New FCC Dispatch Offer Method

[terryandrene]

Many of the recently active FedEx Custom Critical contractors have had a chance to study the details of the new system that will take effect in one dispatch region starting mid-April. Please express your feelings about the new progam in the above poll.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most beneficial, do you think this new method will be beneficial to ALL concerned; the customer, FCC, AND the drivers

FedEx Custom Critical O/O & Drivers only please.​

 

[spudhead911]

IMO this is a way FedEx CC hopes to get contractors to take the low paying freight they have been offering. I believe by offering the loads to multiple trucks the owner operators/drivers will think that if they don't take the load as soon as it is offered, another truck will jump on it, even thought it is a low paying load. The contractors/drivers will think a very low paying load (a load that they won't make any money on, or very little money) must be taken ASAP, just to beat another truck from getting the load.

Remember FedEx CC cares about their bottom line, not the contractor's bottom line. If they can get rid of all the low paying loads, it's a feather in their caps.

I think this is the main reason the new load offer system is being put into play. Freight rates have not changed, especially in surface expedite in the last 10 years. With all the expediting companies now out there (it seems like a new expediting company comes into being every day) competing for the same freight, the pressure on the carriers to get their contractors to accept this low rate freight has led them to come up with innovative solutions. I think this is one of them

 

[nightcreacher]

IMO this is a way FedEx CC hopes to get contractors to take the low paying freight they have been offering. I believe by offering the loads to multiple trucks the owner operators/drivers will think that if they don't take the load as soon as it is offered, another truck will jump on it, even thought it is a low paying load. The contractors/drivers will think a very low paying load (a load that they won't make any money on, or very little money) must be taken ASAP, just to beat another truck from getting the load.

Remember FedEx CC cares about their bottom line, not the contractor's bottom line. If they can get rid of all the low paying loads, it's a feather in their caps.

I think this is the main reason the new load offer system is being put into play. Freight rates have not changed, especially in surface expedite in the last 10 years. With all the expediting companies now out there (it seems like a new expediting company comes into being every day) competing for the same freight, the pressure on the carriers to get their contractors to accept this low rate freight has led them to come up with inventive solutions. I think this is one of them

All companies care about the bottom line,not just FECC,even McDonalds.As in all trucking companies,there are customers that get discounts.Which is better,no load or a discount load?When you lease to a company,be it Panther,FECC,or even JB HUNT,your in a partnership with that company,and if they dont have customers you dont have freight to haul.It may not seem to you right now,but Fecc is trying to improve their relationship with our customers,give them an answer to their shipping needs at a quicker time frame.Even with the discounts,are our rates really that low,sure some may be if you have a long dead head to pick up,but if you check,we get paid more than most others doing the same work

 

[ATeam]

Diane and I have never been afraid to turn down a low paying load, and there is nothing in the new system that would change that. There is nothing precious about a low paying load. If others want them, they are welcome to them.

In fact, as i think about it, I would be delighted if they take the low paying loads. That takes their trucks off the board by putting them on the load; thereby reducing the number of available trucks and leaving the high paying loads for us.

My fear, if there is one (which there is not), is not that someone will take a low paying load before me. It is that if I take a low paying load, I might miss a better paying load later in the day.

New system or old, we will continue to operate the same. If the load pays our minimum or above, we will happily accept the offer. It has worked well in the past and I see nothing in the new system that would change that.

 

[aripen]

I am not 100% sure on how it will work, but I will share my thoughts and if I am way off someone please lead me back on track. OK, I agree with ATeam, it will not change how I accept the loads, if it is worth it, puts me in a decent area, and if it was a load I would have declined or taken previously then I will give the same response. On the other hand, as a solo I try to position myself with the most advantage for the next run. If the run pays well and goes in a direction that works, and I accept it as well as another... It will just be annoying if it goes to the other and not me. Does that sound right?

 

[terryandrene]

aripen: You should continue to accept or decline Load Opportunity notices in the same manner as you now make your choices. This new method will be similar to a situation where, in the present method, you are having coffee with three other FCC, D truck drivers. The driver's phone across the table rings and he has a run offer that he declines, he tells you all about the offer and soon thereafter, the driver on your right gets the run offer call and he refuses the load after arguing price with the dispatcher for a few minutes. Not much time passes and the driver on your left get the call and he accepts the load. About 15 or more minutes has passed and the driver rushes off to make up some of the lost time. You didn't get the load but you know all about it and you're now happy that you moved up a spot. Your happiness soon turns to sorrow when you realize that driver left without paying for his coffee and sandwich, and you're stuck for his bill.

