What's new

FedEx Freight | Fedex Ground linehaul

One main issue that I see with Ground contractors getting away with a lot, at least for some of the contractors that I know people work for is the drop&hook pay and delay pay.. I know a guy who works for a contractor that strictly only gets paid mileage. No drop&hook and no delay pay at all.. now if you ask me, that is pure robbery.

That explains why the Ground that I would go to when we had bids would have dollys dropped all over the place
 
Road_Warrior1 said:
I know a guy who works for a contractor that strictly only gets paid mileage. No drop&hook and no delay pay at all.. now if you ask me, that is pure robbery.
Click to expand...
That's how it is for most of us in the Ground Linehaul system.

My contractor does some kooky paycheck things to make it look like we're paid for all of our "on-duty" hours, but my check is always the same even when I've had a couple extra on-duty hours dropping and hooking trailers. And most will encourage you to go off-duty while doing this kind of work (which is both illegal and immoral) so that you have more available hours once you get off the yard.
 
longhaullounger said:
That's how it is for most of us in the Ground Linehaul system.

My contractor does some kooky paycheck things to make it look like we're paid for all of our "on-duty" hours, but my check is always the same even when I've had a couple extra on-duty hours dropping and hooking trailers. And most will encourage you to go off-duty while doing this kind of work (which is both illegal and immoral) so that you have more available hours once you get off the yard.
Click to expand...

When I worked ground, the contractor I worked for would log in to the scanner with his ID so I could load my truck. This way, when I left the building I had a full 14 hours to deliver packages.

I was thinking about this yesterday because I did a weekend volunteerb run. I would work 12 hour days at ground delivering packages for 130 dollars. I worked 11 hours yesterday and made 400 dollars driving from point A to point B.
 
Streaker69 said:
When I worked ground, the contractor I worked for would log in to the scanner with his ID so I could load my truck. This way, when I left the building I had a full 14 hours to deliver packages.

I was thinking about this yesterday because I did a weekend volunteerb run. I would work 12 hour days at ground delivering packages for 130 dollars. I worked 11 hours yesterday and made 400 dollars driving from point A to point B.
Click to expand...
This is a linehaul contractor doing it, in my case.

Building your set for the night at your origin hub? Better be off duty/personal conveyance with the notes "At Shipper." Fueling either at a truck stop or at the hub? Same. Doing a meet? Go off duty/personal conveyance with the notes "mandatory 30-minute break" so you get your 30 in while you're swapping trailers. But in all cases, better be sure you show at least 5 minutes of on-duty/not driving with the notes "pre-trip inspection" before you take off so the DOT can't say you didn't do a pre-trip -- even though you did a 10-minute pre-trip during your off-duty time.
 
longhaullounger said:
This is a linehaul contractor doing it, in my case.

Building your set for the night at your origin hub? Better be off duty/personal conveyance with the notes "At Shipper." Fueling either at a truck stop or at the hub? Same. Doing a meet? Go off duty/personal conveyance with the notes "mandatory 30-minute break" so you get your 30 in while you're swapping trailers. But in all cases, better be sure you show at least 5 minutes of on-duty/not driving with the notes "pre-trip inspection" before you take off so the DOT can't say you didn't do a pre-trip -- even though you did a 10-minute pre-trip during your off-duty time.
Click to expand...

Why don't you go work for an LTL company?
 
Streaker69 said:
Why don't you go work for an LTL company?
Click to expand...
I'm working on it. I go get fingerprinted for my hazmat endorsement test tomorrow, and if I have time after visiting the federal background check place (which is more than an hour from home) I'll try to get my tanker endorsement test done. A union carrier is interested in hiring me. They're calling back in a couple weeks to make sure I'm making progress on those two endorsements.
 
longhaullounger said:
I'm working on it. I go get fingerprinted for my hazmat endorsement test tomorrow, and if I have time after visiting the federal background check place (which is more than an hour from home) I'll try to get my tanker endorsement test done. A union carrier is interested in hiring me. They're calling back in a couple weeks to make sure I'm making progress on those two endorsements.
Click to expand...
I would definitely push for an LTL. As long as your record is clean and you have experience I hate to see people waste their time at Ground.. now not all is great at Freight but one thing I can say is I’m happy I get paid for everything I do. I can deal with all the other crap that comes with it because it can be a lot worse... like Ground lol
 
Road_Warrior1 said:
I would definitely push for an LTL. As long as your record is clean and you have experience I hate to see people waste their time at Ground.. now not all is great at Freight but one thing I can say is I’m happy I get paid for everything I do. I can deal with all the other crap that comes with it because it can be a lot worse... like Ground lol
Click to expand...
I applied a few weeks ago for a city P&D apprentice at the nearest FXF terminal, but never heard anything back. It was the only opening they had advertised, but I reasoned I would be able to get my endorsements while I worked the dock or whatever.

