Amazon Fulfillment Center DFW

33333 J Lemmon Rd.

Dallas, TX 75241

North Dallas Chamber of Commerce

10707 Preston Rd.
Dallas, TX 75230

Dear Dallas City Chamber of Commerce,

Dallas is a commuter city. The cluster of cities within the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex means a
lot of time is spent on the road for residents making long commutes to work. The average person
in Dallas spends 28 minutes driving to work every day, and 53 hours of every year is lost to
commuters sitting in traffic (Lindenberger, 2010). The high volume of people driving back and
forth on Dallas roads daily have caused some prevalent erosion problems on roads.

Introduction

According to a poll conducted by D magazine in 2015, citizens of Dallas think that the city’s
biggest problem is potholes (Heid, 2015). Out of the five options given in the poll, 55 percent of
pollers thought that potholes were the most important issue in the city to be addressed (rise in
violence was second with a mere 20 percent) (Heid, 2015).

Amazon is a company that operates on efficiency. Being a shipping/distribution company, we,

employees of Amazon, are familiar with the issues brought with the road conditions and are
striving to improve them. We receive concern from our drivers about the risk created from
damaged roads and potholes along with the daily complaints of damaged packages from
customers. Dallas is also contending to be selected as the location for the proposed second
Amazon Headquarters, worth roughly $5 billion dollars. If chosen, more than 50,000 new jobs
would be created in Dallas, which only makes it more imperative that we maximize our efforts in
repairing roads all across Dallas (Hethcock, 2017).

Dallas having less potholes will increase driving safety, reduce the amount of fatal and nonfatal
car accidents, reduce traffic, as well as decrease the risk of packages the citizens of Dallas order
may be damaged. In addition to this information, we are aware of the amount of money cities
like Dallas pay annually on road repairs. For these reasons, we believe that we have a cause for
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the citizens of Dallas and employees of Amazon to get involved in the restoration of the city of

Dallas.

(Ogle, 2015).

The figure above displays the statistics for road conditions in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to
compare between the different major cities. The City of Dallas has the more miles of road than
any other city on the chart, however it also has the third most potholes per mile. In addition to
this, it costs $15 to temporarily repair a single pothole (Ogle, 2015). Road conditions are a
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prevalent issue among the different cities. We intend for our event to garner the attention of the
citizens of Dallas, and get them involved with the repairs by making direct donations.

Background and Problem

Dallas is the third largest city in Texas with about 1.3 million residents in 2016 (Google, 2016).
With a population so large, there are many commuters that take routes with major highways and
service roads on their daily commute. Most of these major highways and service roads aren’t
meeting up to a sufficient standard because of poor road conditions, which contributes to many
car accidents and damages.

On June 5th, 2017 there was at least six cars that suffered from blown-out tires due to potholes
located on Texas 183 (Guerrero, 2016). According to the insurance company AAA, it is
estimated that a yearly 15 percent of drivers repair their cars due to potholes and the repairs
equal in total around $3 billion a year (Berenson, 2016). In the years of 2011 to 2016, around 16
million Americans experience pothole damages to their vehicles, which cost an average of $300
in repairs (CBS, 2016). Potholes can cause various amounts of damage to a car by affecting the
alignment of the wheels and blowing out tires completely. The car damages alone are costly for a
common commuter which leads to the main problem. Dallas is a huge city with a vast amount of
roads but the maintenance and upkeep is lacking towards the roads that reach a critical need of
attention. Congress has appropriated an increasing amount of money towards transportation cost,
but analysts state that a fund of $170 billion is needed additional to the transportation funds
(CBS, 2016).

Overall Dallas citizens are suffering from car accidents and damages due to the lack of attention
and funding towards improving Dallas road conditions.

Purpose

Each day, more than 200 people move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. With this migration
growth, the commute from place to place will congest the roads. 90.6% of Dallas workers (16
years of age and older) commute to work in the means of car, truck, or van. (“DFW facts,”
2013). Due to this, there are several big constructions underway to lessen the heavy traffic that is
expected to only get larger from here. According to CBS, the projects hope to rebuild highways,
add extra lanes, manage tollways, etc. Projected costs for each project range from $233 million
to $1.4 billion (New, 2016). Unfortunately, this budget does not entail pothole repairs. Most
potholes are only an inch or two deep and a few inches wide, but the consequences can be costly
depending on the severity of the hole. Driving straight over a pothole at high speeds can be
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dangerous for child passengers, can damage a car’s tires, but also account for several car
accidents by causing a car to veer in a different direction.

We at Amazon know the importance of smoother roads as we are a shipping and distributing
company. Since the launching of Amazon Flex back in the year 2015, our company has hired
many individuals at least 21 years of age to deliver packages from our distribution centers to
consumers’ households. That being said, a study conducting statistics and trends discovered that
20% of consumers who return products is due to receiving a damaged product (Saleh). Poor
packaging may account for that statistic; however, bad road conditions also contribute to
damage. By restoring the roads to its proper state, our employees will be able to transport parcels
without fear of negligence as well as increase customer satisfaction.

