I just ordered a book from Altamount Press that is FEDEX ground from Modesto CA,Will it go by rail?

[Anonymous]

Will it be trucked to the nearest FEDEX ground and be Piggybacked from Stockton CA? What railroads would they use? Will it be off loaded at Chicago and trucked to Cleveland or Be Offloaded at Cleveland and sorted and shipped from the Fedex Terminal here?

[nslakediv]

I dont believe FedEx moves on the rail, mostly by air.

[Overmod]

No. FedEx will almost certainly move it by ground (unless you specifically ordered it next-day air, or perhaps if second-day or third-day across the continent). But at present, it will go by truck -- with non-union team drivers keeping it running nearly constantly.

Hopefully, we can get that changed at some time fairly soon. Don't think for a minute that all the relevant alternatives (including RailRunners) aren't being continuously tracked. So far, there are too many 'gotchas' for too little return to invest in the necessary technology or guaranteed levels of service to compete with the mix of time and price that the trucking has provided. That's of historical merit only, not any indication of entrenched policy in future.

[BaltACD]

Fed-Ex doesn't have much, if any rail involvement.

If it was UPS it would most likely move by rail for the standard UPS modes.

[zardoz]

Fed-Ex and American Freightways merged a few years ago. American Freightways is a nation-wide LTL (less-than-truckload) carrier with an extensive fleet.

During my previous job as Traffic Manager, AF was my carrier of choice. Professional drivers, clean trucks, excellent GUARANTEED service (3 days Milwaukee to California), and good rates. I know American Freightways did not use rail before the merger.

[Anonymous]

FEDEX Ground also got some of "Roadways" Package service. American Freightways also bought some of St Johnsbury Trucking Fleet. "To Serve You Better" was St Js Motto in a oval circle around there trucks and there terminals were painted in a unmistakeble green. I am under the impression a that all major trucking companys use rail especilay when there is shortage of drivers and I believe that FEDX is no different. Distances over 1500 miles are best handled by rail.
Too much can go wrong out there and the truck drivers I met at the Diner here have problems that truker did not have 30 years ago. One truck driver showed me his personal pharmacy of anti-psycotic drugs."Do You Know Whats On Your Highway?"

[Junctionfan]

Anti-psychotic drugs eh? Road rage with a big rig........I feel safer already.

[JoeKoh]

Hey Rocks
will fly to memphis from california( thats their sorting center) and they fly to cleveland and be trucked to their center their and then trucked to your house(or cargo van).
stay safe
Joe

[espeefoamer]

If it was shipped by DHL it would be put on a yellow truck,then loaded onto a flatcar,two trucks per car,on a unit train,according to thier commercial[;)].

[Anonymous]

This is FEDEX Ground.............................

[Anonymous]

No.

LC

[Anonymous]

There's an article in the current Fortune magazine about FedEx's foray into LTL. LTL is described as a fragmented industry, and FedEx is generating strong earnings from it (and increasing market share) as well as from air shipments to and from China through a hub in Anchorage. The overnight letter business has been fading because of the internet.

Fred Smith has sure been visionary. Wonder if he sees any potential for rail in his crystal ball?

[Anonymous]

Clevelandrocks,

You indicated to us that Drivers have problems that they did not have 30 years ago. While I dont want to go off topic here please bear with me here. I feel that Driving today is not even near what it was in the 80's. There was no satellite tracking, walmarts, drugs or issues in near real time of driver management like today. Everything is much more "Faster" and "Driven" with every hour that counts. The drivers that cannot run with the Fleet Manager or keep healthy and stay with the flow of on time deliverys were sent home. End of story.

I imagine team drivers with pups would roll them out of the west coast. It would take a team much shorter time than single drivers to get it out of Modesto. However, with my use of Fed Ex for computer parts the best way to get it shipped is by Air. It is usually into Memphis and sent to local sorting and to my house (Usually I have to go get it because I am very hard to find) I still will rely on Air for my "mail" from the west coast. Usually it has to go thru Louisville Kentucky but all things get to where they need to rather quickly. A day or so.

It will take a little longer by rail. Air is the best way. Yes, short haul pups bring the cargo from aircraft to sorting. I have always advocated trucking as a way to get it from A to B directly via a Team Operation.. but in today's world of literally "Time-Driven" economics.. no one will wait for that "slow" or "Problem" driver to deliver (If he or she does) Put that trailer or box on the rail or load the package on the plane and get it moving.

That way everyone especially the customer who wants that package now is happy.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't FedEx now handle the ground packages for the US Postal Service, with USPS only doing its Express Mail packages?

[nslakediv]

even if it is by rail(which it is not) it still has to be trucked a both ends. as for the psychotic, I highly doubt the driver was taking any type of depressant and still operating a comm. vehicle, his company would have him dis-qualified before he knew it, with insurance companies ruling the world, thats the way it has to be. now if he is taking a non-prescption thats another story, he is a danger to others and should be taken out of service. 30 yrs ago the industry had its own problems much like today. if your not in it you wont know about them.

[mikeyuhas]

Clevelandrocks,

When you finally get the package, why don't you go to the FedEx website and trace your shipment? That way, you'll at least know where it stopped along the way.

[Anonymous]

Clevelandrocks,

When you finally get the package, why don't you go to the FedEx website and trace your shipment? That way, you'll at least know where it stopped along the way
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Rob over at Altamont Press has not given me a tracking number...Its been 2 days since my order.
%*%(&&^(!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nslakediv

even if it is by rail(which it is not) it still has to be trucked a both ends. as for the psychotic, I highly doubt the driver was taking any type of depressant and still operating a comm. vehicle, his company would have him dis-qualified before he knew it, with insurance companies ruling the world, thats the way it has to be. now if he is taking a non-prescption thats another story, he is a danger to others and should be taken out of service. 30 yrs ago the industry had its own problems much like today. if your not in it you wont know about them.

Yes, I highly doubt that any "driver" employed by a company will get away with such "issues" for long. Now owner operators.. (*Sigh) let's jest keep it between the lines shall we?

Take it easy out there.

[cpbloom]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

Clevelandrocks,

When you finally get the package, why don't you go to the FedEx website and trace your shipment? That way, you'll at least know where it stopped along the way.

I did this with the UPS tracking system once when I ordered something from California. UPS tracking had it last scanned at UPS North Bay which I guess is somewhere near San Francisco/Oakland. For like 2-3 days (not during the weekend) there was no status showing, then it finally showed scanned as arriving in Chicago. Would it be safe to assume train 9-991 ???

[Anonymous]

Clevelandrocks,

When you finally get the package, why don't you go to the FedEx website and trace your shipment? That way, you'll at least know where it stopped along the way.
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Well it would take at least 6-8 hours to sort and load and another 4-5 hours to load to the train
and vice versa. Were are located at? Remember you are looking at 6 days cross country plus a half day for loading and unloading

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cpbloom

QUOTE: Originally posted by mikeyuhas

Clevelandrocks,

When you finally get the package, why don't you go to the FedEx website and trace your shipment? That way, you'll at least know where it stopped along the way.

I did this with the UPS tracking system once when I ordered something from California. UPS tracking had it last scanned at UPS North Bay which I guess is somewhere near San Francisco/Oakland. For like 2-3 days (not during the weekend) there was no status showing, then it finally showed scanned as arriving in Chicago. Would it be safe to assume train 9-991 ???

North Bay Yard is in Richmond, CA. I tracked a package I ordered from North Carolina to California. It did the same thing. I think that the status only gets updated when it is scan on arrival or departure at a sorting facility.