UPS today announced it will increase the number of temporary workers for this year’s peak seasonto 90,000 – 95,000 as part of a package of measures to avoid a repeat of last year’s
well-publicised sorting and delivery problems in the USA.Last year the company originally planned to take on 55,000 seasonal workers to handle the annualsurge in volumes from October through to Christmas but then had to take on 30,000 more people asvolumes rose by 14% – which was double the original forecast of a 7% increase – and the main peakvolume days came much later than expected.
As CEP-Research already reported, UPS is planning a wide range of peak season measures thisyear, including better volume forecasting, one additional full operating day, a 5% increase insorting capacity, expansion of existing ground facilities and several new ones, more ground spacefor trucks and trailers, more regional flights and local delivery solutions.
“We have initial volume forecasts from our customers and are starting the hiring process for ourtemporary peak season jobs,” said John McDevitt, UPS senior vice president of human resources andlabour relations. The seasonal positions as package sorters, loaders, delivery helpers and drivershave long been an entry point for permanent employment, training and career opportunity, thecompany pointed out.
“We have needs throughout the United States and anticipate more applicants this year than in2013. Individuals who begin employment at UPS during the holiday season have the opportunity topursue a permanent position afterwards. Seasonal positions provide an excellent entry point forbecoming a long-term UPS employee,” McDevitt commented.
UPS stressed that it is “ready to provide customers a smooth 2014 holiday experience” and hasimplemented various actions since the 2013 peak shipping season. Using industry-wide deliveryvolume forecasts and working closely with high impact leading customers, the company has madeimprovements to network utilisation and schedule planning.
Daily processing capacity will increase with the opening of new and expanded buildings, plusinstallation of temporary mobile sorting and delivery centres, the company added. UPS is addingthousands of new or leased delivery vehicles, trailers, aircraft and portable loading aids to flexcapacity in its network.
In addition, there will be full ground delivery and pick-up operations on the Friday afterThanksgiving, instead of only domestic air and international deliveries, and nearly 50 new packagesorting shifts throughout the company’s existing hub locations.
For customers, shipment tracking timing and accuracy will be improved with additional and mobileapp upgrades for enhanced information on package location and shipment status. Moreover,enhancements to the UPS My Choice service will give consumers receiving home deliveries improvedalerts on delivery time windows and options for re-scheduling and re-routing, the companystated.