Proposal

Amazon aims to raise funds in order to repair the growing number of potholes scattered
around the different communities of the DFW area.

Our proposition, for the lack of attention and budget for this pothole problem, is to
generate money specifically dedicated towards repairs. To reduce the costs of repairs, our
solution is to host an event titled “RoadRepair” surrounded with activities to pamper the guest’s
car. Our major method of raising money is the $15 fee paid at the entrance of the event.
Additionally, there are several activities that will be available as well. For example, guests will
have the option to participate in services for car washes, detailing, and an all-around car show.
Prices may vary. Throughout the event, volunteers will hold raffles for car parts, accessories, tire
rotation, and prepaid gas certificates for separate drawings.

This event highlights the importance of taking care of an individual’s vehicle while raising
monetary donations. Repairs from a private company can cost around $150-$300 for each job.
This can quickly add up due to the plethora of potholes surfacing in Dallas communities.
However, since we are donating all available cash flow to the City of Dallas Department of
Street Services, the price of repairs will minimize to only $15 for each pothole, which is how we
determined the admission rate.

Plan

Amazon is taking the initiative to make a positive impact on Dallas infrastructure by helping fix
the roads the company relies on to make its deliveries. Amazon has a large presence in Dallas,
with three fulfillment centers already in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and a fourth upcoming
(Halkias, 2016).
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The event will be held in a parking area large enough to accommodate the event. The event will
take place on April 21, 2018. The entrance fee will be the main source of profit. Along with that,
the event will bring revenue through car washes, food sales, raffle tickets, direct donations,
company advertisements and booths, and luxury car shows. All the proceeds will be donated to
the City of Dallas Department of Street Services to repair potholes.

Schedule

With your approval, the event will be held on Saturday, April 21st, 2018. It will follow the
schedule below.

Preparation for Event Date

Confirm event is go/no go 25/November/2017

Confirm with venue 1/December/2017

Begin advertisement 1/February/2018

Confirm with car dealerships participating in 1-6/February/2018

car show

Contact Dallas Morning News to publish an article 1-2/February/2018

about event

Confirm with BBQ provider 15/February/2018

Start Volunteer sign-up 15/February/2018

Have all supplies prepared 10/April/2018

Day of Event: April 21st, 2018 Time

Set-up crew arrival 6:00 A.M

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Have tents set up 8:00 A.M

Have band set up 11:00 A.M

Barbeque set up complete 11:30 A.M

Photographer arrives 11:45 A.M

Event Starts 12:00 P.M.

Luxury car competition 12:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.

Luxury car winner announced 3:00 P.M

Car wash 12:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Raffle winner drawing 6:00 P.M.

Event concludes 7:00 P.M.

Post Event Date

Have all profits accounted for 30/April/2018

Make official donation 2/May/2018

Publish event story to Amazon website 3/May/2018

Staffing

To maximize profit and minimize costs, this event will be largely headed by us, the employees at
Amazon proposing it, along with the help of volunteers. We will require a set up crew to arrive
on site in the morning and pitch the tents for the vendors and allocate the area for the different
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events. We will have a journalist recording events and taking pictures throughout the day for
publishing on the company website. A website will be available online for volunteers to register
and learn more about the event and cause. We will note the guidelines and identify skill level
requirements for the positions. Salesmen will be at the event representing different car
dealerships, showcasing new car models.

The table below lists the job responsibilities for each of us coordinating the event.

Zak Gharbieh Head Director - The one who will oversee

everyone, and insure things are running
smoothly

Kenny Nguyen Advertiser - In charge of advertisement

Raahil Hamza Supply Provider - Responsible for accounting

supplies needed for the car show

Alex Tak Manager - Manages and stations Amazon &

UTD volunteers

Sarah Sopoco Consultant - Advises participants who attend

event with any questions or concerns they
may have

Journalist Journalist - Selected individuals from the

volunteers will be asked to take photos of
events within the car show

10 Amazon Employees Worker - Helping out with setting up and

running the event

10 UTD Volunteers Worker - Helping out with setting up and

running the event

Zak will be in charge of making sure everyone is performing their jobs. Kenny will be
responsible for advertising our car show. Raahil will account for supplies necessary for the event.
Alex is responsible to manage and station the Amazon and UTD volunteers to set up for the
event. Sarah will be in charge of handling. We will have volunteers handle games such as
beating a junk car, piston tossing, small bicycle racing,
Budget

Venue will be held at Big Town Exhibition Hall Parking Lot. The address to the Big Town
Exhibition Hall is 2323 Big Town Boulevard Mesquite, TX, 75149. A picture has been provided
of the location of the event.
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The cost of entrance will be $15 which is roughly equivalent to the average cost to fix up
potholes in Dallas. RoadRestore will have raffle prizes including gift certificates for oil changes,
tire rotation, and various prepaid gas gift cards, which will be of no cost as they are donations for
the cause of the event.

