Source: Adapted from Accenture (2015). Adding Value to Parcel Delivery.
Freight can be carried as full truckloads (FTL), less than truckloads (LTL), and as individual units such as parcels and documents. The parcel delivery market, also called CEP (Courier, Express and Parcel), is characterized by the time sensitivity of its shipments with consignments usually less than 70 pounds (32 kg) delivered on a door-to-door basis. There are different levels of service, each associated with a cost structure. Same-day deliveries are usually costly and done by specialized air or road services under specific circumstances, such as within downtown areas. Next-day deliveries are offered in many metropolitan markets, again using specific and costly distribution channels. The most common parcel delivery service, deferred express, is when the carrier can provide an accurate delivery date once the point of pickup and delivery is known, usually between 3 to 7 days. Since parcel carriers have well-established distribution networks, they are able to provide accurate delivery estimates once a parcel has entered their network. Postal type deliveries commonly do not provide a specific delivery date but usually deliver within 2 weeks.