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FedEx Ground customers frustrated over long delays

Posted at 3:05 PM, May 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-01 19:40:25-04

HAMPTON, Va. - Cellphone video showing piles of packages sitting outside the FedEx Ground center in Hampton is getting a lot of attention from customers.

Fedex Ground customer Ray Miltier shot the video on Wednesday after he showed up to the Hampton distribution center to pick up a package he said was a week past the delivery date.

He said what he found was shocking.

“They’re people’s property and belongings, and FedEx has some responsibility to keep those things protected,” said Miltier. “I asked, 'What’s with all the packages out back?' and was told they ran out of space and had to store packages outside.”

Several other customers said they experienced the same thing.

“Last week I went to try and get my package and stood in rain, and 25 minutes later they said they couldn’t find them,” said one Isle of Wight County man who did not want to be identified.

That man said he still hasn’t received $3,000 worth of packages from the facility, including a gift for his daughter’s sixth birthday that has now passed.

On Friday, many customers waited outside the distribution center hoping to pick up their purchases.

Several packages remained on the ground, and the frustration was mounting for Tammera Missel, who said she spent countless hours on the phone with representatives.

“Not getting answers; I feel like I’m getting the runaround,” she said.

Later Friday afternoon, Missel told News 3 her package finally arrived.

One of Miltier’s packages arrived Thursday afternoon, but he said the box was damaged and empty.

“It really looked like it was run over by a truck,” he said.

David Westrick, a spokesperson for FedEx Ground, told News 3 the Hampton center is experiencing a surge in the volume of packages during the pandemic.

Westrick sent a statement:

The situation is fluid as contingency plans are being implemented, including the deployment of additional delivery resources to address the backlog as quickly as possible.

We offer our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused by recent service delays and appreciate our customers’ patience as we work with our service providers to implement contingency plans designed to restore service levels. We encourage customers who have concerns about their shipments to visit fedex.com for information.
FedEx Ground

News 3 asked Westrick if the center is dealing with staffing shortages or a changeover in contractors, and he said he wasn’t able to disclose that information.

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