Estimated turnout is 1,000 people. With $15 per entrance ticket, entrance revenue is 15,000. The
entrance profit alone will fix 1,000 potholes in Dallas.

Food will be sold by a local Barbeque catering store called Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. They’ve
agreed to donate all food sale profits to the cause. Prior to the event, volunteers will create
numerous buckets of homemade car wash recipes to maximize profit. The fixed cost of all this
should definitely be covered though through income of venue, food, and car wash service. Like
all good car shows, music will definitely be played. Since the cost of hiring a band can be pricey
and this event is to raise money, we have asked the Boss Street Brass band to play on our behalf.

The tables below display the allocation of money for the event.

Costs
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Venue $1500

Tents (12) $200

Portable Toilets (5) $300

Car Wash Supplies $350

Total $2,350

Service Prices

Entrance Fee $15

Car Wash $5

Raffle Ticket $5

Barbecue Meal $9

Conclusion

To conclude, Dallas is a commuter city that will only continue to expand in population as
companies like amazon come along. With that said, it is imperative that our roads and
infrastructure are up to the challenge of handling a greater number of vehicles. We believe this
event will provide sufficient funds to assist the city of Dallas in improving our infrastructure, as
well as get the citizens of Dallas involved in the improvement of the city. We are working
toward the success of this event and hope some of the members of the chamber of commerce can
attend, so that they can see firsthand just how hard we worked to help solve Dallas’s pothole
issue.

Thank you for hearing our proposal, we hope you approve of our plan so that we can take the
first step in improving road conditions across Dallas.
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Sincerely,

Kenny Nguyen
Alex Tak
Sarah Sopoco
Raahil Hamza
Zakaria Gharbieh
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REFERENCES

DFW Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2017, from

https://www.dallaschamber.org/why-dallas/about-the-region/dfw-facts/

Halkias, M. (2016, April 20). Amazon to add 1,000 jobs in sixth Texas fulfillment center.
Retrieved September 25, 2017, from
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/business/2016/04/20/amazon-is-open-its-sixth-
fulfillment-center-in-texas

Heid, J. (2015, June). Poll: What Is Dallas’ Biggest Problem Right Now?
Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2015/07/poll-
what-is-dallas-biggest-problem-right-now/

Hethcock, B. (2017, September). At least 12 North Texas cities vying for Amazon’s second
headquarters.Retrieved October 03, 2017, from
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/09/26/at-least-12-north-texas-cities-
vying-for-amazon-s.html

Garfield, L. (2017, October 2). A major Texas city wants Amazon to move its new headquarters
to a dead shopping mall site. Retrieved October 3, from
http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-headquarters-hq2-dallas-shopping-mall-
proposal-2017-10

Lindenberger, M. A. (2010, December 15). Commutes in Dallas-Fort Worth are worst in U.S.,
study says. Retrieved October 03, 2017, from
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2010/12/15/commutes-in-dallas-fort-
orth-are-worst-in-u.s.-study-says

New, B. (n.d.). Top 5 Biggest Road Construction Projects In DFW. Retrieved September 19,
2017, from http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/11/01/top-5-biggest-road-construction-projects-
in-dfw/
(Kenny’s source)

Ogle, A. (2015, June). Dallas’ Pothole Problem.

Retrieved October 03, 2017, from https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-
magazine/2015/june/dallas-pothole-problem/

Saleh, K. (n.d.). E-commerce Product Return Rate – Statistics and Trends [Infographic].
Retrieved September 28, 2017, from
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https://www.invespcro.com/blog/ecommerce-product-return-rate-statistics/

Snider, M. (2017, September 7). Amazon to add second headquarters with up to 50,000 jobs in
grab for talent. Retrieved October 3, from
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/07/amazon-plans-second-headquarters-
dubbed-hq-2/640861001/

CBS. (2016, February 17). Pothole Damage Repairs Costing Drivers $3 billion A Year.
Retrieved October 03, 2017, from http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/02/17/pothole-damage-
repairs-costing-drivers-3-billion-a-year/

Google. (2016). Population in the U.S.

Retrieved October 03, 2017, from
https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=kf7tgg1uo9ude_

Berenson, W. K. (2016, April 06). Dangerous Potholes Causing Many Crashes in Fort Worth
Dallas. Retrieved October 03, 2017, from
https://www.fortworthinjuryattorneyblog.com/2016/04/potholes-create-driving-
hazard.html

Guerrero, M. (2017, October 03). Pothole on Texas 183 Leads to Blown-Out Tires, Stalled Cars.
Retrieved October 03, 2017, from http://www.nbcdfw.com/traffic/stories/Pothole-on-
Texas-Highway-183-Leads-to-Blown-Out-Tires-Stalled-Vehicles-426636341.html