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Tag: FedEx

  • FedEx Is Reducing Its Management Team by More Than 10%

    FedEx Is Reducing Its Management Team by More Than 10%

    FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam has announced plans to lay off more than 10% of the company’s “officer and director team.”

    FedEx has been struggling to maintain profitability as things have returned to normal. With more people shopping in person in the waning days of the pandemic, shipping demand has dropped considerably.

    In order to adapt to the changing market, Subramaniam informed the company that cuts were coming.

    As you know, we have embarked on a transformation effort to create the world’s most flexible, efficient, and intelligent supply chain for our customers. This process is critical to ensure we remain competitive in a rapidly changing environment, and it requires some difficult decisions.

    Today we are in the process of informing a number of team members across our global enterprise that their positions have been eliminated as we reduce the size of our officer and director team by more than 10% and consolidate some teams and functions.

    The CEO said the company’s HR team would be in contact with the impacted employees to help with “outplacement services, benefits, and severance compensation.”

  • FedEx Ends Its Robot Delivery Program

    FedEx Ends Its Robot Delivery Program

    FedEx is pulling the plug on its robot delivery efforts following a pilot program to test using robots instead of humans for last-mile delivery.

    FedEx is one of several companies that has been investigating the possibility of using robots for delivery. The company was running a pilot program in conjunction with DEKA Research and Development Corp. According to Robotics 24/7, the company is ending the program.

    “Although robotics and automation are key pillars of our innovation strategy, Roxo did not meet necessary near-term value requirements for DRIVE,” Sriram Krishnasam, chief transformation officer, wrote in an email to employees. “Although we are ending the research and development efforts, Roxo served a valuable purpose: to rapidly advance our understanding and use of robotic technology.”

    The company confirmed the news to Robotics 24/7, saying it was focusing on “several nearer-term opportunities.”

    It’s been a bad week for robotics, with The Verge reporting that Amazon has similarly canceled its robot delivery pilot program.

  • FedEx Moving to ‘Zero Data Center, Zero Mainframe Environment’ by 2024

    FedEx Moving to ‘Zero Data Center, Zero Mainframe Environment’ by 2024

    FedEx is preparing to shut down its data centers and mainframes, opting for cloud-native solutions instead.

    Company CIO Rob Carter made the announcement at the FedEx investor day, according to DCD, saying the company will save some $400 million.

    “We’ve been working across this decade to streamline and simplify our technology and systems,” he said. “We’ve shifted to cloud…we’ve been eliminating monolithic applications one after the other after the other…we’re moving to a zero data center, zero mainframe environment that’s more flexible, secure, and cost-effective.”

    “Within the next two years we’ll close the last few remaining data centers that we have, we’ll eliminate the final 20 percent of the mainframe footprint, and we’ll move the remaining applications to cloud-native structures that allow them to be flexibly deployed and used in the marketplace and business. While we’re doing this, we’ll achieve $400 million of annual savings.”

    FedEx currently uses both Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud for its cloud needs. Nothing was said about whether the company will go all-in on a single vendor or whether it will continue its multicloud approach.

  • Amazon Set to Pass UPS and FedEx as Largest US Delivery Service

    Amazon Set to Pass UPS and FedEx as Largest US Delivery Service

    Amazon is on the verge of a major milestone, as it closes in on UPS and FedEx as the largest US delivery service.

    Amazon may have started as an online book sales platform, but it has grown far beyond its origins. The company is now the largest e-commerce platform, the largest cloud provider and will soon be the largest delivery service, according to CNBC.

    While Amazon originally relied on other services to deliver its products, it has increasingly invested in its own service over the last few years. Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO of Worldwide Consumer, told CNBC that the company expects to become the biggest service in late 2021 or early 2022.

    “We expect we will be one of the largest carriers in the world by the end of this year,” Clark told CNBC’s Becky Quick. “I think we’ll probably be the largest package delivery carrier in the U.S. by the time we get to the end of the year, if not in early ’22.”

