ups update
- Thread starter kg
- Start date
I have been a contractor for UPS Expedite operating a van in the Northern Ohio area for several years. Signed on with them when they were called Emery Expedite. As I have posted here before, UPS is probably no better or no worse than any other expedite company. All expedite companies seem to have their good points and bad points. The runs with UPS are either airport drop and/or recoveries, and surface runs. There are still a lot of empty miles associated with surface runs,and business levels around the greater Cleveland/Akron/Canton/Youngstown areas seem to be up and down. Lately more down than up. Hopefully the UPS Supply Chain sales and marketing people are working on a plan to increase sales and that will also mean more runs for the contractors.
Of course, I would like to jump in on this. Of the small group of "new" owner operators we've hired, just as the above post states, it's fair to midland. some of our cargo vans are doing great, some not so good, and some just downright terrible. I have been recruiting since September, and I feel great about some hires, not so good about others. As most people know, we are part of UPS, but we're not a new company. Our old customer base is still 75-80% of our business, but just as with any buyout, customers leave also. The sales force has been out there, but this process isn't one that happens overnight. The business is coming, but just not as fast as the average owner operator would like. As a new recruiter, I'm also learning that there are going to be those drivers who will never be happy, and there are those drivers who understand the type of transition we are now going through. Automotive is still a huge amount of what the drivers, new and old, are getting from us. when we have to bid those runs lower than their contracted rates, SOME are getting upset....funny thing, I believe I specifically mentioned this during the recruiting process 
. would you rather get 2500 miles @ .75/mile, or [email protected]/mile? we've actually had one driver already quit, but I guess that's the nature of expediting. To those CV drivers who can AFFORD to have a slow week here and there, this may be the right move for you. If you're living paycheck to paycheck, then I will talk you out of signing on, even if you insist. I've collected more grey hair in the last two months than total in my 10 years of dispatching. My best guess is that business will take off for us in the next 60-90 days, then I'll really be in trouble:7 not that we're dead, it's just hit and miss all over the country. for example, CV driver sat in chicago for about 3 days, which is almost unheard of...but everything we got was ST or TT shipments. fire away guys, I think I can handle it....peace.
. would you rather get 2500 miles @ .75/mile, or [email protected]/mile? we've actually had one driver already quit, but I guess that's the nature of expediting. To those CV drivers who can AFFORD to have a slow week here and there, this may be the right move for you. If you're living paycheck to paycheck, then I will talk you out of signing on, even if you insist. I've collected more grey hair in the last two months than total in my 10 years of dispatching. My best guess is that business will take off for us in the next 60-90 days, then I'll really be in trouble:7 not that we're dead, it's just hit and miss all over the country. for example, CV driver sat in chicago for about 3 days, which is almost unheard of...but everything we got was ST or TT shipments. fire away guys, I think I can handle it....peace.
DannyD
Veteran Expediter
>rather get 2500 miles @ .75/mile, or [email protected]/mile? we've
>actually had one driver already quit, but I guess that's the
>nature of expediting.
This isn't a cut & dry answer. I'd need to know how long of a time frame we're talking about. My guess is over the course of a week. Using that, if I was home every nite I'd rather have the higher rate, even if it meant less total money. If it was the difference between sitting somewhere in Kansas or moving my wheels, I'd take the more miles.
Having said that, I totally respect what you posted. There's often more than one side to a working arraingement. The side of the person signing on & the side of the company that signed someone on. Plus the side of the shipper & so on.
You probably won't remember me but we talked on the phone. You spelled it out quite well & I understood where you were coming from. I would think you spelled it out just as well for anyone else & it's unfortunate that they didn't understand what they were getting into. My guess would be anyone who's not happy there either didn't understand what they were getting into, thought they could handle the downtime better than they could or just didn't hear the message as you portrayed it.
Be well,
Danny
>actually had one driver already quit, but I guess that's the
>nature of expediting.
This isn't a cut & dry answer. I'd need to know how long of a time frame we're talking about. My guess is over the course of a week. Using that, if I was home every nite I'd rather have the higher rate, even if it meant less total money. If it was the difference between sitting somewhere in Kansas or moving my wheels, I'd take the more miles.
Having said that, I totally respect what you posted. There's often more than one side to a working arraingement. The side of the person signing on & the side of the company that signed someone on. Plus the side of the shipper & so on.
