# Is Amazon Flex phasing out small vehicles?



## Shonabear (May 9, 2019)

I notice someone posted blocks for next week for large vehicle drivers. What's going to happen to us small vehicle people?


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## amazinghl (Oct 31, 2018)

Better have an exit strategy in place.


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## Shonabear (May 9, 2019)

amazinghl said:


> Better have an exit strategy in place.


You might be right.


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## Watup (Jan 24, 2017)

Blocks for larg vehicle are 4.5 or 5 hrs only , and are always for morning and afternoon , atleast that's the case at my warehouse, thr are still plenty of 3 and 3.5 for small cars


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## IR12 (Nov 11, 2017)

Shonabear said:


> I notice someone posted blocks for next week for large vehicle drivers. What's going to happen to us small vehicle people?


Welcome to the forum.


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## Woohaa (Jan 15, 2017)

Shonabear said:


> I notice someone posted blocks for next week for large vehicle drivers. *What's going to happen to us small vehicle people?*


Same thing that happened to 8 track tape decks.


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## Tank_Driver (Sep 30, 2017)

BUY A TANK! Sorry for caps lock... just passionate about having the right vehicle for the job.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Tank_Driver said:


> BUY A TANK! Sorry for caps lock... just passionate about having the right vehicle for the job.


I don't think the customers would appreciate you driving over their cars to find parking.


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## UberPasco (Oct 18, 2015)

oicu812 said:


> I don't think the customers would appreciate you driving over their cars to find parking.


You don't _have _to drive _over _cars_. _It's just more funner.


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## ScubaMark (Oct 5, 2017)

And easy to get through security gates with a round of H.E.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

UberPasco said:


> You don't _have _to drive _over _cars_. _It's just more funner.


There's no point in not driving over cars if you've got a tank.


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## Ted L. (Jun 8, 2017)

At my warehouse the earliest block I see scheduled is for 12:45. Starting this late makes it almost impossible to get two blocks. Earlier blocks do show up the same day but they seem to be a rarity, I picked up a 12:15 block last week and there were only 4 cars for that time slot.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Starting at 12:45 you can't get 2 blocks? Your station either doesn't have evening same day and/or retries *or* you choose not to do those.

At the stations I go to, I can get 2 blocks even starting at 3pm.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Ted L. said:


> The blocks end at 9:00 and due to the geographical area this warehouse serves it doesn't make sense for me to take 3 hour blocks (unless they get to $30/hr).


So one can get 2 blocks a day. It's just not ones you want. Then it's not impossible to get 2 blocks a day at your station.


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## Ted L. (Jun 8, 2017)

Shonabear said:


> I notice someone posted blocks for next week for large vehicle drivers. What's going to happen to us small vehicle people?


It's not just 4.5 hour blocks. Here's a screenshot showing that a large vehicle is required for a 4 hour block.


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

I think amazon is phasing out flex altogether. I’ve seen two prime branded Mercedes sprinter vans working in Ft Myers

I did a google search and found that amazon is building out their own delivery system similar to Fedex. They contract with a local company who will take on 20 to 40 routes, lease the vans and hire the drivers

Amazon recently ordered 20,000 vans


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## Ted L. (Jun 8, 2017)

I can't see an elimination of flex, van drivers get around $14/hr and I can't imagine that the vans and DSP overhead cost less than $4. Additionally any change in local demand is absorbed by flex and not by the DSPs. A push towards larger vehicles makes sense as long as there are enough drivers willing to drive SUVs and minivans at car rates.


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## Watup (Jan 24, 2017)

And Amazon won't let you do 40 hrs a week.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Ted L. said:


> It's not just 4.5 hour blocks. Here's a screenshot showing that a large vehicle is required for a 4 hour block.


I've done a 4.5 hour standard vehicle block. Wasn't too bad, it was 55 stops, 61 packages.



Watup said:


> And Amazon won't let you do 40 hrs a week.


Please stop spreading BS. I've been doing 40 hours for who knows how long (with the exception of a couple of months back when they lowered the cap to 30/35 temporarily).


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## Watup (Jan 24, 2017)

oicu812 said:


> I've done a 4.5 hour standard vehicle block. Wasn't too bad, it was 55 stops, 61 packages.
> 
> Please stop spreading BS. I've been doing 40 hours for who knows how long (with the exception of a couple of months back when they lowered the cap to 30/35 temporarily).


 BS Really?? I just picked 37.5 hrs and and nothing more then 2.5 was showing for me and as soon as i fotfit my one block orders showed up again, try using calculater when counting you hrs genius. They increase hrs limit during Holidays .


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## soypana (Jun 21, 2016)

I remember I used to do flex on my 2 door scion TC :biggrin: .. 4 hours blocks.. only around 30-50 packages.. that was when flex was still great.. now I see they don't even allow small cars.. good thing I got out and got a real job 2 years ago.


