-=H=- wrote:
Hi all,

I shipped two boxes of amateur radio equipment yesterday from
Lewisville, Texas to Cooper City, Florida. As always, I used
FedEx Ground. Here's why:

Two packages:
(1) weight 33.60 lbs, size 24 x 21 x 16 inches, insured $900
(2) weight 13.95 lbs, size 22 x 22 x 14 inches, insured $100

FedEx Ground, delivery in 3 business days, cost $38.77
UPS Ground, delivery in 4-5 business days, cost $56.07

UPS would have charged $17.30 more than FedEx (that's almost
45 percent) and would have taken 1-2 days longer to arrive.
To me, $17.30 is not a trivial amount of money.

Something to think about next time you're shipping packages!

On the otherhand, in the last 2 weeks, I have had 4 packages
delivered to me by FedEX Ground, and each arrived from 1 to 4 days
later than the tracking system said they would. When the appointed
day came, they just bumped up the delivery date to the next
business day.

In one case, they lied about no one being home. At the time
they said no one was home, I was sitting on my porch talking
with a friend (and for 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after the
appointed time.)

I have in the past had a number of crated packages delivered by
FedEX Freight, and most cases, they completely and totally
destroyed the crates. I was lucky to only have to replace one
item from this damage. Once they delivered a 4'x8'x1' crate that
weighed 600# in a small econoline van. They couldn't even get
the crate out of the van without my help. One guy bloodied his
mouth when the crate went over balance, and smashed his head
between the crate and the roof of the van... All the while, the
drivers young daughter sat on the front seat.

I have never had UPS miss the delivery time they said they would
meet. I have never had UPS lie about delivery misses. And no
matter how heavy the package, they always bring it to my door
(and use safe methods for moving heavy packages.)

To me, it seems that your luck with delivery is just luck of the draw.
I have a great UPS delivery guy. The FedEx guys are different
every time.

-Chuck