  • Salesforce and FedEx Partner to Deliver End-to-End E-Commerce Solution

    Salesforce and FedEx Partner to Deliver End-to-End E-Commerce Solution

    Salesforce and FedEx are partnering to deliver an end-to-end e-commerce and shipping solution.

    The partnership between the two companies will see the integration of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Salesforce Order Management with features from FedEx and its e-commerce subsidiary, ShopRunner. The combination of platforms and services should help e-commerce shops manage the entire process, from promotion to purchase to shipping.

    “Brands and merchants have to move quicker than ever to meet their customers’ expectations,” said Claude Russ, COO of FedEx Dataworks and CEO of ShopRunner. “With the combined power of Salesforce and FedEx, we will provide them the speed, control and economics they need to help them exceed those expectations. From optimizing their inventory management and fulfillment operations, to faster delivery and attracting new buyers, together we’re helping change the game so brands and merchants can have greater control over the links of their supply chain and increase their competitiveness.”

    “We are in a world of commerce anytime and anywhere,” said Lidiane Jones, EVP & GM, Salesforce Commerce Cloud. “Commerce Cloud and Order Management let companies sell wherever their customers shop and fulfill on any channel. Pairing that with FedEx’s logistics capabilities lets us deliver an even faster, easier, and cost-efficient experience for our customers. Now, retailers can better meet shoppers’ two-day shipping expectations without accumulating extensive costs, or sacrificing their time or brand.”

    The partnership is a multi-year agreement, with US customers set to see the first results of the partnership in Spring 2022.

  • Akamai Service Disruption Takes Down Major Websites

    Akamai Service Disruption Takes Down Major Websites

    Some of the biggest websites on the internet were down, thanks to a service disruption at Akamai Technologies.

    Users (including yours truly) started getting DNS errors when visiting common websites. The list of impacted sites include Airbnb, Delta, FedEx, McDonald’s, UPS and many more.

    Akamai has said the issue was the result of a service disruption, and has already taken steps to fix the it.

    The company also confirmed the issue was not due to a cyberattack.

  • Shipping Scams Up 440% Amid Record Online Shopping

    Shipping Scams Up 440% Amid Record Online Shopping

    Shipping scams are up a whopping 440% as online shopping hits new records amid the pandemic.

    The coronavirus pandemic has changed how people are doing their holiday shopping, with many opting for online outlets rather than in-person options. Never too far behind any trend, scammers are seeing a potential gold mine.

    According to Check Point Software Technologies, a firm specializing in cybersecurity, scammers are trying to trick shoppers into divulging sensitive information. The scammers are impersonating shipping companies, such as Amazon, DHL and Fedex, to get people to lower their guard.

    Unlike classic phishing emails that are designed to lure people into giving personal details, credit card info or bank account credentials, these emails are specifically impersonating shipping vendors with different versions of fake messages reporting a “delivery issue” or “Track your shipment” details.

    All are trying to lure the recipients to submitting details and stealing credentials or financial data. We believe hackers have specifically chosen this vector in November, as they know that large numbers of online shoppers are waiting for their packages to arrive and are more attentive to shipping-related emails while they may be more aware of more traditional e-commerce related fraud and phishing attempts.

    Check Point recommends basic security precautions, such as never giving credentials over email, verifying that any links include the correct domain and not a lookalike, being suspicious of an email that seems overly pushy, as well as any that contain spelling and grammatical errors.

  • UPS Ups the Ante On Weekend Deliveries

    UPS Ups the Ante On Weekend Deliveries

    Just a week after FedEx Ground announced it would offer Sunday deliveries, UPS said it plans to more than double its weekend deliveries in 2020, according to Reuters.

    As Reuters points out, UPS “pioneered seven-day delivery in 2013, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and is now spending billions of dollars to speed up its free shipping.” In recent years, however, it has faced increasing competition from FedEx, as well as from Amazon. Amazon has started using its own drivers for deliveries, and often reserves the most desirable, high-density delivery routes, leaving UPS to handle rural and low volume routes.