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## Watup (Jan 24, 2017)

We been getting 48 pkgs for 3.5 and 45 for 3 hr run


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## EmOinDallas (Oct 14, 2018)

You might find this helpful https://www.benzinga.com/news/19/05...ake-employees-a-driver-offer-they-cant-refuse


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Watup said:


> BS Really?? I just picked 37.5 hrs and and nothing more then 2.5 was showing for me and as soon as i fotfit my one block orders showed up again, try using calculater when counting you hrs genius. They increase hrs limit during Holidays .


And you could've done 40 hours (37.5 + 2.5) and you said Amazon won't let you do 40 hours. Make up your mind. So yeah, it's BS that Amazon won't allow you to work 40 hours. Amazon won't let you work *MORE* than 40 hours anymore. 2017 peak I was able to work more than 40 hours a week. I think the most I did was 53.


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## UberPasco (Oct 18, 2015)

Watup said:


> And Amazon won't let you do 40 hrs a week.





Watup said:


> BS Really?? I just picked 37.5 hrs and and nothing more then 2.5 was showing for me and as soon as i fotfit my one block orders showed up again, try using calculater when counting you hrs genius. They increase hrs limit during Holidays .


*grabs _*calculator*_* tap tap tap tap.... 37.5 + 2.5 = 40. Hmmmmm, musta have done something wrong. Let me try by hand ...carry the one....Nope. Still 40.
I'm sure the genius thing was you being ironic.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

UberPasco said:


> *grabs _*calculator*_* tap tap tap tap.... 37.5 + 2.5 = 40. Hmmmmm, musta have done something wrong. Let me try by hand ...carry the one....Nope. Still 40.
> I'm sure the genius thing was you being ironic.


They stop responding. Maybe they figured out who was the "real" genius.


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## Bygosh (Oct 9, 2016)

Ted L. said:


> I can't see an elimination of flex, van drivers get around $14/hr and I can't imagine that the vans and DSP overhead cost less than $4.


Van drivers get benefits and the company has to pay 1/2 SE tax, lease the vans, insure the vans, gas, equipment etc. I'd bet a van costs 25-30/hr minimum to run.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

You forgot the companies want to make a profit. That's factoring into the cost also.


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## Tank_Driver (Sep 30, 2017)

So Amazon considers crossovers “large” vehicles?


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

Tank_Driver said:


> So Amazon considers crossovers "large" vehicles?


Only certain ones. I think Amazon uses manufacturer interior volume measurements as a guideline or they just flip a coin.


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## Tank_Driver (Sep 30, 2017)

oicu812 said:


> Only certain ones. I think Amazon uses manufacturer interior volume measurements as a guideline or they just flip a coin.


Probably just flip a coin :biggrin:


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## UberLAguy (Aug 2, 2015)

is a Chev yBolt EV considered small to Amazon Flex ?


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

EmOinDallas said:


> You might find this helpful https://www.benzinga.com/news/19/05...ake-employees-a-driver-offer-they-cant-refuse


Amzn also trying to phase out few workers who box your orders ...read that few days back ... Amzn in 10 years will be running fully automated inside the warehouses...two pkging robots per warehouse to start, can replace over 20 workers per warehouse=over 1000 job cuts
Ford also getting rid of 7000 employees

More uber and lyft drivers into the mix ?Uber and lyft in a sweet spot... economy tanks they will have extra drivers , and when economy is good, they will have extra drivers .


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## I Drank Your Milkshake (May 10, 2019)

Shonabear said:


> I notice someone posted blocks for next week for large vehicle drivers. What's going to happen to us small vehicle people?


They are going to go the way of the Shonabear.


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## Watup (Jan 24, 2017)

I Drank Your Milkshake said:


> They are going to go the way of the Shonabear.


My warehouse have atleast 200 blks a day for 3 & 3.5 hr blks and it's the smallest warehouse in Illinois. So calm down small cars are going no where.


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## UberLAguy (Aug 2, 2015)

They are not hiring in Los Angeles.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

UberLAguy said:


> They are not hiring in Los Angeles.


They have an overabundance of drivers that'll do lots of blocks at base rate in the rain. Unless you're willing to do it for less than $18/hr, they don't need you.


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## OCUberGuy (Oct 11, 2017)

oicu812 said:


> They have an overabundance of drivers that'll do lots of blocks at base rate in the rain. Unless you're willing to do it for less than $18/hr, they don't need you.


Irvine had $22 an hour blocks available this week, but last week was real thin.


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## oicu812 (Aug 29, 2016)

OCUberGuy said:


> Irvine had $22 an hour blocks available this week, but last week was real thin.


I'm guessing the heat may have something to do with it. Summer heat will keep a few/alot of socal flex drivers away.


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