New Technology and FedEx Custom Critical

**layoutshooter** · 02-08-2010, 10:55 AM

We will learn it as we do everything else. The government push for this stuff is nothing more than another example of being presumed guilty. They assume that every driver is cheating so lets keep an eye on those bums. Just as drug testing and many other things. Presumption of guilt. A great system.

**Humble2drive** · 02-09-2010, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by MYGIA

. . . I too am not pleased about the $5 per month increase in the fee for service, but we have no say in the matter. I sensed the sarcasm in the post by Humble2drive as it reflects only a penny per mile in his operating costs. Granted it is a small number, but a long time ago I learned an important business principle: ‘Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves”; if ever this was true, today more so than ever. We are squeezed everywhere with increased costs for almost every cost center. If it were just this one-penny, it would be less of a big deal. However, when you add a penny here and a penny there, it isn’t long until you are looking at 10, 15 or 25 cents per mile increase to your operating costs while freight rates continue to be soft.

Well said MYGIA.
I agree with keeping a close eye on expenses and this is what prompts my sarcasm.
I have seen this behavior for years where drivers create a huge drama over a company imposed expense and how it will effect their business.
Then these same drivers proceed to spend their money on video games, cigarettes, fast food, coffee, chrome lug nut covers and a host of other things without to much thought about it.

Point is: It is not the $5.00 that is the real problem, it is the fact that it is being forced on the contractors that brings about this silly need to make the company pay for it in some manner.

In the case of this post I simply find amusement in the fact that a contractor who makes the choice to increase their own operating expenses by investing in corian countertops, dual axles for comfort, expensive graphics, shower, cameras, etc. etc. is going to charge the $5.00 back to the customer and the Fed instead of just cutting back by one Latte per week on their own expenses.

Oh! Not knockin the nice truck because we travel in style as well which makes me feel kinda silly for complaining about a small increase in the c-link charge.

**TeamCaffee** · 02-09-2010, 08:47 AM

We will be getting the new unit today and for us we welcome the change.

We were one of the ones that tested the Driver Tech system which is very similar to this new QC. There are several things that we are looking forward to. One is the the ability to send and receive messages on the unit while inside a building, getting fuel, or parked under a tree or near a building. We prefer to be on the QC and not on our phone as this gives us time to discuss a load if we need to before we accept or decline. Another bonus to the new system is you almost always get your load information in less then a minute. So no more waiting and watching the QC for the address to the customer while the minutes tick tick tick away.
We also look forward to finally being live on the EOBR as a team we found using the paperless logs on the Driver Tech to work in our favor and at the end of the day you certify your logs and you are done!
I believe the ability of FCC to communicate with the fleet will be much improved. We had several short clips on the Driver Tech with little updates on what is happening in the office and also changes that were being made. No longer will we get the outdated DVD's or CD's on what is happening.
There were several complaints on the conference call with Jason. This is also something that could be sent out on the QC and you could listen to at your leisure.
I know when we first started at FCC and we went to QC class and we were told how important communication was with them I laughed out loud. Even US Xpress had a much better unit then the time sensitive freight we were now being asked to haul had.
The new QC has many uses and has room to grow and change with the fleet and the new times ahead of all of us. The old QC is a dinosaur and it needs to be buried.

**aileron** · 02-09-2010, 09:07 AM

How about the dome? Is it just as big as the old ones?

**TeamCaffee** · 02-09-2010, 09:28 AM

aileron with the Driver Tech the dome is very small and we have a whip antenna. I know that the new QC uses a similar system but I do not know yet how big the dome is I will let you know this evening after we have ours installed.

**piper1** · 02-09-2010, 09:41 AM

Since this is now public information, do you think you would have time to post some pictures of the new unit Linda?

**aileron** · 02-09-2010, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

aileron with the Driver Tech the dome is very small and we have a whip antenna. I know that the new QC uses a similar system but I do not know yet how big the dome is I will let you know this evening after we have ours installed.

Thanks, I was just wondering if it needs another bracket and other holes drilled in my van that PJ don't seal right and then I need to go back and fix myself. I am not looking forward to this. Hopefully I get to have mine installed somewhere else other than PJ. I despise that place.

**LDB** · 02-09-2010, 10:59 AM

Unless something has changed in the last several weeks the new unit uses the same dome as the old unit and adds a second antenna for the wifi/cellular systems. The second antenna is about the size of a small Lunchables container with a small shark fin on top. There should be minimal drilling if you already have a system installed. The second antenna uses adhesive strips all around.