    One way to offset the challenges is by increasing the delivery volume, and is part of the motivation behind UPS’ announcement. Expanding weekend delivery also ensures UPS stays a viable option in the minds of customers who want items delivered as soon as possible.

    “E-commerce spikes on the weekends, and retailers want those orders delivered sooner,” said UPS Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Warren, according to Reuters.

    As the delivery market continues to heat up, it will be interesting to see if UPS and FedEx’s weekend options help them better compete with Amazon.

  • FedEx Delivery Robots Receive Chilly Response in New York City

    FedEx Delivery Robots Receive Chilly Response in New York City

    TechCrunch is reporting that New York City has made it abundantly clear autonomous delivery robots are not welcome.

    FedEx, like Amazon and Postmates, has been experimenting with autonomous delivery robots, some of which were in NYC over the weekend to be previewed at the company’s Small Business Saturday event. After some of the bots—called Roxo—were spotted, Mayor Bill de Blasio and transportation officials wasted no time making their position known—again, despite the fact the bots were only there for a presentation and not actually delivering anything.

    According to TechCrunch, “the mayor tweeted that FedEx didn’t receive permission to deploy the robots; he also criticized the company for using a bot to perform a task that a New Yorker could do. The New York Department of Transportation has sent FedEx a cease-and-desist order to stop operations the bots, which TechCrunch has viewed.

    “The letter informs FedEx that its bots violate several vehicle and traffic laws, including that motor vehicles are prohibited on sidewalks. Vehicles that receive approval to operate on sidewalks must receive a special exemption and be registered.”

    The bots use machine learning, in combination with an array of sensing technology and cameras to plot a safe route, while at the same time avoiding obstacles and obeying traffic or sidewalk rules.

    While FedEx has been testing “the bots in Memphis, Tennessee as well as Plano and Frisco, Texas and Manchester, New Hampshire,” it’s a safe bet NYC won’t be seeing them anytime soon.

  • FedEx Ground Now Offering Sunday Shipping

    FedEx Ground Now Offering Sunday Shipping

    FedEx has announced “that FedEx Ground has officially started delivering FedEx Home Delivery packages on Sunday for the majority of the U.S. population.”

    The moves comes as FedEx strives to “better serve the fast-growing e-commerce market.” Over the holiday season, Amazon banned its third-party sellers form using FedEx Ground over concerns the service was too slow and that packages would not arrive in time for Christmas. The news should go a long way toward dispelling those concerns moving forward.

    “Now that FedEx Ground delivers FedEx Home Delivery packages on Sundays to most U.S. residences, we have increased our speed advantage significantly to kick off the new year,” said Raj Subramaniam, president and chief operating officer of FedEx. Corp. “This provides added value to e-commerce shippers throughout the U.S. and the 188 million online shoppers in 7,700 cities and towns where FedEx Home Delivery packages are delivered on Sundays. As more customers expect weekend delivery, this enhancement to our network means that every day is now a delivery day at FedEx.”

    The change is another example of the increasing importance of e-commerce to the U.S. economy and the changes companies are willing to make to keep pace with it.

  • PSA: Beware of FedEx Tracking Texting Scam

    PSA: Beware of FedEx Tracking Texting Scam

    Gizmodo is warning of a new scam involving text messages posing as FedEx tracking notifications.

    Android and iOS users (including this writer) have received text messages including what purports to be a FedEx tracking number and a link to set delivery preferences. Clicking on the link, however, goes to a fake Amazon listing and survey.

    As Gizmodo highlights, this is where the scam takes a turn. “If you proceed any further, the survey will then ask users for a range of personal information including their credit card information, which for anyone who hadn’t already started feeling suspicious, should set off serious alarms.

    “Apparently, by entering in your address and credit card number and agreeing to pay a shipping fee for your “prize,” you are also signing up for 14-day trial that turns into a $100 recurring subscription for a range of products, which you will continue to get billed for every month until you figure out how to cancel the payment.”

