Info on getting started with FedEx Custom Critical

jamieusps1 · Oct 20, 2013

Good Morning Everyone. I've been reading up a lot on expediting and my husband and I are very interested in working with FedEx Custom Critical. We now work for for FedEx Home Delivery. I have done this for about 6 yrs in all. I know it is nothing like expediting but I believe we are a great fit for this. I ran into a guy at a truck stop in Saginaw MI and we were talking. He told me that he worked for FECC but he was driving a Sprinter Van. Does anyone know, do you have to have a CDL to work for them because I can't imaging having to have one to drive a sprinter van. We have those at Home Delivery and all we need is a Class C. Also is it, the bigger the truck and cargo the more money you make? Sprinter vs. Straight Truck? And do you have to go through a driving school do get your cdl B to drive a straight truck because that is what we would like to drive. Anyway any info would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you.

BillChaffey · Oct 20, 2013

Some carriers require at least a class B. (I think) Others do not for a Cargo van. Most will tell you what's required when you apply on line.
As far as a school for class B why not find someone with a B and rent a Ryder truck with air brakes. Practice in a high school parking lot on a couple of weekends. I think just this last week someone posted a web site for B cdl written test. I believe the written part will be more difficult then the road test.
Best of luck with your endeavors
P.S. I was mistaken it's the Haz Mat test.

jamieusps1 · Oct 20, 2013

Thank you for the info. I wasn't sure what was needed to drive a straight truck. I have driven ground trucks before. I didn't think the differences would be that great, like they would be if I was going to drive a semi. I have been studing for my cdlb. I'm not to worried about the written test. Just concerned on finding someone with a straight truck who will take the time to teach me on the weekends. I live in Flint, MI. The FedEx terminal is in Saginaw. Maybe I will run into someone up there because there are many more drivers in Saginaw.

jamieusps1 · Oct 20, 2013

Your right I could rent one. I didn't even think of that. I guess I should have said finding someone with a B to take the time to train me on the weekends.

jamieusps1 · Oct 20, 2013

Did u get my reply? I'm not sure if I did it right.

TDave · Oct 20, 2013

If you can't find someone I went threw trainco driving school. They have a one day testing program for class B cdl.

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Mniesen89 · Oct 20, 2013

I recently received my Class B in Florida. It was payed for by my current company but I took the 3 day class which was 1200$ at roadmaster. There was an option to just use there Penske truck provided and test with that all in one day for 300$. I'm sure prices vary from school to school.

Daffyduck528 · Oct 20, 2013

My co driver and I watched the 50+ YouTube videos online then went to a local driving school that had a 33,000lb dump truck for us to test on. But we have both had experience driving Penske 24' trucks so it wasn't much of a jump for us. The hardest part was the pretrip exam.

jamieusps1 · Oct 21, 2013

Thank you all for the information. You have been much help. And by the way I love this website it is so informative and there are so many interesting things to read about. I'm so glad I found it.

cheri1122 · Oct 21, 2013

Hello, and welcome!
Please take the time to read the Newbies FAQs, there's a lot there that you wouldn't even think to ask. Like the fact that if you drive a straight truck, the CDL is just the first thing - you'll need to deal with cargo securement, HOS rules, logging, credentials like Hazmat, IFTA taxes - the list goes on. And on, lol.
Teams are highly sought after in expedite, and yes, you will make more money in a S/T, [maybe not a lot more, it depends on a lot of variables] but you will have more responsibility too. You have to decide which way works better for you, as we all do.
Good luck, and happy reading!

HighwayRover · Oct 25, 2013

The "Sprinter" van you used in home delivery is not the same sprinter van used in expediting or by FDCC. The expediting sprinter van is the cargo van platform by Mercedes and also offered by Freight-liner or Dodge. The over-sized ice-cream truck used by home delivery would be a poor choice for this business.

xiggi · Oct 25, 2013

HighwayRover said:
The "Sprinter" van you used in home delivery is not the same sprinter van used in expediting or by FDCC. The expediting sprinter van is the cargo van platform by Mercedes and also offered by Freight-liner or Dodge. The over-sized ice-cream truck used by home delivery would be a poor choice for this business.

Many fed home delivery units are sprinters. Just like the expedite division most their home delivery drivers are independents and drive their own or a fleet owners vehicle. Dodge hasn't sold the sprinter for years.

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LDB · Oct 25, 2013

A Sprinter is a Sprinter regardless of what logo is painted on the side.

zorry · Oct 25, 2013

I think the confusion comes from the fact that Home Delivery has some cubes on $printer chassis.
They also use the more normal $printer.

There's a Fedex Ground guy that runs a very rural, mountainous part of Va.

He has a F250 pu, 4x4.
He has one town where he calls his customers and says I'll have your pkg at the filling station at 11:00.
They meet him there, or arrange for the gas station guy to hold his package.

Smart guy.

jamieusps1 · Oct 28, 2013

Well right now I work for fedex home delivery and I drive a cube van/box van. I would like to drive a straight truck for fedex custom critical and then after some experience own my own truck. I don't know exactly how much I will make driving a straight truck for an owner vs other trucks and I don't know what the profit difference will be driving for someone vs for myself but I know expediting is what I want to do. There's so much on here to read there's not enough time in the day. But your posts help me most. Thank you.