I've never heard much complaining from Freight guys I talk to on the road. If they called with an offer, I'd probably do it. The union gig will have sweet benefits (but for how long?) but it'll be a long, long commute every day.
 
longhaullounger said:
I applied a few weeks ago for a city P&D apprentice at the nearest FXF terminal, but never heard anything back. It was the only opening they had advertised, but I reasoned I would be able to get my endorsements while I worked the dock or whatever.

I've never heard much complaining from Freight guys I talk to on the road. If they called with an offer, I'd probably do it. The union gig will have sweet benefits (but for how long?) but it'll be a long, long commute every day.
Click to expand...
Believe me, we complain. We won't complain to you because.... Well, it's like complaining about your house to the guy that lives in his car. We have things to complain about, but you have it worse.

People never look at the commute. For me, anything over 45 minutes is out. My commute right now is 15 minutes. It takes me 15 minutes to get from my front door to the clock. Your commute is part of your 10 hour break so a 14 hour day can turn into a 16 hour day and a 16 hour day can turn into an 18 hour day.
 
Streaker69 said:
People never look at the commute. For me, anything over 45 minutes is out. My commute right now is 15 minutes. It takes me 15 minutes to get from my front door to the clock. Your commute is part of your 10 hour break so a 14 hour day can turn into a 16 hour day and a 16 hour day can turn into an 18 hour day.
Click to expand...
Yep. The one thing that gives me pause about the union job is it's two hours from home. I live in the middle of nowhere with a low cost of living, so I'd still see more money in my pocket if I took it.

On the good side, other than the bennies, the actual workday would be shorter most of the time. Based on what they told me, it's a high likelihood of doing a specific meet run they need covered. Average was 2,250 miles a week, which is 200 miles shorter per day than what I do now. Counting a 30-minute break in the middle, that's an 8-hour day compared to the 10-to-11-hour days I do now.

Apples to apples, if I had to leave home at 1 a.m. like I do for FedEx, I'd probably still get home by 1 p.m. like I do a lot of days now. It's the odd long day that'll be difficult. But for my trouble, my income will go up about $12k per year and my take-home will be substantially more because I won't be paying $225 per week for health insurance.

The FXF terminal is a lot closer to home, though. Like, 25 minutes. That would tilt things substantially if they made an offer. Because one way will require me to look into buying a new car pretty soon, and the other won't. :shift:
 
longhaullounger said:
Yep. The one thing that gives me pause about the union job is it's two hours from home. I live in the middle of nowhere with a low cost of living, so I'd still see more money in my pocket if I took it.

On the good side, other than the bennies, the actual workday would be shorter most of the time. Based on what they told me, it's a high likelihood of doing a specific meet run they need covered. Average was 2,250 miles a week, which is 200 miles shorter per day than what I do now. Counting a 30-minute break in the middle, that's an 8-hour day compared to the 10-to-11-hour days I do now.

Apples to apples, if I had to leave home at 1 a.m. like I do for FedEx, I'd probably still get home by 1 p.m. like I do a lot of days now. It's the odd long day that'll be difficult. But for my trouble, my income will go up about $12k per year and my take-home will be substantially more because I won't be paying $225 per week for health insurance.

The FXF terminal is a lot closer to home, though. Like, 25 minutes. That would tilt things substantially if they made an offer. Because one way will require me to look into buying a new car pretty soon, and the other won't. :shift:
Click to expand...
At that distance, it would be almost impossible to be on call.

I’d probably wait for FedEx Freight unless you plan on moving. Just my 2 cents...
 
truckingBORED said:
At that distance, it would be almost impossible to be on call.

I’d probably wait for FedEx Freight unless you plan on moving. Just my 2 cents...
Click to expand...
Yeah the only reason I'm entertaining it is it's not supposed to be an on-call position or "extra board" kind of job by what they said in my interview. If I learn otherwise along this process, I'll have to turn them down. Someone says FXF likes to post positions every spring, so won't be long now. Gives me time to get my endorsements completed.
 
Road_Warrior1 said:
I would definitely push for an LTL. As long as your record is clean and you have experience I hate to see people waste their time at Ground.. now not all is great at Freight but one thing I can say is I’m happy I get paid for everything I do. I can deal with all the other crap that comes with it because it can be a lot worse... like Ground lol
Click to expand...
you are correct, we get paid for everything we do
 
BumpDraft said:
I've been noticing job ads for linehaul with ground starting pay .68 - .71 a mile plus benefits, vacations and home daily. Didn't realize they paid that well. Always thought freight side was way ahead on pay. They used to be anyway.
Click to expand...
Freight has really fallen behind in pay and benefits and doesn't care as long as a body is in the seat
 
This is a really horrible story with much more information out there. These were really high profile drivers in the industry.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top