It's a Team's Life
Disheartened
From the very first day that we attended the Expedite Expo in Michigan and chose FedEx Custom Critical the company has been changing. We attended the Expo in July of 2005 and picked up our first load January of 2006 and the company had all ready been through some changes.
Not all of the changes where immediately to our liking and some we wanted changed back or changed to what would suit us best. We sometimes have to stop and remind ourselves that the name of the company is FedEx Custom Critical not Caffee Express. While the change is not always pleasant we are in total agreement that without change we would become stagnant and the company would fade away.
We have been getting phone calls from friends and acquaintances and also reading about people getting frustrated with our company and leaving for what is perceived as greener pastures. Enough of this has happened that we started questioning ourselves and becoming frustrated with the current situation.
Once again there are many changes occurring within the company and sometimes it appears that it is the blind leading the blind. I turned off our phones, quit reading and looked once again at our income and everything is where it should be.
I then started thinking about our relationship with FedEx Custom Critical over the past years and all of the opportunities we have had. When we first started as new owner operators in expediting we relied on our contacts within FedEx to guide us on where to layover and what loads to take. We became proactive and started our own database with where we picked up and deliver loads. As time went on our figures for running the truck became solid and we could quickly determine what loads would be profitable for us and which loads we needed to turn down. We are able to turn down loads that do not fit into our business plan without fear of repercussion. I watched loads we turned down carefully as if we were ever to get to the point that we were turning down to many we would need to step back and make sure our figures were correct or that the company still matched our needs. We have not been to the point of needed to reevaluate.
Our first full year as contractors we qualified and attended our first 4-Star Event held in the Bahamas. While attending this event we met the management of FedEx Custom Critical, which we found very beneficial to understand the philosophy of the company. We also would have never gone to the Bahamas on our own and we took full advantage of this event and were able to experience new adventures. We have qualified for three 4-Star events and through each one we had new and exciting experiences. We also furthered our relationship with FedEx Custom Critical.
Over the years we have been able to see the lower 48 states through all of the seasons. We have seen so many things that we would never have seen in our 9–5 jobs, that include how many products are made, how a product is used, and the intricacy involved in getting a lot of shipments in from all over the world to make one product. This alone has made our trucking experience fascinating.
We have been able to take time of off and tour local attractions as well as be home when family needs us. Could we do this with another company? Probably, but for us the experience we have had and continue to have with FedEx Custom Critical fits our current needs and we do not see this changing in the future. We will get through the growing pains as our business model changes as well as FedEx Custom Critical’s business model changes.
We will continue as we are now depending on ourselves to gauge how we are doing at our company and not let others influence us. We research and listen to other drivers as we always want to know what is available to us and also to determine if we are where we need to be. We also are very aware of the fact that not one company fits everyone and something that does not bother us can drive another to find a different company.
Bob & Linda Caffee
Leased to: FedEx Custom Critical 

TeamCaffee

Saint Louis MO
Expediters 6 years been out here on the road 11 years
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle; 

Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;

Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;

Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.