FedEx Freight Driver Apprentice

Great update, Banks! Keeping us up to date with your P&D work is a very interesting read.

Sounds like a good first day, keep up the great work.

It was definitely a good first day. Thanks, Rob.

Great update, Banks! Keeping us up to date with your P&D work is a very interesting read.

I'm glad you're enjoying it, pack rat. I'm enjoying your journey back into trucking, as well.

Banks this is really great. Not sure we’ve ever had a PnD Diary.

Really good! Stay safe and “watch that wagon”.

I'm making it a point to watch my wagon.

That's the main reason I'm doing this. I couldn't find any information on a FedEx freight driver apprentice position that was reliable. It's not even listed as an option for company sponsored training on trucking truth.

Day 21 (Week 6 Day 2)

Today started off interesting. I got paperwork to bid on an assignment. That was unexpected. I'm number 70 of 70 lol. What that means is I'll probably end up with noon unassigned. Means I'll have a start time of noon. I may get called to come in earlier, if I don't get called report to the dock at noon. While on the dock I may receive a city or road assignment if I have enough hours available. I find out for sure tomorrow.

Started out today with the route everybody hates. IDK why they hate it, but they do. We had 7 deliveries and 2 pick ups. The first one was an amusement park. It was an easy in and out, but that dock stressed me out a little. I had to do a u-turn and an offset. When I learned how to do an offset, there was open space and cones. Now I have a wall and another tractor trailer as my cones. Tractor trailer on the blind side. I was more concerned about the tractor trailer than the wall because it was out of sight from time to time. Once I got in the spot I was able to fix it with a pull up and back straight in. Once I pulled out the protection valves the other truck pulled off. Figures.

My next stop was a sporting store in a strip mall. Blind side 90. This is where a day cab is beneficial because I can look out my rear windshield and see everything I have to see. The hard part was not getting locked in a stare and paying attention to everything else around me. Everything else being cars and mailboxes. Once inside I did my first notation on damaged freight. I had to call the office and give them all of the information. I don't know what happens after that, but everything stood there.

I had a stop at a water park today. The lady comes out and says back up to this door. The door was about 4 feet off the ground and it looked like a strong breeze would knock that structure over. Told my mentor I don't feel comfortable doing it. I can line it up and back it, but I'm still used to backing up a manual. It moves and you can the clutch or brake to slow down. In an automatic, it doesn't move if you don't hit the accelerator. I haven't exactly mastered backing slowly. I was afraid I would knock the whole building over.

The next one was a tight 90 alley dock. I was told to stay off of the grass. I don't know why because the grass looked horrible, but whatever. I try to stay off grass in general because grass can be mud and I don't want to deal with that.

The rest of the deliveries were easy. Pull up and the guy unloads you with you a forklift.

My pickups were easy dock bumps.

I think people don't like this route because it covers a large area. A large area can be a hassle when there are deadlines and it's busy.

We got back to the hub a little early. I got a door similar to the one I got yesterday. After watching some experienced drivers back in, I had an idea on how to do it right. Instead of being lined up straight my tractor trailer was at about a 140 degree angle with my trailer pointing at the parking spot. I backed it in easily.

We went to city dispatch to see if they had any quick runs we could take. They had one that was right down the road. Drop the trailer and bobtail back. That was the end of the day.

Progress report was good. I'm getting more comfortable with driving and backing.

Day 22 (Week 6 Day 3)

I didn't get to bid. They never got up to me. Apparently, guys driving trucks don't answer their phones. Maybe tomorrow.

Today was a lot like Monday. We went to the same town. A few differences though. We had 13 stops and 5 pick ups. I didn't drive all of it because we were pressed for time, but I drove most of it and did all of the backing. The only time I didn't drive or back was when I was on my 30.

The guy from Monday that didn't care about me being new was indifferent today. I'll call that a step up. I bumped his dock with no issues so he didn't complain as much.

There was one lady that was mad today. We got there at 1630 and she said we're supposed to be there by 1500. My mentor explained that there is no specified time on the paperwork. She argued that FedEx knows and he said he only knows what's on the paperwork. He told her options were accept it or refuse it. She ultimately accepted it, but she was really nasty about it. I'm hopping I'm able to get to road sooner rather later just to not have to deal with stuff like that. Everybody else was really nice.

I almost got into an accident today. An older lady just blew through a yield sign. Didn't look or anything. My stomach still hurts over that one.

Back at the hub I got an easy door to back into. A straight back. I went into the office to see how far they got into bids. They had an idea but the guy making the calls was gone for the day. He didn't finish so he didn't get up to me because I'm last.

Progress report was clean.

I scheduled off tomorrow because I have some things to take care of. I have to make up the hours on Friday. That's why this option works for me. I have too much going on at home to be gone for long periods of time. It's still something I want to do, but maybe I'll do it in retirement like old school.

Day 23 (Week 6 Day 4)

This morning I received my bid assignment. I ended up with 0200 unassigned. I was a little disappointed at first, but after some thought it's not that bad. I still have the whole day to take care of what I have to take care of and I don't have to be in the hub at the hottest point of the day. Also, I'm more likely to get road runs. At first, I figured I'll do city runs if I have to but I'd rather take road runs. I have absolutely no chance of taking a city run at this time.

Today was pretty light. 5 deliveries and 3 pick ups in another new town. The first one was a tough blind side 90. It took me a little while to get in there. It was a little stressful because it was an appointment deliver for 1200 and by 1200 I was still trying to bump the dock. They were understanding and really nice about it. It took me about 30 minutes to get in there.

The second stop was at a construction site. I learned to never ask a guy that doesn't drive a truck if you can exit by going around the building. The space was really tight, but it was too late to back out. My mirrors were inches away from the building and my tires were inches away from hanging off a cliff.

The third was at a place that builds trailers. The kind that you hook up to a pickup truck. They unloaded me with a forklift so there was no backing.

The fourth was weird. I had to drive on this tiny driceway that went across a lake. It was probably 10 feet wide with water on both sides and no guardrails.

The last stop was a place that manufacturers gas. Not fuel gas, literally gas. Before being allowed in the building I had to watch a 10 minute safety video, put on a hazmat suit, safety glasses and a reflective vest. I was desperate to get out of there. It was way too hot to have all of that stuff on.

My pickups were easy. All docks that had enough space for me to straight back. Back at the hub, I got an easy door that allowed for a straight back.

I'm officially done with my apprenticeship. I will have my city driver offer letter by the end of next week. My hourly rate goes up to 22.58 an hour and I get 0.5477 CPM for road runs.

I'll update this periodically like Rob did with his food service diary. Thanks for following and for all of the support.

Congratulations!

It is interesting to see how the compatition operates.

Congratulations!

Thanks Pack Rat and Bob.

I don't think there's much difference, Bob. I talk to everybody and standing around waiting to be loaded or unload I'll run into the guy from OD or YRC and they'll say it's all the same. The only difference is the color of the truck. Like the mods say about the megas, the CPM may vary, but in the end it's all the same deal with minor differences.