    One way to spot the scam is the alphanumeric nature of the supposed tracking numbers. FedEx tracking numbers are almost always exclusively numbers, whereas the fake ones include letters as well. Similarly, FedEx tracking numbers are 12 or 15 digits long, as opposed to the 10-digit fake ones.

    Police departments are warning citizens of the scam and encouraging individuals to check any tracking numbers they receive directly on FedEx’s website, rather than following a link in a text message.

  • FedEx CEO Says Amazon’s Own Delivery System Will Take Business From USPS, Not FedEx

    FedEx CEO Says Amazon’s Own Delivery System Will Take Business From USPS, Not FedEx

    Fred Smith, founder, and CEO of FedEx told Bloomberg this morning that they don’t see any negative impact from Amazon doing more of their deliveries themselves. Smith says that the biggest entity that will lose business as Amazon implements its own delivery force is the US Postal Service:

    “I don’t think it (Amazon’s split HQ announcement) has too much to do with FedEx,” said Smith. “You’ve got to remember that Amazon is delivering things from their fulfillment center to customers. We’re picking up, transporting, and delivering things from every person and business in the world to every other business. The biggest single provider of delivery services to the Amazon fulfillment network is not us, it’s the US Postal Service. They’re the ones that Amazon’s proprietary or indigenous delivery system will take the most volume from.”

    “Amazon’s a good customer” Smith added. “We think they will be a bigger customer in the years to come if they continue to grow and they certainly should, but they are going to do some of their deliveries themselves for many reasons. The biggest single entity that will lose traffic as Amazon puts out its contractor delivery force is the US Postal Service.”

    Amazon is actively marketing their Amazon Delivery Service Partner program, seeking independent contractors to deliver packages from their fulfillment centers to customers. They are literally encouraging people to start their own business:

    We are looking for hands-on leaders who are passionate about hiring and coaching great teams. With low startup costs, built-in demand, and access to Amazon’s technology and logistics experience, this is an opportunity to build and grow a successful package delivery business. Join a community of Amazon Delivery Service Partners in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

    Amazon is also hiring drivers directly as part of its new last-mile shipping program according to Business Insider:

    For the first time, the company is planning to hire and manage thousands of full-time drivers to transport packages to customers from Amazon delivery outposts across the US, the company confirmed to Business Insider on Monday.

    Amazon will manage these drivers directly, meaning the company will set their wages, provide them delivery vehicles, and schedule their routes. The drivers are seasonal but will have the option to apply to continue their employment with Amazon following the holiday season.

    “Seasonal employees have long been utilized to supplement capacity during peak shopping periods,” an Amazon spokeswoman said. “This holiday, thousands of full-time, seasonal Delivery Associates will deliver to customers during the busy retail shopping season.”

  • FedEx Shooting Under Investigation

    A shooting at a FedEx store in Georgia injured 6 people. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when a man entered the store with an assault rifle and several rounds of ammunition strapped to his chest.

    Witnesses described the shooter as looking like Rambo.

    The people who were injured in the shooting were taken to Wellstar Kennestone hospital where they were treated for their injuries.

    Many of the injuries were not severe and some of the injured people were even able to walk to the ambulance on their own. At least one person was rushed into surgery and in critical condition.

    Hundreds of police officers were on the scene within minutes of the first call and employees were escorted from the store to a bus where they were reunited with family members and friends.

    The FedEx company is working with the police and an investigation is currently underway. An employee at the FedEx store where the shooting occurred was giving a statement during an interview when she was told by a woman in a FedEx jacket to stop talking. FedEx does not want anyone speaking about the shooting until the police have finished their investigation.

    The company did not give any details about the incident or the investigation, but did release a statement and offered their condolences to the victims and their families.

    “The situation is now stabilized, and we are focused on the needs of our team members and cooperating with the law enforcement investigation of this tragedy,” said company spokeswoman Shea Leordeanu.

