" and " Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition " of this Annual Report for more information.
There can be no assurance that the Federal Express and legacy FedEx Ground businesses and networks, which historically operated separately and independently, can successfully be fully integrated as planned. Additionally, it is possible that the business and network integration and optimization process could result in higher-than-currently-expected costs, less-than-expected savings, the loss of customers, the disruption of ongoing businesses, union organizing, litigation, legal disputes with service providers, governmental agency challenges, the loss of key employees or service providers, or other unexpected issues. It is also possible that the overall process will take longer than currently anticipated. Additionally, the following issues, among others, must be addressed in order to realize the anticipated timing and projected benefits of our transformation initiatives:
our ability to maintain coverage of U.S. employees under the RLA and successfully manage challenges to the employment status of drivers employed by service providers utilized in certain linehaul and pickup-and-delivery operations, in addition to other labor-related risks;
combining the Federal Express and legacy FedEx Ground physical networks and operations, including consolidating or optimizing pickup-and-delivery and linehaul operations;