Fedx considering option of a flat rate for strt and tt

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
This may not be the place for this, but my 3 most knowledgeable posters are here so...

I was just told that when you are "at home: you are not allowed to get offers on the clink - only the telephone. This is a first! So I explained my cell does not get service where I live - true - when you live in the stickers in Oregon! She said there is no way to authorize the clink to receive. hmmmm.

Last week, before our REALLY good load to Buffalo cancelled on the way to pickup dispatch was happy to put the clink on....

So I changed it to my home phone......Duh.


We sometimes have the "Clink" on when we are home. If we are out working in the truck where we can hear it.


Oh, Phil, I am still waiting for that Alaska load. LOL

We did an Alaska run in Nov of 2005. VERY NICE!! So was the Newfoundland run we did!! I want a summer run to Alaska now, then I could take a week and fish!!:D
 

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
Why would a team take a load under 650? How about $450 for two blocks? Or, maybe the one that went 3 miles and paid over $2000? OR.....................

It is NOT the miles. It is the overall pay package. Time vs. miles, vs. pay and including the "hassle factor". Everything comes into play when accepting a run.

It's not that we don't do small runs,we do if the pay is good.We did a 67 mile run the other day that paid $471.25 also gave us a less than 75,which turned into a 3584 mile run for $7785.38.It is about the money,but some times small,even profitable run's turn into nightmares.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
It's not that we don't do small runs,we do if the pay is good.We did a 67 mile run the other day that paid $471.25 also gave us a less than 75,which turned into a 3584 mile run for $7785.38.It is about the money,but some times small,even profitable run's turn into nightmares.

You got that right!! We have had MANY runs turn into nightmares. Like the run from Edmonton to Baltimore, 8 stops, and a courier, that well, enough said. That one won't EVER ride on MY truck again!! :eek:
 

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
sounds like the Feds should have a rule like Panther...under 67% acceptance and to the bottom of the load board if others are higher...:confused:

When we drove for E-1 our acceptance rate was always high.We usually got good runs daily,but that was a flat rate.Now that we're at the Fed,and our offers come via qualcomm we can make better buisness decisions,on what runs to do or not.The biggest problem with the fedx system,is getting way to many offers under a $1.00,or so.I had to turn down 19 offers the other day.#20 was when i finally got the 3584 mile run.If i was still at E-1 and turned down 19 runs what would happen?Especially if Gina was the one calling;)
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
When we drove for E-1 our acceptance rate was always high.We usually got good runs daily,but that was a flat rate.Now that we're at the Fed,and our offers come via qualcomm we can make better buisness decisions,on what runs to do or not.The biggest problem with the fedx system,is getting way to many offers under a $1.00,or so.I had to turn down 19 offers the other day.#20 was when i finally got the 3584 mile run.If i was still at E-1 and turned down 19 runs what would happen?Especially if Gina was the one calling;)

You'd prolly be "ignored" for a day or so if they had other units around...:rolleyes:
 

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
You got that right!! We have had MANY runs turn into nightmares. Like the run from Edmonton to Baltimore, 8 stops, and a courier, that well, enough said. That one won't EVER ride on MY truck again!! :eek:

We have only had one courier on our truck.Wash,DC. to Albuquerque,MN longest 32 hours of my life yack,yack yack.Her and my wife never shut up!LOL wify must of needed another woman to talk to.The courier was very nice thou.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
I was just told that when you are "at home: you are not allowed to get offers on the clink - only the telephone. This is a first! So I explained my cell does not get service where I live - true - when you live in the stickers in Oregon! She said there is no way to authorize the clink to receive. hmmmm.

Who told you this? What were the circumstances?

When the freight delivers in our home express center (Minneapolis), we don't always go home. Sometimes we treat it like any other city and remain available for the next load. But because it is our home express center, the computer automatically puts our status as "At Home" whether we are in service or not. The computer also takes us off C-Link.

If we are staying with the truck and wish to continue to receive offers on C-Link while our status is "At Home," we send in a code 17..."I am available for dispatch on C-Link." If we don't get any offers and later decide to go to the house and wait for freight there, we send code 16..."I am not available on C-Link."
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
When we drove for E-1 our acceptance rate was always high.We usually got good runs daily,but that was a flat rate.Now that we're at the Fed,and our offers come via qualcomm we can make better buisness decisions,on what runs to do or not.The biggest problem with the fedx system,is getting way to many offers under a $1.00,or so.I had to turn down 19 offers the other day.#20 was when i finally got the 3584 mile run.If i was still at E-1 and turned down 19 runs what would happen?Especially if Gina was the one calling;)

This is very interesting. We have teamjdw who moved from E-1 to FDCC and Special K who moved from FDCC to E-1, and both talking about the differences. Keep it up, both of you. It creates some very informative reading in the Open Forum. I appreciate you sharing your views and experiences.
 

