Scott Ashbaugh, DHL eCommerce Vice President of Operations, discusses how his team keeps up with deliveries during inclement weather situations.
WASHINGTON – As communities are still picking up the pieces from Hurricane Helene, shipping services continue to report altered operations as the U.S. heads into the holiday season.
The once-Category 4 hurricane made landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 29, forcing FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service to significantly alter operations after the storm.
At the peak of the destruction, operations were affected in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, but most have since been restored.
The restoration of services comes at a time that billions of pieces of mail and packages will be sent across the country during the holiday period.
MAJOR SHIPPERS KEEP A WARY EYE ON WEATHER FOR HOLIDAY PACKAGES
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 15: Priority Mail packages await shipment at the Indianapolis Mail Processing Annex December 15, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The US Postal Service predicts it will process over 640 million items on what will be the busiest day of the holiday season.
(Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images / Getty Images)
FedEx warns that even though they returned to normal operations following hurricanes Helene and Milton, some communities in North Carolina may still experience service delays and disruptions.
Impacted service territories include 28720, 28710 and 28746, which are located in the Asheville–Hendersonville area.
UPS advisories are similar, indicating that pickup and delivery service delays may occur in the Chimney Rock and Lake Lure areas of western North Carolina.
The United States Postal Service reported more extensive impacts on operations.
“Where retail and delivery units remain inaccessible, we have relocated operations to nearby units and are further deploying mobile retail units to make sure we can provide retail and delivery services to impacted communities as quickly as possible. We remain committed to delivering mail wherever it’s feasible and safe, constantly adjusting our operations for a swift restoration of services,” a USPS service alert stated.
DROUGHT FORCES PANAMA CANAL TO REDUCE MAJOR SHIPPING TRAFFIC
Shipping companies are opening up their pocketbooks in desperate attempts to get their cargo through the Panama Canal in a timely manner, as the canal faces an unprecedented drought, causing its lowest water levels since the mid-1900s.
Shippers warn that the combination of extreme weather and a shortened holiday season will put pressure on the industry to ensure mail and packages wind up at their destination on time.
Since Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 28, and Christmas is on Dec. 25., there are just 27 days between the two holidays, which means there’s less time for holiday preparations and shipping.
In an effort to ensure enough resources are in place to deal with the surge in traffic, several shipping companies have implemented peak season surcharges, which will remain in effect into the new year.
To ensure delivery by Dec. 25, shipping services recommend that packages using ground transportation be en route by Dec. 15.
For those willing to pay extra, express and air options are available until just a few days before Christmas, but keep in mind that any delays along the way could impact on-time delivery.
The U.S. Postal Service has released its recommended shipping deadlines for the 2024 holiday season to ensure deliveries arrive by Dec. 25:
Within the contiguous U.S.:
- USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 18
- First-Class Mail: Dec. 18
- Priority Mail: Dec. 19
- Priority Mail Express: Dec. 21
For shipments to Alaska and Hawaii:
- USPS Ground Advantage: Dec. 16
- First-Class Mail: Dec. 18
- Priority Mail: Dec. 19
- Priority Mail Express: Dec. 20