So why as an employer would I offer a benefit that wouldn’t impact my recruiting or retention?
Employer. businessman. manager......Hahahaha!. Let's just cut to the chase when it comes to what you really are.
In exchange for supplying X with trucking and labor at rates X would be too ashamed to pay their own people , you are granted the right to service their boxes that fall within a certain geographical area under X's DOT number, policies, disciplines, rules and standards.
Now whatever values and equity fulfilling those tasks might garner for you X locks it up and does not unlock it unless it's through a transaction involving another party and only if the terms of that transaction are to the satisfaction of Fedex and places Fedex's interests first and foremost. If it fails to do so then the transaction is denied no matter how badly the third party is overpaying for the contract. It doesn't happen unless Fedex says it can happen.
Furthermore , Fedex has blocked all channels of litigation denying you the opportunity to bring potentially costly for fedex litigation to bear on the matter. All part of the total domination that Fedex has over you and the terms you operate under. It's locked down, sewed up, their way or the highway
So just what are you in reality?.........You are simply an administrator of a supply chain, nothing more. A supply chain that can be cut off at any time with no prior notice and for any reason or no reason at all. And never for more than one year at a time.
Now you'll no doubt finds these comments......."funny" or "creative" because it's the only response you have here. But, when you sweep away the "owning your own business" fantasy and grind off the delusional "independent contractor" slag then what becomes quite clear is the climate of absolute servitude your daily experience with Fedex represents.