Unlike other modes of transportation in the shipping and cargo world small parcel is made up with only a few carriers.  UPS and FedEx are the giant powerhouses for small parcel shipments domestically and internationally from the United States.  DHL pushed domestic small parcel shipping in 2003 and did well for several years until a shift in there infrastructure that eliminated domestic shipments so that they could position themselves as the largest inbound and outbound international carrier for the United States. 

In addition to UPS and FedEx customers rely on USPS as a small parcel shipper but are limited with this service due to size, weight, and commodity shipped as well as certain benefits such as guaranteed delivery times.  USPS is definitely a large contender in the less than 5 lb. shipment arena offering very competitive rates in comparison to the “Big Two” UPS and FedEx.

We have provided a list of small parcel carriers below with a brief description of services and areas covered.


For more information pertaining to LTL carriers, please visit our Freight Invoice Audit page by clicking here.


Truckload shipments are utilized by clients when they have a large enough movement to fill a full container.  Truckload carriers will normally leave a semi-trailer at the facility to fill by the client and pick up when the shipment is ready along with all documentation such as Bill of Lading, Invoice, and Customs Paperwork.  This form of transportation is direct and time in transit mostly depends on the drivers’ availability according to hours of service and regulations.  Carriers will generally specialize in specific commodities due to insurance and equipment requirements.  For example, one carrier may specialize in just the movement of perishable items, whereas another carrier will specialize in the movement of hazardous material.

Some of the well-known truckload carriers in the United States are:

Celadon  · Covenant · England · J.B. Hunt · PAM Transport · Schneider · Swift · USA Truck · Werner  · Knight · FFE Transportation


Ocean Carriers are utilized for goods that do not have a short commitment time and must be transported internationally overseas.  Generally the commodities shipped are unbound grains and oils, household goods, large quantities of merchandise, and heavy equipment or machinery such as automobiles.  This method is much cheaper per pound or kilo versus sending product via air transport and in some cases may be the only method available to shippers. 

Transit times range drastically depending on origination and destination and can take up to 30 days as well as be susceptible to weather delays.  For example, an ocean shipment from a Europe port to a US port averages between 10-12 days.   Add any delays due to weather and your time in transit increases.  The good news is that it is a cheap alternative to air travel and your entire shipment will remain together without being split up reducing the chances of missing product. 

Thousands of cargo carriers ply the seas today.  A few of the well-known Ocean Freight Carriers you may recognize are:

APM-Maersk

Mediterranean Shg Co

CMA CGM Group

Evergreen Line

Hapag-Lloyd

COSCO Container L

APL

CSCL

NYK

Hanjin/Senator

MOL

OOCL

K Line

Zim

Yang Ming Line

We have provided a list of small parcel carriers and currier services below with links for a quick reference.

OnTrac - OnTrac specializes in regional overnight package delivery service within California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado.

Canpar - Canpar Transport LP is one of Canada's leading small parcel delivery companies with over sixty terminals coast to coast.  They also offer great rates for shipments from the US to Canada and Canada to the US.

DHL - DHL holds an expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers.  While they do not offer domestic services for the US any longer, they are still a huge player in the international market.

Eastern Connection - Serving the Northeast, from ME to VA    

FedEx - FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. They offer integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand in all 50 states and over 200 countries.

Lanter Delivery Systems Inc - Lanter Delivery Systems is considered a pioneer in transportation and distribution management, today LDS is a leader in time-sensitive delivery of parts, products and documents from coast to coast.  They are based in Madison IL    

Lone Star Overnight - Lone Star Overnight (LSO) focuses on reliable overnight delivery utilizing both air and ground transportation within and between Texas, Oklahoma, western Louisiana, southern New Mexico and, through its partnerships, every address in Mexico.

Pitt Ohio Ground - PITT OHIO has expanded there reach to include supply chain, small package, and truckload needs across North America.

Purolator Courier Ltd - Purolator is Canada’s leading integrated freight and parcel solutions provider. Celebrating 50 years of delivering Canada, the company continues to expand its reach to more people, more businesses and more places across the country and around the world.

Speedee Delivery Service - Serving the Midwest including all or parts of IA, IL, MN, NE, ND, SC and WI    

Tiger Courier - Tiger Courier is a Canadian Owned and Operated national ground courier company, and is a proud member of the Siemens Transportation Group Inc.  Tiger Courier operates branches in eight major centers across Canada – Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, and Vancouver.

TransTek – TransTek serves a vast majority of Colorado and many points in Wyoming and western Nebraska.

Turbo Messenger Services - Serving all of southern California since 2000.  Los Angeles County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Orange County and San Diego County.

U.S. Cargo – US Cargo serves the east central states including DC, DE, IN, KY, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA and WV    

USPS / United States Postal Service – USPS customers utilize Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes to ship anywhere in the US no matter what the weight is as long as it is less than 70 lbs.   

UPS - UPS is a global company with a recognized and admired brand throughout the world.  They are one of the largest package delivery companies and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Every day, they manage the flow of goods, funds, and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

WPX – WPX originally founded in Anchorage, Alaska, consistently provides dependable service to all cities and most villages within Alaska, as well as locations throughout Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana and Nevada.

Clough Trucking Co - Clough Trucking is a *TSA CERTIFIED INDIRECT AIR CARRIER* providing Nationwide Courier Services Specializing in Same Day Courier and Delivery of Packages in New York and New Jersey or Across the Nation

International Bonded Couriers Inc - IBC's suite of services are as vast as your business needs.  Spanning On-Demand Special Services, Courier Services, Customs Brokerage, Express Freight, and Mail Products and Services, IBC represents a total, customizable, door-to-door delivery resource.  US locations in Los Angeles CA, Miami and Fort Lauderdale FL, Boston MA, Houston TX, Jamaica and Lake Success NY and Alexandria VA / DC


Rail freight is still an integral part of the supply chain for many companies.  This type of shipment is often containerized to enable transshipment from rail to truck or rail to ocean.  Trains may haul bulk material, intermodal containers, general freight or specialized freight in purpose-designed cars.  Rail shipment is more efficient than other means when considered in terms of ton-miles hauled per unit of consumed energy.  Higher savings are generally realized when shipping in bulk and over long distances.  This method of shipping has become less popular due to the lack of flexibility in comparison to shipping by truck and the costs associated with transshipment.  There are five types of railroads in the United States including Canadian Lines.  These include Class 1, Regional, Local Line Haul, S&T, and Canadian. 

There are over 560 railroads in total between all types listed in the United States and Canada.  The ones you might be most recognizable with are:

Norfolk Southern, Portec Rail Products, CSX Corp., Trinity Industries, Canadian Pacific Railway, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Canadian National Railway, Genesee and Wyoming, Pioneer Railcorp., American Railcar Industries, Kansas City Southern, and Railamerica.

 


Air Freight plays a central role for international shipments and can be transported by both commercial passenger airplanes and dedicated cargo aircraft.  All aircraft can be utilized to transport air freight and most of the scheduled service passenger airplanes carrier air freight regularly.  The USPS leases cargo space on commercial airlines in the United States for transport of mail to various locations throughout the country.  If you have ever traveled by air, there was a good chance you were traveling with air freight.  Air freight can be transported through commercially scheduled planes that sell space available, dedicated aircraft that you charter specifically for your load and destination, and specialized aircraft for cargo such as other airplanes or military equipment.

 Since virtually all airlines can be considered for air freight we have provided a list for some of the top cargo airlines in the world.

 1. Federal Express
2. UPS Airlines
3. Korean Air
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Lufthansa
6. Singapore Airlines
7. Emirates
8. Air France
9. Cargolux
10. China Airlines