DOD Loads & Clearance - FedEx % of loads hauled?

[jimby82]

(This is mainly for FedEx drivers, but I value anyone's opinions.) I know some of you we have talked to have mentioned hauling DOD (military/defense) loads and I know you need clearance to be able to do these type of loads.

At what point do you apply for said clearance? As we are in the early stages of getting qualified to drive for FedEx, just wondering as to the time-line. The DOD web-site mentions a 6 to 12 month period to receive the clearance. I saw a thread yesterday where someone mentioned applying for their clearance at orientation.

If there is a 6 - 12 month "lag" between applying and actually being able to haul these types of loads, how does this affect your ability to earn for FedEx? (I am mainly talking surface here, not White Glove.) Do DOD loads make up large percentage of the loads an average FedEx CC Team is offered, or would you be OK without ever hauling these types of loads? Is DOD clearance a requirement for White Glove?

Also, I would be curious to hear from anyone driving for Panther, as that is our other potential carrier.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dieseldiva]

This is something that needs to be discussed with your recruiter........DOD clearances are on a " need to know" basis, I don't know if that would include general information such as you're asking for but better to be safe than sorry.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[ATeam]

I agree with the Diva. Every question you asked can be answered directly by the carriers. No need to put drivers on the spot when they are told to not discuss some of the work they do.

 

[jimby82]

I see your point.

As someone from the outside looking in, just did not occur to me when I posted, as it was a rather general question. Thanks. I do not want to put anyone on the spot.

If you don't ask, you don't know. And as many of you have pointed out over time, it's always a good idea to actually talk to both the recruiters and the drivers.

Ok to put it another way, is there anyone NOT hauling DOD loads and having success with FedEx?

 

[greg334]

I don't know what the biggie deal is, the process has to go through the carrier and the process is pretty straight forward. Talk to someone there and start the process if you want to go through the hassle.

I think that FedEx is hauling the same amount of DOD freight as other carriers and I think it all goes through the same exact system and done the same way - bidding on most of it.

Maybe DaveKC can answer this - didn't DOD freight take a big rate reduction the past few years?

by the by the contractors don't even know the percentage numbers, they are contractors.

 

[dieseldiva]

I don't know what the biggie deal is, the process has to go through the carrier and the process is pretty straight forward. Talk to someone there and start the process if you want to go through the hassle.

I think that FedEx is hauling the same amount of DOD freight as other carriers and I think it all goes through the same exact system and done the same way - bidding on most of it.

Maybe DaveKC can answer this - didn't DOD freight take a big rate reduction the past few years?

by the by the contractors don't even know the percentage numbers, they are contractors.

The individual contractors know their percentage rates.

 

[davekc]

I don't know what the biggie deal is, the process has to go through the carrier and the process is pretty straight forward. Talk to someone there and start the process if you want to go through the hassle.

I think that FedEx is hauling the same amount of DOD freight as other carriers and I think it all goes through the same exact system and done the same way - bidding on most of it.

Maybe DaveKC can answer this - didn't DOD freight take a big rate reduction the past few years?

by the by the contractors don't even know the percentage numbers, they are contractors.

We run quite a bit of DOD loads. If the origin is actually the Fed, then the rates have increased. Most related to the FSC.
Government/Defense contractors are all over the place. Some paying exceptionally well while others tend to be on the cheap side.

With regard to clearances, you likely will do a preliminary through the carrier and then it proceeds to the DOD process entered on their computer. Length of time varies in as little as 30 days to literally months. Just depends on your past.
The more blemishes or gaps you have the longer it takes and many will disqualify you.

 

[dabluzman1]

Linda and I did our DOD paper work during orientation.
It took 45 days to get an interim clearance (mid April to June )
we had full clearance by mid July. That was four years ago when it was pretty backed up, I hear, as davekc, it can take as little as 30 days.
The rates took a tumble about 18 months ago. We dont haul nearly as much DOD as we did. But, I agree the rates are slowly climbing back up.
It is just another avenue of income to have, I recommend asking your recruiter for the paper work.
You will hit a brick wall trying to do it yourself, it needs to be sent through someone who has the requirement to service or "need to know".

 

[dabluzman1]

You can have a DOD clearance and not be WG.
Fedex is pressuring WG drivers to get or maintain their DOD clearance. We just renewed ours in Jan after letting it lapse last year.
Fedex kept sending us messages that we needed to renew.
We told them we were not interested in DOD loads because of the fall in rates. We were better off looking for reefer loads.
we were assured that the rates would be coming back up.
We have seen this recently.

 

[ATeam]

Fedex kept sending us messages that we needed to renew.
We told them we were not interested in DOD loads because of the fall in rates. We were better off looking for reefer loads.
we were assured that the rates would be coming back up.
We have seen this recently.

That's good to hear. When Diane and I were in HAZMAT training a couple weeks ago, several people there had let that credential lapse and new others who had too. It seems that a good number of contractors decided that such loads were more trouble than the carrier was making it worth to haul.

Our TVAL certification was coming due too, which was our main reason to go to HQ. We timed it to take care of HAZMAT in the same week. Otherwise we too would have been content to let our HAZMAT credential lapse and let that freight go to others if others could be found to haul it at the low rates being offered.

If you are seeing rates come back up, perhaps it is a case of market forces in action.

 

[nightcreacher]

DOD loads don't run over the weekend.Usually load,mon for tue,wed for thur.If you can get tue for wed,thur for fri and then a mon for tue,you can do 3 one week and 2 so it would be 10 loads month.Of cource if you can get lucky with a coast to coast,that always is nice,but it still wont be a fri for mon.Gov instulations don't ship on fri,except if we are at war.Always good to be able to do evey kind of load at the FED,but dont try to make a living just doing DOD,isn't worth it.

 

[usafk9]

While it may not feel like we are, Steve, we are at war.

To the OP:
My wife and I enjoy great success without DOD freight, but just recently applied ourselves. More than likely the last rung for us until the furry one goes paws-up.