Deville

Not a Member
Maybe Fedx should consider hiring reigonal drivers ,or dedicated from hard to cover areas,such as Ny,Jersy etc.. They could do 2-3 runs a day or more.Sleep at home every nite while making a decent living.I don't like it when dispatch calls you after you turn down these small loads 4,5,6 times,asking why you wont take this run.Why would any team take a run under 650 miles,these are solo runs.I will try to help out the company by taking a small run,if it picks up in the morning ,and delivers by noon.This has worked out well for them and us.I can usually still get a good run later in the day.

I AM a regional driver DS unit. There are about a dozen of us in the tri-state area that i know of, most of have day cabs now.
 
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nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
Now I'm confused.I always took my dispatches over my cell phone,at home or on the road.I sure didn't need to read my C link to find out if the load being offered was good or bad.As far as the C link being turned off when I was home,It really didn't matter.
So now you have one that went from FDCC to E-1,an E-1 to FDCC and now me,FDCC to Tri State. I will match my pay with any FDCC either W/G or Surface truck,your going to run second,
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Now I'm confused.I always took my dispatches over my cell phone,at home or on the road.I sure didn't need to read my C link to find out if the load being offered was good or bad.As far as the C link being turned off when I was home,It really didn't matter.
So now you have one that went from FDCC to E-1,an E-1 to FDCC and now me,FDCC to Tri State. I will match my pay with any FDCC either W/G or Surface truck,your going to run second,

Goes to show what we always say in here....not every carrier is good for the same person...you have to find your niche...

and Steve you were so darned sold on the Feds..and till you were forced to move did not know there was a better deal out there......to the rookies...always keep an open mind...
 

nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
Yes, OVM my way of thinking has changed drastically,at least for now.I still won't down FED EX,I'm still not happy with my loosing my lease,but,but in the long run,I'm much better off since it happened.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Yes, OVM my way of thinking has changed drastically,at least for now.I still won't down FED EX,I'm still not happy with my loosing my lease,but,but in the long run,I'm much better off since it happened.

It is amazing what can be seen when the rose colored glasses are taken off and the flowery myths are removed.

With regards to leases, One must have a primary unless of course you are running under your own authority. As mentioned, insurance is usually carried by a third party, but not always. As in Panther's case, they are self insured to a certain amount. A high dollar load that is brokered, might require a rider policy to pick up the difference. Usually the customer/broker will have to pay for that insurance. I believe Landstar operates in a similar fashion.
 

PlusServices

Seasoned Expediter
My understanding is that this program is on hold untill all the details are worked out. This was for a dedicated run from Richmond VA to Jamaica NY. It was to go 4 or 5 times a week and sounded very fair as it was explained to me. As for flat rates to all trucks at FDCC, I don't believe it will ever come to that due to the great diversity of FDCC's customers. No matter how you slice it up FDCC is still the state of the art carrier in the expediting business. At the end of the day we are still at the top of the pay scale.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
My understanding is that this program is on hold untill all the details are worked out. This was for a dedicated run from Richmond VA to Jamaica NY. It was to go 4 or 5 times a week and sounded very fair as it was explained to me. As for flat rates to all trucks at FDCC, I don't believe it will ever come to that due to the great diversity of FDCC's customers. No matter how you slice it up FDCC is still the state of the art carrier in the expediting business. At the end of the day we are still at the top of the pay scale.

Maybe 10 years ago. Not even close in todays world. Need to go to the Fedex forum and read up on some of those rates and extended rot times between loads.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
No matter how you slice it up FDCC is still the state of the art carrier in the expediting business. At the end of the day we are still at the top of the pay scale.

I'd be inclined to agree about state-of-the-art if the dispatch system did not remain fundamentally grounded in core assumptions that date back to the telephone booth. These assumptions manifest themselves in present day features that undermine productivity instead of enhancing it. New equipment in contractor trucks does not change the antiquated system. It only changes the color of the lights, font of the text and tone of the beep.

You might also take note of the fact that dozens of expediting companies now service customers that FDCC used to call its own and many of those carriers pay a flat rate.

I'm not on the shipping side of the business but if I was a shipper, I don't see what difference it would make if a carrier paid its trucks a flat rate or percentage of the load. What would matter to me is the price at which I can get the type and quality of transportation services I need.

For the truck Diane and I are in, I agree with you about the pay scale, but reports posted here by former FDCC contractors in dry box and dry van trucks ought not be dismissed.
 
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greg334

Veteran Expediter
FedEx can use the flat rate, it will help them become a bit more competitive and the days of "we are the last resort and we get it done" are about all over.

Raise your hands, how many of you seen the back-end system at FedEx?
 

DaWhale

Seasoned Expediter
I'm not on the shipping side of the business but if I was a shipper, I don't see what difference it would make if a carrier paid its trucks a flat rate or percentage of the load. What would matter to me is the price at which I can get the type and quality of transportation services I need.

Regardless of the industry, that's the hurdle. Very few Tiffany's or Lexus.

I paid 39 bucks at Target for a microwave yesterday, but don't mind bashing company's that take their job oversea's. I'm the problem and the solution.
 
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