Comment Its a start (Score 1) 96
Being familiar with multiple FedEx facilities, this was a good place for them to start. Though transporting packages by tuggers is a small part of the process and time/manpower consumed as the real efforts will be Loading/unloading trucks/airplanes that will require a redesign of their entire process and once that is complete tugger integration would be part of that.
Right now tugger drivers account of 5 to 10% of the normal shift work force. Tugger drivers also load the tuggers and unload them. These employees would still be necessary until full automation is achieved.
My point is for now those employees still have jobs assisting tuggers. Once automation is fully embraced the total work force will decrease and will never equal the current work force and during peak seasons no new hires will be necessary. My only hope is wages will rise for those with the experience with working in an automated environment.