Amazon Drivers Ready For Busy Holiday Season
MINNEAPOLS (WCCO) -- Companies like FedEx, UPS and the Postal Service will be buzzing for the next week making sure customers get all their orders in time for the holidays.
It's the season of giving and that means it's "go time" for delivery drivers around the state.
"It's definitely a much bigger year this year than last year," said David Aldahl, Amazon's Eagan station operations manager.
Last December, the Eagan and Maple Grove facilities delivered a record 11.8 million packages.
This year? They're expecting to drop off at least 12.6 million.
"We deliver anywhere between 90,000 and 100,000 packages per day out of this station,"Aldahl said. "Hiring has been good here in the Eagan market."
Flex drivers in their vehicles fill in the gaps, other drivers pick up extra shifts.
They drop off packages through Christmas Eve, delivering on promises like same-day delivery on certain items.
And if weather pops up, routes shrink or shifts slide to safer times.
"We make sure especially during this year that we really take the time to make sure drivers understand that their safety is our top priority," Aldahl said.
Prime members can shop until Dec. 23 for free one-day delivery. There's also enhanced same-day delivery in the metro on certain items.
People can order until 11 a.m. on Christmas Eve and get items within a five-hour window.
Prime members can visit Amazon and enter their zip code to see if same-day delivery is available in their area - the entire Twin Cities metro area is covered.
The same-day delivery is dispatched out of a Brooklyn Park warehouse stocked with more than 3 million popular items.