UPS or FedEx Freight???????

Wait, wait....wait..........first off who told you $19 to start? Should be $17.40, then $17.70 after 45 days.

2) Irregardless, let's not look at just the starting rates----it ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT TERMINAL AND WHAT POSITION YOU GET...................I.E., there are guys at my barn who started off as dock/cdl combos----and they made over 60K their first year---because they got the overtime BIGTIME. Top rate would be over 100K

3) i've worked for both companies (you should be so lucky to have such a "difficult" choice.......) and i don't think you could go wrong either way; Both companies suck equally in different ways, and both companies are awesome in different ways. Fed ex probably has newer equipment.

The edge might go to UPSF because they're union.

 

I usually go with Fedex. UPS is ok, if you can stand being micromanaged.

I ship my stuff on the bay via fedex anyhow. If they lose it it's insured. Unlike the forms the US Postal Service throw at you.

 

I'm happy with Reddaway. My bosses are awesome but if I was offered a permanent position with either company I would jump !
I just don't want to give up my seniority here and start at the very bottom again

 

It depends on what situation your currently in RIGHT NOW. If your single, or have a spouse, or family members that can support you through the first 2-3 years, then I would say UPSF. If you have a family to support, mortgage, kids going to college, bills to pay....then I would say go with FXF.

Around my area, their are more union FXF terminals than nonunion. Starting pay is around $23 an hour, but it may be higher in NYC since cost of living determines starting pay rate, where as UPSF, you'll be starting at what @Russian Rabbit mentioned. Both jobs are an excellant choice as far as careers go, especially when you build up seniority and payrate.

As far as micromanagment is concerned, both jobs you WILL be to some degree, but that's to be EXPECTED if you plan on working for a major company like UPSF or FXF. It IS a very laid back atmosphere though.

It all depends on if you want to eat Steaks from the get go....or Ramen noodles.

 

I recall talking to the old Blue Diamond of Baltimore on Pulaski just inside the 95/695 highways before they were torn down. During the pre-hire talk, they emphasized a rule that by the time you reached the gate you were required to be at a certain gear/speed and not crawling along wasting time. It was a transfer type operation of the old school days prior to Pallets.

 

My dad drove for Fed ex Freight as a road driver for 17 years. He loved the job when it was American Freightways, then when FedEx bought them it went to Hell. He hated that job with a passion but had too much time invested to really quit. He had an accident two years ago with them when his lead trailers brakes locked up going 65mph. It laid him over and nearly took his life. Now because of it, he has a permanent disability in his shoulder to which is beyond repair. First thing they asked him in hospital was if the freight was ok..never called to ask how he was only how soon he could turn his badge in. Yes, they fired him for wrecking their junk when it was them who caused it!! Needless to say he won his court case and is well on his way to financial freedom once everything is done!! So word of advice, stay away from fxf. Good luck to you wherever you may end up.

 

Yea, funny thing was, once they found out that the air valve went bad in the trailer they immediately came to the vendor that recovered the truck and trailers and demanded he give them the valve back to hide evidence once they found out he was going to court. Their a real piece of work!! My dad gave 17yrs of his life, only missed 3 days out of 17yrs of service due to illness, spotless safety record, and has driven over 3.5 million accident free miles until that wreck and they treated him like trash. I remember him giving up his vacation several times when he was at home relaxing, and they would call and beg him to come in to cover their tail when they didn't have enough extra board drivers to cover it all...Its pathetic.

 

Sheesh man, sorry to hear about your pops, glad he's still alive and breathing and on his way to financial freedom. I don't understand why a big company like FedEx would do him like that, I know they have bean counters making those decisions, but they seriously can't think that firing a guy like that would save them money in the long run...