Terry is a much better writer then I am or could ever even hope to be and he can really convey a message or thought where I usually just mess it up.
The council membership I believe is around 12 members. We do not represent other members of the fleet we are only typical owner and operators of a typical truck in the fleet.
We are chosen by and approved for membership by any number of the members of the FCC leadership team. You can get to be known many ways including attending truck shows, the meet and greets during truck driver appreciation events, by attending FCC sponsored events at the office, by attending 4-Star and I am sure a Contractor Coordinator could recommend you. I personally do not think you are chosen for being a yes man as you would be a waste of time for a company that is interested in always becoming better. I also do not think you would be chosen if all you did was complain and have no positive feedback on what is going right.
There are no formal times for meetings or discussions as all of us are out here every day meeting and talking with other drivers. We each in our way try to listen to other drivers and we are all constantly trying to learn and listen to what can help make FCC a better company to be contracted to. As Terry said a lot of the small complaints need to be discussed with a Contract Coordinator as there just is not time in the meetings to get everything accomplished. We always have to remember FCC runs FCC we are just a council and as such can offer suggestions and we are also in some instances their sounding board to bounce ideas off of.
Many of the items we discuss in our meetings are not for us to discuss with other drivers as we leave that up to FCC to make the announcements of their plans or they could just scrap all of what we discussed. The council is not a paid position and so can be at times a hardship as you are out of service and not on a load.
Just what does the contractor council do for the contractor? You sit around and talk about things you can’t discuss with us contractors, that don’t sound like a good thing for us contractors to me. You need to be “chosen” by the company “leadership team”, after they get to know you at special events, most of which are put on by the company, or by “dropping by Green”. What about us contractors that have to actually drive our trucks to make a living, and can’t afford to attend most of the events, nor be able to just “drop” by company headquarters? It seems like a whole lot of brown nosing is involved in the getting “chosen” process.
You say the council members are not yes men/women. To me it seems just the opposite. I think the leadership team needs to get to know the prospective council members to choose who will best suite FedEx. I would gladly sit on the contractor council, if asked. I don’t have time to do a lot of visiting at Green, or attending events, because I need to keep the wheels on my truck rolling to make money. I would however make the time to attend all council meetings.
I think that if FedEx wanted a true cross section of contractors they should send the leadership team to the truck stops, and interview contractors there. Maybe they could also ride along with a few of us working contractors. They could see what real contractors do, not the contractors with the mega sleepers, who think they are on vacation and taking loads for the fun of it. How about the non White Glove contractors who have White Glove trucks and equipment, who do White Glove loads? I know if I had a truck spec’d as a White Glove unit, with a very large sleeper, I couldn’t afford to take surface expedite loads, due to the lower rates. I believe these are the “phantom” White Glove units, known only to FedEx. But most of us White Glove contractors know who they are, I think you do to.
You can’t talk about what you talk about at the council meetings, but you do talk about things that would be of some concern to us contractors. Maybe you talk about new systems, new qualcom configurations, and/or procedures that might be implemented. You listen to all kinds of changes FedEx might bring up, or might want your input about. I can understand that some things should be kept within the council members only, but not everything. You might not realize it, but you are representing all us contractors. You are the company’s guinea pigs, they are throwing this stuff out there to see your reaction.
You are on the council, but don’t know how many members there are on the council. I’m sorry, but if I were on the council, I would know every single members first and last name.
Why can’t we contractors know the names of the council members? Do you think we will try to influence them to maybe bring up some concerns we contractors have? I know I would rather talk to a fellow contractor, who knows and understands what we do every day, than a CC or a CR, who has never been on the road. I would think FedEx would encourage us contractors to talk to council members, and vice versa.
I’m going to go off subject for a minute. I have always wondered why FedEx did away with their outside recruiters. Does anyone know why they did this? I sure don’t. I also believe that most, if not all the recruiters now have no trucking experience, just a diploma hanging on a wall. I can get a diploma right know from a university for a fee of $250. The diploma will be a BA in Business Management. I am entitled to said diploma, and degree, based on my life experience in operating a business. So much for the value of diplomas. I say bring back outside recruiters. They were great people, who knew what they were doing.
Back on subject. Let’s see, we contractors don’t need to know the council members names. We don’t need to know what is talked about. Council members are “chosen” by the company. Yup, sounds like company men/women to me, in contractor’s clothes. Come on; tell us contractors who the members are. I think we deserve that much.
How about we do this, let the contractors vote on who sits on the “contractor’s council”. Wouldn’t that benefit us contractors a little better? You said there was not enough time to discuss everything. Why not? Isn’t that what you are there for? I would think a true contractor council would be interested in bringing up stuff like trying to raise freight rates for us. I would like to see the council make an effort to let us contractors get 100% of the rate for detention time, we are doing the waiting, not the company. I would also like the council to address the company about giving us 100% of the labor rate, we are doing the labor, not the company.
From what you have posted in the last two posts, it seems you are a secret society, chosen by the company to discuss things we don’t need to know, by members whose names we need not know. I’m not clear on the part about representing contractors, do you or do you not represent us. If not what is your purpose? We contractors sure don’t need you, at least in my humble opinion. It kind of seems to me like its all smoke and mirrors.
I do think there should be a contractor council, but not one picked by the company, no matter what company or industry it is. I believe a contractor council should support the contractor’s interest. I think you said that that was not the council’s purpose, please explain a little more clearly what your purpose is.
Believe me, I truly am 100% for FedEx. They have always been fair with us, always addressed issues we’ve had, have always been honest with us. We like the people we have met when we needed to be at company headquarters. I have no personal issues with FedEx. I enjoy being contracted with them. I understand FedEx is a business, just as I am a business. We both need to make money to survive. My wife and I have done well with FedEx. We plan on being with FedEx for a long time to come, unless they read this and gets really upset over this, and kicks us out. We have a one year old TVAL unit that was very expensive to have built, and need FedEx to keep us, so we can pay for it. I think FedEx knows this a forum we use as a sounding board. I just put to paper what pops into my feeble mind. I just thought your explanation of the contractor council was not clear. You should at least know how many members are on the council, being a member yourself.
I would serve on the council if asked. I am unable to cozy up to the persons who choose the members, or go to all the events, as I said earlier. I have a business to run, and my truck needs to move for me to earn income. Also as I said earlier, if chosen, I would serve.
