FedEx Freight | Damages

chitownpeddler

TB Veteran
Credits
281
What's up with all of the damages lately? Every day I have freight screwed up. And it's not just a little crushed it is majorly f'ed up! It has been many years since I had the pleasure of working the dock at one of our fine hubs, but my god what is going on??? It seems the majority of it is economy freight. Something has got to be done to correct this or the payout for damages alone is going to kill us!
 
Stuff, stack, crash thats what they tell our guys, if you would see the trailers we get from our southern hub, you would understand the damages!!
 
they lack of e bars, straps and dunnage placed in designated areas and available every so many dock doors prevents drivers from protecting the freight.
 
Quite some time ago, at the FRO hub, a very proud part time dock worker did the stuff, stack, crash thing and proudly proclaimed to any and all "Now that's how you cube a trailer!" Didn't use a single bit of dunnage, RC just shook his head and walked away.
 
It's very simple...

If the company would take care of it's drivers and let them be just that, drivers, the problem would fix itself. Truck drivers drive trucks, forklift drivers load trucks. If either are unhappy for long, bad stuff happens.
 
Here this is easy...

Welcome to my world , get bitched out every day from customers , and some of you want to be city drivers , lmfao.
 
Damage problem could be solved easily. Do NOT allow 12% of ALL freight flow thru Chicago Heights, Il. CGT'S motto: "We Don't Care... So Why Should You"? CGT is now and has been since it's opening a "Festering Stinkhole". 10 lbs. of Crap in a 5 lb. bag every day and every night. Close the hub down and let smaller more efficient terminals in the Midwest handle the volume, with a motivated workforce. You always get a better worker in a smaller city. I used to manage and motivate people to perform to a level that would inspire Pride as an Individual. This is NOT possible in Chicago Heights, IL. I was brought up to believe that Hard Work was it's own Reward. These words have not been heard by very many Supervisors or Dock Hands in Chicago. It is a problem with the Culture of Chicago Heights, Illinois. LOU,SGF,EFH,RKI these would be my 4 diversion points. If I was in charge... CGT would be a GHOST TOWN.

(This my opinion. I do not speak for Fedex, only for myself)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Since we are no longer in the customer service business, the senior management is busy with their number one job, CYA. Then they are very busy inventing new policies to squeeze more work for less money out of the employees. Cutting the budget for hours, benefits, and equipment repairs are always on the top of the list. This trickles down to middle management who's number one job is CYA, then they have to implement the new and improved policies. This trickles down to the red shirts who are busy with their number one job CYA, then they are training new employees who are clueless about loading freight, drivers who don't want to work the dock, and a few full time dock workers who know what they are doing. I'm just glad I wasn't a local driver facing the customer with damage freight. The claims go up and senior management leans on the claims department to fix the problem with the current system, more for less. The bonuses are passed out, and the senior management moves on to bigger and better places. So what's the problem? TP
 
They stack the hell out of economy freight especially going on rail boxes. And then you shake the crap out of that van the whole way on the rails and that is what the freight looks like at the end. But don't worry because it is the last person who scanned it on fault. Not to mention you keep taking away from your employees do you really expect them to do their job with a smile.
 
The freight is being handled, bayed too much... you pay for economy, you get what you pay for.

There really is no difference, priority or economy. They tell you at the hubs, it has to go on that trailer, slam cram and jam in one sentence and cut down on damages in the next?

I just do what Im told, that's about all you can do!
 
Damage problem could be solved easily. Do NOT allow 12% of ALL freight flow thru Chicago Heights, Il. CGT'S motto: "We Don't Care... So Why Should You"? CGT is now and has been since it's opening a "Festering Stinkhole". 10 lbs. of Crap in a 5 lb. bag every day and every night. Close the hub down and let smaller more efficient terminals in the Midwest handle the volume, with a motivated workforce. You always get a better worker in a smaller city. I used to manage and motivate people to perform to a level that would inspire Pride as an Individual. This is NOT possible in Chicago Heights, IL. I was brought up to believe that Hard Work was it's own Reward. These words have not been heard by very many Supervisors or Dock Hands in Chicago. It is a problem with the Culture of Chicago Heights, Illinois. LOU,SGF,EFH,RKI these would be my 4 diversion points. If I was in charge... CGT would be a GHOST TOWN.

