10 Surprising Facts about FedEx Shipping

FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational delivery services company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. The name “FedEx” is a syllabic abbreviation of the name of the company’s original air division, Federal Express, which was used from 1973 until 2000.

FedEx today is best known for its air delivery service, FedEx Express, which was one of the first major shipping companies to offer overnight delivery as a flagship service.

I’ll be sharing 10 Surprising Facts about FedEx Shipping, Scroll thru

1. FedEx didn’t start life as a courier company servicing as it does today.

FedEx didn’t start life as a courier company servicing as it does today. The business plan crafted by founder Fred Smith in 1971, was that FedEx would be a company which would pick up cheques from the 12 Federal Reserve banks in the United States, fly them to a central hub and then deliver the cheques to the federal reserve member banks the next day.

He presented the idea to the Federal Reserve and the response was favourable.

Later, the federal reserve directors changed their mind – and the company was left with no client, two Falcons and $3.6 million in debt. Forced to re-consider his business plan, Smith decided to instead to create a service providing USA-wide delivery for time-sensitive documents for businesses and consumers.

2. FedEX almost went Bankrupt and risked it all again

In 1974, three years after the company’s birth, FedEx was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. The company was losing $1 million a month and Fred Smith was unable to raise capital, get loans and attract investors.

At the end of the working week – Friday, there was only $5,000 left in the company accounts, which wasn’t enough for the company to continue operating. Smith decided to take drastic action. He flew from the company headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas to Las Vegas and he spent the weekend playing blackjack with the company funds.

Smith returned to the company headquarters in Little Rock on Monday and told astonished executives that he had managed to turn the $5,000 into $27,000. Soon afterwards, the company captured $11 million in funding and two years later in 1976, FedEx recorded its first-ever profit of $3.6 million.

3. Hidden Meaning in the FedEx Shipping Logo

Look closely at the letters E and X. You should see an arrow in the white space between the two letters. The arrow is intended to provide a subliminal message as FedEx being a company which delivers from A to B. However, the arrow was created by accident in 1994 as the logo designers happened to discover the hidden arrow whilst in the midst of designing over 400 different versions of the logo.

4. FedEx Shipping invented the Realtime Tracking of Shipments

In the late 1970’s FedEx created the tracking number – a set of numbers designed to the track the journey of a package. The system was originally intended for internal quality control but was later released to the general public.

Today, tracking numbers are used throughout the courier industry and millions of tracking numbers are entered everyday into fedex.com.

The use of tracking numbers has since been developed into fully automated tools, allowing customers to track their shipments online visually.

5. FedEx Express is a big Network of Employees, On ground staff & it’s Transportation Network

FedEx Express covers every U.S. street address and services more than 220 countries and territories. Our global network provides time-sensitive, air-ground express service through more than 650 airports worldwide. According to FedEx Official website FedEx have 680 Aircraft at > 650 airports worldwide for it’s smooth “FedEx Shipping”

6. Imagine the Employment FedEx created – Numbers don’t lie

With $69.2 billion FY20 annual revenue and 600K Team members delivering 18M Avg. daily package volume* on >200K Motorized vehicles and helping in Connecting 99% of global GDP with the help of On-Road Logistics solutions to door-to-door deliveries made nationally possible via 680
Aircrafts at more> 650 airports worldwide and thru ocean freight forwarding services.

FedEx Express covers every U.S. street address and services more than 220 countries and territories. Our global network provides time-sensitive, air-ground express service through more than 650 airports worldwide.

7. FedEx becomes Official Sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, celebrates the 100th Boeing 767

In 2016, FedEx became the first sponsor to begin collaborating with the UEFA Foundation for Children, using football as a tool to deliver positive and social impact in communities around the world.

“Our global sponsorship of UEFA Champions League will deliver unrivalled opportunities for our brand, team members, customers, and communities. Aligning our brand with world class sports performance allows us to connect our services to our audiences through the passion and emotions generated by sports and enables us to contribute positively to our local communities,” said Brie Carere, executive vice president, chief marketing and communications officer, FedEx Corp.

8. FedEx Helped billions of people in Covid outbreak

FedEx Express operates the last MD-10-10F revenue flight, delivers 1.35 million COVID-19 doses to Mexico. FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, on June 15 announced that it has safely delivered 1.35 million Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses to Toluca, Mexico, in coordination with Direct Relief and the United States and Mexican governments.

9. In 1994 a Fedex Jet suffered hijacking attempt

In 1994 a Fedex Jet suffered hijacking attempt by a disgruntled employee armed with multiple melee weapons, the captain flew upside-down to prevent takeover.

