The New FedEx CC Load Board

[ATeam]

While Diane and I have been off the road for a while now, we continue to be interested observers of the expediting industry. Recent chatter in this forum about the FedEx CC load board sparked my curiosity. It is out of simple curiosity that I ask these questions:

1. Is it true, as one expediter suggested, that FedEx is trying to become like Landstar?

2. In what ways does the FedEx CC load board differ from load boards that are publicly available to any driver who cares to pay the fee and access the board?

3. In what ways does the FeeEx CC load board differ from the Sylectus system?

4. To those of you who were with FedEx CC just before their load board was introduced and are using the board now, has it made any difference in your gross revenue?

5. In what ways, if any, has the new FedEx CC load board changed your relationship with the dispatch department?

6. In your opinion, why do you think FedEx CC brought this load board into use?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

While Diane and I have been off the road for a while now, we continue to be interested observers of the expediting industry. Recent chatter in this forum about the FedEx CC load board sparked my curiosity. It is out of simple curiosity that I ask these questions:

1. Is it true, as one expediter suggested, that FedEx is trying to become like Landstar?

2. In what ways does the FedEx CC load board differ from load boards that are publicly available to any driver who cares to pay the fee and access the board?

3. In what ways does the FeeEx CC load board differ from the Sylectus system?

4. To those of you who were with FedEx CC just before their load board was introduced and are using the board now, has it made any difference in your gross revenue?

5. In what ways, if any, has the new FedEx CC load board changed your relationship with the dispatch department?

6. In your opinion, why do you think FedEx CC brought this load board into use?

its very hard to totally leave this business isn't it Phil?...
after so many years invested into it....I'll have a tough time as well....I think

 

[Tyson]

The new load board is nothing like anyone elses that I am familiar with, no they are not trying to be like anyone else, dispatch still does there job and sends out loads, we just have the opportunity to see what they see up to a couple weeks in advance and select loads if we choose to, if not we will still recv load offers as usual. We DO NOT deal with brokers or agents, we are not bidding, we are not competing on who likes who or who is in good with the brokers, I have been in trucking for 28 years and this is just a new tool to help our business.

 

[ATeam]

its very hard to totally leave this business isn't it Phil?...
after so many years invested into it....I'll have a tough time as well....I think

Mentally and emotionally, we'll never leave expediting. Expediting provided ten great years and a fantastic adventure for us. Our view of the country is greatly enhanced because of expediting. There is hardly a place in the U.S. that we see on the news or otherwise hear about that we cannot relate to personally because we have been there. It continues to be fun to amaze non-truckers who are planning vacations by speaking with them about their route and destination in great detail. The many memories we recall from the road will forever warm our hearts and bring smiles to our faces.

 

[Bruno]

While Diane and I have been off the road for a while now, we continue to be interested observers of the expediting industry. Recent chatter in this forum about the FedEx CC load board sparked my curiosity. It is out of simple curiosity that I ask these questions:

1. Is it true, as one expediter suggested, that FedEx is trying to become like Landstar?

2. In what ways does the FedEx CC load board differ from load boards that are publicly available to any driver who cares to pay the fee and access the board?

3. In what ways does the FeeEx CC load board differ from the Sylectus system?

4. To those of you who were with FedEx CC just before their load board was introduced and are using the board now, has it made any difference in your gross revenue?

5. In what ways, if any, has the new FedEx CC load board changed your relationship with the dispatch department?

6. In your opinion, why do you think FedEx CC brought this load board into use?

Phil

I personally don't feel that FedEx is trying to be like Lanstar with their new load board. The load board was created to give the Owner Operator a choice in what loads they would like to choose.

These loads may not pickup for a few days or hours. As a former freight agent who has seen both sides of the fence I feel that it was put in place to keep missed Opportunitys down.

 

[jelliott]

It is an interesting concept for sure. When they post the rate is it the contract rate of the truck or what the company wants to pay on the load? You have to wonder if it will be opened up to outside partner carriers at some point or if it will evolve into a bid or spot market tool. How do they award loads days out if you don't know yet who the first unit that should be offered it?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

It is an interesting concept for sure. When they post the rate is it the contract rate of the truck or what the company wants to pay on the load? You have to wonder if it will be opened up to outside partner carriers at some point or if it will evolve into a bid or spot market tool. How do they award loads days out if you don't know yet who the first unit that should be offered it?

Sounds like 1 load for sale , sold as stated , first come first serve...

 

[Bruno]

It is an interesting concept for sure. When they post the rate is it the contract rate of the truck or what the company wants to pay on the load? You have to wonder if it will be opened up to outside partner carriers at some point or if it will evolve into a bid or spot market tool. How do they award loads days out if you don't know yet who the first unit that should be offered it?

The loads are posted at the truck rate is for the Surface Expedite division. It's not a bidding war at all, but you have to be on your game with these loads because they do go fast. Our drivers can accept a load also as they have access to it 24 hours a day.

Do I think that outside carriers will have access to this load board? No, because this is just for the FedEx Custom Critical fleet. It's not like some carriers that have loads for the outside agents within their network.

As a fleet owner we can pre-dispatch trucks easier now because of the tools FedEx has made available to it fleet. It's a great system and we see a lot of benefits from it for our small fleet.

