Amazon is buying trucks. They’ve created franchises, districts. You may have read about the huge increase in distribution centers. There are seven distribution centers in Tennessee with 1,000 employees.
When Amazon cranks up, its ground game with FedEx will be a battle. Jeff Bezos said in an interview his plan has been held up until the pandemic recedes. Then Amazon will begin to try taking over the ground delivery market.
Frank Cagle
The biggest business story in the coming years will be the battle between FedEx and Amazon. Sooner or later an issue will pit the two giants against one or another with the legislature caught between.
FedEx is a prestigious international company and having it based in Memphis is a boon. For that reason alone, whatever FedEx asks for FedEx gets. Need a cut in jet fuel tax? Need a four-lane highway to serve your Memphis operation? Sure thing.
Meanwhile, Amazon is building a distribution center in a Nashville suburb that is the third-largest building in the United States.
What if Amazon starts buying airplanes?
Doing it again: It is often said that doing the same thing over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Gov. Bill Lee’s first major education initiative was ruled unconstitutional. It was a statewide voucher bill reduced to only two cities, Nashville and Memphis. Now his second major program applies to Nashville and Memphis and sounds a lot like the first. Antipathy toward Nashville and Memphis.
Going to the mattresses: Newly elected U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty has taken in 13 Trump staffers. They hang around and make calls from Hagerty’s office while they look for jobs. Should President Trump get back into politics, he has a ready-made staff standing around.
Been here before: Did you get a funny feeling watching another UT press conference? They have it down pat. It’s sad they’ve had so much practice introducing coaches and athletics directors. It follows a familiar pattern. Smiles and good cheer all around. The athletics director introduces the next savior of UT football. He hopes he won’t have to fire the guy in three years. Especially if he gets caught up in the lynch mob.
Catch you later: I’ve been having a lot of pain lately so I’m cutting it short this week. My apologies. Having a PET test today. I’ve got a family doctor, a heart specialist, a gastroenterologist and an oncologist. I’ve tried the Yellow Pages but I can’t find a doctor whose specialty is one who can make you stop feeling like @!#$.
Frank Cagle is a veteran newspaper editor and columnist.