Local Messengers and Local Delivery
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing local messenger and delivery services of small items within a single metropolitan area or within an urban center. These establishments generally provide point-to-point pick-up and delivery and do not operate as part of an intercity courier network. Illustrative Examples: Letters, documents, or small parcels local delivery services Grocery delivery services (i.e., independent service from grocery store) Alcoholic beverages delivery services Restaurant meals order and delivery services (i.e., independent order and delivery services)
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 49 | Transportation and Warehousing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Transportation and Warehousing sector includes industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, scenic and sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation. Establishments in these industries use transportation equipment or transportation-related facilities as a productive asset. The type of equipment depends on the mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are air, rail, water, road, and pipeline. The Transportation and Warehousing sector distinguishes three basic types of activities: subsectors for each mode of transportation, a subsector for warehousing and storage, and a subsector for establishments providing support activities for transportation. In addition, there are subsectors for establishments that provide passenger transportation for scenic and sightseeing purposes, postal services, and courier services. A separate subsector for support activities is established in the sector because, first, support activities for transportation are inherently multimodal, such as freight transportation arrangement, or have multimodal aspects. Secondly, there are production process similarities among the support activity industries. One of the support activities identified in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector is the routine repair and maintenance of transportation equipment (e.g., aircraft at an airport, railroad rolling stock at a railroad terminal, or ships at a harbor or port facility). Such establishments do not perform complete overhauling or rebuilding of transportation equipment (i.e., periodic restoration of transportation equipment to original design specifications) or transportation equipment conversion (i.e., major modification to systems). An establishment that primarily performs factory (or shipyard) overhauls, rebuilding, or conversions of aircraft, railroad rolling stock, or ships is classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, according to the type of equipment. Many of the establishments in this sector often operate on networks, with physical facilities, labor forces, and equipment spread over an extensive geographic area. Warehousing establishments in this sector are distinguished from merchant wholesaling in that the warehouse establishments do not sell the goods. Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in providing travel agent, travel arrangement, and reservation services that support transportation establishments, hotels, other businesses, and government agencies. These establishments are classified in Sector 56, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing medical care with transportation are classified in Sector 62, Health Care and Social Assistance. |
| 492 | Couriers and Messengers 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Couriers and Messengers subsector provide intercity, local, and/or international delivery of parcels and documents (including express delivery services) without operating under a universal service obligation. These articles may originate in the U.S. but be delivered to another country and can be described as those that may be handled by one person without using special equipment. This allows the collection, pick-up, and delivery operations to be done with limited labor costs and minimal equipment. Sorting and transportation activities, where necessary, are generally mechanized. The restriction to small parcels partly distinguishes these establishments from those in the transportation industries. The complete network of courier services establishments also distinguishes these transportation services from local messenger and delivery establishments in this subsector. This includes the establishments that perform intercity transportation as well as establishments that, under contract to them, perform local pick-up and delivery. Messengers, which usually deliver within a metropolitan or single urban area, may use bicycle, foot, car, small truck, or van. |
| 4922 | Local Messengers and Local Delivery 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Couriers and Messengers subsector provide intercity, local, and/or international delivery of parcels and documents (including express delivery services) without operating under a universal service obligation. These articles may originate in the U.S. but be delivered to another country and can be described as those that may be handled by one person without using special equipment. This allows the collection, pick-up, and delivery operations to be done with limited labor costs and minimal equipment. Sorting and transportation activities, where necessary, are generally mechanized. The restriction to small parcels partly distinguishes these establishments from those in the transportation industries. The complete network of courier services establishments also distinguishes these transportation services from local messenger and delivery establishments in this subsector. This includes the establishments that perform intercity transportation as well as establishments that, under contract to them, perform local pick-up and delivery. Messengers, which usually deliver within a metropolitan or single urban area, may use bicycle, foot, car, small truck, or van. |
| 49221 | Local Messengers and Local Delivery 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 492210. |
| 492210 | Local Messengers and Local Delivery 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing local messenger and delivery services of small items within a single metropolitan area or within an urban center. These establishments generally provide point-to-point pick-up and delivery and do not operate as part of an intercity courier network. Illustrative Examples: Letters, documents, or small parcels local delivery services Grocery delivery services (i.e., independent service from grocery store) Alcoholic beverages delivery services Restaurant meals order and delivery services (i.e., independent order and delivery services) |
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Classification References
- 01Providing local letter and parcel delivery services as part of an intercity courier network--are classified in Industry 492110, Couriers and Express Delivery Services;
- 02Operating the National Postal Service or providing postal services on a contract basis (except the bulk transportation of mail)--are classified in Industry 491110, Postal Service; and
- 03Providing the bulk transportation of mail on a contract basis to and from Postal Service establishments--are classified in Industry Group 4841, General Freight Trucking.
Index Items
Alcoholic beverage delivery service
Bicycle courier
Delivery service (except as part of intercity courier network, U.S. Postal Service)
Grocery delivery services (i.e., independent service from grocery store)
Local letter and parcel delivery services (except as part of intercity courier network, U.S. Postal Service)
Messenger service
Restaurant meals order and delivery services (i.e., independent order and delivery services)
How Item Can Help
Data Intelligence analyzes courier performance metrics and delivery patterns to predict capacity constraints and improve route efficiency.
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 492210.
National Letter Carrier Association
Industry advocacy and education group for USPS letter carriers and local delivery workers.
National Postal Museum
Government historical page detailing the evolution of local delivery and mail operations.
Business.com - Messengers and Couriers
Industry directory listing local delivery services and messenger businesses.
