We stay on top of parcel carrier news as part of our due diligence to our customers and partners. Being aware of the challenges faced by and solutions created by parcel carriers allows us to better serve our community, and we often share articles and resources around this unique industry niche.
Carrier Highlights in the News
What is a Parcel Carrier?
The generally accepted definition of a parcel carrier is a provider that delivers small packages to commercial and residential addresses. As with most businesses, parcel carrier competitors vary in location, speed, and service offerings, making it important to strategically analyze which parcel carrier is most suited to advantage your parcel network.
National Carriers
A national parcel carrier is just that – a parcel carrier that delivers nationwide, such as FedEx, UPS, or USPS. Typically these carriers are selected due to the vastness and heavy resources-enabled nature of their supply chains. They have proven methods for systematically delivering and tracking small packages across the U.S. at competitive pricing.
The Big 2
When generally referring to parcel carriers, the assumption is that the largest two U.S. national carriers are in mind: FedEx and UPS. These are the Big 2. As mentioned above, FedEx and UPS bring their own individual strengths and challenges – deciding which is best to serve your parcel network will vary depending on your own unique parcel network and needs.
Regional Carriers
A regional carrier is a parcel carrier that delivers small packages to defined regional territories, sometimes as large as multiple states or as small as precise cities. Just like national carrier, regional carriers vary in their size and service offerings. Regional carriers are often perceived to be a more personalized and timely approach to parcel shipping, though they are not always the most cost-effective providers. Still, regional carriers bring unique advantages to the regions they serve.
Today, many parcel shippers elect to combine some semblance of a national carrier and regional carrier within their parcel network, especially as One-Day, Same-Day, and even Weekend delivery have become more important to customers.
Related Resources
2023 General Rate Increases
Find out where your carriers stack up in 2023's average general rate increases – better or worse, use this info to plan your next strategy.
FedEx Fred Smith Announces Successor, Effective June 1
Raj Subramaniam will step into the role of FedEx CEO effective June 1, 2022. Meanwhile, all carriers remained focused on future supply chain.
USPS Announces New 2022 Surcharges
Effective April 3, 2022, two new USPS surcharges will go into effect. Others implement leadership changes and await quarterly earnings.
U.S. Supply Chain Ringing in the New Year! 2022
What's in store for the LTL and larger supply chain markets in 2022? Jim Badovinac, VP of LTL Commercial Development has some ideas.
LTL Mid-Year 2021 Takeaways
LTL is under a period of rapid growth, so we've highlighted six important takeaways for LTL from the year so far.
12 Parcel Data Trends for 2021
Check out our infographic highlighting key parcel data trends from GMT's latest Benchmark Report, including shipper and carrier strategies.
3 Key Takeaways from the 2021 GRIs
FedEx and UPS have announced their 2021 General Rate Increaes, and we’re highlighting three key takeaways for shippers looking to save.
2021 Guide to COVID-19 Surcharges and Rate Changes
In 2021, parcel carriers continue to implement a number of surcharges and rate increases due to COVID-19 and peak volume – don't miss them!
Shipped Monthly: With Peak Season Nearly in Rearview Mirror, Carriers Prepare to Prioritize COVID-19 Vaccine
Carriers & shippers continue to navigate pandemic-driven landscape, while making way for COVID-19 vaccine and starting to review Peak Season.
2020 Holiday Shopping Trends
Are holiday shoppers responding to key Parcel strategies? Our infographic dives into a first look at 2020's peak season consumer spending.
Peak Season is Here, but FedEx, UPS, Regional Carriers, and Even Shippers Have Their Eyes on 2021
FedEx & UPS continue to focus on process & tech optimizations for 2021, regionals feel the same pain, and shippers are caught in the middle.
2020 U.S. Holiday Shipping Deadlines
‘Tis the season to make sure your gifts arrive on time – use these U.S. domestic shipping deadlines to ensure they arrive by December 25!
2020 Peak Season Parcel Carrier Satisfaction Survey
How are your parcel carriers performing during the 2020 peak holiday season? Let Green Mountain Technology know with our carrier performance survey!
Our Best Peak Season Planning Advice for Today and Next Year
With peak season upon us, there’s no better time to look back on some of the peak holiday shipping advice we’ve given over the years.
3 Parcel Strategies that Major Retailers are Leveraging to Mitigate Carrier Capacity Constraints
Carrier capacity issues abound in this new COVID-19-impacted parcel industry, but we've identified three successful and creative strategies some of the largest brands are implementing to maintain their customer commitment.
Leading Insights From GMT's Annual Parcel Benchmark Report
GMT's own Director of Operations, D. Aaron Guild, and distinguished faculty fellow from UT GSCI, John Lebowitz present takeaways and insights from our 2020 Benchmark Report.
Transportation Trends and the Impact of COVID-19
Insights from GMT's annual Benchmark Report. Featuring Chris Johnson, Senior Analyst at Cleveland Research Center.
