On-Demand Frieght - Who drives drives the industry?

[C150J]

Hi all!

Just wondering if you on-demand guys could tell me what industry requests such services most often. I find it fascinating that there are companies that do quite well and only run on-demand ops (not improbable, just amazed). Does FedEx "Time Critical" (I think that's what it's called) outsource to on-demand companies if it's the best way to get a package to its destination?

Thanks!
J.

[wheelsup]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi all!

Just wondering if you on-demand guys could tell me what industry requests such services most often. I find it fascinating that there are companies that do quite well and only run on-demand ops (not improbable, just amazed). Does FedEx "Time Critical" (I think that's what it's called) outsource to on-demand companies if it's the best way to get a package to its destination?

Thanks!
J.

[/ QUOTE ]

The auto industry is a big on-demand employer.

~wheelsup

[Looking4Lower]

Car parts to keep the assembly lines rolling...

[cargopusher]

It's called 'Custom Critical' - when you see their trucks on the road they are the Fedex blue guys - They were a company we acquired, but the former name escapes me at the moment - they always have a GPS unit on the cab.

[Polarbear]

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they always have a GPS unit on the cab.



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95% of trucks these days have satelite units on their trucks(which include GPS). I dont think Ive seen any OTR trucks from Fedex without them. Qualcomm took over the industry with that, and most large shippers require them now for realtime tracking of shipments. The only guys I've really see without them are local guys, very small companies, and Independant owner operators that are not affiliated with any company. They really suck because the company can see what your doing at all times. Even local guys are starting to get them in their trucks. It takes away some of the fun of driving IMHO, but ah well, hopefully I won't be doing that career anymore and will be a flying trucker instead, lol.

[Bandit_Driver]

Back when I flew freight 2001-2003 the majority of our work was automotive parts. The car companies would rather pay for a flight than shut down a line for several hours. We occassionally got to fly some kewl cargo, like race engines, military sealed cargo, ESPN cameras for the world series.

[EatSleepFly]

Most of our flying is auto parts.

I've flown cancer treatment supplies, helicopter parts, airplane parts, and a couple different types of Hazmat, as well.

Being "on demand," we also have the ability to pick up part of a scheduled run for a company who's regular plane is down. Like yesterday morning, I did a DHL run for Superior from CLT-CHS-SAV because the Metro that usually does it was down.

I'd say that 75% of our flying is auto parts, though.

[EatSleepFly]

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Does FedEx "Time Critical" (I think that's what it's called) outsource to on-demand companies if it's the best way to get a package to its destination?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's "Custom Critical," and yes, they do. I don't know if it's just an as-needed thing, or what, but I've done a few.

I do know that the feeders do not fly much (or any to speak of) "on-demand" stuff for FedEx at all. That leads me to believe it's mostly done by on-demand operators...but then we don't do that much for them. So I'm not too sure. Either someone else is doing it, or it's not profitable compared to our other flying.

[N9103M]

The only non-auto parts trips I have done while flying on demand were:

The band Fuel's equipment from from Charlotte to Houston, TX.

Xerox printer parts from Rochester, NY to Salt Lake City, UT.

Computer games from Newark, NJ to St. Louis, MO.

20 Million in cash from Miami to Nassau, BH

And a whole bunch of late cargo for UPS and DHL.

[Screaming_Emu]

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20 Million in cash from Miami to Nassau, BH


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man, that would just be too tempting. I think I mighta been looking up which countries in that direction do not extradite ;-)

[MikeD]

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I do know that the feeders do not fly much (or any to speak of) "on-demand" stuff for FedEx at all. That leads me to believe it's mostly done by on-demand operators...but then we don't do that much for them. So I'm not too sure. Either someone else is doing it, or it's not profitable compared to our other flying.

[/ QUOTE ]

True.

I still remember being called in one night at 2100 when I was in my cargo days in PHX. I had to pick up the Caravan and taxi over to the America West hangars in order to onload APU parts for a broken AmWest 737 at LAX that they wanted to have ready ASAP. Talk about on-demand. Took the parts to LAX and taxied over to where the 737 was parked and offloaded right to the mechs.

So, on the question of Fedex, what is the difference between Fedex Express (purple), Fedex Ground (green), Fedex Custom Critical (blue), and there's one more I've seen....Science and Technology or Technical; Expo, or something like that? Are they all the same company?

[cargopusher]

Okay, ready for your Fedex lesson for the day?

FedEx Corporation is the parent corp to the following:

Orange - Fedex Express -the original overnight del svc.

Green - Fedex Ground & Fedex Ground Home Delivery (was RPS, maybe?)

Blue - Fedex Custom Critical (100% owner operated) - high $$ cargo movement - temp. controlled, White Glove svc., etc.

Lt. Blue - Fedex Kinko's

Red - Fedex Freight (was Viking/American Freightways)

Yellow - Fedex Trade Networks (ocean freight, customs brokerage, advisory svcs.)

Purple - Supply Chain Services (Consolidated Return Svc.)

[cargopusher]

Further:

Green - Fedex Ground and Ground Home Delivery - those pkgs. only move thru the Ground truck system - can be next day to local areas - pkgs. do have a commitment date, too

Red - Fedex Freight - those pkgs. move thru the Freight trucking systems - but, this is not to be confused w/ Orange Fedex Express Freight that moves on the planes w/ the Orange Fedex Express pkgs.

There will be a test to follow!!

[cargopusher]

Oh darn, I almost forgot - Silver - Fedex Logistics !

Okay, I'll be quiet now.........