Time is of the essence to ensure holiday items sent through the mail arrive on time.

An estimated 2.2 billion packages will be shipped this holiday season, according to ShipMatrix Inc.

The last day for FedEx Ground is Friday, December 13th, and Wednesday, December 18th is the deadline for US Postal Service ground and first class mail. Procrastinators have until December 23rd for FedEx Overnight and UPS Next Day Air.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1.5 million drivers nationwide are needed to meet these deadlines.

Here’s a look at UPS in full swing during the holiday season.

Behind the scenes at UPS

CBS News correspondent Nancy Chen went behind the scenes at a UPS training facility in Chicago. It is one of 13 so-called Integrad training institutions worldwide, from which more than 100,000 drivers have graduated since 2019.

“Every driver is required to complete this training, including annual training thereafter,” said Ryan King, Chen’s instructor that day.

King explained that they use a clear truck as a tool to teach organization.

“They have hundreds of stops a day and hundreds of packages, so it’s very important that they can find the package efficiently,” he said.

Chen then learns the basics, including putting on special shoes and a seat belt to simulate icy and slippery conditions.

She also practiced driving on her simulator.

“We have a lot of pedestrians on the street here, so we have to make eye contact. We’re going to sound the horn,” King said during practice.

Go with UPS

After training, Chen rode with Sharon Pascoe, who has had no accidents in her 35 years as a UPS delivery driver.

Pascoe said she likes the people in this job the most, but she has a message this holiday season: “If you shop early, it will ship early. This is the best way to get everything on time,” she said.

Another piece of advice to ensure your gifts get where they need to go on time is to choose the right packaging to reduce weight. Envelopes can sometimes be cheaper than boxes.

Also consider printing two copies of the label. One for the outside – just in case something happens to the package – and another for the inside as a backup.