UPS plans to hire up to 95,000 workers to help with package delivery during the holiday season, the company said Tuesday.
The positions will include package sorters, loaders, delivery helpers and drivers, according to The Associated Press.
Last year, UPS underestimated the number of deliveries during the holiday shipping season, which peaked several days later than the company expected as shoppers jumped at free shipping offers, right up until a few days before Christmas.
UPS originally planned to hire 55,000 seasonal workers in 2013 but ended up adding 30,000 more to handle the surge in deliveries, which drove up costs and reduced earnings.
Even with the additional hiring last year, UPS couldn't handle all the volume, and some last-minute deliveries were delayed until after Christmas.
Since last year's holiday season, UPS has implemented several measures to help prepare for this year's onslaught of deliveries. This includes making improvements to schedule planning, installing temporary mobile sorting and delivery centers and adding thousands of new or leased delivery vehicles, trailers, aircraft and portable loading aids. It's also adding operating days and shifts, according to AP.
Company officials said much of the sharp increase in package deliveries this year will be driven by e-commerce, and the surge will begin in October and continue through January 2015, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Individuals interested in applying for the seasonal positions, starting at $10 an hour, may do so online at UPSjobs.com.
Information from The Associated Press and The Wall Street Journal was used in this report.
