Busiest shipping day of the year

(NBCNC) - The holiday rush is ramping up at Fedex today.

"We've been preparing for this day, since the day after christmas last year, literally, planning for this day since then," says Paul Tronsor.

And now it's here, the busiest day in Fedex history.

Nineteen-million packages, passing through the system.

That's ten million more than an average day.

"Peak just means, longer hours, more packages to deliver," says John Dunavant.

Deliveries on the ground and through the air.

Fedex has 660 jets, the fifth largest fleet in the world, many right now, packed with presents.

Which are all off-loaded, sorted, then shuttled along this 42-mile matrix of conveyor belts at the world hub in memphis.

"Just making sure, that the packages keep moving to their destination," says Dunavant

The team in this high-tech command center keeps track of the traffic, analyzing data from check-points and scanners, watching video of the operation from more than 250 cameras, just like any other day, only a lot busier.

"The process doesn't really change, what changes is the number of aircraft we have, the number of trucks that we have, the number of people it takes to deliver the packages," says Dunavant.

Global operations coordinates all of that.

Monitoring the weather.

Altering routes on the road and in the air.

Allocating resources to deal with any problem that may come up.

"We develop a plan, a strategy if you will, to mitigate those problems, whether it be weather or traffic or hurricane, or typhoon, we work around those things to make sure those packages get there," says Paul Tronsor.

And that they make it in time for families to celebrate the holiday season.