Quality of Life Questions for UPS & FedEx Crews
Gentlemen and Ladies,
I've not been admitted to this specialty form for freight pilots. Still, I hope that I am allowed to pose a few questions... If I'm in violation of any rule, please note it, my apologies and I'll go away...
Q1: The two U.S. domestic overnight parcel carriers, FedEx and UPS, stand down about 95% of their ground delivery forces over the usual weekends. Saturday and Sunday deliveries may be possible in some circumstances, but it is rare and mind-bogglingly expensive. So, with a Monday-through Friday completion schedule, does this mean that most domestic FedEx and UPS crews have Friday and Saturday off, resuming work again on Sunday afternoon to make Monday's deliveries? Someone, please explain how this really works for domestic crews.
Q2: Again for UPS and FedEx crews, what are your international trips like? Do you fly many international hops with only a few days in base each month, or do you fly one or two intense sets of organized segments (with rest of course) and then return to base for an extended stand-down? How does it work and how many days per month are you usually away or at home? With or without seniority, senior line holder or junior reserve pilot, does this work for you? Considering both seats and all equipment flown by your line, does this work for you? Of course, we'd all like to have 30 days off each month. Over the longer term, perhaps a rolling year, how many days are you off each month?
Q3: A: Do you commute to your base?
Q3: B: If so, how many round trips each month?
Q3: C: How many miles/legs/hours in your commute?
Q3: D: If you commute, do you think it is worth the time/effort to maintain your current residence (Personal Base?) Would you/could you live at your line's principal base? If maybe, how many more 'full' days off per month would you expect to achieve?
Q3: E: If you do not commute to your principal base, how long have you been residing in/near your line's principal base - or an away base that is stable and likely to remain (ANC may be an example, but only that.)
Thanks to everyone who cares to respond. Any format, including open naritive is just fine. I'm just making a random whatever and trying to find out how pleased - or not pleased domestic and international crews may be. So far, I have no clue.
Q4: For each aircraft type flown, what kind of break/relief/rest accommodations do your airplanes provide? If you fly long international legs with an augmented crew, do you have enough or good enough space to get real rest? What does your line provide? What should they provide? Do you have a galley and crew meals? Good, average or horrible? Please tell me what facilities your usual airplane provides. Again, ordinary text or your own kind of list is just fine.
If I see any informal trends in the comments that I hope will come in, I'll the important details and post them right here. I'm curious as hell, have no otheree agenda and I swear <grins> I do NOT represent the N.S.A., the C.I.A., the F.B.I or ANY government organization. We know that they are listening/reading, but business as usual for me. I just want to know a lot more about your schedules, at-work comforts and your quality of life. Thanks folks. NFZ