 

[jelliott]

Couple more questions out of curiosity:

So how does a driver monitor the board when they are driving and not lose loads?

How do you take a load 2 days out, but then you may not have been the first truck in the sitting order?

I do see how it would be a very nice tool for a fleet owner or a fleet manager.

 

[davekc]

Depending on what the freight is, I see it as a pretty decent tool for a variety of reasons. Might be tough for a solo to work it. As mentioned, might miss out on some loads if driving.

 

[Dynamite 1]

How do you take a load 2 days out, but then you may not have been the first truck in the sitting order?

Doesnt matter, if you want the load and you are the first to accept it off the board its yours. Position doesnt figure into it just quickness.

 

[Bruno]

Doesnt matter, if you want the load and you are the first to accept it off the board its yours. Position doesnt figure into it just quickness.

That is correct.

 

[Bruno]

Couple more questions out of curiosity:

So how does a driver monitor the board when they are driving and not lose loads?

How do you take a load 2 days out, but then you may not have been the first truck in the sitting order?

I do see how it would be a very nice tool for a fleet owner or a fleet manager.

The driver can set preferences to their truck and will receive a text message or an email when a load is posted in the area they have set. There is no load order on this board. It's who ever accepts the load the fastest gets the load.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Not with Fedx but can a Solo driver have another, say family member monitor this system while they are under a load and actually moving?

 

[Bruno]

Not with Fedx but can a Solo driver have another, say family member monitor this system while they are under a load and actually moving?

Yes, I have an operations manager that monitors the load board for our small fleet. That's where we may have an advantage over others. It works well for us.

 

[ATeam]

One thing we noticed with both carriers we ran with (FedEx CC, Landstar Express America) was that, time-wise, the further out a load picked up, the more likely it was to cancel. A load that is sitting on the dock and is dispatched that day is a near-certain pick-up. A load that is booked a week or two in advance can be affected by any number of things that may lead to its cancellation.

You can get burned pretty bad if you wait on a sweet load that you booked a few days ahead of time only to see it cancel at the last minute. In that case, what might have been a nice week turns into a zero week because the one load you were counting on evaporated at the last minute.

Booking loads well in advance has its advantages for planning purposes. How certain are the pick-ups that are listed on the FCC load board well in advance? Even if a high percentage of the well-in-advance loads pick up, how many zero weeks can you afford in a year?

 

[Bruno]

One thing we noticed with both carriers we ran with (FedEx CC, Landstar Express America) was that, time-wise, the further out a load picked up, the more likely it was to cancel. A load that is sitting on the dock and is dispatched that day is a near-certain pick-up. A load that is booked a week or two in advance can be affected by any number of things that may lead to its cancellation.

You can get burned pretty bad if you wait on a sweet load that you booked a few days ahead of time only to see it cancel at the last minute. In that case, what might have been a nice week turns into a zero week because the one load you were counting on evaporated at the last minute.

Booking loads well in advance has its advantages for planning purposes. How certain are the pick-ups that are listed on the FCC load board well in advance? Even if a high percentage of the well-in-advance loads pick up, how many zero weeks can you afford in a year?

Haven't had one load Dry Run on us yet fron the load board. We left the house Monday and 11 am and have done around 4700.00 for the week. We will be dropping 140 miles from our office tomorrow and heading back in to Medina. My truck is all repaired from the accident we was in and I want my truck back.

 

[Pro3500]

Had a new job in January driving big truck again locally. Decided to wait and see what the board is all about. I've doubled my monthly income with the load board in a "B" unit (so far). Glad I waited but that could change. It is expediting after all. It is first come first serve UNLESS there is a truck that has not signed the contract for the load board. Then that load can be offered to that truck BEFORE it hits the load board. WHY? if the truck has a lot of dwell time they may offer it to that truck first. Also if someone that has not signed on the load board gets a load offer from the VRU and it is also on the board and the driver excepts VRU seconds after you excepted it on the board and the VRU truck has a lot of dwell time he could still get it. (10 min rule) I've called on loads that I excepted on the board to see what the status is and was told they were waiting for another truck (non-load board) I was told it's the only way to be fare with the non-load board trucks. It's not often but it does happen. I found at the end of the week my average is above the magical number I chased for two years. I found a formula that works for me. The only issue I have in a "B" unit is the new program is running a log on me. (VRU does it as well) It's not very good at tracking available hrs on B units. I hope that it becomes all in on the board soon. I know some loads that run every week are not making the board. It was mentioned that fleet owners would not be able to dispatch loads to their trucks because that would make the driver an employee. However I knew that not to be true and that the load board would be new life for fleet owners. I'm actually making money expediting in 2016.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

It could be a good tool but from what I see no really live loads at present for a tractor and I think they ought to included the straight trucks loads with the tractors loads. As the Tractors loads seem one way to heavy for Reefers or 2 so far down the road that its not worth the wait. If single I could wait a 2 days during the week for a load but real time for tractors asap pickups or next day I don't see it. It don't appear to be there. I check the boxes for all freight but its don't show it. Yup it comes to my phone in a text.

 

[CedarMike]

The board is thin for SE , E. That said I've grabbed a few