Express Delivery Industry

Introduction

The express delivery services (EDS) industry comprises companies that provides
expedited movement of documents, parcels, and other goods. Express delivery
operators maintain control of the goods throughout the delivery process, often using tracking and tracing technology to monitor the location of each item. Additional services and value-added elements include, for example, collection from a point designated by the sender, release upon signature, specific delivery time guarantee, and delivery confirmation. Where items are shipped internationally, express delivery providers are involved in customs clearance procedures, including the payment of required duties and taxes.

The primary service provided by an express delivery firm is the movement of
documents, parcels, or freight with a guaranteed transit time. Express delivery
service customers can choose how quickly they wish to have goods reach their
destinations. These choices are generally categorized as next day, second day, or deferred delivery, with several time deadlines available within each category. Consumer prices depend on delivery speed, delivery distance, and shipment weight.

Express Delivery Operational Overview

EDS (express delivery services) firms process items for shipment through a network of operating centers and airport hubs. Items are first retrieved by the EDS provider at the sender’s location, or are brought by the sender to a drop-off location, and are then transported in bulk by truck to an operating center, where they are sorted. Items that are carried over short distances are transported from the operating center by truck and delivered to their final destinations. Items that are transported over large distances are carried from an operating center to an origin hub, where they are again sorted. These items may travel further through one or more intermediate hubs before they reach another operating center near the recipient’s location. There, items are once again sorted, loaded onto trucks, and delivered either directly to the recipient or to a pick-up location