What happened to FedEx?

[Mdlerth]

Since the onset of quarantine, many people are buying more online so they're getting stuff delivered more often. But I read post after post criticizing the service from Federal Express: orders not arriving on schedule, delivered to the wrong address, merchandise damaged, etc. It looks to be a lot bigger problem than just an occasional TV thrown over a gate by a lone slacker and caught on a doorbell camera.

How the mighty have fallen. At one time, FedEx was so good they almost put the USPS out of business. Apparently, not any more. Not long ago I read that Amazon was backing out of using FedEx. What's going on at that once-proud brand?

 

[RobbieB]

I see more ups, usps and amazon white than fedex. Maybe they all got the covid.

 

[aja8888]

Maybe FedEx is drinking the same Kool-Aid as the worthless USPS personnel?

 

[Ready]

My Fedex driver decided he’d had enough. He parked his truck at the beach and decided to chill for the afternoon.

Coincidentally, shortly after this photo was taken our city banned hanging out on the grassy areas by the beach.

Haven’t seen him since.

 

[davebarnes]

Peoples Temple Agricultural Project

drinking the same Kool-Aid

Flavor-Aid.
Get your meme correct, youngster.

 

[Scrapr]

Not long ago I read that Amazon was backing out of using FedEx. What's going on at that once-proud brand?

Other way around. Amazon didn't quit FedEx. Amazon runs their own fleet of cargo planes. They have been ramping up the jets. So then amazon asks (tells) FedEx what they are going to pay for freight. Not very profitable for FedEx so they quit Amazon. It actually is a smart play by FedEx. Amazon just suspended (quit?) a delivery service start up in a couple markets because of capacity issues. I think FedEx doesn't want to subsidize a competitor

I just got a delivery from FedEx today...2 business days early. It was a big help

 

[Just_Steve]

If I'm expecting an expensive and /or an important package from FedEx or UPS I just do a hold at facility for pick up and go pick it up, otherwise t gets here when it gets here.

 

[tinlizzy]

Yes, like Scrapr said, FedEx told Amazon to take a hike after Amazon referred to FedEx as the competition. FedEx said that Amazon thinking it could establish a coast to coast network was fantastical thinking and then someone leaked an Amazon memo that said, Here's to a fantastical New Year. They are enemies now.

Amazon dropping their own delivery service and mentioning FedEx in the press release may have been an olive branch because Amazon is getting walloped from now!

FedEx is about 1/10th the size of UPS (they run 3 trucks on every route - ground, home, and express which makes their presence feel large) and the majority of revenues come from international shipping and express b2b. They are hurting right now. Their ground drivers are poorly paid (IMO) contract drivers who work for a route "owner". I am still seeing them deliver though.

 

[Midpack]

I know I see lots of Amazon, FedEx and UPS trucks in my neighborhood every day along with regular USPS. I’ve had really good service from all, though most of what we get comes from Amazon or USPS. We go for walks every day and there are packages on doorsteps all over. Covid-19 is going to a accelerate the growth of online at the further expense of brick-n-mortar IMO.

 

[f35phixer]

They delivered my new iPhone.... see them around all the time.

 

[audreyh1]

I’m getting on time undamaged deliveries from Fedex. No problems here.

 

[JoeWras]

My FedEx deliveries are OK, but the people who deliver are different each day. They are usually talking on the phone while having a package under the other arm. Very hurried.

Now for UPS. We have had the same driver the last 2 years. She is probably the nicest human on this earth. I can't say enough good things about her, and how pleasant she is. She's even bent a few rules from time to time helping me get stuff inside the house (don't tell her boss).

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Maybe FedEx is drinking the same Kool-Aid as the worthless USPS personnel?

That is a VERY unfair statement. Our USPS personnel are great and the service has been brilliant for as long as we have lived here. They are always on time and predictable. The times they have missed something or been delayed in 25 years I can count on 1 hand. At least for us. and we know our carrier personally.

Maybe in your area it is poor but to make a nasty general statement like that is uncalled for.

You obviously have had no experience with Canada Post. Now that is a completely different story.

 

[braumeister]

Good service from all here, although I'm more likely to see a UPS driver toss a package up the sidewalk than the others. If I happen to be outside when they arrive, all the drivers (except USPS) are generally very friendly.

 

[aja8888]

That is a VERY unfair statement. Our USPS personnel are great and the service has been brilliant for as long as we have lived here. They are always on time and predictable. The times they have missed something or been delayed in 25 years I can count on 1 hand. At least for us. and we know our carrier personally.

Maybe in your area it is poor but to make a nasty general statement like that is uncalled for.