On April 7, 1994, Federal Express Flight 705, a DC-10 cargo plane flying from Memphis to San Jose, California, was the target of an attempted hijacking.

The hijacking attempt was carried out by a former FedEx employee named Auburn Calloway, who had been fired from his job as a flight engineer for lying on his resumé and was seeking revenge against the company.

Calloway smuggled several hammers and a spear gun onboard the plane and planned to incapacitate the crew and take control of the aircraft. He attacked the flight crew shortly after takeoff, severely injuring the captain, co-pilot, and flight engineer with the hammers and the spear gun.

However, the injured crew members managed to fight back and prevent Calloway from taking control of the plane. They made an emergency landing at the nearest airport, and Calloway was apprehended by authorities.

The incident was one of the most violent and dramatic hijacking attempts in U.S. aviation history, and it highlighted the importance of airline security measures and the need for improved cockpit doors to prevent future hijackings. The heroic actions of the crew members involved in the incident were widely praised, and they were awarded the Gold Medal of Valor by the Air Line Pilots Association.

9. FedEx is helping in Keeping the Panda Gene alive

All pandas in the world are on loan from China, and when a baby Panda is born, by agreement, it is sent back to China to help expand the gene pool. The baby pandas are shipped back by FedEx.

9. FedEx keeps empty planes in the sky to be able to respond to changing freight demand quickly.

Under this program, FedEx closely monitors package volume and demand for each flight route and adjusts the size and number of planes accordingly. This helps the company to optimize its air network, reduce fuel consumption, and minimize empty flights.

In some cases, when there is a sudden increase in demand, FedEx may add additional flights or adjust the schedule of existing flights to ensure timely delivery of packages. However, the company does not keep planes in the sky unnecessarily or fly empty planes just to respond to changing freight demand.

10. SenseAware by FedEx

SenseAware is a service offered by FedEx that provides real-time tracking and monitoring of high-value and sensitive shipments. The service uses advanced sensors, wireless technology, and a web-based application to provide customers with visibility and control over their shipments.

SenseAware allows customers to track the location, temperature, humidity, light exposure, and other conditions of their shipments in real-time. This information is transmitted securely to a cloud-based platform, where customers can access it through a web interface or mobile app. Customers can also set up alerts and notifications to be informed of any changes or exceptions in their shipments.

12. FedEx reference in Tom Hanks movie, Cast Away

The movie “Cast Away” prominently features FedEx as a crucial element in the storyline, with Tom Hanks portraying a FedEx employee named Chuck Noland who becomes stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash.

Despite the significant presence of FedEx in the film, the company did not pay for product placement. Instead, FedEx and the movie had a strategic partnership where FedEx provided support and resources for the film without direct payment.

The movie showcases FedEx’s brand through various elements like the company logo on packages, planes, and uniforms, emphasizing themes of reliability, efficiency, and connection to the outside world. The portrayal of FedEx in “Cast Away” goes beyond traditional product placement, with the company being considered a character integral to the movie rather than just a brand on screen

More Facts about FedEx

12. FedEx planes have anti-missile countermeasures and are the only commercial planes to currently carry them.
13. In 2013, FedEx became the first company to test a drone for commercial deliveries, and it has since been granted permission to use drones for certain types of deliveries.
14. The company is a leader in sustainability and has committed to achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040. FedEx has already made significant progress toward this goal, with over 45% of its vehicles using alternative fuels and more than 50% of its facilities using solar power.
15. In 1997, FedEx became the first company to receive permission from the FAA to fly its planes using a “heads-up display” system, which projects flight information onto the windshield, allowing pilots to keep their eyes on the horizon.
16. FedEx used 389 Federal Express employees and 14 Dassault Falcon jets to deliver 186 packages overnight to 25 U.S. cities on its first day in business.

The future of FedEx is likely to be shaped by a combination of technological innovation, changing market dynamics, and evolving customer expectations.

One area where FedEx is likely to continue to invest heavily is in the development and implementation of advanced technologies to improve its operations and services. This includes the use of automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to enhance efficiency, speed, and security in the shipping and logistics industry.

Another key area of focus for FedEx is likely to be sustainability and environmental responsibility. The company has set ambitious goals to reduce its carbon footprint and increase the use of alternative fuels, and is investing in renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and other initiatives to promote sustainability.

In addition, as e-commerce continues to grow and evolve, FedEx is likely to continue to expand its capabilities and services to meet the needs of online retailers and consumers. This could include new delivery options, enhanced tracking and visibility, and more efficient and cost-effective supply chain solutions.

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