Expecting brisk demand for package transportation this holiday season, DHL is adding capacity to both its air and ground networks in the U.S.
The express carrier said it’s adding more than 440 daily truck routes to its regular network schedule between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, a 25% increase over its average daily ground linehaul capacity. DHL also will add 425 additional domestic point-to-point airline routes on nights, days and weekends, totaling more than 8,000 flights during the peak season.
DHL noted that during the month of December, it expects to double the volume of packages handled through its drop boxes and its nationwide retail network authorized shipping centers located at OfficeMax stores plus independent mail and parcel centers. The carrier also projects a 10% increase in customer shipments processed online and a 30% increase in online tracking requests versus the same period in 2006.
Overall, DHL estimates average daily shipment volume in the U.S. during the month of December will be 25% higher than average daily volume for the first three quarters of the year.
