Special handling processing in a package transportation system

A method of handling multiple packages, comprising:

• receiving from a consignor multiple packages including a plurality of packages designated for special handling;
• receiving from said consignor package information describing said packages, said package information including whether a package is designated for special handling, the nature of special handling requested and a package destination location;
• creating from the information received from the consignor one or more pre-alert files containing for each of said designated packages a time of shipment, the destination location at which the package should receive special handling, and the identity of the consignor;
• storing said pre-alert files;
• providing access to said pre-alert files to said destination locations;
• receiving from the consignor said multiple packages;
• at a plurality of consolidation points, accessing one of the pre-alert files containing package information for packages whose destination is associated with the consolidation point;
• shipping said packages within a transportation system to said plurality of consolidation points at which said packages are selectively brought together;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, extracting from said one pre-alert file an identification of packages designated for special handling at the consolidation point;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, identifying said designated packages as they arrive at said consolidation points;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, prior to sortation of arriving packages, extracting said designated packages from a stream of packages arriving at the consolidation point;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, applying special handling to said extracted designated packages;
• and
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, notifying one or more of a consignor and consignee of the application of special handling of said designated packages.

A method of providing repair parts to service representatives, comprising:

• receiving electronically from a consignor information relating to multiple packages being shipped by the consignor;
• said information designating a plurality of said packages to be held for pickup by one or more service representatives at one or more selected destination locations;
• creating from the information received from the consignor one or more pre-alert files containing for each of said designated packages a time of shipment, the selected location at which the package should be held, the identity of the service representative who will pick up the package, and the identity of the consignor;
• storing said pre-alert files;
• providing access to said pre-alert files to said destination locations;
• receiving from the consignor said multiple packages;
• shipping each of said packages within a transportation system via one or more sorting hubs to the selected destination location at which the package should be held;
• monitoring incoming packages at said destination locations based on said pre-alert files;
• identifying and, prior to sortation of said incoming packages, holding said designated packages at said selected destination location at which the package should be held;
• updating said pre-alert files to reflect transportation and holding of said designated packages;
• providing access to said pre-alert files to the consignor and the service representatives identified in the pre-alert files who will pick up the packages, and
• releasing each designated package to the service representative identified in the pre-alert files.

A hold-for-pickup method of handling multiple packages, comprising:

• receiving from a consignor via e-mail information relating to multiple packages being shipped by the consignor from a plurality of originating locations, said information designating a plurality of said packages to be held for pickup at a plurality of selected locations;
• receiving from the consignor said multiple packages;
• shipping said packages within a transportation system to a plurality of regions and within the regions to a plurality of consolidation points at which said packages are selectively brought together;
• each of said selected locations being one of said consolidation points;
• monitoring incoming packages at said destination locations based on said pre-alert files;
• identifying and, prior to sortation of said incoming packages, holding said designated packages at said selected destination location at which the package should be held;
• updating said pre-alert files to reflect transportation and holding of said designated packages;
• providing access to said pre-alert files to the consignor and the service representatives identified in the pre-alert files who will pick up the packages, and
• releasing each designated package to the service representative identified in the pre-alert files.

A system for providing repair parts to service representatives, comprising:

• a central computer configured to receive electronically from a consignor information relating to multiple packages containing repair parts being shipped by the consignor,
• said information designating a plurality of said packages to be held for pickup by one or more service representatives at one or more selected destination locations;
• a tracking file;
• and
• an intranet linking said tracking file, said central computer, an accessible intranet site and a plurality of shipper terminals located at said selected destination locations;
• said central computer being configured to create from the information received from the consignor and to store at said intranet site a plurality of pre-alert files containing for each of said designated packages a time of shipment, the selected destination location at which the package should be held, the identity of the service representative who will pick up the package, and the identity of the consignor;
• a transportation system including:
• said destination locations;
• one or more sorting hubs;
• and
• a plurality of package scanning devices positioned at said sorting hubs and destination locations and linked to said tracking file;
• said packages being shipped via said transportation system to the selected destination location at which the package should be held;
• one or more of said central computer and said shipper terminals being configured to update said pre-alert files responsive to tracking data received from said tracking file;
• said shipper terminals being configured to access said pre-alert files;
• said shipper terminals being configured to identify said designated packages responsive to one of said scanning devices detecting arrival of a designated package at its selected destination location and prior to sortation of arriving packages;
• and
• said shipper terminals being configured to update said pre-alert files with status information on arrival of a designated package at its selected destination location and on pickup of a designated package.

A method of handling multiple packages, comprising:

• receiving from a consignor multiple packages including a plurality of packages designated for special handling;
• receiving from said consignor package information describing said packages, said package information including whether a package is designated for special handling, the nature of special handling requested and the package destination;
• storing said package information in pre-alert files sorted based on the package destination;
• at a plurality of consolidation points, accessing one of the pre-alert files containing package information for packages whose destination is associated with the consolidation point;
• shipping said packages within a transportation system to said plurality of consolidation points at which said packages are selectively brought together;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, extracting from said one pre-alert file an identification of packages designated for special handling at the consolidation point;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, identifying said designated packages as they arrive at said consolidation points;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, extracting said designated packages from a stream of packages arriving at the consolidation point prior to sortation of said arriving packages;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, applying special handling to said designated packages;
• at each of said plurality of consolidation points, notifying one or more of a consignor and a consignee of the application of special handling of said designated packages;
• monitoring how often there is a failure to apply special handling;
• and
• generating an alert when there is a recurring failure to apply special handling.

A computer system for monitoring packages designated for special handling and being shipped to a plurality of consolidation points, comprising:

• a first computer with a processor configured to carry out instructions comprising the following steps:
• compiling a list of designated packages requiring special handling;
• and
• sending said list electronically to a central computer;
• an intranet linking said central computer, an accessible intranet site and a plurality of personal computers;
• said central computer including a processor configured to carry out instructions comprising the following steps:
• storing said list of designated packages requiring special handling;
• sorting said list by consolidation point;
• and
• posting sorted information from said list to said intranet site;
• said personal computers being located at each consolidation point with processors configured to carry out instructions comprising the following steps:
• accessing said intranet site;
• and
• downloading information identifying said designated packages for said consolidation points;
• and
• a second computer configured to receive input data indicating for each designated package whether special handling has been applied and to then process said input data to determine how often there is a failure to apply special handling, and generate an alert signal when there is a recurring failure to apply special handling.