# Fedex, If it Absolutely Positively Does Not need to be there this year. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2018, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135 "2018-10-18T06:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/21 "2018-10-24T16:10:53Z")
Same here. It was a month or so after I’d activated Prime before I ordered anything. Two items were in the cart; one arrived right away, the other took five days. Naturally it was the one I wanted earlier. I complained to their service department, pointing out _it was the first time I’d used Prime_, and got a refund as an apology. Subsequent orders have arrived within the window about half the time so, needless to say, no Prime as soon as the current subscription runs out. I couldn’t even find anything particularly interesting in their streaming service. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/22 "2018-10-24T16:22:05Z")
FedEx tried to drop off Mrs. Cad’s medication. They insisted that they put it in our milkbox. Problem is we don’t have a milkbox. I called them and they claimed the next day that they investigated it, interviewed the driver, ran the GPS tracker and they guarantied it was delivered correctly and yes the driver left it in the milkbox did we check in it (remember we don’t have a milkbox but FedEx insisted I was mistaken about that). I live at 123 Fake St so I decided to go to 213 Fake St. Sure enough there is a milkbox and the owner had her medicine. When I called FedEx back they pretty much admitted they didn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![sjankis630](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@sjankis630](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjankis630)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/23 "2018-10-24T16:52:12Z")
These responses are too funny. I had an article I read about some new tracking software FedEx was supposed to be using to track their drivers and their time to deliver packages. I think it was in Harper’s magazine but the gist of it seemed to be that the software tracked everything having to do with getting more packages delivered. So the drivers were “cheating” to make up time by doing things like sitting on their locked seat belts, backing & moving trucks while the rear door was open and yes not bothering to knock and leaving notices on doors to save time. Can anyone else confirm any of these practices? Funny FedEx story about a friend of mine. Years ago when they were mega popular she ordered Ugg boots which finally were sent via FedEx. When she came home from work looking for them-marked delivered - they weren’t there. She asked her husband and he claimed there were no deliveries. She searched again and even accused her husband of hiding it from her. Finally after the 3rd time she called and had FedEx check the warehouse, she finally found the package after two days behind her garbage cans off the side of the house. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/24 "2018-10-24T18:33:35Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Courier companies are like cable companies. The grass will always seem greener with the other guys. Drivers can and will make mistakes, it doesn’t matter which company. > > That said, I do like when I get stuff from the US with Fedex rather than UPS. IF there is duty to pay, UPS calls me and tells me what it is and that I have to have it on hand when the package is delivered. Fedex, on the other hand, calls and says that the duty will be $X but they pay the duty then bill me after. No need to deal with it when the package is dropped off. Sure, every shipper has made mistakes for me. It happens. But the percentage of mistakes and negative experiences I have had with Fed Ex is much, much higher. Also I have found that they are much less helpful in fixing them vs. the other carriers. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/25 "2018-10-24T21:02:36Z")
I ordered something, in person, in NYC a little before 6pm the Mon night. Their usual cutoff is 4pm for same day shipping. It was shipped from their NJ warehouse & in the FedEx distribution center a few towns over from me before I made it home; was delivered the Tues before noon. Woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/26 "2018-10-26T23:41:35Z")
Long ago, I was working for a publishing company in San Diego. There had been a story on the news about a FedEx plane catching on fire but I ignored it. The next week I overheard one of the editors shouting from behind a closed door… “Yes, I saw that news, but it doesn’t matter. I paid to have it delivered the **next day**.” “Because my author told me he had a competing bid and he wanted to see my offer first. Besides, it doesn’t matter; I paid for Next Day and it should have gone Next Day.” “I’m not concerned with your insurance requirements. I need that package delivered yesterday. How long will your package inspections take?” “Four Days?!? If I was happy with it taking four days I would…I would have…I woulda sent it by – **by burro**!” –G! ---
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/27 "2018-10-27T16:08:38Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I don’t know the details of how FedEx’s system works but they do track every single package. USPS does not do that with first class mail, which is why you can just hand your letter carrier an envelope and he drops it in his bag with all the others. FedEx may have certain procedures in place for tracking that don’t allow for a random person to hand a package to a truck driver. not quite–if you hand package to driver, then yes no tracking; but if you mail (buy postage, etc) at office, then USPS gives you tracking number ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/28 "2018-10-27T17:25:17Z")
