Anyone Work for FedEx, UPS, etc.?

Off Topic
1

I regularly order from Biotest, and always receive my packages in a timely manner. However, even as someone that works in the transportation industry, I can’t understand the logistics of FedEx. If I order from Biotest in Colorado Springs and want it shipped to me in Phoenix, why would FedEx send it to Denver, then to Oakland, then over to Memphis, and finally to Phoenix?

Oct 13, 2009 11:59 AM
At local FedEx facility
PHOENIX, AZ

Oct 13, 2009 11:57 AM
At dest sort facility
PHOENIX, AZ

Oct 12, 2009 4:27 AM
Departed FedEx location
MEMPHIS, TN

Oct 11, 2009 8:06 PM
Departed FedEx location
MEMPHIS, TN

Oct 11, 2009 4:17 PM
In transit
MEMPHIS, TN

Oct 11, 2009 12:14 PM
Arrived at FedEx location
MEMPHIS, TN

Oct 11, 2009 6:20 AM
Departed FedEx location
OAKLAND, CA

Oct 10, 2009 4:17 PM
In transit
OAKLAND, CA

Oct 10, 2009 10:28 AM
Arrived at FedEx location
OAKLAND, CA

Oct 10, 2009 4:32 AM
Arrived at FedEx location
OAKLAND, CA

Oct 8, 2009 11:04 PM
At local FedEx facility
DENVER, CO

Oct 8, 2009 8:19 PM
Left FedEx origin facility
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

Oct 8, 2009 2:57 PM
Picked up
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

Oct 8, 2009 12:26 PM
Shipment information sent to FedEx

2

Now that you bring it up I just looked and noticed that myself.

right now my order is in Memphis and I’m in LA. Weird.

3

i like the FEDEX dude b/c he’s the best drug dealer and doesn’t even know it

4

eh, they are people too. Everyone fucks up now and again.

But my shit comes to me in a straight line, so I may be overly optimistic about the whole thing.

5

I don’t know, but I’ll say this: They are a successful corporation, I assume it somehow cuts costs/makes them more money.

6

I worked for UPS for several years. UPS had major air facilities throughout the country to handle deliveries from different areas of the country. There was direct flights between the major airport centers, then the packages are normally trucked into the delivery centers serviced by that air facility.

For example, If I shipped something from Salt Lake City to Milwaukee, the package would first be driven to Los Angeles, then loaded on to a plane for a direct flight to Louisville, Kentucky (Louisville is the major air carrier for the Midwest), then trucked up to Milwaukee.

There are 4 air facilities (I think it’s 4, can’t remember exactly) in the continental US that each have specific flight patterns to each other. From there everything is truck delivered. This applies to standard ground deliveries, not Next Day Air or any other priority deliveries.

I don’t know how Fed Ex does it but it’s probably somewhat similar to UPS. Although, that route seems especially odd. I don’t know why Memphis would be the direct route to Phoenix, especially with that stop in Oakland. Regarding the other poster, I also don’t understand why shipments from Colorado wouldn’t just be driven to LA.

If I remember correctly, Fed Ex has more planes and is more air-based so that may have something to do with it.

7

Most of the domestic packages go through the superhub in Memphis.

To simplify the system, the CO packages first get consolidated in Denver, then meet up with the rest of the west coast packages in Oakland, then meet up with all of the US’s packages in Memphis. Then it’s just one more flight to get to the destination city.

8

As others have said the main bases for Fedex/UPS are in the Kentucky/Tennessee area. By having hubs this allows a company to focus their energy and expenses to just one area. So instead of sending a bunch of flights/trucks half empty to every destination imaginable they are able to send every truck full to the brim. This saves them money on the size of their fleet, manpower, and efficiency.

The airlines adopted this hub system after deregulation in either 1970 or 1971. Before deregulation the airlines bid on route contracts from the government and the government would give them money to compensate them. This is why back in the day you could show up a few minutes for your flight that would go directly from NOBODYGIVESAFUCK to NOBODYFUCKSAGIVE and you weren’t charged an arm and a leg for the privilege. Now the airlines don’t get a cent from the government, for the most part, so they have to generate all of the revenue from the ticket buyers. Most flights won’t break even until the 50-75% capacity mark so they utilize hubs to fill the planes up.

I can go into further detail but I doubt anyone really cares. The short answer is because it saves them money.

9

hmmm. So it seems my shit comes to me in a straight line because I live east of Memphis.

Happenstance for the win.

10

Fedex main hub - Memphis, TN

UPS main hub - Louisville, KY

Trust me they have it mostly all figured out.

I used to work for UPS as a courier about 8-9 years ago & from what I recall everything goes through those 2 hubs (like spokes in a wheel) - both companies have it all worked out to maximize their profits & also avoid as best possible inclement weather <?>. There are times when I miss working for them lol.

With that being said now as a shipper/receiver my company still gets dicked around by Fedex on our shipments either arriving late to us or to their recipients but business is business. Damn late air.

When people at work bitch about the rates these 2 companies charge I just tell them “yeah but jet fuel isn’t cheap”

11

[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
i like the FEDEX dude b/c he’s the best drug dealer and doesn’t even know it[/quote]

mitch hedberg ftw.