>The materials touted that he could make more than $75,000 and perhaps as much as $300,000 every year. The application required that you have $10,000 in startup capital, but the ad he saw also said that the fee might be waived for veterans.
>Aside from Ramos, all of the business owners and drivers interviewed for this piece see themselves as working primarily for Amazon, not for an independent small business. That mentality has added to the disappointment for workers seeking autonomy
>“It’s not a partnership. This is working for Amazon,” the veteran said. “We DSPs are not business owners, we’re paid managers. They control every aspect.”
>After the DSP owner is paid by Amazon, the owner then has to pay the drivers, taxes, leases on the vans, repairs to the vans, new clothing (the physicality of the job means some drivers go through gear every couple of weeks), worker’s comp and other costs.
https://www.protocol.com/workplace/amazon-delivery-program-t...
The contractor manages the delivery schedule and logistics. The contractor purchases their own vehicles rather than leasing them from FedEx. They're paid per route and per package rather than based on a ratings model.
Furthermore, FedEx pay for brand placement on vehicles and for branded uniforms.
This is a much more equitable system: both FedEx and the contractor have skin in the game. The contractor company aren't vassals to the corporation: they own their trucks and can sell their routes and contract to another business if they'd like.