You obviously have had no experience with Canada Post. Now that is a completely different story.

From our experiences, and my friends and family too, the USPS has gone down the tubes. For instance, the last three mailings I sent out with Certified, Return Receipt handling, none of the three green return postcards were delivered back to me (my receipt and proof of delivery). And this was in the last 60 days. I could fill a couple of pages with similar deficiencies, but no need to.

We get a new delivery person every few months. That generally results in the neighbors re-delivering each others mail. I could go on here too.

And I know Canada's Post is worse having send packages there which we never delivered.

 

[Car-Guy]

No problems with Fed-Ex around here. UPS is just as good but it seems we get more delivers VIA Fed-Ex. I'd give them both an A. USPS is OK, but they get a C+ from me.... LSO is a regional carrier but they are pretty poor and probably rate about a D grade.... Amazon is non existent around here so they don't get a grade.

 

[mystang52]

My experience with both FedEx and UPS has been superlative. USPS? - that's another matter.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

UPS has been quite delayed for us too lately. But honestly it is understandable. For us to be getting anything via these services at this time is exemplary IMHO, If I was still w&^king, this is one of the jobs I would not like to be doing at all, especially in these troubled times. Would you?

 

[mystang52]

UPS has been quite delayed for us too lately. But honestly it is understandable. For us to be getting anything via these services at this time is exemplary IMHO, If I was still w&^king, this is one of the jobs I would not like to be doing at all, especially in these troubled times. Would you?

There are any number of jobs I wouldn't want right now. But I'll add 2 that I think are more undesirable, right now:
the public bus drivers. While running yesterday, I saw the driver wearing a mask but couldn't help and wonder what fear was gong on in his mind.
[perhaps the most under-rated heroes right now] hospital maintenance and cleaning employees.

 

[Spock]

While the number of online orders are up, the number of deliveries is up even more.
A lot of my online orders are being chopped into a lot smaller shipments, probably due to constrained inventory they ship what they got at the time and ship the rest later. All of which equals more deliveries.

Amazon branded trucks are a recent thing here in the last 8 months. My last two AMZ deliveries sucked... driver left the package in the middle of the driveway 20 feet from the door. Neither AMZ delivery rang the door bell.
If it wasn't for the emails stating it was delivered it would have been porch pirate bait.

UPS and FedEx have always at least gotten the package to the door if not stashed out of sight from the street.

USPS is comical to watch. Their trucks make a distinctive sound so know when they go by. We get our entertainment betting on how many trips past our house the truck makes as the driver has to double/triple/quadruple back to deliver a forgotten package at a house where he had just delivered the mail. Each back track is moving faster as the driver tries to stay on schedule. The trucks are tiny and despite being up against the curb still can not manage a u-turn without making it a four-five-point turn.

 

[Chuckanut]

Maybe FedEx is drinking the same Kool-Aid as the worthless USPS personnel?

Worthless USPS personnel?

Really?

The last big snow event in our town and the only guys and gals still making deliveries for the entire week were the USPS. FedEx, UPS, etc. all gave up.

 

[ivinsfan]

That is a VERY unfair statement. Our USPS personnel are great and the service has been brilliant for as long as we have lived here. They are always on time and predictable. The times they have missed something or been delayed in 25 years I can count on 1 hand. At least for us. and we know our carrier personally.

Maybe in your area it is poor but to make a nasty general statement like that is uncalled for.

You obviously have had no experience with Canada Post. Now that is a completely different story.

Yes I hear that Royal Mail would make you send flowers to your USPS mailman...

 

[mckittri2000]

The last 2 times I have had deliveries from FedEx, they have been late. Both times they blamed us for not being home when we had been home all day. UPS always delivers on time here.

 

[Aerides]

I think a lot depends on your individual carrier and branch - particularly with USPS.

I operate a small from-home business, so I've always made it a point to be extra friendly with my carriers, and I get fabulous service. If I had to keep only one service it would be USPS. They are far cheaper and more reliable than the others - and I can say that after sending thousands of small packages.

 

[ivinsfan]

I have no issues with any of these 3....on time service, good delivery as in no throwing and such. I'm not sure if people realize what these drivers are dealing with right now.

Our UPS driver is a friend he used to drive our milk truck back in the day. Since the first of the year (BV) it was nothing for him to deliver to us between 5 and 6PM. We live at least 20 miles from the UPS loading place. No way be back to the shop and out the door before 630-700 everyday.

Since CV we have a different driver who comes around 1 PM. They must have added a route to improve delivery times and take stress off their drivers.