UPS vs. Fed-Ex

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Competition is good for both consumer and the companies involved. The benefits for the consumer include the best product available at the lowest possible price with the highest level of service. The benefits for the company are not as obvious but are none the less equally as important. Companies that are in competition must remain focused on all aspects of their business and cannot become complacent, which could happen if they were the only business offering that product and/or service.

 

[JimJimmyJames]

trplnkl and UpstateNYUPSer, you both make excellent points. We can see what happened to our domestic auto industry when they became complacent and than foreign competitors entered the marketplace.

I'll have to admit that I am just angry at the way Fedex has exploited the law to find ways to lower their costs to make it even harder for us to be competitive. If we must have competition, I would rather have a competitor that plays by the same rules we play by with service being the difference between the two of us.

 

[trplnkl]

trplnkl and UpstateNYUPSer, you both make excellent points. We can see what happened to our domestic auto industry when they became complacent and than foreign competitors entered the marketplace.

I'll have to admit that I am just angry at the way Fedex has exploited the law to find ways to lower their costs to make it even harder for us to be competitive. If we must have competition, I would rather have a competitor that plays by the same rules we play by with service being the difference between the two of us.

I agree with that 100%

 

[Tim.]

Being a Ex-FedEx Express driver and now a UPS Preloader, I can say this. Back in 2004, I made $15.65 an hour in PHX. I took a pay cut to move to Florida and had to go back to part-time. My start time was 8:00am, on the road by 8:20. My PHX route was a 1 mile by 3 mile square. I had 2 UPS drivers in that same area. I had 25 to 30 P1 stops (off by 10:30) and 50 ish P2 (off by 3:00) stops. Yes, about 50% of my freight was letters and paks, or small boxes. I also had to get signatures for atleast 75% of my stops. Resi release wasnt implemented then. I then had 20 to 25 pick up stops from 3:30 to 6:00, then a 20 minute drive back to the station. I can say I didnt work "hard". But I did average 46 to 50 hours a week. I had a nice, new, clean AIR CONDITIONED truck. But I did make about $10 hour less than a UPS driver and had to pay about $45.00 a week in insurance. I was hired on as PT pick-up driver, about 4 to 5 hours a day and made FT within 8 months, compared to now, being a preloader for 2 years now and with still about 10 people ahead of me. I enjoyed working at FedEx, but would rather work harder and make the money I will be making when I drive here at UPS. I also like my benefits and job security with UPS, although I do miss the 75% off shipping, $69.99 standy-by flight tickets and able to fly free on FedEx planes....

 

[MrFedEx]

Being a Ex-FedEx Express driver and now a UPS Preloader, I can say this. Back in 2004, I made $15.65 an hour in PHX. I took a pay cut to move to Florida and had to go back to part-time. My start time was 8:00am, on the road by 8:20. My PHX route was a 1 mile by 3 mile square. I had 2 UPS drivers in that same area. I had 25 to 30 P1 stops (off by 10:30) and 50 ish P2 (off by 3:00) stops. Yes, about 50% of my freight was letters and paks, or small boxes. I also had to get signatures for atleast 75% of my stops. Resi release wasnt implemented then. I then had 20 to 25 pick up stops from 3:30 to 6:00, then a 20 minute drive back to the station. I can say I didnt work "hard". But I did average 46 to 50 hours a week. I had a nice, new, clean AIR CONDITIONED truck. But I did make about $10 hour less than a UPS driver and had to pay about $45.00 a week in insurance. I was hired on as PT pick-up driver, about 4 to 5 hours a day and made FT within 8 months, compared to now, being a preloader for 2 years now and with still about 10 people ahead of me. I enjoyed working at FedEx, but would rather work harder and make the money I will be making when I drive here at UPS. I also like my benefits and job security with UPS, although I do miss the 75% off shipping, $69.99 standy-by flight tickets and able to fly free on FedEx planes....

Good comparison, but since you've been gone they've upped the numbers significantly, your retirement (and now, 401k match too) would be gone, and you'd probably be getting 38 to 42 hrs per week. Jumpseat has been eliminated since 9-11 and will probably never come back, and the discounted flight program is worthless because it's nearly impossible to get on as a standby anymore. Resi release has really boosted the stops-per-hour expectations, so even though it's easier to get rid of the pkg, you've got a lot more of them to get off. They are also keeping vehicles forever now, so a lot of us drive crap trucks. We've got several gas 600's that were built in 1984, and some 700's and Econolines that aren't much newer. They wash them once a week, and don't bother fixing issues unless they are major problems that will keep the truck off the road.

Oh yes, insurance deductibles have been raised along with your weekly deductions for coverage. So many doctors and other medical providers have dropped CIGNA that your list of options is rather small, especially if you don't live in a major metropolitan area.

If you can afford to wait it out and get into a pkg car, your future will be a lot brighter than at FedEx.

 

[david cassin]

we got a pcm a few weeks ago (well a pcm on the notice board) that we are able to get 60 % discount air and similar for weps service.
i thought this was a worldwide thing that ups has finally given its employees somthing for well nearly free..