Goodbye FedEx (again)

[fifaref2]

Brokering might be better money short term but the health of your fleet is directly tied to the success of the company long term. In my humble opinion of course.

With that I will say welcome to the family Jim![/QUOTE]

Another Toledo company might just be figuring this out. MIGHT

 

[cheri1122]

Diane and I were often accused of being the pom-poms type when we ran with FedEx Custom Critical, I think mostly because our success with that carrier challenged the comfort zone of the pom-pom insult slingers. That may have been because of a natural disposition to tear down successful people, or it may have been because those tossing out the pom-pom insults had an ax to grind against FedEx and did not like to see visible success stories originating out of that carrier.

The phrases "pom-pom insult slingers", "natural disposition to tear down successful people", and "visible success stories" point to an alternate explanation: the portrayal of yourself as very successful, and others as very resentful of it.
There may be some who resented your alleged success, but there are unquestionably those who resent your superior attitude in writing about it.
PS Cheerleading is merely an expression of enthusiasm - it does not require a basis in fact, just enthusiastic support. Sometimes the cheerleaders are genuine, some are misguided, and some are paid to wave the pompoms - it's up to the observers to figure out which is which.

 

[Turtle]

Dave's right.

Yep. Spot on. No one leveled pom pom charges against anyone because they were successful, they did so because of the snooty and snotty superior attitudes of the cheerleaders themselves. The cheerleaders thought they were all that and a bag o' chips, superior to every other expediter, simply because they were with FedEx Custom Critical. The snooty and snotty was palpably conspicuous. There are copious examples of non-carrier specific general threads that were posted in the FedEx Forum solely because any answers from the EO genpop weren't worthy, or wanted. There were even a few admissions of that. And because of the rose colored glasses, what to outsiders was blindingly glaring for years (not just for the last 6 months), was not even seen by the cheerleaders. Even your own comments here on EO after becoming a BCO dramatically illustrated that very phenomena.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Jim I wish you the best of luck with Load One even though you do not need the "luck" part you will do very well.

Personal attacks might be why some have quit saying how they are doing at FXCC or innuendoes that there is special consideration. We have not run flat rate so I cannot speak on that issue.

Facts for us are we have purchased our third truck and are still able to participate in the many events that we consider important. Those that know us know we run hard and we play hard. We seem to have a little different philosophy than many on the loads we accept but my bank account says we are still making good decisions. We have been at FXCC ten years and still counting.

 

[T270_Dreamin]

Been trying to get on with load 1. no openings, FedEx is becoming the if not already biggest broker in the expeditor business. All the bull they preach about the purple promise, wear your FedEx clothes keep your van looking new. Make FedEx look good. Then they broker loads to vans that are wore out dirty rusty broke down. Drivers haven't had a shower in days clothes are dirty can't speak English. But they run for .50 a mile. Fedex cc is definitely not what they preach.

Sound like the epitome of a cargo van driver in this industry! .50 that must be the rate for someone driving for a fleet owner.

 

[T270_Dreamin]

No, I would say they were pretty valid. A select few chose to but themselves on a plane above others at times while defending a carrier that wasn't working in the operators best interest when they did at one time. Those facts that were presented over time have come to fruition just as was predicted by many. More posts than I care to count just on that subject and they are still going. Nothing more complicated than that. When you have people making considerable financial investments, I think it was good then as it is now that people see the whole picture, and not one through "rose colored glasses".

Where can I get some of those rose colored glasses, last I checked they didn't have any in Seville.

 

[pelicn]

I seem to remember many old "sages" around here point out to the new comers that there is no perfect company. Each company has it's warts and it depends on each owner/driver as to which warts can be tolerated and which warts need removing. Best of luck to you!

 

[Pro3500]

They pay .85 to "B" unit they broker the load out for less. Companies like Blair will lease a van to a new guy. The driver pays for fuel the owner pays for major repairs. I talked to a couple of guys from there and they averaged the previous month 250 +\- for a week after expenses. They would sit 3-4 days then take a load for under .60 a mile. The one guy ran a load and made over $300 after fuel he said that was a nice week. He had a couple cheap loads that week as well.

