UPS kicks off peak week

MISSISSAUGA, Ont.– Driven by the growth in e-commerce, UPS said it expects to deliver 29 million packages globally today, Tuesday, Dec. 17. During UPS’s 107th holiday season, Dec. 16 -20 is known as “Peak Week” due to the surge in volume.

“The entire team at UPS has planned all year to handle the annual increased shipping volume during the holidays,” said Alan Gershenhorn, chief sales, marketing and strategy officer. “As consumers change the way they shop for holiday gifts and shipping needs shift, customers rely even more on UPS for trusted and convenient solutions around the globe.”

UPS prepares for its Peak Week with a large-scale, precise operation involving its worldwide global fleet of vehicles and cargo planes, said the company. 

To help put Peak Week into perspective:

• Nearly 100,000 package cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles and alternative fuel vehicles will be deployed to meet customer needs.

• Meanwhile, more than 2,388 UPS cargo flights will take off daily around the world during UPS’s seasonal peak week, 465 more flights than a typical day in November.

• UPS will need 55,000 seasonal employees for the holidays, more than would fit into Yankee Stadium.

• On Dec. 17, UPS anticipates delivering 300 packages per second; a hummingbird’s wings flap an average 50 times a second.