Fedex and the postal contract

[lear24]

I heard a little rumor that Fedex either dropped or lost the express mail postal contract. Anyone know any details or have a link to news about it? I have been unable to find any. Could be great news for the supplemental freighters who had the rug torn from under them last summer.

 

[FearlessFreep]

That's interesting, where did you hear this?

Personally I doubt it. From what I have heard from Fedex types is that the postal contract has "saved" them since the economic downturn. I doubt that Fedex themselves would drop it unless of course the USPS isn't paying them or is playing games that Fedex doesn't want to engage in. I have talked to couriers and the only impact on them is that they now have to service the drop boxes at the post office.

Fedex may be pissed that DHL has also entered into a partnership with the USPS (don't know too much about this, it's on a banner in my local Post Office).

Quite frankly having Fedex drop boxes at the post office sound pretty stupid to me.

Let's see, U.S. Express Mail Envelope next day delivery by 12:00 on ANY day (I have seen packages being delivered by the USPS on Christmas Day!) with no surcharge for that service, cost: $12.45, pay right there at the PO and your done. Fedex: Fedex Standard overnight delivery by 15:00 next day, only if it's a weekday. $15.63 and I am not sure about this but a note by the rates says " please add $1.35 per package residential delivery charge to your base rates for non-freight shipments delivered within U.S. to private residence". Hmmm, now were at $17.02, Ok, drop box... paperwork...oh, now we have to pay... There's no one there to pay cash, credit, atm to? What's this, I need a Fedex account... "in good standing" I don't have one of those, all I am trying to do is send grandma 1/2 pound of pictures and try to make sure they get to her before she drops dead! Screw that I'm at the post office already, Express Mail It. I even have the satisfaction of knowing that I am not filling the coffers of a corporation, I am just utilizing a non-profit public service that all us little people use.

That's why I see no sense in drop boxes at the post office. It might be convienient for some businesses though I don't see the point as there is a proliferation of so many Fedex drop boxes all over the place already.

I doubt that the USPS is disappointed with the service that they are receiving from Fedex. When Fedex backdoored all the little operators by getting the contract in a closed door session the USPS was just gushing with how cheap it was going to be for them. I doubt that they are disappointed at this point . It is not yet a total year that they have been hauling the express mail that occurs this August.

 

[NightFlyer]

The postal contract is alive and well. We carried 107,000 pounds of it into Memphis yesterday. Everywhere you look on the ramp you see little orange bags full of mail. From what I've been hearing, the post office wants FedEx to carry even more mail. So to answer your question, no the contract has not been cancelled. As far as the drop boxes at the post office go, they are doing much better than expected. We are still hiring pilots and it looks like with the extra mail and upcoming retirements, we will be hiring for awhile. Good luck.


NightFlyer

 

[VaB]

Quite frankly having Fedex drop boxes at the post office sound pretty stupid to me.

I guess that's why you're not Fred Smith. Seriously though, like Nightflyer said, the planes are leaving MEM in the afternoon with as much mail stuffed into them as will fit, and I think they want us to carry more.

Last word on hiring was 48 more through July.

 

[FearlessFreep]

That' s right, I'm not Fred Smith, and you certainly don't see me in a hurry to become him either.

Not going to see me be too happy about Fedex getting the postal contract.

1. Lost my job because they were able to spirit it away in a closed door session.

2. Have absolutely zero chance of getting on with Fedex, don't meet their minimum requirements and with the way things are going have very little chance of getting a job that going to afford me the opportunity to get those minimums.

3. Don't know any of the trunk line pilots over there that could possibly even give me a recommendation. Wouldn't matter anyway, their tendency is to look down their noses at anyone that isn't one of theirs, unless their ex-Flying Tigers, they seem to be the only ones that ever smile and are friendly and personable.

On that note you Fedex guys have a potential problem brewing and I have seen it for years. You really have to learn to treat all the people you work with, (loaders, maintenance, schedulers, etc.)with a little more respect and dignity. You are after all part of the same team. You are not going to garner any sympathy from them when you are going to go on strike. They think you all a bunch of overpaid, underworked prima donnas as it is. That may or not be the case, but that is the way your Fedex team members see it. (That's not my opinion though)


Oh, on my bike ride this morning saw a aircraft dumping fuel, saw that it was a Fedex DC-10 returning to Oakland, hope everything was OK.

Yup, these are my opinions and you know the old saying...

"Opinions are like a**holes, everyone's got one and they stink"

Well mine stinks just as much as everyone elses does!

 

[jsoceanlord]

i was doing my monthly ILS to stay current a couple days ago at san juan.

a fedex dc-10 was following and almost had to go around. everyone was yelling that i was too slow. i crossed the threshold FAST and piulled up in piston cargo plane to get flap speed and got yelled at for doing that!

 

[wildbill]

I guess that FEDEX must be doing pretty good. They have now purchased their own trucking company, American Freightways.
They already purchased Roadway Package Express( FedEx Ground). The only thing left is the railroad. Look out CSX. Wonder if they get jump seat privilages now on the trucks to get to smaller cities.

 

[flydog]

I would pay Fedex double what the Post Office charges any day of the week

Fedex has never lost or been late with a package that I have shipped - Ever

The Post Office on the other hand is late half the time and has lost packages - The $3-$5 wont mean much when that paycheck you were waiting for, or job offer, or resume you sent doesnt get there. Plus you have to wait in line for some retard with an undiagnosed birth defect to check in your package. With Fedex you just drop it in the box at ANY post office with your credit card info on the slip

With my USAA discount I can ship Fedex Express Saver coast-to-coast for $7.00 and its usually there in 2 days

Besides I check both rates when I ship and Fedex is generally cheaper than Express Mail anyway. Also Express Mail has been suspended to many security sensitive areas including Washington DC and Priority Mail can take up to 2 weeks due to security screening issues

 

[wildbill]

Flydog,
Sorry I have to disagree with you on FedEx service. I have never had a package delivered to me from them on time. In fact I had to push them so hard on a critical package that they had to hire a private courior to get my package to me. They have even left mypackage at the wrong house and my neighbor brought it to me. UPS is the one who has never let me down.
Just my .02.

 

[FearlessFreep]

For those that have not been direct witness to the airfreight system in operation I you saw how all the packages are shipped you would not bother shipping anything.

My experience is that anything that can get broken will be.

The funniest that I have ever seen was ordering a Netscape CD, that was shipped Fedex. The Fedex guy runs up the stairs and quickly drops the standard flat envelope and then splits!

I go open the door and pick it up. There are tire prints all over it. I open it up and pull the CD out, it falls into my hand in about 6 pieces.

Just goes to show nothing is safe from the savage handling of freight.