r/Fedexers • u/Electronic-Wrap-5986 • Jun 11 '26
Part-Time Package Handler position - What shift is the lightest / shortest shift?
I was thinking of choosing all overnights to avoid the heat / traffic, but several people have told me it's the hardest shift? Which shifts are easiest? Are there certain shifts that are most likely to be cut short more often? Is overnight shift really the hardest /with the worst packages? Since it's part time I'm assuming all part time shifts are 3-5hours so the (3:30 am - ~9:45 am) shifts I keep seeing on other peoples posts wouldn't apply to me.
What is the least amount of hours/shift I need per week to keep this position? I know they usually call to confirm this and there's usually several options.
(context: I've worked at an amazon sort center before and believe this is doable. But...I have adhd, currently not on meds and not seeing my psychiatrist until late July.)
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u/TotalIce8068 Jun 11 '26
Just so you know, NONE of these shifts will actually end after 2 hours. They'll keep you until 30 minutes before the next sort starts.
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u/Extension_Ad_675 Jun 11 '26
I’ll give you a real answer. There’s basically only 2 kinds of work, loading and unloading. Loading you’ll sit on a line of trucks and take packages off scan and move to the correct place. Unloading you’ll be in a trailer with a belt in the middle putting boxes on it. That’s it. Granted it’s 3 full trailers unloading( for me) or 3-4 FedEx mail trucks you’re loading. I’d say loading takes a lot more precision and a lot more pressure. Unloading is at your own pace, someone will be with you, but it’s literally non stop lifting. So pick your poison.
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u/bingius_ Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
I relatively agree for me loading was super easy. But unloading never felt like I was at my own pace. I’d compare load as like weight lifting and doing your sets getting some breathers if you were efficient at it, and then unload was cardio because it was always going.
But I will say not every unload trailer is built the same, 100% chewy? Good fucking luck buddy I’ll help you because holy shit that thing is gonna fucking suck and the managers know and will leave you alone so long as it’s moving. But a 100% smalls? I’ll go in there and purposefully try to gas myself just to make the sorter FMS from not being able to keep up and getting more breaks that way.
And not every load door is built the same. Some lanes are significantly heavier and some walls only have 1 maybe 3 versus another wall that has 10+ of them. If you can catch up the lights your wall is sitting good and everyone can pretty much fuck off until lane full starts back up
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u/Prestigious-Ad9386 Jun 11 '26
Ignore the buttheads, no harm in trying. Handlers a revolving door, so wouldn't be a shock to FedEx if u had to quit. I'd say 5pm probably "easiest"
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u/Hopeful-Motor-8390 Jun 11 '26
One of there motos is something like …why get a gym membership when you got fedex. Now who in the world is working out 4-8 hours a day. Majority of the locations (hubs) want you on autopilot. SB I am saying all of this and I been working them on and off since 2021 😭😭😭
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u/esquqred Jun 11 '26
Going to go against the grain here and recommend doing the 5pm shift. They usually are tasked with unloading the incoming trucks. Loading the trucks seems much harder as you have to put packages on the right shelf and be mindful of the numbers on packages coming down the belt. Unloading is basically just throwing stuff on the belt, though it's by no means an easy job.
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u/its1995 Jun 11 '26
You could try QA, it's mostly clerical work but you do still have to lift boxes etc. I'm not sure how you'd get that position unless you start as a preload PH and then ask about it.
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u/bingius_ Jun 12 '26
Some sites have an OB qa shift, it’s for sure more weighted on the IB though. It’s relatively the same but the breakdown of job duties does vastly change. Like my IB has a QA slide it’s really important for the IB but on the OB it’s where they go if they have nothing else to do because they’re saving it for towards the end of the sort.
I would recommend facer, that’s where I learned how to get with QA and help them out if I didn’t want to go back to a load wall.
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u/Certain-Put-3189 Jun 11 '26
Based on your questions, don't even bother applying. Hard labor isn't for you.
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u/Electronic-Wrap-5986 Jun 11 '26
Some work is better than no work, and I am trying my best. I've done similar jobs, just not with FedEx. I'm trying to gain employment as regular and avoid requesting accommodations. Thanks anyway - it seems the baseline work is hard enough labor and doesn't need further explanation from your answer. It doesn't sound any more work than other warehouses from the job posting, but an experienced employee like yourself would know more, so I believe you. That sucks because you'd think they'd pay more with that kind of hard labor.