**piper1** · 02-09-2010, 11:09 AM

Any word on how much new cabling is required or do the new pieces hook into the existing cables?

I'm curious because I want to prepare for whatever it is the installers are going to have to do and avoid a repeat of the mess PJ's made when they put my unit in originally.

**ATeam** · 02-10-2010, 03:34 PM

Perhaps someone with electronic logging experience or knowledge can answer this.

One of the things Diane and I use our paper log books for is long-term data storage and reference. In other words, we keep our old log books on file at home. Two examples of how the old log books come into use months after they are filed are shown below:

1. We happen upon an old Walmart receipt that shows the date but not the store location. It is one that slipped through the cracks and did not get entered into our expenses spreadsheet in the usual fashion. With old log books, we would reference the date to determine our location and thereby be able to complete the entry.

2. We have not been audited by the IRS but if we ever were, the substantial deductions we took for per diem would be questioned. Our tax preparer has told us that if per diem deductions were ever questioned, our old log books provide the precise and accurate information we need to show the days we spent on the road, for which the per diem deductions were claimed.

When someone gets audited, it is typically for a specific tax year, and often for a year or two or more before the the audit date. When we stop using paper log books and thereby lose the ability to keep them on file and instantly access them when needed, will the paperless system provide us with the same ability?

Also, what happens if a contractor changes carriers? Say someone is with FedEx Custom Critical for three years under the new paperless log book system, changes carriers, runs with the new carrier for a year, and then gets called in for an IRS audit and finds oneself in need of log book information, say from three years ago, from a carrier he or she is no longer with. Would FedEx Custom Critical then make the information available to that former contractor?

A more general question is, how far back can a contractor access his or her old electronic log books and what provisions, if any, are made to receive and file all electronic log information he or she produces over the days, months and years? Since the logs are paperless, would all contractors need a computer to see their log books? What about those who do not use computers or do not know how to use them well? There are many.

**Dreamer** · 02-10-2010, 08:50 PM

Piper and aileron,

I will be able to tell you tomorrow what changes are required for van installation.

, I believe Scott said I'm the first van (besides Terry's 'office van') in the fleet to have it installed, so I'll be the test case... I have an appt tomorrow afternoon.

They did tell me all wiring will be replaced, and for now, PJ's is the only place installing them, but as they have full rollout, there will be 8 or so (if I remember correctly) other places spaced out around the country.

Dale

**piper1** · 02-10-2010, 09:31 PM

Thanks Dale!! I want to try and do as much prep work as I can to try and make this as painless as I can make it.

**BigRed32771** · 02-17-2010, 02:16 PM

re: IRS audits...we were audited for our first year in the business, and the auditor spent an hour or so leafing through our paper logs to verify our per diem deductions. She found it to be spot on correct and moved on. Without the logs, she could have (and probably would have) denied the entire deduction, which is significant.

**BigRed32771** · 02-17-2010, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

We will be getting the new unit today and for us we welcome the change.

We were one of the ones that tested the Driver Tech system which is very similar to this new QC. There are several things that we are looking forward to. One is the the ability to send and receive messages on the unit while inside a building, getting fuel, or parked under a tree or near a building. We prefer to be on the QC and not on our phone as this gives us time to discuss a load if we need to before we accept or decline. Another bonus to the new system is you almost always get your load information in less then a minute. So no more waiting and watching the QC for the address to the customer while the minutes tick tick tick away.
We also look forward to finally being live on the EOBR as a team we found using the paperless logs on the Driver Tech to work in our favor and at the end of the day you certify your logs and you are done!
I believe the ability of FCC to communicate with the fleet will be much improved. We had several short clips on the Driver Tech with little updates on what is happening in the office and also changes that were being made. No longer will we get the outdated DVD's or CD's on what is happening.
There were several complaints on the conference call with Jason. This is also something that could be sent out on the QC and you could listen to at your leisure.
I know when we first started at FCC and we went to QC class and we were told how important communication was with them I laughed out loud. Even US Xpress had a much better unit then the time sensitive freight we were now being asked to haul had.
The new QC has many uses and has room to grow and change with the fleet and the new times ahead of all of us. The old QC is a dinosaur and it needs to be buried.

So, just what flavor is that Kool-Aide, anyway.