 

[davekc]

Sound like the epitome of a cargo van driver in this industry! .50 that must be the rate for someone driving for a fleet owner.

Probably not. I think he is referring to not FedEx drivers, but the price some "bottom feeders" will haul for off their broker boards.
No "rose colored glasses" for sale at the cat that I am ware of.
Maybe some "cheap sunglasses"
As for the rest of it, Turtle hit the nail on the head. Ones perceived success or lack thereof, had little to do with comments regarding a specific carrier. Many of the comments came from people that had already achieved that "operator" success years ago. That doesn't mean they are smarter, but it does mean they had a broader base of knowledge, experience, and resources to evaluate those changes and comment on them. As information became available and challenged over time, some struggled with those realities but later to their credit acknowledge their existence. It was one of the reasons that individual carrier forums were created.
It divides the day to day madness, but not the true realities of the industry.

 

[xiggi]

They pay .85 to "B" unit they broker the load out for less. Companies like Blair will lease a van to a new guy. The driver pays for fuel the owner pays for major repairs. I talked to a couple of guys from there and they averaged the previous month 250 +\- for a week after expenses. They would sit 3-4 days then take a load for under .60 a mile. The one guy ran a load and made over $300 after fuel he said that was a nice week. He had a couple cheap loads that week as well.

Blair drivers in the company vehicle get a per mile rate per loaded mile it doesn't change.

 

[Dynamite 1]

A carrier that creates cheerleaders/pom pom wavers by putting their contractors first is a great thing and there is nothing wrong with being one. Whats even better is a carrier who can keep them by continuing to put their contractors first !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pro3500]

Blair drivers in the company vehicle get a per mile rate per loaded mile it doesn't change.

Have not talked with a company driver only two drivers that lease from an owner that's leased to Blair.

 

[Therion]

They pay .85 to "B" unit they broker the load out for less. Companies like Blair will lease a van to a new guy. The driver pays for fuel the owner pays for major repairs. I talked to a couple of guys from there and they averaged the previous month 250 +\- for a week after expenses. They would sit 3-4 days then take a load for under .60 a mile. The one guy ran a load and made over $300 after fuel he said that was a nice week. He had a couple cheap loads that week as well.

Were they happy making $250 a week? And here I though I make little.

 

[xmudman]

Were they happy making $250 a week? And here I though I make little.

If I wanted $250 a week take-home, I'd work at Burger King. 1000-1800, take supper home, wife would still have car for her job. Couldn't afford the van, so that would be gone.

Too bad that I would be desperately miserable

 

[Pro3500]

Were they happy making $250 a week? And here I though I make little.

No they were not. It was the last week for one. The problem is there's always going to be someone ready to take that job. The guy that stayed is on FB. He keeps getting loads to Texas sits 4-5 days and loads out for 55-56 cents. After fuel there's nothing left. One load per pay cycle don't cut it. But as he said he's stuck. I didn't ask why maybe a license issue? He did say he couldn't buy a van.

 

[Therion]

No they were not. It was the last week for one. The problem is there's always going to be someone ready to take that job. The guy that stayed is on FB. He keeps getting loads to Texas sits 4-5 days and loads out for 55-56 cents. After fuel there's nothing left. One load per pay cycle don't cut it. But as he said he's stuck. I didn't ask why maybe a license issue? He did say he couldn't buy a van.

Wow that is ridiculous. He could buy an older van and be a city courier and he'd still make a lot more than $250 a week. Not to mention sleep in his own bed each night.

 

[runrunner]

I've read the comments on here and wonder to myself why everyone complains, let's face it, it's all about the money and how much can be made by all of us including owners. If you were in the owners shoes you would do the same thing, just remember load 1, landstar, FedEx and all the big company's broker their loads out to make the most amount of money possible and if that means brokering it out to another company how can you fault them for that. I've notice on these eo forums there are a lot of greedy people telling others there is no money to be made in this line of work but in truth there is good money to be made because if there wasn't you wouldn't be doing it...

It hasn't always been this way,and doesn't need to be now. Contractors and Carriers used to make decent money,now it is more the Carriers.