FedEx

[astikhossw]

You may want to be careful as a solo with custom critical,they seem to cater more to the teams.Even though the box will fit with them the solo idea may not work for you.The only loads that you will be offer for the most part will be under 500 miles.And if you get close to any of the LG centers that is all that will be offered.

 

[layoutshooter]

It is not a matter of being careful etc, they have thier busines and you should have yours.
One persons fit is not anothers. Layoutshooter

 

[davekc]

If solo, go somewhere that has no qual-comm or run your own authority. Or, find somewhere where you can book your own freight.
Last I heard at the expo, there is a freeze on putting on any WG trucks and there is a deep list to get in. Take Linder's advice and get it in writing.

 

[Suds43]

OVM is right, Col is ok. You just have to sort thru his own version of the English language. There's a ton of experience that you can draw from by listening to him. He won't tell ya what you want to hear, he'll tell it like it is.

 

[Bruno]

Well, being with Roberts Express/Fedex Custom Critical since in 1995. I would say stay where your at. My wife has 4 trucks with FedEx and I manage 3 other trucks for another owner. We are not happy with Fedex, so yes we maybe leaving it depends if Fedex can fix the new system they are rolling out. If they can't Fix the problems they have, they are going to lose some good people.

 

[x06col]

I may be completely off base, but, I feel the days of non-operator contractors may be ending (read fleet owners). With the percieved needed high dollar equipment, extremely excessive repair rates, big fuel bills, and, seemingly everone in the chain (drivers and owners) expecting to live beyond their means off one truck, splitting the pie as often as is happening, can't last too much longer. Wuz me, i'd be looking to cut my pending losses.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I may be completely off base, but, I feel the days of non-operator contractors may be ending (read fleet owners). With the percieved needed high dollar equipment, extremely excessive repair rates, big fuel bills, and, seemingly everone in the chain (drivers and owners) expecting to live beyond their means off one truck, splitting the pie as often as is happening, can't last too much longer. Wuz me, i'd be looking to cut my pending losses.

and the trend of some fleet owners wanting to go to team operation and putting non related or strangers in the same truck under the guise that the driver will make more money? Well that'll backfire when said driver realizes they just got a pay cut...
Example...solo goes team---truck makes 50% money to truck for an increase 150 % divide by 2 paychecks 75% --Well DOH driver is down 25% ...BUT owner is UP 50%

 

[cheri1122]

Even us semi-math-challenged folks could see that teams don't earn twice as much as solos - it's fine to run team when the $ goes into one pocket, but the (potential) increase in income doesn't come close to justifying the inconveniences of sharing such a small space, IMO. Course, I could just be too old, and set in my ways to change, I guess, but if I were forced to share, I'd hand over my keys, and find another sandbox to play in.

 

[greg334]

x06col
I don't think you are too off.

The high cost of rotating equipment in and out of the fleet, the high cost of finding and retaining drivers, and the high overall cost of operating with high maintenance crews all factor into the need to keep fleet owners happy at the Fed.

I think that you are right, it can't last long.

Unless an owner gets the favor of putting drivers in elite positions in WG, I don't see the average driver being able to survive unless FedEx gets serious about increasing sales and I know that isn't happening for CC.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Even us semi-math-challenged folks could see that teams don't earn twice as much as solos - it's fine to run team when the $ goes into one pocket, but the (potential) increase in income doesn't come close to justifying the inconveniences of sharing such a small space, IMO. Course, I could just be too old, and set in my ways to change, I guess, but if I were forced to share, I'd hand over my keys, and find another sandbox to play in.

Unfortunately Cheri there is some challenged drivers out there..they are sold a bill of goods by doubling thier income and they fall for it....some still do well or seems like it because they are also driving 25% less time...and it FEELS like more...till Momma counts the cash that is....

 

[x06col]

I weren't pointing it at the fed fleet owners, I wuz just pointing it. As far as i'm concerned WG is no different (except for refer). I will go on record as stating, why pay the fed five bucks a mile for a sensitive load, when I could do it better for four. We were wayyy nimble, as compared. Wayyy more comunicative. Wayyy more lots of things. Equipment and otherwise. Point is, ya jus can't go to the phone and put yourself in service anymore, an expect "great" tings to happen, if, you are just a nuther contractor in the food chain. There are some exceptional things going on around you folks, an it ain't the ones you are expecting, or have been sold a bill of goods for.

 

[LDB]

The following do not apply to any specific situation or equipment, they are just to illustrate a point.

A. That's the stupidest truck I've ever heard of and why anyone with any sense would build such a thing can't be figured out.

B. Experience has shown a different configuration is more successful and produces a higher rate of return.

A. Only an idiot would do it that way.

B. You would probably do even better to consider the following.

The problem some people have is accepting answer A rather than answer B along with some people who think giving answer A provides the listener valuable information. Both answers point to the same conclusion but only one is going to get you listened to and respected as a valuable resource by all listeners. Some will capture the useful parts for themselves either way but others who could be helped will be lost due to poor presentation.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I weren't pointing it at the fed fleet owners, I wuz just pointing it. As far as i'm concerned WG is no different (except for refer). I will go on record as stating, why pay the fed five bucks a mile for a sensitive load, when I could do it better for four. We were wayyy nimble, as compared. Wayyy more comunicative. Wayyy more lots of things. Equipment and otherwise. Point is, ya jus can't go to the phone and put yourself in service anymore, an expect "great" tings to happen, if, you are just a nuther contractor in the food chain. There are some exceptional things going on around you folks, an it ain't the ones you are expecting, or have been sold a bill of goods for.