    The identity of the shooter has not been released and it is unknown if he was an employee at the store or of the FedEx company. The shooter was found dead at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

    Image via YouTube

  • FedEx Gunman Note May Give Clues to Mysterious Shooting

    A note has been found by investigators in regards to the shooting at a FedEx plant in Kennesaw, Ga. It is currently unknown what 19 year old gunman Geddy Kramer wrote. Cobb County police spokesman Michael Bowman told the Associated Press today that investigators have not released its contents.

    “We do know the shotgun was owned by the suspect,” Bowman said to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This piece of information was new to the gunman’s father, Scott Kramer. Police have been hesitant to put a motive to Geddy Kramer’s actions. “We’re trying to lay the foundation for what happened,” Bowman explained.

    Scott Kramer was similarly baffled. In a heartfelt statement to reporters he explained repeatedly he had no information:

    According to the Associated Press, Geddy Kramer sent his co-workers running when he opened fire with a shotgun into the FedEx processing facility where he worked. He first injured a security guard, Chris Sparkman, before turning on the others. A manager yelled “Gun!” then began to apply pressure to Sparkman’s wound. After two surgeries, Sparkman is currently in critical but stable condition.

    Of the six people initially administered to the hospital, all but Sparkman and two others have been released.

    The note currently held by authorities could help give understanding to these events. For the moment, his family remains as baffled as the public. “When he got the job, he was thrilled to death Then he got on full-time and he said he really liked it,” Geddy Kramer’s grandmother, Diana Mayberry, told the Associated Press, “He seemed like a normal kid, to me. I don’t know what happened. I have no clue. I just don’t understand it. They didn’t even have access to guns in the house.”

    Image via CBS This Morning, YouTube

  • FedEx Shooting In Georgia: 6 Injured, Shooter Dead

    The police are still working to secure the FedEx Corps facility in Kennesaw, Ga. in the aftermath of a deadly shooting.

    An unnamed man is reported as having opened fire on workers at the Georgia FedEx center located approximately thirty miles from Atlanta.

    Cobb County Police spokesman Mike Bowman said that the incident was reported at around 6 am.

    The suspect opened fire once inside the facility, injuring at least six persons during his shooting spree.

    At present the name of the assailant is unknown, as are the names of the victims. One shooting victim was the facility’s security guard.

    Reports indicate that all victims of the shooting were taken to the WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Ga.

    Hospital spokesman Tyler Pearson shared that the nature of the injuries varied from victim to victim. Some persons were able to walk out of the ambulance on their own. Others are currently undergoing operations.

    Hundreds of police officers from surrounding locations converged on the scene within minutes of the reported shooting, however the suspect is reported to have died of a self-inflicted gun wound.

    As the investigation into the shootings are in the early stages, there are no known motives for the attack on the George FedEx facility and its workers.

    FedEx spokesman Ben Hunt said that the company “is aware of the situation”. “Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our team members, first responders and others affected.”

    It has also been stated that FedEx is fully cooperating with law enforcement.

    Safety also remains an ongoing source of concern for law enforcement officials still at the scene of the shooting. Even though police believe the chaos was caused by a lone shooter, they are presently working to ensure that there are no additional threats in the area.

    Said Bowman, “This is still an active and fluid situation.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Amazon Working on Its Own Delivery Service for That ‘Last Mile’

    Amazon Working on Its Own Delivery Service for That ‘Last Mile’

    It appears that Amazon is sick and tired of relying on UPS and FedEx to get packages to customers, and they are looking to take control of the situation–or at least do a little bit of the work themselves.

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon is currently working on its own delivery network, one that has been internally referred to as the “Last Mile.” That’s because the delivery network wouldn’t be a full, nationwide chain of trucks taking packages from the very beginning to their destinations. Instead, Amazon wants to focus its energy on the last leg of a package’s journey. Apparently, Amazon’s test involves a fleet of Amazon trucks, driven by contractors.

    Of course, eventually, this could be seen as a direct competitor to UPS and FedEx. Right now, UPS and FedEx are nearly fully responsible for delivering Amazon packages.

