Transforming Parcel Industry at the Speed of Business
Satish Jindel • Traffic World
January 13, 1997
For decades, UPS was the only nationwide private parcel carrier with zoned ground parcel service. Its only competitor of significance until 1985 was the Parcel Post of the United States Postal Service. Hence, the services, prices and transit times offered by the private industry, in this case UPS, were basically established to match those of the Parcel Post.
In the late 1980s, this all changed with the entry, expansion and success of RPS, Inc., a small parcel carrier that competed directly with UPS for business-to-business shipments. This competition has forever changed the pricing and value-added-services offered by private carriers, and UPS in particular. The main beneficiary of these changes has been the commercial shipper…