(This my opinion. I do not speak for Fedex, only for myself)


I have heard a rumor from a long time manager that they may be looking to build another CGT type hub on the Indiana side near the toll road. They want to be able to pull triples without sending someone to the pad to pickup and drop all of the third trailers. This would allow for more direct points from the chicago area and it would take pressure off of CGT. He thinks they will build this hub before they build the one that is supposed to be going in around Joliet to replace CGX. Time will tell
 
I have heard a rumor from a long time manager that they may be looking to build another CGT type hub on the Indiana side near the toll road. They want to be able to pull triples without sending someone to the pad to pickup and drop all of the third trailers. This would allow for more direct points from the chicago area and it would take pressure off of CGT. He thinks they will build this hub before they build the one that is supposed to be going in around Joliet to replace CGX. Time will tell

What are you talking about, replacing CGX Summit. That is a very modern state of the art center???:biglaugh:
 
They have wonderful plans. Then, they work to torpedo their very own plans. It's called load average. Move and load as much freight as you can in as short amount of time as possible. Don't worry about the customer's freight, once it's on our trailers, it's just numbers.

Rope and straps are usually in a relentless ball of tangle on the dock. No one can take the time to sort them out, so the rope and straps just sit. I see trailers coming in with absolutely no thought as to how the freight was loaded. Pallets of cartons on their sides to make room for ONE MORE PALLET. What we saved in load average, we spent 5 times over in damage. But, that's not a calculation they wish to take on.

Freight loaded into route trailers with no labels, no pro numbers, and no paperwork. Just make the driver deal with it on the road. If it comes back, we can just code it to calm Snapshot. They lose money hand over fist on the dock because they think that part time dockworkers give a crap. Then they spend even more money in driver time to sort out the mistakes while on the road. Which of course takes clerical time, and a lot of time on hold.

We will always have damages. That's the nature of the beast. We can do a LOT better, but those making the decisions don't want to. So, that is why I just don't give a damn anymore. They don't sweep trailers, they don't worry about weight when loading, and they don't find it odd when drivers come in and strip their trailers and re-load them to make them workable on the road. They just pay them money to fix the mistakes that could have been avoided in the first place.

It's called stepping over dollars to pick up pennies. And until they realize just how much money they are pissing away, nothing will change, and I will do nothing outside of my specified job duties to help them out.
 
If the dock numbers are good, the driver numbers suffer. If the dock numbers are horrendous because they took their time and put in the effort to properly load the trailers then the drivers numbers are through the roof. So let's look at the cost. Dock workers $17ish an hour. Drivers numbers are around $50 an hour when you factor in fuel and everything. This to me, and to most of you is a no-brainer. IMO from working on the hub dock, everybody in FRO should be fired. I mean red shirts and dock workers or who ever loads outbound.
 
First stop Friday ....

2 crushed skids leaking parts .

CUSTOMER GOES NUTS !

Another perfect start of a day at FXF.
 
First stop Friday ....

2 crushed skids leaking parts .

CUSTOMER GOES NUTS !

Another perfect start of a day at FXF.

When working the city for my former employer, I never got too excited about the condition of the freight when it arrived at the consignee.

Whether it is the shipper, or the consignee...they are all looking for the cheapest way to move their freight.

They all get on the net and look for the cheapest rates...or listen to the ramblings of the carrier's sales person.

These cheap SOBs are constantly asking questions of drivers as to the methods used to move said freight.

I pulled no punches...told them it could be moved five, six, or more times.

When asked if their freight would be stacked on...I told them it was VERY likely.

These are the same **** ants that will stack 2000 lbs on a pallet with 1/4" pine slats...buying the cheapest they can find. They want to use a couple layers of shrink wrap on skids stacked six foot high...and then ***** because it is damaged.

I told more than one shipper...the reason you have damages is because your packaging is sub par. They just want to wrap to the minimum...trying to get maximum production with the least amount of outlay.

OK...I get it. But there comes a point of using common sense...and not expecting someone to cover your stupid and self serving practices.

I have no sympathy for any of them.

I have refused to pick up freight for these reasons...only to have my former employer send another driver into the same dock and pick it up. Then the company sends out these 'cutesy pie' posters about reducing damages.

At least my name wasn't on it.

They can all bite it....shippers, consignees...and these carriers with their never ending numbers game.

Rat
 
Top