As we head into the 2024 peak season it’s time for logistics professionals to roll up their sleeves and get ready. Two recent “Wednesday Webinars” hosted by Josh Gregory, VP of Education at Route Consultant, provided invaluable insights from industry experts Ken Davenport and Amy and Dave Buers. 

The Schedule L announcement comes with two major changes: New quarterly incentives and disincentives based on an all-new safety ranking system, and an update to the accident indemnification amounts for contractors. With these changes, contractors can see impacts on quarterly revenue anywhere from +2% to -3% based on their safety performance. This new system ranks contractors in a new “class” of 1-10, with 10 being the best.

Our team of actual FedEx contractors worked through the math of new FedEx trucks versus used FedEx trucks in our own operations. We always want to make the most efficient choice for our fleets. We have compelling data that shows new trucks are the superior option for routes that are 150 miles per day or less. Why is this the case?

Running a successful company starts with having a solid team. An employee handbook is a critical factor in creating company culture and guidelines for your employees. Whether your employees are part-time, seasonal, or full-time, having some form of agreement in place is essential. An agreement establishes clear expectations and regulations for your team members.

Many contractors overlook the importance of a good fleet strategy. In the linehaul space, this becomes especially important since you’re dealing with very large, very expensive pieces of equipment that can make or break your business if something goes wrong. Creating a strong fleet strategy will not only improve the efficiency of your organization but save you a massive amount of money in the long run.

When looking at FedEx Ground routes for sale through Route Consultant, you can expect valuations to be presented as both a Multiple of Earnings and as a Percent of Annual Revenue. This allows you to better compare listings in the market instead of relying on a single value. In this blog, we will discuss some of the reasons why metrics can be misleading and how the Listing Price as a Percent of Annual Revenue can give you a better gauge on the potential of an operation.

There are additional costs that come with purchasing a FedEx Ground delivery business beyond just the purchase price. When negotiating a deal and calculating your expected costs to be fully operational on your first day, you must consider additional startup costs.

Route Consultant partners with Silicon Ledger to support contractors in applying for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) or applying for Remediation. The ERTC is a stimulus program introduced and passed into law as a result of Covid-19 and the Cares Act. The ERTC essentially compensates you for payroll spent on employees during 2020 and 2021.

Every FedEx Ground terminal serves a defined geographic territory. FedEx Ground closely monitors—and prevents via scale requirements—any contractor/entity from growing too large or too small within a single terminal. They do so by prescribing the number of daily stops an entity can make as a percent of all terminal stops.

FedEx Ground businesses range in price depending on the number of routes, demand, profitability, and the health of the fleet. Knowing how to raise capital to fund FedEx operations is key to growing and being successful in this space.

You are charging FedEx for your services. You will negotiate each of the following charges with FedEx. All of these charges combined account for money flowing into your business. It’s critical you understand how and when those charges occur. And how you can increase your cash flow! Following is a quick overview of the charges you will negotiate as part of your Independent Service Provider (ISP) contract.

There are two distinct types of FedEx routes, and if you are considering buying a FedEx route, it’s important to figure out if you want to purchase pick-up and delivery (P&D) routes or a linehaul run. There are important and significant difference between FedEx P&D routes and FedEx linehaul runs.

Peak season is the time of year when contractors see additional package volume coming into the network, typically between the beginning of November and the end of December. FedEx has three incentives in place to encourage linehaul contractors to take on the additional volume while remaining profitable. These include peak mileage incentives, bonus points, and temporary run assignments.

As you look to buy a FedEx Ground linehaul operation, look for linehaul businesses with profit margins between 15-35% of revenue. This wide range depends on whether your linehaul runs are solo, team, or combination runs.

When purchasing a FedEx Ground operation, you should always be prepared to have your manager give notice. Your manager will not be contractually obligated to you, so it is important to secure a window of support from the seller in case you lose your manager.

Difficult days on the job are part of every job. They can feel particularly stressful for your drivers. And they have options to go elsewhere if they are stressed too often. Be sure you have an atmosphere where team members feel respected and can be open with management about their concerns.

For the vast majority of FedEx Ground contractors, payroll is the largest operational expense. It’s no exaggeration that how you pay your drivers and manage your payroll expense will have a material effect on the profitability of your business as well as the productivity of your team.

Fuel cards are the way your drivers will pay for fuel (if you enroll in a fuel card program). These cards look like a credit card, but there are important differences between a fuel card and a credit card.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are all the rage in today’s consumer market. Many cities and states, particularly on the east and west coasts, are edging ever closer to lowering emissions and adopting a more electric vehicle friendly environment. FedEx Ground has vowed to be fully carbon neutral by 2040. EVs will certainly be a big part of that initiative.

There are two distinct types of FedEx businesses: pick-up and delivery (P&D) routes or a linehaul run. Linehaul runs are a lucrative and risky business. Some contractors say linehaul runs are 90% boredom and 10% terror. But they can be an incredibly profitable investment for the right contractor. Are you the right contractor for a linehaul run?