FedEx Freight driving record safer than most

April 14, 2014
In wake of last week's crash in Northern California, report indicates Memphis-based FedEx Corp.'s trucking unit FedEx Freight has a better driving record than more than 99 percent of U.S. trucking companies.

Memphis-based FedEx Corp.'s trucking unit FedEx Freight has a better driving record than more than 99 percent of U.S. trucking companies over the past two years, according to government data.

FedEx expressed "great sadness" Friday but wasn't commenting on the safety record or details of Thursday's crash that killed the company's driver and at least nine people on a tour bus in Northern California.

"Like so many of you, I have watched with great sadness the reports of the tragic accident involving a FedEx Freight vehicle and a tour bus in Northern California," company president Frederick W. Smith said in a statement. "First and foremost, I want to express my deepest personal sympathies and the condolences of over 300,000 other FedEx team members to everyone involved in this accident, including the families of the students and others who lost their lives and those who were injured and the families and friends of the FedEx Freight driver who died in the crash."

Authorities said the tractor-trailer crossed over a grassy median on Interstate 5 and hit an oncoming bus carrying high school students on a college visit.

While the public generally doesn't distinguish among FedEx's operating divisions, the charred semitrailer in photos and news footage clearly displayed the FedEx Freight logo.

FedEx Freight is the company's over-the-road trucking unit and smallest of three operating divisions, behind FedEx Express, the overnight delivery company with its own airline; and FedEx Ground, a trucking-based parcel delivery service that is FedEx's head-to-head competitor with United Parcel Service.

FedEx Freight, Ground and Custom Critical combined make FedEx No. 2 among the nation's top five trucking companies, behind UPS and ahead of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, YRC Worldwide and Con-Way Truckload Inc., according to the Journal of Commerce.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Motor Carrier Safety Measurement System compares carriers on five on-road criteria: unsafe driving; hours of service compliance; driver fitness; controlled substances and alcohol; and vehicle maintenance.

FedEx Freight rated 0.7 percent on unsafe driving, meaning that 0.7 percent of motor carriers have a better record on that metric, compared to 7.8 percent for UPS, 25.5 percent for J.B. Hunt, 9.7 percent for YRC, and 48.8 percent for Con-Way. The statistic measures incidents of operating a commercial motor vehicle in a dangerous or careless manner.

FedEx Freight's other rankings were 18.4 percent, hours of service compliance; 30.5 percent, driver fitness; 0 percent, controlled substances and alcohol; and 45.5 percent, vehicle maintenance. The statistics cover the last two years.

The government said FedEx Freight was involved in 730 total crashes including 23 fatal crashes and 223 injury crashes. The crash data represents involvement in reportable crashes without any determination about responsibility for the crash.

UPS was involved in 37 fatal crashes during the two years, followed by J.B. Hunt, 24; YRC, 22; and Con-Way, 9.

FedEx Freight is headed by president and chief executive officer William J. Logue. It has more than 35,000 employees, handles average daily volume of more than 85,000 shipments, and operates more than 20,000 vehicles. Revenues in the fiscal year ending last May 31 were $5.4 billion.

"It will take some time," Smith said in his statement, "to fully understand exactly how this accident occurred and why. In the meantime, I want everyone to know that we at FedEx are committed to providing every resource necessary to assist investigators in their efforts to understand what happened." He added:

"Just as important, we are committed to providing support for our team members, their families and the families of all of those who lost their lives. This is a tragic day for these families, and our thoughts and prayers are with them," Smith said.

Copyright 2014 - The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.

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