Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023:
FedEx Freight, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (CCJ Top 250, No. 1) has expanded its FedEx Freight Direct e-commerce offering for returns of big and bulky items (such as outdoor patio furniture, grills, and exercise equipment) from or through the door of residences and businesses.
Offering label-less returns, flexible pickup windows with proactive notifications, shipment visibility, and technology capabilities connecting the return to the original shipment, FedEx Freight Direct now covers nearly 100% of the U.S. population for Basic Pickup and Basic by Appointment Pickup, and 90% of the contiguous U.S. population for Standard Pickup.
Return pickups are made by FedEx Freight team members in uniform, using company-branded equipment. FedEx Freight invested in technology that provides customers with greater visibility for their shipments, real-time estimates for scheduling and pickup status, and flexible two-hour pickup windows. Customers can opt into SMS text message or email notifications. The company optimizes route design for drivers by using technology to monitor distance between stops, appointment windows, driver availability, and traffic patterns.
“We wanted to simplify the process for our customers and their consumers,” said Bonnie Voldeng, Vice President FedEx Freight Direct. “We’ve designed a returns solution, much like our delivery service levels, that simplifies the process for all parties involved, offers greater visibility, removes the hassle of printing a label, and provides flexible two-hour pick-up windows. These are all just examples of how FedEx Freight Direct is providing value and enhancing the overall customer experience.”
FedEx Freight Direct uses vendors as needed, including in Alaska, Hawaii, NYC metro area, and for hard-to-navigate areas.
Two states out West and two in the Midwest are exempting certain truck drivers from the hours of service regulations due to ongoing weather events.
