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Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. says it will make deliveries on Christmas Day in some markets and open customer counters at FedEx Express stations after heavy storms caused delays.
Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx said its Express employees would make deliveries on Christmas Day on a voluntary basis.
Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that bad weather has not affected deliveries and that operations are running smoothly.
Mild temperatures across much of the U.S. should help Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) heading into the final days of record Christmas delivery orders.
The busiest day for UPS and FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) is Tuesday, when the company expects to deliver 36 million pieces, reports Reuters.
In addition to hiring an extra 95,000 workers to help out during the holiday season, UPS has bolstered how quickly it can marshal all the transportation equipment at its disposal, including nearly 100,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and other vehicles, as well as 237 company-owned jets and another 302 chartered aircraft. The company also works with major railroads such as BNSF, CN, CSX, CP, FEC, KCS, Union Pacific, and Norfolk Southern.
UPS has the ability to “instantaneously” change the mode of transportation it uses if bad weather shuts down a key highway or airport.
In Louisville, Kentucky, some people started calling 911 after spotting U-Haul trucks near their homes, WDRB.com reports.
Residents said they were worried that criminals could be dressing as UPS drivers to fool them into opening their doors.
Concern escalated when rumors circulated online claiming terrorists were using UPS uniforms to deliver bombs, according to WDRB.
More free shipping, more packages per order this holiday season
Attention online shoppers: Don’t wait until the last minute to do your holiday shopping this year.
It took an average of nearly seven days, or 20% longer than last year, for orders placed Cyber Monday to arrive, according to a study by retail consultancy Kurt Salmon. And more packages are being shipped — an estimated 2.6 per order.