FedEx holiday season surcharge policy

FedEx has announced that it will not be applying a 2017 holiday season surcharge for residential shipments – except for packages that are “oversized, unauthorized, or require additional handling”. In a statement issued today (3 August), FedEx said: “The volume of oversized packages moving through the FedEx Ground network during the Holiday season has increased by approximately 240 percent over the past 10 years and is now about 10 percent of all volume handled by FedEx Ground. FedEx has engineered its networks to add sortation and delivery capabilities to accommodate the continued rise in demand for larger, heavier packages, including entire facilities temporarily dedicated to oversized packages.

“The Holiday season surcharge will be effective Nov. 20, 2017, through Dec. 24, 2017.  FedEx Express and FedEx Ground in the U.S. and Canada will increase the surcharge during this period for additional handling by $3 per package, for oversize goods by $25 per package, and for unauthorized shipments by $300 per package.”

Explaining the surcharge for ugly packages, Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president, Integrated Marketing and Communications, FedEx, said: “These packages consume an inordinate amount of cubic space in FedEx Ground and FedEx Express equipment in the U.S. and Canada. Another important solution to this issue is for Congress to adopt a nationwide standard of twin trailers at 33’ versus 28’.  This would increase package capacity per trip, increase safety on the highways and use less fuel.  Thirty-three foot twin trailers are currently permitted in only 20 states, and FedEx advocates for a nationwide standard of twin trailers at 33’ but no increase in total weight.”