You probably won't remember me but we talked on the phone. You spelled it out quite well & I understood where you were coming from. I would think you spelled it out just as well for anyone else & it's unfortunate that they didn't understand what they were getting into. My guess would be anyone who's not happy there either didn't understand what they were getting into, thought they could handle the downtime better than they could or just didn't hear the message as you portrayed it.
Be well,
Danny
rode2rouen
Expert Expediter
>
>I'm also learning that there are going to be
>those drivers who will never be happy.........
>
Amazingly, there are people out there who would beetch if they were going to be hanged with a new rope! Go figure!
Rex
>I'm also learning that there are going to be
>those drivers who will never be happy.........
>
Amazingly, there are people out there who would beetch if they were going to be hanged with a new rope! Go figure!
Rex
kwexpress
Veteran Expediter
KW Express
o/o till i die
I know when I to do the company o/o thing I tried emery and I had to bug them for two weeks but once I was dispatched on my first load I had reaaly a good week I think the truck grossed around 5,600 went from chicago to elpaso,tx then loaded to austin then back to chicago
its was great but to little to late at that time I had been in a bad break up with p2 my truck had been down 3 months waiting on their insurance to settle a claim so I could get my truck fixed then it was like another month before I found out about emery and got all the paperwork done and then weeks before my first load so I ended up given that truck back.it was just a bad deal buy like the above poster stated if at that time I hadnt been living paycheck to paycheck I think I would have been very happy there but even with that said.
the above post also said something about would you rather run x amount of miles for .85 cents or x amount of miles for .75 per mile
and my reply to that is none of the above.
I would rather run 500 miles for 1.30 if I had a cargo van
but I dont any longer.
Now I have a class 8 D unit and I just find its much easier to do it all on my own.I dont wait to be first out Im always first out and usally I find my load back as soon as I find the expedite out.
I in no way am getting rich under my own authority but I enjoy life alot more with my family and do better than I ever have leased on to any of the big outfits.
like I said when conway sold out to panther just because they have a customer list doesnt mean the customer will call panther.the freight can go to anyone and their are alot of us out here now that can run freight cheaper and still make more money than what fedx,panther,ups or any outfit will pay us as an owner /op and still run legal. and untill that fact changes I dont see a bright future being an o/o leased on to a carrier.you guys are going to be heading into your slow period real soon late december.but some of you are already complaining.In january-march I will still be running goverment freight 4,000 + miles a week with 2 day pay @ 1.75 a mile no one saying your running 30 minutes late please try and make it up (speed)
but to each there own.good luck to you all
o/o till i die
I know when I to do the company o/o thing I tried emery and I had to bug them for two weeks but once I was dispatched on my first load I had reaaly a good week I think the truck grossed around 5,600 went from chicago to elpaso,tx then loaded to austin then back to chicago
its was great but to little to late at that time I had been in a bad break up with p2 my truck had been down 3 months waiting on their insurance to settle a claim so I could get my truck fixed then it was like another month before I found out about emery and got all the paperwork done and then weeks before my first load so I ended up given that truck back.it was just a bad deal buy like the above poster stated if at that time I hadnt been living paycheck to paycheck I think I would have been very happy there but even with that said.
the above post also said something about would you rather run x amount of miles for .85 cents or x amount of miles for .75 per mile
and my reply to that is none of the above.
I would rather run 500 miles for 1.30 if I had a cargo van
but I dont any longer.
Now I have a class 8 D unit and I just find its much easier to do it all on my own.I dont wait to be first out Im always first out and usally I find my load back as soon as I find the expedite out.
I in no way am getting rich under my own authority but I enjoy life alot more with my family and do better than I ever have leased on to any of the big outfits.
like I said when conway sold out to panther just because they have a customer list doesnt mean the customer will call panther.the freight can go to anyone and their are alot of us out here now that can run freight cheaper and still make more money than what fedx,panther,ups or any outfit will pay us as an owner /op and still run legal. and untill that fact changes I dont see a bright future being an o/o leased on to a carrier.you guys are going to be heading into your slow period real soon late december.but some of you are already complaining.In january-march I will still be running goverment freight 4,000 + miles a week with 2 day pay @ 1.75 a mile no one saying your running 30 minutes late please try and make it up (speed)
but to each there own.good luck to you all