Coronavirus vaccines will get GPS tracking, flight priority, UPS, FedEx say

Wesley Wheeler, President of Global Healthcare at United Parcel Service (UPS), holds up a sample of the vial that will be used to transport the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as he testifies during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee hearing on the logistics of transporting a COVID-19 vaccine on December 10, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Samuel Corum | Getty Images

Location tracking and priority flights are among the special treatments FedEx and United Parcel Service are planning to give coronavirus vaccines, executives said Thursday.

The shipping giants told a Senate transportation subcommittee that the vaccines will receive priority over any other items, even as the busiest holiday shipping season on record nears its peak. FedEx Express executive vice president Richard Smith said the company is calling it the “shipathon.”

Smith and Wes Wheeler, president of UPS Global Healthcare, expressed confidence in their companies’ abilities to get the vaccines to administration centers around the U.S., outlining how they intend to divide up the work.

Their comments come as federal health officials appear close to deciding on whether to fast-track approvals for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.

“Just to point out how profound this is you have two fierce rivals … in FedEx and UPS who are literally teaming up to get this delivered,” said Smith. UPS will additionally deliver materials for the vaccine kits such as diluent, syringes as well as protective gear for medical workers administering the shots.

UPS’ Wheeler said vaccine and dry ice shipments will each receive special labels with four radios inside. They will also have special tracking devices that monitor location, temperature and other factors.

He added that vaccines in UPS aircraft will be loaded first and unloaded first. The executives said they are working with the Federal Aviation Administration to alert them of planes carrying the vaccine so they receive priority takeoff and landing clearance.

“We are in constant communication with the airline industry on daily Command Center calls and weekly calls with industry senior leadership,” the FAA said in a statement. We work with industry to identify priority flights and prioritize our resources to meet the greatest demand.”

Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

Court Allows Michigan To Send Unsolicited Applications To Vote...

Topline  A Michigan court ruled in favor of the state’s top election official Wednesday,...

Nissan Titan Pickups, Armada SUVs, Infiniti QX65 Included In...

Japan's crisis-hit airbag maker Takata filed for bankruptcy protection...

Nike’s online business is booming — ‘digital is here...

Nike is proving during the pandemic that its big bets in digital are paying off,...

People will be allowed to work from home about...

Parents work from home with their two sons due to the Coronavirus outbreak in...