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0 pointsgambiting1y ago0 comments

>>If a driver is delivering a pallet to the FooCorp warehouse, he doesn't get given a copy of the FooCorp org chart, or get an example signature to compare against the signature they're given, or get given a map or a secret password or anything like that.

Obviously. But if there is 400 grand on the line, you'd think someone would actually check(when the claim is made). The receiver would say "you have a signature from person X. Person X doesn't actually work here". Fedex then says "ok, prove it" - and then the receiver does, in whatever way is legally acceptable.

Edit: in fact, let me add a bit more - if the shipment was delivered to the right address just signed by someone who didn't actually work there then sure, I think FedEx would be in the clear. But they delivered the parcel to the wrong place - the fact that it was signed for by someone is almost irrelevant, it's the same as having no signature at all.

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gus_massa1y ago

When I get a package from Mercado Libre here in Argentina they ask for my national ID number [1], take a photo of the number in the door and when it's expensive enough (USD$100?) they ask for a secret word that they send the previous day bay email. For USD$400,000 I'd expect them to do a DNA analysis :) .

[1] I'm not sure how they check the number, because they accept the ID number of anyone in the family and even the full time cleaner of the building. They type it and the app takes a second to show a green check. I guess it's a fuzzy list to prevent obvious scams.

gambitingOP1y ago

Here in the UK Amazon gives you a code that you have to give to the driver for more expensive parcels specifically for this reason. Again doesn't seem like an outrageous thing to implement for a 400k delivery.

joezydeco1y ago

I've ordered expensive things from Amazon to my office in the US and they did the whole code ritual... the driver just dumped it at the door and ran. It's all for show.

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michaelt1y ago

Better controlled delivery services presumably exist for things like delivering cash to banks, drugs to pharmacies and suchlike. Hell, there are food delivery companies where the customer gets a secret code they have to give to the driver.

As far as FedEx is concerned, though? They were not contracted to get any specific name or signature. They were contracted to deliver to a certain address. The GPS says the driver went to the right address, to within the accuracy of a GPS trace. The driver got a name and signature at that time. The driver marked the delivery as successful in their computer.

Maybe they call up the driver and say "Did you deliver to the wrong address?" and the driver says "I don't think so, but I make a lot of deliveries so I can't say for sure."

Sure, in reality the pallet was dropped off in the parking lot across the road from Ship Fusion, instead of at Ship Fusion. But FedEx's records say everything is in order.

To be clear I'm not saying this is good, I'm just saying it's normal.

kruador1y ago

If you look at the map, Shipfusion is 4350 North 5th Street, North Las Vegas. The Circle K is literally next door, on the intersection of North 5th Street and East Craig Road. See https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wz6iNaViGf3ToM1U6.

I think what happened here is that the FedEx driver was in such a hurry to drop off that he saw a bunch of people apparently outside Shipfusion, stopped and said 'Hey, delivery for you', rather than going and finding the proper entrance to the loading dock. And to be fair, that's the corner with the company logo on it - looking at Google Streetview I can't see a logo at the back of the building where the loading dock is!

And to be even more fair to the driver, they are often given utterly unrealistic amounts of time to drive to the next drop, or to complete the drop. They can only complete their rounds by cutting corners.

philistine1y ago

If you had listened to the podcast, you could have learned through the grapevines that FedEx fired the driver.

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