FedEx Freight | Fedex Ground linehaul
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Streaker69
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It varies by contractor. Plus benefits can mean anything. I've had health insurance that wasn't worth the paper it was printed on, yet cost me an arm and a leg without seeing a doctor. You also have to remember that Ground and Freight have the same requirements to be hired, which means that if you qualify for ground, you qualify for pretty much any LTL company. They're in competition just like the rest of them. Now, CPM means squat. There's no drops, hooks or delay pay. You break down, you're sitting on the side of the road for free.
The other issue is working for a contractor. I've worked for small businesses before, including FedEx contractors. No, thanks. The contractor I worked for lost his contact due to service issues and he still owes me my last check. I put in a claim with the department of labor and he disputed it. Department of labor said take it to court. The equipment also sucked. I was driving a truck and a tire flew off when I made a turn because he hired some guy to change the brakes in his garage. The shop the truck was towed to told him he had to get the axle looked at because it hit the ground, but that it had to be done at a specialty shop because he didn't have the equipment. The contractor called him a crook and put the truck back on the road. The axle snapped the first day out. Who wants to deal with this nonsense?
The main difference is that I can tell my ops manager he's dumber than a dog licking lead paint and may or may not write me up, but termination isn't likely. Your employment is dependant on how that contractor feels about you. I don't get along with stupid people and I have no problem telling somebody they're stupid, which led to me getting fired from every small business I've ever worked for.
The other issue is working for a contractor. I've worked for small businesses before, including FedEx contractors. No, thanks. The contractor I worked for lost his contact due to service issues and he still owes me my last check. I put in a claim with the department of labor and he disputed it. Department of labor said take it to court. The equipment also sucked. I was driving a truck and a tire flew off when I made a turn because he hired some guy to change the brakes in his garage. The shop the truck was towed to told him he had to get the axle looked at because it hit the ground, but that it had to be done at a specialty shop because he didn't have the equipment. The contractor called him a crook and put the truck back on the road. The axle snapped the first day out. Who wants to deal with this nonsense?
The main difference is that I can tell my ops manager he's dumber than a dog licking lead paint and may or may not write me up, but termination isn't likely. Your employment is dependant on how that contractor feels about you. I don't get along with stupid people and I have no problem telling somebody they're stupid, which led to me getting fired from every small business I've ever worked for.
Streaker69
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I've shared this photo before, but I'm case you didn't see it. The floor board of my truck at ground rotted out. The contractor just said don't work about it, we'll fix it later.
Holy crap lol!! I guess it all depends on the contractor. I was just wondering if Fedex corporate was pushing them to pay better. Seems like they have a hard time finding drivers and keeping them in some areas. Thank's for the response.I've shared this photo before, but I'm case you didn't see it. The floor board of my truck at ground rotted out. The contractor just said don't work about it, we'll fix it later.
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And almost got me fired from FXF , they don't like people that stand up straight and tell the truth but they like guys like us S69 that would work endless hours at 125%.
I'll bet this is not the floorboard, but the seat your fanny chewed.I've shared this photo before, but I'm case you didn't see it. The floor board of my truck at ground rotted out. The contractor just said don't work about it, we'll fix it later.
Dayum!! That’s a big glasspack!!!!I've shared this photo before, but I'm case you didn't see it. The floor board of my truck at ground rotted out. The contractor just said don't work about it, we'll fix it later.
And the pay could very well be on a 1099, which will change your net pay drastically.
Streaker69
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Hey! I take a shower sometimes
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Streaker69
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I got a warning. I've never been threatened with termination, but I make it clear I already got what I wanted out of this deal so they can do what they'd like.
FedEx put a stop to that a while ago. They require all contractors to hire employees and issue W-2s. Which is kind of ironic when you think about it.
It’s amazing though how many of these companies hire you to drive,their truck, and want to pay you as a contract driver. I was always under the impression you could not pay an employee with a 1099.
Not anymore. The US govt won a lawsuit against Fedex quite some time ago. They must be treated as employees.
That’s good. I wonder how these OTR carriers advertise a 1099 yet though? Many of them do it with company drivers too.
It’s technically not right but they get away with it as the govt won’t spend the money to go after the little companies. Fedex however was/is probably millions in tax revenue every year so they went after them. I remember it was around the time I hired in here 2010. I used to listen to Kevin rutherford’s trucking show on Sirius satellite. He followed it pretty closely. So unless the company won on some appeal it should be illegal.
Take a look at Indeed. com sometime. Type in Russian truck driver, and look at all the 1099 pay. Not just them, but many others too.
Oh yeah I know. Most owner ops that only have a few trucks pay that way. It’s BS. Sad thing is they find people to fill the seat.
And when they discover they are paying for all their own health insurance, 401, and have no workman’s comp, reality sets in.
longhaullounger
...no longer uses Truckingboards.
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I got hired by one of the largest contractors in my part of the country.
I wanted a solo run, which they briefly entertained. Then they called back with an offer to put me on a team truck for more money. The "guarantee" (more on that in a minute) was based on 60 cents per mile split.
Then they pulled me from that route on my second or third day working for them, saying the driver who filled in while they were hiring me decided they wanted to keep the job. The alternatives: Take two turns to California per week (slightly more money, far from home) or take a shorter run (less money, but closer to home every day).
I took the shorter run, which wasn't honestly long enough to justify a team truck -- about 14 hours round-trip. I was making $300 less per week than I was promised when hired. My co-driver quit and my contractor said they would hire a replacement.
Meantime, I missed several days of work because they didn't have the staff to give me a temporary co-driver. That "guarantee" they offered when I was hired? The one they said I'd get if it wasn't my fault the freight didn't get off the yard? Suddenly they couldn't pay that "because FedEx has been cutting a lot of our runs." They stuck a California driver with me who wanted the California money, then wanted me to convince him to stay on my route that pays $500/week less than his old one (which they, surprise, gave away to another team without finding him anotherr co-driver -- another promise broken.)
If we've got a lot of drivers whose runs are getting cut, wouldn't someone be willing to be my co-driver since my run is reliable? Yet we're "still looking" for a new co-driver for me? And I'm supposed to believe that after seeing how my temporary co-driver had his run stolen right from under his feet, like they did me in my first week on the job?
Oh, and benefits: I paid $225 a week for insurance.
Moral of the story: contractors vary widely. Some good, many bad. If you find one willing to hire you, get the experience if you want. But use it as a stepping stone if you don't find the contractor worthy of your labor. That's what I'm doing.
What you experienced is the bait and switch scheme.