    The WSJ cites a job posting on the Amazon website, which mentions intentions for a “last mile” service.

    “Amazon is growing at a faster speed than UPS and FedEx, who are responsible for shipping the majority of our packages. At this rate Amazon cannot continue to rely solely on the solutions provided through traditional logistics providers. To do so will limit our growth, increase costs and impede innovation in delivery capabilities Last Mile is the solution to this. It is a program which is going to revolutionize how shipments are delivered to millions of customers,” said the posting.

    Although Amazon has been mulling this over for a while, the impetus to really get going reportedly surfaced last holiday season, when UPS and FedEx delays resulted in a lot of pissed off, package-less customers.

    As of right now, this is only being tested in a couple of big distribution areas and is a long way from being fully realized. But it’s interesting that Amazon feels that it can’t survive in the current model, especially when Amazon keeps adding to the list of products they’re shipping. Amazon released their earnings on Thursday, and although sales were up, profits didn’t jump proportionally.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • California Bus Crash: No Evidence Of Pre-Crash Fire

    The investigation into the fatal collision involving a FedEx truck and a college tour bus continued Sunday.

    Eyewitnesses to the scene claim that the truck appeared to be on fire before it crashed into the college tour bus. Despite what witnesses to the crash have said, officials stated that at present there’s no evidence the FedEx truck was burning before it hit the bus.

    National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind said in a statement that there is simply no physical evidence available to support the claim. Rosekind did not rule out the possibility of a pre-impact fire; it’s simply impossible to prove at this point and time.

    The statement may signal just how devastating this vehicular collision truly was.

    Authorities had already informed the press that they expected it would be some time before they were able to determine the cause of the deadly crash. Much of the difficulty is blamed on the extensive damage caused by the fire.

    The tragic collision occurred on Thursday. High school students were being transported upstate to Humboldt State University. The teenagers were to embark on a tour of the campus and then perhaps take the necessary steps to become students at the university.

    A FedEx tractor-trailer traveling south on I-5 plowed across the green median divider and crashed directly into the bus. Soon after there was a fiery explosion that engulfed both vehicles in flames.

    Though dozens of passengers were able to escape the bus with their lives, 10 people did not survive. Among the deceased are five high school students and three adult chaperones. Both drivers were killed.

    The crash occurred 100 miles north of Sacramento, Calif. and is said to have been heard for miles.

    Investigators have already determined that the FedEx truck collided into the bus without having ever braked.

    Though the ongoing investigation has not found evidence of the pre-collision fire, some believe that it could signal that a mechanical failure was at the root of the tragic accident.

    Image via YouTube

  • California Bus Crash: FedEx Semi Didn’t Brake

    The investigation of a devastating California highway crash involving a FedEx tractor-trailer and college tour bus has revealed startling new details as to what happened.

    On Thursday a FedEx truck traveling south on I-5 crossed a grassy median and collided with a college tour bus. Soon after there was a fiery explosion.

    The fatal collision resulted in the deaths of ten people. Among the deceased were several teenagers and a Los Angeles couple that volunteered to be chaperones for the trip. The drivers of both vehicles were also killed.

    In the aftermath of the tragedy, a federal investigation was launched in order to determine what led to the crash.

    National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind said that when studying the scene of the crash it became clear that the truck left no tire marks on the road. This has led investigators to assume that the FedEx semi did not break before hitting the bus.

    A couple that witnessed the accident told the Associated Press that before the truck jumped the median and eventually collided with the bus it appeared to already be on fire.

    Other witnesses thought they saw the truck clip a car ahead of crossing the median.

    The fact that the semi appeared to already be on fire lends some credibility to the theory that the vehicle was suffering some form of mechanical failure prior to the crash. It could be that such a failure is the explanation for why the FedEx truck failed to break before hitting the bus.

    There are various theories as to what led to the crash, including the possibility that the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel.

    There are no definite explanations at the moment and investigators have already stated that it may be weeks before an actual cause is identified. Because both vehicles were utterly destroyed by fire, it’s going to be very difficult for officials to piece together what went wrong ahead of the crash.

