Riding Along With FedEx During The Busiest Time Of Year

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- FedEx employees are working hard, hustling to get out holiday packages.

The company expects to break its own record on Monday by shipping more than 17 million pieces.

Usually, FedEx handles about half that many packages each day.

Roughly 20,000 seasonal workers were hired to help handle the holiday rush.

This is the eighth Christmas season of deliveries for FedEx driver James Anderson. His delivery area includes Medina, so he is grateful that roads are clear this week.

"When we get a lot of snow, with my route being a lot of rural roads and things like that, it can get a little hairy," he said. "This is great weather for driving the way it is right now."

Anderson doesn't use a GPS unit. He knows his area so well that he doesn't need one. But he does have one trick -- "The map book, a good old-fashioned map book," he said.

Anderson says if you are expecting a package, and you know you have to sign for it, it will save time if you are there when the delivery arrives.

Other tips include using good boxes to send things -- particularly heavy things. The sooner you can send your packages, the better the chance they will arrive before that special day.

Remember that your holiday deliveries are competing with others, like business shipments, that go on year-round.

So, does Anderson like his job, even with the extra hours this time of year?

"It's fun, fun time of year to be working to bring some gifts to people to make them happy," he said. "It's fun when you walk up with a box of flowers and the person is really excited to see you show up."