Yeah I tend to agree...WG or Elite is nothin special...
20 years ago all this stuff went by ordinary means regular reefer and packaged...and it can all be gone as quick as it came...if the payers only realized it...Who cares if Material girl doesn't get her favourite piano to dance on!!! hahaha

 

[x06col]

But Leo, i'm not touchy feeley. I'm not here to help, i'm here to type my observations. If they can't pick the fly crap from the pepper, no one can help them. Even you. Being on the Contractor board and all.

 

[Jefferson3000]

Unit is a 2007 International 4400, 102" sleeper, 16 ft. box, liftgate.

Considering the move since FedEx pays more, and I'm told the truck qualifies for White Glove which pays even more. More money = happy. The Sprinters are making more individually than the International does, and I believe that FedEx has more available freight for this truck.

FedEx contacted me last April and again in June. The offer they are making now was not on the table then. I've been curious as to what changed other than different recruiters.

I'm driving solo right now, but the sleeper is a double bunk so putting a team in it wouldn't be a problem. Finding the right team could be.

I've asked all the right questions of the recruiter, just looking for some real world input.

Well, the Sprinter is definitely digging in on the three pallet loads. It's also sending the C rate downward following the lead of the B rate in the last couple years. Fedex requires all C box units to be dock high, which doesn't make you anything special there. But with many of the smaller carriers, a dock high C CAN put you ahead of the game a bit. One thing I do see a trend of: With the smaller carriers and brokers, I can almost always guarantee a D rate whether or not it's more than a few skids or a couple thousand pounds, simply because I have a dock high truck. That, my friend, may be a point worth looking at. Coupled with a liftgate, you may find you could carry yourself as a "big fish" with a smaller carrier, provided you don't have too many goodies weighing down that 102 in sleeper. Just remember: if you can have the essentials to get yourself a load every day, you won't need so many "extras" to keep yourself busy on the road.

 

[Wolfeman68]

Well, the Sprinter is definitely digging in on the three pallet loads. It's also sending the C rate downward following the lead of the B rate in the last couple years. Fedex requires all C box units to be dock high, which doesn't make you anything special there. But with many of the smaller carriers, a dock high C CAN put you ahead of the game a bit. One thing I do see a trend of: With the smaller carriers and brokers, I can almost always guarantee a D rate whether or not it's more than a few skids or a couple thousand pounds, simply because I have a dock high truck. That, my friend, may be a point worth looking at. Coupled with a liftgate, you may find you could carry yourself as a "big fish" with a smaller carrier, provided you don't have too many goodies weighing down that 102 in sleeper. Just remember: if you can have the essentials to get yourself a load every day, you won't need so many "extras" to keep yourself busy on the road.

I can put an end to this since I've made the decision. I got quite a bit of useful information here and I thank those of you that took the time to give it.

Using that info from here and other sources, I asked a few more questions of the recruiter this morning when he called to tell my that I had been approved. He said he would get back to me later today. I had already made up my mind to stay with T/S, but I wanted to hear the answers since they might help someone else. He called about an hour ago said he was still working on the answers but he wanted me to know that he did make a mistake on the bonus amount. It's now 1k instead of 2k. I don't expect to hear from him tomorrow.

Again, thanks to everyone for your help. Sorry that some of you don't think much of the truck, but I really don't care. I drive it and I like it. I didn't spec it out, I bought it at auction so the payment is low and it's turning a profit. I've seen 2 others like it, so it must have been a multi truck purchase originally.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Well, the Sprinter is definitely digging in on the three pallet loads. It's also sending the C rate downward following the lead of the B rate in the last couple years. Fedex requires all C box units to be dock high, which doesn't make you anything special there. But with many of the smaller carriers, a dock high C CAN put you ahead of the game a bit. One thing I do see a trend of: With the smaller carriers and brokers, I can almost always guarantee a D rate whether or not it's more than a few skids or a couple thousand pounds, simply because I have a dock high truck. That, my friend, may be a point worth looking at. Coupled with a liftgate, you may find you could carry yourself as a "big fish" with a smaller carrier, provided you don't have too many goodies weighing down that 102 in sleeper. Just remember: if you can have the essentials to get yourself a load every day, you won't need so many "extras" to keep yourself busy on the road.

Great advive Jefferson and good observations about the Sprinter...my last dozen loads or so would have been C type loads before

 

[LDB]

Col, the thing is, whether you intend to or not or whether you even want to or not you are here to help. You can't keep from it unless you don't post at all. Now, that's not saying everything is helpful or anything else specific, just that the very act of posting comments sometimes turns into helping. Those of us who have been around a while know how you are and read what you mean in spite of what you say. New people aren't finely attuned to your unique properties and unfortunately some won't take the time to learn that you do share some good stuff.

 

[cheri1122]

"Unique properties"?! ROFLMAO!!!
Sorry, Leo, but that was funny - only you could come up with such a tactful description of our own resident curmudgeon. But as he says, "if you can't pick the whatever from the whatever it is", (pepper from flyspecks?) then you're just gonna have to be on your own, there's only so much anyone else can do.
As Dorothy Parker said "You can lead a to culture, but you can't make her think"

 

[davekc]

Wow,
After wading through all the madness, there actually is some useful information out of all this.
What I see out of this is the following.
Sprinters are taking some of the "C" loads IF, there isn't a dock requirement.
Without a doubt. The rate is cheaper. No real surprise there.
As for rates, not a huge difference between WG or Elite with regards to profit if it requires additional equipment.
Gain some loads, but lose others.
Bottom line dollars are similar.
Colonel is correct in that the dimensions of a fleet owner are changing. Not really a carrier issue, but a industry issue. The days of conventional operating have changed. If one doesn't diversify and think outside the box a little, they will fail much for the reasons he listed.