    Image via YouTube

  • Fatal College Tour Bus Crash Caused by FedEx Truck

    The Associated Press reports the tragic news of a college visitation going terribly awry on a Thursday afternoon in California.

    On that day close to 5:30 p.m., a FedEx big rig swerved across a highway median, sideswiped a car and slammed into a tour bus that held 44 teenagers along with Humboldt alumni chaperones and admission counselors on their way to Humboldt State University for a college tour.

    After the initial impact, passengers frantically scrambled out of the bus through a kicked-out window after feeling the hit bus shake and hearing a loud boom. Most survivors were able to run to the other side of the highway before the bus burst into flames with two explosions. Survivors helplessly watched from the other side of Interstate 5 as flames swallowed the bus carrying their closest friends, peers and mentor figures. Firemen walked away from the scene leaving massive bent and blackened metal with bodies draped in blankets.

    Parents and loved ones of the travelers waited on Thursday and Friday for news. Ten died from the collision, and dozens were hospitalized with burns and broken bones.

    The collision dashed the dreams of five of the 44 low-income high school students looking to take advantage of a life-changing opportunity. Many of the students on that bus would be first generation college students, the first in their families to take that major step. As two of the buses arrived on the lush Humboldt campus that Thursday, news that something went terribly wrong slowly arrived to the staff and students. Among the ones waiting, Marisol Serrato, waited for her identical twin sister to arrive only to find out Friday that it would not be so.

    The final count of the ten dead consists of two drivers, three adult chaperones and five students.

    As both the city and the university deal with the news, authorities are still trying to determine why the FedEx truck careened over the median. Michael Vodarsik, FedEx’s CEO, is providing support to the families of those deceased as well as hospitalized passengers.

    University President Rollin Richmond welcomes the the accident survivors to return whenever they are ready.

    Image via NDN

  • Print FedEx Labels Right From eBay

    Print FedEx Labels Right From eBay

    eBay announced that it is enabling sellers to print FedEx labels through its single label printing flow from My eBay. The company launched the program to a limited number of sellers in a pilot, but it will be fully available to all sellers in the first quarter of next year.

    “Adding FedEx to eBay Labels gives you another reputable, reliable shipping service to offer your buyers and a convenient way to ship with this in-demand carrier,” the company said.

    “We’ve been asking sellers to meet buyer expectations of free shipping and tracking,” Carl Gish, Vice President of shipping, told Bloomberg. “It’s something our sellers have been asking for for a while, given that we have USPS and UPS. FedEx, as a major player in that space, is clearly a great partner for both our buyers and sellers.”

    With the feature, eBay will let you choose from a variety of FedEx service options (Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, 2-Day, Express Saver, Ground, or Home Delivery).

    You can also get free tracking info uploaded automatically, and eBay offers volume discount rates for up to 37%.

  • iPhone 5 Release Date Has FedEx Alerting Employees [Report]

    The iPhone 5 will be shipping on September 21, if recent reports are accurate.

    Last month, TechCrunch got a tip from a “trusted Verizon employee” indicating that the company would enter an all-staff vacation blackout from that date through the 30th, and that the 21 would be the actual release date.

    Last week, further confirmation of this date appeared to surface, as GottaBeMobile reported, citing “a trusted source familiar with Apple’s iPhone shipping plans,” that the device would be released on that date.

    According to MacRumors, FedEx has also begun alerting employees about a “surge volume” event beginning that day, as it postponed a class. The publication shared the following message from the company:

    Due to the upcoming “surge volume” event between Sep 21-24, this class has been postponed to the week of Nov 5-9 and you have automatically been moved to that class. If you are unable to attend the week of Nov 5-9, please send me an email and we’ll remove you from the roster.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    While there is no specific mention of the iPhone 5, FedEx is Apple’s primary shipping partner for U.S. orders, most of the time, as MacRumors notes.

    The device is expected to be unveiled on Wednesday.

    More on the iPhone 5 here.