I don’t have any complaints about Fedex deliveries themselves, but around here the drivers aren’t all that bright. FedEx Ground, specifically. We have a long, dirt driveway. You can’t see our house from the street, but that’s not at all uncommon in our neighborhood. We do have a good turnaround, and have never had a truck have a problem getting out. At least twice, we’ve had FedEx ground delivery guys park their trucks on the street and walk our packages in. Just this week we had a guy hand-deliver two half-cases of wine, not particularly light packages. Mr. Athena engaged him, and said “hey, we get FedEx and UPS trucks in here all the time, nobody has any problems turning around.” and points out the turnaround. FedEx guy looks at it and says “I have a big truck.” Mr. Athena says “Like a normal FedEx truck?” FedEx guy: “Yep.” Mr. Athena “Like I said, we get UPS (which are larger trucks) and FedEx in here all the time, the turnaround is pretty big.” FedEx guy shrugs & insists there’s no way he could turn the truck around. This is the second FedEx delivery guy who’s said that. It’s no skin off our backs, but boy, if you are a professional driver, I would think you can turn around in a driveway that every single other truck can turn around in. Now that I think of it - there was one a few years ago, again FedEx Ground, who called me and insisted I meet him in the parking lot of the nearby grocery store because he was afraid of our driveway. I think I was heading there anyway so did it. But if that happened with any regularity I’d be a-bitchin. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/29 "2018-10-27T18:00:54Z")
> [@fedman](#): > > not quite–if you hand package to driver, then yes no tracking; but if you mail (buy postage, etc) at office, then USPS gives you tracking number No. Only if you pay extra for tracking, or certified, or registered, or maybe Priority Mail. You do not get tracking for standard first class mail, no matter whether you buy postage at an office. UPS and FedEx track every. single. package. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/30 "2018-10-27T18:08:29Z")
The likelihood that FedEx would be giving special “professional driver training” to all employees seems low to me. A FedEx driver is (as far as I know) a person who has been handed the keys and told “go now”. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/31 "2018-10-27T18:11:05Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > No. Only if you pay extra for tracking, or certified, or registered, or maybe Priority Mail. You do not get tracking for standard first class mail, no matter whether you buy postage at an office. UPS and FedEx track every. single. package. I may be wrong, but it’s my impression that anything an ordinary person would call a “package” is by definition not first-class mail. Isn’t first-class essentially just letters? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/32 "2018-10-27T18:59:31Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > I may be wrong, but it’s my impression that anything an ordinary person would call a “package” is by definition not first-class mail. Isn’t first-class essentially just letters? There are four rating categories for First Class Mail: postcards, letters, flats, and packages. All must weigh no more than 13 ounces. [Letters](https://pe.usps.com/BusinessMail101?ViewName=Letters) are what it sounds like. They must be under a certain size and rectangular. They must weigh no more than 3.5 ounces. [Flats](https://pe.usps.com/BusinessMail101?ViewName=Flats) are larger than the limits for letters. There is still a maximum size. They must be flexible. [First Class Packages](https://pe.usps.com/BusinessMail101?ViewName=Parcels) are too large or too rigid to be flats. These are not the complete specifications. Each has a [different set of rates](https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm#_c037). [Tracking is free](https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm#_c191) for First Class Packages. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/33 "2018-10-27T19:04:58Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > No. Only if you pay extra for tracking, or certified, or registered, or maybe Priority Mail. You do not get tracking for standard first class mail, no matter whether you buy postage at an office. UPS and FedEx track every. single. package. [The USPS made tracking free](https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/notice123.htm#_c191) for all classes of service except USPS Marketing Mail parcels. But as you say, it is not available for First Class letters or flats unless they are certified or registered, in which case it is no extra charge. Priority Mail includes tracking at no extra charge. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/34 "2018-10-27T21:44:25Z")
I was always told that the fed ex delivery side is entirely franchised and you have to "buy " routes you want to deliver too ……. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/35 "2018-10-27T22:09:08Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > I was always told that the fed ex delivery side is entirely franchised and you have to "buy " routes you want to deliver too ……. FedEx Express and FedEx Ground are two entirely separate companies owned by the same parent company. A Ground driver cannot pick up or deliver your Express package and vice versa. They have completely separate package processing networks and facilities. They have separate pickup and delivery. Like in most threads, people here are not distinguishing between the two. Yes, FedEx Ground delivery routes are franchised. FedEx Express are not. In practice, they are usually purchased in bulk by small local trucking companies which then hire the drivers. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135/36 "2018-10-28T01:12:21Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > I may be wrong, but it’s my impression that anything an ordinary person would call a “package” is by definition not first-class mail. Isn’t first-class essentially just letters? I was interpreting “package” loosely; UPS and FedEx handle envelopes, which I was considering a “package,” and they track them. They track anything at all that they deliver. USPS does not. Also, the word “tracking” may have different meanings in different contexts. When FedEx and UPS track a package, it means they know where it is during every step of transit, every time it changes hands. When the USPS tracks a package, sometimes it just means they know when it’s delivered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fedex-if-it-absolutely-positively-does-not-need-to-be-there-this-year/823135.md?page=1)