The Logistics Of Overnight Shipping

Right now I’m waiting rather impatiently for a box to be delivered to my front door. It contains an item which I’ve been wanting for a good while, and will certainly be worth ordering.

The item is being shipped via FedEx, the massive freight company that happens to be located here in Memphis. The company is so massive that there is a joke here that “Everyone in Memphis knows someone who works at FedEx” and while this isn’t totally true, obviously, it’s very likely to be the case. In my life I’ve know at least 5 different people who have, or still do, work at the airport hub, it really is that massive of an operation.

While FedEx isn’t the only overnight shipping company out there, they are one of the biggest, and to that end I thought it worthwhile to share this video I found which goes into quite a bit of good detail on just how these companies do what they do. It uses FedEx as an example but does mention other companies and variations they have with their logistics. The principles remain the same, and while I can’t speak for everyone, I find it rather fascinating just that they can take a package from one spot in, let’s say, Ohio, and get it to my door, in Memphis, in 2 days, without any special treatment – that this is absolutely standard day do day fair for the company thousands of times a day!

This video also puts to rest a myth that all items being shipped via FedEx come to Memphis – they don’t, but many people, including myself, have believed this because of the sheer size of the FedEx hub at Memphis International Airport – it really does seem like it could take every single worldwide package without issue… at least, at a glance…

Anyway, on to the video. I share partially out of sheer curiosity, and also out of the fact that, well, it’s as much a video about Memphis as any other, in a way, and I think it’s funny that, technically speaking, you can see my house in the video.

Enjoy!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedEx_Express

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