Amazon small fleet start up.

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Just-Thinking-51

Very bored and cranky pundit
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According to a link within that article, Amazon's private (exempted from FOIA), bulk-rate deal with the Postal Service is under scrutiny.

Amazon may be hedging, just in case their rates go up....
 
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This seems like the next extension of their Amazon Flex and contracts with private logistics companies for last-mile deliveries controlled by Amazon. I'll often have my packages delivered by a person in a white unmarked van, which always seemed a bit...odd. It also seems to have more issues than the traditional carriers; there's multiple times where I haven't been home to have a package delivered and there's no way for them to redirect it to a pickup point after a failed delivery attempt. The major carriers in my area have figured that out, so I'm not sure why Amazon hasn't yet.

Branded cars are a step in the right direction, though they have a long way to go before I'd see them as on par with USPS, UPS, or FedEx in terms of professional last-mile logistics.
 
Hmm, I got something from Amazon a couple of weeks ago and it was delivered by a guy in an unmarked van. I thought that was unusual, but I guess its part of their plan to dominate all phases of sales and merchandising.
 
Let's see...you're an Independent Contractor and therefore not covered by minimum wage laws nor eligible for benefits...but you have to lease an Amazon-branded van, wear Amazon uniforms, deliver only Amazon packages...am I leaving anything out?

What happens if business turns down? Do you get a break on the lease and insurance payments? What are you out if one of your drivers dings or scratches Amazon's leased van? If someone conceals a criminal record and starts diverting packages, does that come out of your pocket?

Thanks but no thanks; if I want to be a fall guy I'll join the circus.
 
If you are an independent contractor, I believe you still are governed by minimum wage laws, if not for yourself, than at least for any employees that you hire...
 
Just so I understand this... There's no guarantee that you, the small fleet "owner", will receive minimum wage... but you're absolutely obligated to pay minimum wage (to your other drivers). Uh huh. Sounds fair enough to me.
 
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