FedEx ‘Panda Express’ Takes Bears Home

By Neil Abt, News Editor

This story appears in the Feb. 15 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

DULLES, Va. — For Dennis Halsey, it was a return trip nearly a decade in the making.

The 31-year truck-driving veteran of FedEx Freight said it was “pretty cool” to be selected to transport Tai Shan, a 4½-year-old male panda bear, from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., to the FedEx cargo facility at Washington Dulles International Airport.

That 25-mile trip was one piece of a 9,000-mile journey that started in Memphis, Tenn., and ended with the delivery of Tai Shan and his 3-year-old female cousin, Mei Lan, to separate research and breeding facilities in China.

“We are privileged and honored to be sending Tai Shan and Mei Lan back to China,” David Bronczek, president of FedEx Express, said here Feb. 4 during a send-off ceremony on the tarmac in front of a custom-decaled Boeing 777 Freighter — dubbed the “FedEx Panda Express.”

He said the shipment had become a global event, with people as far away as Europe and Australia watching a live broadcast on the Internet.

FedEx donated all air, ground and logistical support for the shipment, and provided the funds to manufacture the specially designed containers the pandas called home during their trips.

Dr. Steven Monfort, acting director of the National Zoo and a veterinarian, praised the hundreds of FedEx employees who played a role in what he called “logistically one of the most complicated projects we’ve ever undertaken.”

For Halsey, who resides in Round Hill, Va., and normally delivers packages along a 245-mile round-trip route between Dulles and Harrisonburg, Va., it was not his first close encounter with a panda. In December 2000, Halsey was chosen to transport Mei Xiang and Tian Tian — Tai Shan’s parents — from Dulles to the National Zoo after they arrived from China.

Although he said that first panda-moving experience made him “more at ease” this time, there were some important differences.

“In 2000, everything happened on the other end — all the buildup,” he said. “We got them here, and we were the last link in the FedEx delivery chain. It was exciting and fun, but this time, we’ve had a couple weeks to build it up here. It felt a little more serious on the front end. I knew it was going to be a big deal.”

Halsey said he pulled out of the zoo shortly after 9 a.m. in a trailer with a large panda photo on each side. Dozens of people were waving and taking photos at the front entrance.

A helicopter watched from above as a motorcade, including U.S. Park Police SWAT officers, led Halsey on the trip, which took 90 minutes to complete. The exact route had not been disclosed beforehand for security reasons.

Halsey said he visited the zoo one time since Tai Shan was born and got a “backstage pass” to see the pandas when he visited in mid-January. He then returned again about a week later — but this was a business trip that included a test-run of the entire journey with an empty container.

Halsey said that he carefully monitored the roads, taking note of speed bumps and potholes. He said it allowed him to better coordinate the trip with the security detail and determine the proper speeds to ensure as smooth as trip as possible for Tai Shan.

A zoo official said this effort was commonplace among everyone at FedEx.

“The quality care they exhibit make us totally comfortable,” Robert Lamb, executive director of Friends of the National Zoo, an organization that supports the zoo through member donations, told TT. “They are truly experts in animal care offering first-class service.”

Lamb said he considered the company much more than just transporters — he called them “true partners” in the worldwide panda conservation effort.

While Halsey and Tai Shan slowly rolled their way toward Dulles, a small crowd of FedEx employees and invited guests gathered on the tarmac as the plane carrying Mei Lan arrived from Atlanta.

Mei Lan’s own trip started with a ride by FedEx’s Rodney Scales from that city’s zoo to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. There, Mei Lan boarded the plane, which started the day in FedEx’s hometown of Memphis. The plane was co-captained by Daniel Ventre and Steve Gabrick, who have logged 26 years each with the company.

While waiting for a shuttle bus to take them to the main passenger terminal to fly home to Memphis, they told TT they were honored to have played a small role in what they considered an important day for FedEx and U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

That sense of pride was evident among more than just the employees directly involved in the shipment.

James Beach, a heavyweight handler on the night shift at the Dulles facility, said he slept about four hours before returning as a volunteer. He said he was at the facility when the pandas arrived in 2000 and wanted to be there to witness Tai Shan’s departure.

Although it is not all that uncommon for animals, priceless artwork and other unique cargo to come through Dulles, the shipment of a panda is a little extra special, Beach said.

That sentiment was shared by another volunteer, who, in only his second week on the job, joked he may never again have quite as an interesting day during his FedEx career.

“Events like this make all of us prouder to work here,” Bronczek told TT after the day’s events ended.

Anticipation grew on the tarmac as Halsey pulled through security at the front entrance and carefully backed the tractor-trailer up to door No. 15 at the loading dock while television cameras recorded every maneuver.

Halsey received congratulations from fellow employees on arrival, and Tai Shan was removed from the trailer. After a safety inspection in a restricted area, the panda was led to the tarmac and loaded onto the plane while the small crowd tried to get one last close-up view.

At about 12:30 p.m., the FedEx Panda Express lifted off on its 14½-hour trip for Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, China. As it took off, Halsey snapped several of his own photographs, telling TT that getting a close-up view of the world’s largest twin-engine cargo aircraft, which started making runs between Shanghai and Memphis in January, made the day’s events that much more special.

“I really enjoyed seeing the 777. That is not something we are ever going to see here,” he said. “Not only was the panda side special, but as airline employees . . . seeing that plane here was a unique privilege.” The “Panda Express” touched down in China at about 4:30 p.m. local time, and after a welcoming ceremony at the airport, the animals were transferred to waiting trucks, headed to separate locations that would become their permanent homes.

While Tai Shan’s celebrity status is still growing — he’s already has a $150,000 lifetime corporate sponsorship deal with China’s Sichuan Auto Industry Group, ensuring all of his expenses are paid for — Halsey said back in the United States that he was keeping his own role in perspective.

A few friends called me after the first run nine years ago, and said, ‘Hey, we saw you. It’s your 15 minutes of fame.’ I guess I got 30 minutes instead,” he said.