Today I picked up an air freight shipment from FedEx Heavy Weight at O'Hare. Irving Park Road has been rerouted and the road into the air freight terminals has also been drastically changed. I'm glad I did this by the light of day. It looks like a new runway is being built or maybe someone decided that a new roadway would look good with the shiny new razor wire fencing.
I get to FedEx Heavy Weight and approach the counter. I show a guy the airway bill number. Yes, dispatch provided the AWB number with the load offer, without my asking for it. The counter guy confirms the freight is available and tells me to drive past the office, and park at the bottom of the ramp, walk back to the office and then push a button on the counter next to him to summon someone to load me.
With that done and a short wait, a woman comes to help me. She points to a door that leads to the dock and tells me to report to security and she will meet me on the dock. The TSA woman manning the security station, complete with super sensitive metal detection portal, conveyor belt X-ray machine, and magic wand, instructs me to empty my pockets into a bin and run it through the X-ray machine and proceed through the portal. Wow, just like a passenger terminal. Maybe I'll get on a plane and go somewhere exotic, like Detroit.
While gathering my belongings, she also hands me an official FedEx arm band with some sort of secret magnetic card attached to it. I meet my escort and she takes me to the freight, 150 pound carton on a pallet. She opens the overhead door to the ramp and tells me to back up the ramp and into the building. This requires me to walk outside. Outside of the secure building I just got admitted to after an electronic pat-down, to my suspicious looking white cargo van, that I then drive into the secure building.
I get the freight loaded and I am instructed to drive out the building, down the ramp, park, walk back up the ramp, into the secure building and report to security. Once again I empty my pockets, return the armband and walk through the portal. I leave past the counter guy and out the door I originally came in.
I will sleep well tonight with the cool temperatures and knowing that the TSA is protecting me from evil 24/7.
I get to FedEx Heavy Weight and approach the counter. I show a guy the airway bill number. Yes, dispatch provided the AWB number with the load offer, without my asking for it. The counter guy confirms the freight is available and tells me to drive past the office, and park at the bottom of the ramp, walk back to the office and then push a button on the counter next to him to summon someone to load me.
With that done and a short wait, a woman comes to help me. She points to a door that leads to the dock and tells me to report to security and she will meet me on the dock. The TSA woman manning the security station, complete with super sensitive metal detection portal, conveyor belt X-ray machine, and magic wand, instructs me to empty my pockets into a bin and run it through the X-ray machine and proceed through the portal. Wow, just like a passenger terminal. Maybe I'll get on a plane and go somewhere exotic, like Detroit.
While gathering my belongings, she also hands me an official FedEx arm band with some sort of secret magnetic card attached to it. I meet my escort and she takes me to the freight, 150 pound carton on a pallet. She opens the overhead door to the ramp and tells me to back up the ramp and into the building. This requires me to walk outside. Outside of the secure building I just got admitted to after an electronic pat-down, to my suspicious looking white cargo van, that I then drive into the secure building.
I get the freight loaded and I am instructed to drive out the building, down the ramp, park, walk back up the ramp, into the secure building and report to security. Once again I empty my pockets, return the armband and walk through the portal. I leave past the counter guy and out the door I originally came in.
I will sleep well tonight with the cool temperatures and knowing that the TSA is protecting me from evil 24/7.
