Fed Ex ground double vs. fire engine

I totally agree with you Daredevil.
The invention of the forklift was a real time ,and back saver
In the right hands this machine can save the bullwork of many people.
But in the wrong hands it becomes a power spear,and can be very destructive.
Like any machine that needs an operator to run it.
The operator needs to be totally focused on their suroundings,and where they are going.
At UPS Freight we are all required to ware the seat belt,when we are in motion,and sound the horn when exiting any trailer we are on.
UPS is a very safey minded company,any preventable accident can cost a lot of revenue from hauling many tons of freight.
So its safety first,service second.
Then we all get to go home in one piece to enjoy our time off.
 
I totally agree with you Rocky, some of our drivers do need to slow down. I am sick and tired of drivers bragging about how fast they can make it down to the hubs. We had a safety meeting about two years ago about how we are rolling billboards going down the road and we need to put safety first and some drivers just refuse to do that because they have their own agenda and they are putting their own feelings over everyones safety and that's not cool.
 
Who ever has their name on any of the equipment you are operating,thats the name you represent.
You do everything their way.
If this doesn't sound like its going to work for you,and you would much rather continue doing things your own way.
Then you are more then welcome to purchase your own equipment,get your own customers to haul for,then you can zoom down the highway any way you want.
Up untill a law enforcement officer has it his way,or you wreak all of your stuff,and everything that was around you.
Then you get to spend some of your future life in a very small room with a metal door and a big lock.
Then you'll have a lot of time to think how you should of done it the safer way.
The way you should have done it in the first place.
 
Gets a little tricking when they tell you one thing, but their operation demands something else. I'm all but certian the company knows whats happening but they allow it...until there's an accident, then it's all the drivers fault.
 
Gets a little tricking when they tell you one thing, but their operation demands something else. I'm all but certian the company knows whats happening but they allow it...until there's an accident, then it's all the drivers fault.

Not really sure what you are getting at but the driver does hold the majority of the responsibility when we're talking about truck safety. The company can put as much pressure as they want to on me....This driver is only getting there as soon as I can safely get it there. Drive as though your life is at stake...because it is.
 
Not really sure what you are getting at but the driver does hold the majority of the responsibility when we're talking about truck safety. The company can put as much pressure as they want to on me....This driver is only getting there as soon as I can safely get it there. Drive as though your life is at stake...because it is.

I don't really want to open the can of worms I was referring to when I made the previous post. So I'll simply say I'm with you, we should drive safe, do a proper pre and post-trip. Get something fixed if it needs it, don't pass it down to the next driver, simply cause you don't have time to fix it and still run 5 night to so-and-so. Log it the way you run it...opps said I wasn't going to open that can of worms.
 
Just a comment on Fedex ground...

Even though most of the motoring public only see Fedex "ground" on the side of the truck, I have a tendency to double my "alertness" when I'm around them...
Of course, we all here know that Fedex ground is made up of "contractors"... This is what I've come to notice about the operation over the years:
It appears that most of the long distance sleeper teams and the trucks that work from the smaller hubs are driven by the actual contractor or by an older, experienced driver that has been with a contractor for some time...
Most of the trucks that run out of the bigger hubs are owned by contractors that have multiple units and apparently have trouble keeping drivers in them, thus, a real turnover problem. These contractors, for the sake of their businesses, have a tendency to hire inexperienced drivers and drivers with less than desirable records, only to keep their business afloat... I base my observation on this:
I used to run a turn from Atlanta to Dothan, Ala., nightly. FX ground had a meet point in Eufaula, Ala. where Atlanta drivers would come down and meet drivers from the smaller hubs down in the FLA. panhandle. Above Eufaula, where I would encounter the drivers from Atlanta, I would see some of the most idiotic, stupid things from them (risky moves, ineptness, confusion, wrecks, etc.). There were always different people driving these trucks. I always had to be on my toes when encountering these people... But, down below Eufaula, I always encountered the same drivers every night, they were all courteous, mannerable drivers with good attitudes. Most of these drivers had been with the same contractor for a while and were older, experienced drivers. Some were the actual contractors. I always felt "at ease" around these drivers...
I can't in any way, differentiate the short haul operators from the long distance teams or the good operators from the bad ones, but anytime one gets near me that I'm unfamiliar with, I have a real tendency to keep a close eye on them until they get out of my area...

