FedEx drivers deliver holiday cheer in the form of packages

It's also the time of year when he spreads holiday cheer by dropping much anticipated gifts on residents' doorsteps.

“I love it,” Beltrane said Monday while driving his route in the Edgemere Park neighborhood. “Everybody's happy to see you.”

The bulk of his package deliveries these days are from online retailers. A peek at some parcels ready for transport inside the Oklahoma City distribution center at 4220 N Santa Fe showed many were from Radioshack.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com — one was even headed to North Pole, Alaska.

FedEx was expected to handle more than 17 million packages Monday, its busiest day this year. That's 9 percent more than last year and almost double what FedEx ships on a normal day.

About 55 drivers handle the deliveries for the N Santa Fe Avenue facility, said Nathan Crawford, operations manager. They start loading their trucks about 6 a.m., begin their routes around 8 a.m. and wrap up their day by 4:30 or 5 p.m.

Beltrane, a FedEx driver for 19 years, was wearing shorts Monday, despite the chilly, forty-something temps. He makes a stop an average of every three minutes and goes through the same routine: shut off the truck, grab a package, hustle to the recipient's door. Then back in the truck, click the seat belt and on to the next.