# Why is an expedited UPS parcel taking such a meandering route? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2008, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740 "2008-06-04T12:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/1 "2008-06-04T12:18:54Z")
I’ve ordered a gift from an online retailer in the US as a birthday present for a friend of mine in Sydney, and as part of the order (which is being shipped via UPS expedited shipping to make sure it gets there in time) they’ve given me a tracking number so I can keep an eye on where the package is. I’m surprised by what a meandering route the parcel is taking- it’s been through a couple of states now and appears to be in Tennessee or somewhere equally improbable and definitely not equipped with an international airport that would facilitate its loading on a flight to Sydney. I would have figured the parcel would simply have gone from the retailer’s warehouse to the nearest UPS depot and from there to the nearest major airport, and from there to LAX or SFO or SEA, and from there straight to Sydney. It’s been two days now and the parcel is still meandering about on the wrong side of the US for an international flight to Australia. I’ve had things shipped via UPS before and I’ve noticed this as well- the parcels seem to take what might be considered “the scenic route” through the rural US before suddenly re-appearing on the other side of the country and then getting loaded on a flight to its intended destination. I’m not worried about the parcel showing up late (UPS have been pretty good in the past and I added a few day’s buffer to be on the safe side), but I am wondering why a parcel en route to Australia would be in Tennessee of all places, instead of somewhere like Los Angeles or Seattle or Honolulu. Anyone with some knowledge of how International Parcel Delivery works able to shed some light on this? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/2 "2008-06-04T12:29:47Z")
IANAParcel routing expert, and it’s possible that the parcel was routed in error, but the shipping companies sometimes find it quicker and cheaper to send batches to central sorting points rather than the shortest distance. IIRC, when Federal Express (FedEx) first began, they had only one hub for domestic US overnight shipping, in Memphis, I believe. They sorted nothing until it got there, which made the pickups fast – just ignore the destination address. At the central hub, all packages were sorted at once and each put in a batch to send out to near the final destination, even to the point of “one bag, one truck”. The second read of the address, by the delivery driver, was the last read. Although a package from NYC to NYC went thru Memphis, it was efficent (in cost) and fast even tho it took the long way to get there. I believe FedEx has grown much since then, and has multiple sorting centers now, but that was the original idea. So unless your package took a wrong turn, it might be following the most efficient route after all. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/3 "2008-06-04T13:26:33Z")
I thought UPS had a central hub in Tennessee. I’ve noticed some of my packages go through there, and they were not international. It makes sense that they would have a central hub that isn’t in a crowded metropolis like New York, where they’d be fighting with a lot of passenger traffic. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/4 "2008-06-04T14:08:37Z")
This reminds me of a friend of mine who wanted to send some souvenirs home after a trip to Kenya. She choose the cheapest way possible (shipping) and if I recall correctly the package went across the Atlantic a couple of times (Something, something-Rotterdam-Rio de J-Hamburg-New York-something, something) before ending up in Reykjavik. It had quite a lot of stickers on it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/5 "2008-06-04T14:29:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Although a package from NYC to NYC went thru Memphis, it was efficent (in cost) and fast even tho it took the long way to get there. For the benefit of **Martini Enfield** , I simply wish to state that Memphis is located in Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/6 "2008-06-04T15:16:40Z")
[Wikipedia: United Parcel Service - System Design](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Parcel_Service#System_design) So it’s part of the process. Goes from the address it starts to a local center, then sorted to a hub, then to another hub, then distributed out. I’m a bit surprised at Tennessee for UPS, unless it started in the southeast, as their main airport hub is in Kentucky (Louisville). Presumably it will meander its way there eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/7 "2008-06-05T00:05:24Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] [Wikipedia: United Parcel Service - System Design](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Parcel_Service#System_design) So it’s part of the process. Goes from the address it starts to a local center, then sorted to a hub, then to another hub, then distributed out. I’m a bit surprised at Tennessee for UPS, unless it started in the southeast, as their main airport hub is in Kentucky (Louisville). Presumably it will meander its way there eventually. [/QUOTE] It ended up there last night, and is subsequently now in Honolulu, which makes more sense and has reassured me no end. 🙂 Thanks for the link, too… I had a look at the Wiki article but must have missed that section. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/8 "2008-06-06T19:23:37Z")
