UPS or Fed Ex.......which to choose

I am fortunate enough to have an interesting dilemma. I have gone through the hiring process for both UPS and Fed Ex. I have passed the driving tests for both companies and have taken the physical and drug tests for both (no worries there). I am awaiting my background check to come back from both (again, no issues there) and then I will be given a start date. I am on the fence about which one to take. Here is a brief rundown of each position and I'd like to hear thoughts from experienced drivers about which they would choose.

UPS Freight

Position consists of driving a day cab w/ 28' trailer within a 30 miles radius of O'Hare airport picking up and delivering. Will also run doubles to another UPS facility about 35 miles away.

• Will be 90% heavy city driving.
• Home every day only work M-F with rare exception but the hours I can and will work are all over the place can start at 6am or 10am or not until 8pm, or anything in between. Can and will vary from day to day
• Teamster union membership after 90 days
• Company paid retirement vested after 5 years Plus 401(k) with some company match.
• NOT guaranteed 40/hrs per week until I am out of the bottom 10% on the seniority list. If I take the job there will be 85 drivers on the board and I will be 80th on the list in terms of seniority
• Excellent Medical and Dental(BCBS/Aetna) that costs $150/month for family coverage (I pay $140 per WEEK right now)
• Pay starts at $15.50/hr and tops at $24.82/hr after 3 years. OT paid after 8 hrs worked in a single day.
• It is a 75 minute commute for me each day to get to the terminal.

Fed Ex Freight

Position consists of driving day cab with doubles from my home terminal to and from other Fed Ex terminals.

• Until I move up in seniority, I will absolutely be working the overnight shift. Start between 8-10pm and back by early next morning. There could be day shift work if subbing for a more senior driver who is on vacation, but 90+% of the time it will be nights. Some city driving, but that is offset by it being done overnight.
• There are 2 ways I will be paid: When behind the wheel I will be paid .4861/mile to start and it tops at .5791 after 3 years. Anytime I am drop/hook, fueling or working the dock I am paid $19.51/hour to start and it tops at $23.02/hr after 3 years.
• One run per night(out and back) Home every day. Work week is Mon night through Friday night. Sat & Sun night are weekend.
• If the run does not take 8 hours (many don't for less senior drivers) then the remainder if the shift will be spent working on the dock at the hourly pay stated above.
• Like UPS, I am not guaranteed 40/hrs 5 days/wk. However, if my run takes less than 8 hours I will spend the remaining time working on the dock. On a night that I do not have a run, I will be able to come in and put 4-5 hours in on the dock so I am not earning nothing for the day. FYI-working on the dock consists of loading and unloading trailers with a forklift. Dock is covered but not temp. controlled.
• Company paid pension with optional 401(k)
• Benefit cost is about $200/month
• Non-union
• The terminal I would be working out of have 24 drivers now with 6 more to be hired, including me as 1 of the 6.
• Terminal is 30 minute commute each way from my house.

My instinct is to go with Fed Ex, but maybe I am not seeing something, that would make UPS a better choice................
Thoughts?

 

Conway has a terminal 30 minutes east and west of where I am at, but haven't heard a peep from them and their starting pay is lower than UPSF.

 

Yeah, they guy at Fed Ex was pretty clear that while I will probably get a run at least 3 of 5 days a week it would probably be a shorter one (less than 200mi round trip) with the rest of the time being spent on the forklift. For $19.50/hr to start I'm OK with that. The area we are in (very near I-80 & I-39 in No. IL) there is not a lot of rail and no really short runs (75 miles is the closest terminal). One of the positives for me with Fed Ex is the ability to get a few hours in on the dock even if I don't have a run. UPS doesn't offer that option. No run=no work with them.

The Fed Ex guy said they are seeing a lot more freight through their terminal and with only 24 guys now, they need at least 6 more to keep up with it all. Climbing over 24 guys seems like better than 80 to me...........