WEATHER IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE
A COMPLICATING FACTOR IN THIS.
WE WILL GET INTO THAT.
AS WE MENTIONED, FEDEX MAKING
ITS FIRST DELIVERY THIS MORNING.
HERE TO SHED LIGHT ON WHAT’S
HAPPENING AND HOW THEY WILL DEAL
WITH THESE ISSUES, RICHARD
SMITH, REGIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE
AMERICAS AND EVP FOR FEDEX
EXPRESS JOINING US EXCLUSIVELY
THIS MORNING.
RICHARD, GOOD MORNING.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
>> GOOD MORNING, AL.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> VACCINES OFFICIALLY ON THE
MOVE.
HOW HAS DISTRIBUTION GONE SO FAR
THIS MORNING?
AND HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT
THE PROCESS?
>> WE’RE FEELING GREAT.
DISTRIBUTION HAS GONE VERY
SMOOTHLY THIS MORNING.
ALL OF US AT FEDEX ARE IMMENSELY
PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS
HISTORIC MOMENT.
MANY OF OUR SHIPMENTS TENDERED
TO US HAVE BEEN DELIVERED,
AROUND HALF OF THEM WITH THE
FIRST ONE BEING DELIVERED TO A
HOSPITAL AT MASSACHUSETTS AT
5:53 A.M., WHICH IS --
>> WE MAY HAVE HAD A LITTLE
TECHNICAL ISSUE.
RICHARD, ARE YOU WITH US?
I SAW YOU MOVE AGAIN.
>> I’M HERE.
>> THERE WE GO.
>> CAN YOU GUYS SEE ME?
>> WE LOST YOU WHERE YOU SAID
YOU WERE TAKING THEM TO THE
HOSPITALS FIRST AND HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES.
>> YES.
WE’RE DELIVERING TO HOSPITALS
AND MEDICAL CENTERS.
WE HAVE DELIVERED OVER HALF OF
THE SHIPMENTS ALREADY.
AND THE FIRST SHIPMENT, FIRST
DELIVERY OCCURRED AT 5:53 A.M.
TO A HOSPITAL IN MASSACHUSETTS,
A FULL FOUR HOURS 37 MINUTES
BEFORE ITS COMMIT TIME AT 10:30.
>> THAT’S FANTASTIC.
WE KNOW FEDEX AND U.P.S.
SPLITTING DISTRIBUTION ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE
LOGISTICS?
HOW MANY DELIVERIES ARE YOU
EXPECTING TO DELIVER TO TODAY
AND HOW MANY CHALLENGES HAVE YOU
RUN INTO TODAY?
>> WE’LL DELIVER TO AROUND
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70 AND 80
DISCREET FACILITIES TODAY.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SHIPMENTS
GOING OUT IN THE FIRST FEW WAVES
HERE.
BUT OVER TIME, WE’LL DELIVER TO
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOSPITALS
AND MEDICAL CENTERS AND OTHER
ADMINISTRATION SITES THROUGHOUT
THIS EFFORT.
WE’RE WELL PREPARED FOR IT.
PLANNING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR
MONTHS.
IT IS WHAT OUR NETWORK HAS BEEN
BUILT FOR.
WE DO IT EVERY DAY.
SO WE’RE READY FOR THIS, AND
WE’RE VERY CONFIDENT.
>> RICHARD, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THIS BIG SNOWSTORM THAT
WILL BE MOVING INTO THE
ATLANTIC, THE NORTHEAST.
THERE IS ANOTHER STORM IN THE
ROCKIES THAT WILL MAKE ITS WAY
EAST.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WORK AROUND
THAT GIVEN THAT IF SOME OF THOSE
SHIPMENTS GET DELAYED, I WOULD
ASSUME THAT AFFECTS THE
TEMPERATURES THAT ARE BEING HELD
IN THOSE VACCINES.
>> WELL, WE HAVE A TEAM OF
METEOROLOGISTS, AROUND 15
METEOROLOGISTS, WHO ARE
COORDINATING THESE CONDITIONS
24/7, 365.
WE HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS IN
PLACE SHOULD WE SEE SEVERE
WEATHER LATER IN THE WEEK OR AT
ANY POINT.
WEATHER HAPPENS.
WE DEAL WITH IT ALL THE TIME.
WE DON’T EXPECT A SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT THIS MORNING.
BUT WE HAVE MULTIPLE HUBS FOR
THIS PURPOSE.
WE HAVE A HUB IN MEMPHIS,
TENNESSEE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER IN INDIANAPOLIS.
WE HAVE NEWARK.
REGIONAL HUBS IN GREENSBORO,
FORT WORTH, MIAMI AND ANCHORAGE.
WE DEAL WITH WEATHER EVENTS ALL
THE TIME.
>> ON THAT NOTE, CNBC IS
REPORTING THAT THE FDA IS
GRANTING PRIORITY CLEARANCE TO
FLIGHTS CARRYING VACCINES.
WHAT OTHER KINDS OF SPECIAL
TREATMENT IS NEEDED TO DELIVER
THESE VACCINES QUICKLY AND
SAFELY, BOTH IN THE AIR AND ON
THE GROUND?
>> THE FDA ASKED US TO NOTIFY
THEM WHEN THERE ARE VACCINE
SHIPMENTS ON THE AIRCRAFT SO
THEY CAN GIVE THEM PRIORITY.
IN OUR NETWORK, THEY WILL HAVE
DESIGNATED LOW POSITIONS ON OUR
AIRCRAFT.
THEY WILL GET PRIORITY BOARDING.
THEY WILL GO THROUGH A SPECIAL
EXPEDITED NETWORK.
AND OF COURSE WE’VE GOT THE
LATEST AND GREATEST IN ADVANCED
TRACKING ON EVERY PACKAGE.
WE AFFIX A SENSOR ID TAG TO
EVERY BOX WHEN OUR COURIERS PICK
IT UP.
SO WE HAVE EYES ON THESE
PACKAGES AT ALL TIMES.
AND WE’RE MONITORING THEM ON
FEDEX SURROUND WE DEVELOPED IN
CONJUNCTION WITH MICROSOFT IN
THE PARTNERSHIP WE ANNOUNCED
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
>> THAT’S GREAT.
RICHARD SMITH, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT IN YOUR
HANDS, BUT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING
IT WORK, SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU.