS ASAP. Bide your time. Express will not hire lawyers to go after you once you break your contract. And your CDL will not be rescinded. FedEx RTD start at 18 here, UPS Freight 30.50.
I thought of that but I don't want to wait too long
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
The motto near me is have FedEx pay for your CDL, secure it, than apply to UPS ASAP. Bide your time. Express will not hire lawyers to go after you once you break your contract. And your CDL will not be rescinded. FedEx RTD start at 18 here, UPS Freight 30.50.

How long do you have to stay at FedEx after getting your CDL?
 

Artee

Well-Known Member
We just hired a kid off the street, because nobody else wanted the job.

Yep....No one wants to be an RTD driver anymore. Our last 3 people that came in were handlers that have been with the company less than a year. The postings have waivers so they were able to slide right in. Two were offered full time positions before they even left for training. 15 Years ago you could not walk into a full time RTD job with less than 1 year with the company. Things have changed. Many guy at our place are retiring or permanently injured/health reasons and not coming back. Sprinkle in a couple terminations and only one guy leaving to go work for a city with hopefully greener pastures.
 

l22

Well-Known Member
Yep....No one wants to be an RTD driver anymore. Our last 3 people that came in were handlers that have been with the company less than a year. The postings have waivers so they were able to slide right in. Two were offered full time positions before they even left for training. 15 Years ago you could not walk into a full time RTD job with less than 1 year with the company. Things have changed. Many guy at our place are retiring or permanently injured/health reasons and not coming back. Sprinkle in a couple terminations and only one guy leaving to go work for a city with hopefully greener pastures.


What does a RTD do at the ramp when not driving on the road?
 

Operational needs

Virescit Vulnere Virtus
What does a RTD do at the ramp when not driving on the road?

That depends on the Ramp. Some have you moving cans around. Some don't. Either way, there is a lot of stand around and wait time. At the stations, you just pull the cans out of the trailer (sometimes with help) and load the empties. When you return to the Ramp, you unload the empties. That's if you're on the am side.
 
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