Fedex Ground

From what I heard FedEx Ground requires contractors to have more than 1 route . That is how they got out of having to reclassify contractors as employees .
For the record FedEx Ground doesn't employ any route drivers . You are either an O/O or driving for an O/O .

 

THis is a common misconception. LINEHAUL ROUTES (or runs) ARE NOT OWNED!!! They are assigned. You CAN NOT sell or buy them!!! Only the points accrued on tractors can be sold along with a tractor. There is a points system that takes into account seniority and performance, IF you can get your terminal to honor it. They have their ways to get you to do things, trust me. Be very careful in what you hear....even from me, a guy who's been there since '96. VERIFY EVERYTHING TWICE!!

Only P&D routes are owned, and I have even seen them taken away arbitrarily if it best suits the terminal.

I'm not saying NOT to lease on to them. I make a very good living there, and it was a great place for me to get a start owning a tractor. Just be aware that you are really in no way "independent" unless you are talking about costs. You will come to work every night, do what you are told, and go where you are supposed to go.

I fell out with them when they tried to tell me I HAD to hire someone to run my truck during the day to make a low paying customer pickup. I said "no", they said "do it, or lose 850 miles a week." Another contractor who started day one with RPS was pretty much forced to do it. He couldn't afford to lose the runs. I would've left if they forced me. I saw how I, somebody who has been there since '96 and never pulled a load in late or scratched the paint off of anything, and a day one contractor was treated and started working on getting my own authority. I had to wonder about myself being bullied into a no win, low paying situation if I gave them 26 or so years and decided against giving them the opportunity to hose me after that many years of service.

Again, I am not saying it's bad, just know what you're dealing with. The "independent" part is bogus. I thought I was for years until they really got in a pinch and decided threats and taking miles away was better than making a run profitable to incentivize me to do it. I didn't like somebody telling me I had to hire someone and how to run my tractor. As soon as I'm done with all the filings and complete the process of getting my authority, BYE BYE Fred.

My opinion? It was 200% better as RPS. The more RPS people that left and the more FedEx people replaced them, the worse it has gotten. Sure, you can make a good living as a contractor, just realize that you are THEIR contractor and you are only independent as long as your decisions coincide with what FedEx wants you to do.

If you are driving for a contractor, well that all depends on how the contractor decides to treat you.

 

Nope. I own 1 tractor and employ nobody besides myself.

I do believe certain states are moving that direction, but am not sure. I know it isn't that way in linehaul, bt maybe P&D in some places where the company lost lawsuits.

 

Nope. I get DOT'd all the time. Of course, I cross three scales a night. BUT....trust me, I get NO FREE PASSES just because my trailers say FedEx on them. The more that contractors hire these guys for less than $.30/mile who can't speak English and take 45 minutes to hook a set of doubles only so they can roll them once they get on the highway, the more law enforcement will be watching.

 

I worked for fedex ground for a few months. One of my friends who was an owner operator fell for the scam at first. You cant even take the truck home with you if u wanna use it, and fedex just tells u wut to do all day as how theyd tell a regular employee. the whole independant contractor is just a huge scam, and they make a lot of profit from that since they dont insure the truck or pay for gas. I worked for a contractor doing p/d and it was for straight salary meaning i was working 12-14 hours a day for just 8 hours pay. Since this guy is so lazy he would mak my truck do half his stops and the other do half his pickups, so i was doing two towns worth of work. with no benefits or overtime i finally got fed-up and left and got a new job. I tried getting another jo with a different contractor but for whatever reason the terminal manager just lied and lied to me all the time about helping me.

Now im not too sure how the linehaul is paid or how it works, but thats my opinion about fedex ground p/d

 

I was offered a position with fed ex ground as a line haul driver, that led me to stop working as a walking floor operator. Any info on line haul for fedex ground?

 

Its not different than any of these other guys except you don't work or bump a dock. When I see Fed ex ground. I see a huge lollipop behind the wheel. These guys really took it, hook, line and sinker. If you don't believe me, ask one of them. (One of the somewhat articulate ones) if any

 

I dont get it by lolipop? can you be more specific on what your saying instead of typing in ''guess what this means sentences''. What so bad about line haul jobs? I thought that was what everyone was looking forward too. Getting good wages, nice beanies home with the family every night..

 

I think he means sucker.

Are you driving for a contractor or were you offered a contractor position?

I use to work in the office at a terminal. Some drivers are home every night. There are teams that will run from one hub to another several states away.

No insurance unless the contractor you drive for gives you some or you buy your own.

I think they have discounts on insurance though.

The linehaul guys make out better than the van contractors, thats for sure. The best gig is driving tractor for the terminal (P and D). They work their 11 hours a day spotting and picking up trailers at local customers.

That pay is based on spots, not mileage.

From what I remember they netted 1500 a week per tractor after deductions, which included fuel, uniforms, maintenance fund. But not tires or repairs, etc.

We had contractors who did P and D, owned 3 or 4 trucks, and never personally drove. Some of them we would only see on pay day or if one of their drivers was sick or needed off.

Then, you have P and D tractor guys who work at the independent terminals. They do spots at day, then run loaded doubles to the hubs and back. So they get paid for spots and mileage.

At least this is how it was when I was there.

 

I will be working for a contractor. I just got off the phone with him he is about 32 years old cool dude, and hasn't sugar coated anything he said I will be getting insurance They are also offering me training for doubles and triples since all I have is the endorsement, and no type of training on that field. He said starting wage will be 1000-1200 a week no less than a 1000 running only 8 hour shifts a day hook and unhooking no force dispatching he gives me the assignments what they feel could be completed in that day. When I first went there and saw what the drivers where driving going home in there personal automobile I was shocked Mercedes, BMW, Caddy... I was surprised They must be bringing home some good money driving luxury cars, and they are only line haul drivers !!