Just an observation...
 
I would encounter the drivers from Atlanta, I would see some of the most idiotic, stupid things from them (risky moves, ineptness, confusion, wrecks, etc.). There were always different people driving these trucks. I always had to be on my toes when encountering these people...

I've noticed that too. Maybe they should get some rookie stripes like NASCAR for the new guys or something.

The other night I turned Indianapolis, IN. On I-65 North I got passed by two FXG's in a narrow construction slower speed zone. I was going 5 over and they passed me like my maxi's were set. Almost rocked the friggin' truck. To top it off; they were 6 ft. apart! If the first one hit a deer or something the second one would have had no way to stop.

Then in the next area you will have one pass, you cut your lights off, they swing over and blink the lights back- and use their signals the whole time...Usually like you said Hombre, it's a guy with some feathers who has been around the block 2 or 3 times.

Smoke I pm'd you.
 
The biggest problem with anyone whos been driving for awhile.
Is the comfort zone they feel safe in,because they've been doing the same thing for some time.
People have to wake up to the fact that it only takes less than one split second to take their attention away from their driving,to have a life time of regrets,when something goes horrably wrong.

Every driver regardless if they are professionals,or just running to the neighborhood store in their personal vehicle,can get themself in a real jam,if they just lose their focus for the smallest of a measure of time.

Believe me this happens everyday somewhere in America.

Its a very bad habit,we've all got to keep focused on everything,all of the time.
To have a safe trip,if its across the country,or just around the block!
 
The other night I turned Indianapolis, IN. On I-65 North I got passed by two FXG's in a narrow construction slower speed zone. I was going 5 over and they passed me like my maxi's were set. Almost rocked the friggin' truck. To top it off; they were 6 ft. apart! If the first one hit a deer or something the second one would have had no way to stop.


big robbowski-L200 mil :1036316054:

There are two possibilities as to why they where drafting just 6 feet apart.

1) Practicing for the Daytona 500
2) Trying to get better fuel mileage.

:biglaugh:
 
big robbowski-L200 mil :1036316054:

There are two possibilities as to why they where drafting just 6 feet apart.

1) Practicing for the Daytona 500
2) Trying to get better fuel mileage.

:biglaugh:

They were too fast for NASCAR, more like CART or INDY....:hysterical:

As for the fuel mileage, does that work for big trucks?
 
It's unfortunate that Fed Ex is in a negative spotlight again. The bigger picture would be to look at the HOS regulations and maybe start a movement to roll them back to the previous regs that were in place. It seems that a lot of companies are having a problem with more accidents than they were before these regs went into effect. Unfortunatley, the companies were the ones that pushed for the extra hour of driving per day, all the while when we were telling them it would lead to fatigued drivers on the road. That plus calling drivers on 8 for 10, 14 hour days without being able to stretch the day with "off duty time" breaks during the course of the day, but what do we know???? We only do this every day.:hide:

you don't have to use the 11th hour i rarley use it and if your company forces you to then you need to find another company and if you need the 11th hour to make enough money your not getting paid enough and need to find a new job just my thoughts run legal and you don't have much to wory about
 
you don't have to use the 11th hour i rarley use it and if your company forces you to then you need to find another company and if you need the 11th hour to make enough money your not getting paid enough and need to find a new job just my thoughts run legal and you don't have much to wory about


easttnhillbilly :1036316054:

Must be nice to drive in a part of the country where snow is not a problem.
Sometimes in the winter you need your 11 hours and the 14 hours and the 16 hours and a very sharp pencil to get the job done.

:smilie_132:
 
The other night I turned Indianapolis, IN. On I-65 North I got passed by two FXG's in a narrow construction slower speed zone. I was going 5 over and they passed me like my maxi's were set. Almost rocked the friggin' truck. To top it off; they were 6 ft. apart! If the first one hit a deer or something the second one would have had no way to stop.

I see that a lot in this area, but have yet to see the logic in it. I mean really, how much sooner do you arrive at a given location by tailgating someone. It's just that cowboy/ billy big rigger mentiaity and it's only a matter of time before it'll bite you on the azz.
 
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