Under the new system, all four of you will get a recorded run message at the same time. You will each accept or decline in the same manner as now, and the same driver will still get the load. The big difference is you'll save money because everyone will have time to pay for their own meal ticket.

 

[Moot]

I am not with FECC and am not privy to all the details, so I will refrain from voting. This does seem like a great time saving system. Under a traditional 10 minute response time with the offer being made to one driver at a time, in theory 3 drivers could eat up 30 minutes before the load gets accepted. 30 minutes could be crucial on a 90 minute pick up window.

Thanks for the input with appropriate comments - terryandrene

 

[markafd]

My biggest concern with the new system is the possibility of a driver trying to rest and being hit with a barage of offers all day when he/she is number 8 in line jsut to be told the load went to another truck and his/her truck gets a load late in the day driving all night and had interupted rest all day . to me that is a safety concern.

 

[LDB]

I find this idea very intriguing and while not with FX would like to comment. If I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong let me know. It seems to me the most efficient method would be to present the load information to trucks in blocks of 3. The aforementioned truck 8th out and trying to get good rest wouldn't be disturbed until they reach one of the top 3 spots or until enough decline for it to work it's way down to them. Granted, once they move up twice to number 6 they could begin to be disturbed if the first block of 3 all decline but it should be significantly less interruptions than if it goes to all available trucks at once. Addressing that concern, will there be a mechanism in place so a truck can be flagged to not receive offers until they are in the top 3 or whatever the block size is for the first refusal group? That would seem the best way to assure good rest while missing the fewest potential offers.

I see a major advantage to both FX and the operators if the 4th or 5th truck accept since that would be in the amount of time normally taken by 2 trucks. That should make it much easier on the operator to be on time and also help FX keep a better on time record with the customer. In this system do the trucks stay at their current position or only move up if a truck ahead accepts? In other words, no go to the end of the line for refusing policy?

 

[terryandrene]

I have let LDB's post remain in the FCC forum because he raises some questions that can be answered for the benefit of the FCC drivers and O/O.​

Leo, Mark and ohers have suggested that Load Opportunities be presented to trucks in the dispatch queue in blocks of three at a time to minimize driver interuption for loads that they have no chance of getting. Here's what I do know:​

The dispatchers will be ABLE to enter as many trucks as they deem necessary to cover a load. A dynamite load may only go to one or two trucks; a bummer load to several at once; a questionable dispatch to as many as a dispatchers history of knowledge dictates. Offers won't go to drivers who are out of hours, out of service, OOS for personal, or on Status 88, but may send the Opportunity message if the pickup will occur some time after the drivers' HOS allows. The dispatch agents are being briefed on this very issue and will be directed to minimize the disruption of sleeping or resting drivers. In any event, however, the dispatchers will send the Load Opportunities to all available trucks that can make the pickup on time in the same DVA order that they now send Load Offers.​

The Load Opportunity telephone messages will contain a brief summary of the load detail and will have an option to hear the the remainder of all details now seen on the QualComm. Accept or decline options allow available on the telephone response, but no option for refusal comments will be available.​

QualComm Load Opportunity messages will contain the same information as now seen but the refusal message, macro 12, will have a the same field for driver comments now available.​

The first test region will be for surface expedite trucks only and will be as follows:

North Dakota - South Dakota - Nebraska - Kansas - Minnesota - Iowa - Missouri - Wisconsin - Illinois - Michigan - Indiana - Portions of Ohio. It also includes any load picking up in or delivering to Canada.​

 

[pelicn]

Terry, we are not with Fed, but I have a question about this new system. Example, if a load opportunity is sent to, 3 trucks, 2 accept and 1 decline, how long is the lag time before the truck that is chosen for the load gets notified? Is there a time frame?

 

[terryandrene]

Here's the answer to another question about message timing that I received.

The Load Opportunity message will be sent, for example, to four trucks at once; If the #1 truck accepts, then the load offer will go out right away. Meanwhile, if the #2 truck refuses and the #3 and #4 truck accept, the #2 hears nothing again, as is now the case, and the #3 and #4 will receive a call within 10 minutes saying they didnt get the load.

I'm told that there will be at least a couple of more notices sent to FCC drivers before the test implementation. The notices will show detaed information and FAQ answers. Those folks that haven't signed up for the weekly news bulletin should do so to get an early heads-up on this information. You may do so by signing on to the FCC Extranet