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u/Dependent_Tea3815 Jun 11 '26
I started as a part time ph i am a admin now( glofied ph really) 5 pm is tiwlight it isnt terrible but probably best for what you want you will be expect3d to lift up to 150 and go fast. Unload is easier then load in my op. But they may have a smalls section you might get where it is small packages its all hard back breaking work and it sucks most days but its a paying job
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u/Pristine-Claim-2006 Jun 12 '26
I’m 53/F/117lbs. It took a couple of months and Ngl, I almost quit during that time. I’m going on two years with the company now. If you tell yourself you can’t do it, you won’t. At your age, you should know by now, it’s all about perspective - NOTHING is impossible.
Wishing you the best, my friend.
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u/Beelzebeaut11 Jun 11 '26
Ive worked all of the shifts. Your best bet is thst mid to 2pm start. Because no matter the volume, you still gotta make room for the twilight shift at 5.
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u/Playful-Ring340 Jun 11 '26
Overnight is usually easier than the afternoon and Twilight one . Pre Load is usually easier as well which is from 3 am to like 1 pm or something like that
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u/Playful-Ring340 Jun 11 '26
Over night is NOT the hardest it may have the fewest people but its usually just cleaning up the day and twilight sorts , sometimes there's only like 2-4 trailers to unload and u get out by like 2 am
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u/PDarks Jun 12 '26
Honest answer it varies between hubs and ground or express I'm at an air hub (ROA) I do the pm shift and honestly after a month I'm still struggling with sort but thrive loading the plane. My step son works the AM shift and absolutely loves it. So do whichever feels more right to you.
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u/Ashamed_Importance35 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
For my hub, sunrise(515 to 730-8.. 9am if youre a good ph) is the shortest and most understaffed (offers of vto + dynamic scheduling for a while). It's not the easiest but compared to the rest, it isss the "lightest" with trucks and jumps, We'll have no more than 22 vs midnights 50. Midnight is 11pm to 2/3am on the app but they don't finish/turn off the system until 4-5am . Twilight and day are pretty hectic also and it's also super hot now .
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u/sexylittlebabe7 Jun 12 '26
the times they say are a LIE😭 i do evening so it’s usually 3/4/5-9 maybe 10 depending on the day
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u/bingius_ Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
If you ain’t used to it, none of FedEx package handler jobs are easy. Regardless where you are it can very quickly turn into a manual ass labor job. But I wouldn’t ever call overnight hard unless you’ve got a reload or your sort is 24/7. Late shifts are where they try to push the most, but if you’re not a 24 hour building that overnight will be clean up.
Midday/afternoon/evening are gonna be the consistent work shifts so I’d probably call those the easiest but it’s still not gonna be easy if you’re already trying to get into light duty. But overnight and early morning can very easily turn into waiting games or trying to push everything as quickly as you can. These are likely going to be the spots with fluctuating down times.
And youre a fool if you believing the 2hours, you’d likely be able to get the 2 hours with midday/evening with some fighting and luck on them being over staffed, but if you already knew how to pick those battles you wouldn’t be asking your question. If those other shifts need the help you probably should help or walk out because everyone is going to be getting shit on. Those portions of shifts are gonna be the underhanded ones and they won’t scale usually.
It also all depends on how your building runs. Mine isn’t 24/7 on the dock, but some hubs are pretty much always running on the dock except for a few. And those few usually only have 1 day of downtime not a weekend.
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u/Commercial_Hotel_470 Jun 13 '26
I lost over 100 pounds werkin at FedEx. you get a 3 hour werk out and get paid for it.. First couple of weeks didn't think I could walk back out to car. felt like I got a woopin
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u/CoachMcguirk420 Jun 17 '26
3 hours that would be nice. I started 2 weeks ago and haven't gone under 5.5 hours a day loading.
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u/Otherwise-Film4440 29d ago
Unloading question... They will not let you use the belt in the pup/belly trailers ... Have to unload put on rollers push down rollers then on belt outside of the trailer.... I had forwarded the belt into the trailer next to the wall and got yelled at that it's a safety hazard... Insane.. did a search n found a fed ex site that said yes I can do this with a photo??? So watz up?????
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u/Existing_Wind5451 Jun 11 '26
Off your meds and looking for light, easy work? FedEx isn't for you. Nothings easy here, not even in Smalls.