**Martini** , For future reference, if you have something sent International Express Mail from the US Postal Service (USPS), the package will be actually [handled by FedEx.](http://www.allbusiness.com/transportation/freight-package-postal-shipping-service/6256953-1.html) You’ll see some odd routings with them since their major sorting hub is in [Memphis, Tennessee](http://www.mscaa.com/cargo.htm). It’s about a 5-hour drive via interstate highways from Memphis to Louisville, possibly explaining your package’s strange routing. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/9 "2008-06-06T19:59:31Z")
[QUOTE=Caractacus Pott] **Martini** , For future reference, if you have something sent International Express Mail from the US Postal Service (USPS), the package will be actually [handled by FedEx.](http://www.allbusiness.com/transportation/freight-package-postal-shipping-service/6256953-1.html) You’ll see some odd routings with them since their major sorting hub is in [Memphis, Tennessee](http://www.mscaa.com/cargo.htm). It’s about a 5-hour drive via interstate highways from Memphis to Louisville, possibly explaining your package’s strange routing. [/QUOTE] USPS =/= UPS To the best of my knowledge, UPS does not use its arch-rival, FedEx, for anything. UPS has it’s own customs brokerage and international flights. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/10 "2008-06-06T22:58:14Z")
**NicePete** Yes, you are correct that UPS is not USPS. I was giving **Martini** an FYI that using another common shipper may also have an odd routing for getting packages to him from America for his future purchases. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/11 "2008-06-07T00:08:15Z")
Thanks for the information, guys! I got an E-mail last night from my friend to say that the package had arrived safely that afternoon, and I mentioned what an interesting little Tiki Tour it had been on. I still can’t work out why UPS has their main hub in Kentucky, of all places… I thought the only things in Kentucky were horse studs and distilleries. 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/12 "2008-06-07T00:30:38Z")
Tennessee: Horse studs, distilleries, shipping hubs, and… [**The birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll**](http://www.sunstudio.com/index.aspx?bhcp=1)!! Not to mention the [most visited National Park](http://www.nps.gov/grsm/) in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/13 "2008-06-07T01:02:08Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] Tennessee: Horse studs, distilleries, shipping hubs, and… [**The birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll**](http://www.sunstudio.com/index.aspx?bhcp=1)!! Not to mention the [most visited National Park](http://www.nps.gov/grsm/) in the USA. [/QUOTE] I’m aware that both Memphis and the Smokey Mountains are in Tennessee… I was talking about Kentucky, where the UPS hub is. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/14 "2008-06-07T01:30:45Z")
[QUOTE=Martini Enfield] Thanks for the information, guys! I got an E-mail last night from my friend to say that the package had arrived safely that afternoon, and I mentioned what an interesting little Tiki Tour it had been on. I still can’t work out why UPS has their main hub in Kentucky, of all places… I thought the only things in Kentucky were horse studs and distilleries. 😉😃 [/QUOTE] Louisville is fairly centrally located within the US, especially if you consider by population, and it has a well-developed airport. What the state of Kentucky is like as a whole is not too important. Ed ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/15 "2008-06-07T02:45:18Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m aware that both Memphis and the Smokey Mountains are in Tennessee… I was talking about Kentucky. :smack: Oops! I got Memphis on the brain there, I guess. Ok, Kentucky, then…how about “birthplace of Bluegrass/ home of Mammoth Cave”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/16 "2008-06-07T03:31:59Z")
[QUOTE=Martini Enfield] I still can’t work out why UPS has their main hub in Kentucky, of all places… I thought the only things in Kentucky were horse studs and distilleries. 😉😃 [/QUOTE] I presume that they have it there because Louisville was willing to accomodate them. There are certain aspects to running such a hub that make them not generally desirable in all metropolitan areas. For one thing, they need long runways, for the very heavily loaded, very large jets they fly. Second, they need an airport that isn’t that busy, so that they pretty much get to take off and land on demand. These two factors combine in a relatively few airports. Then, thirdly, they need an airport willing to allow them to land and take off all night, which is when the majority of their flights occur. Most metropolitan areas do not like letting flights take off during the wee hours of the morning. It forces them to do noise abatement things, like insulating surrounding houses, etc. Toledo has a hub for Burlington Air Express (BAX, now owned by some European company). They specifically wooed BAX, then they completed a major airport expansion project to accomodate them. This involved, among other things, being forced to purchase several square miles of residential areas, and insulate a large number of other homes. It was during this period that the mayor of Toledo, Carty Finkbeiner, made a statement to the effect that one way to abate the noise problem was to move deaf people near to the airport. Made national news at the time. Oh, and it helps if it is centrally located to a large part of the US population. BAX has its hub in Toledo, FedEx in Memphis, UPS in Louisville. You can see a trend here. I assume, without knowing, that Louisville managed some similar wooing of UPS at some point in time. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/18 "2018-03-30T10:33:07Z")
airlines can do the same thing. I went from NC to Ohio to Orlando on Delta. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/19 "2018-03-30T11:22:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I presume that they have it there because Louisville was willing to accomodate them. There are certain aspects to running such a hub that make them not generally desirable in all metropolitan areas. For one thing, they need long runways, for the very heavily loaded, very large jets they fly. Very large, yes. Heavily loaded, probably not. As a rule, parcels have a very low weight to volume ratio. In the UK, the biggest lorries you will see on the roads (54’ long, 8.3’ wide and 16’6" high) are likely to be parcel carriers. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-an-expedited-ups-parcel-taking-such-a-meandering-route/451740/20 "2018-03-30T14:12:37Z")
Since this is an old thread and it was bumped by a spammer, I’m closing it.