According to the National Survey of U.S. Expedited Cargo, release by Colography Group, much of that air traffic (31% of total shipments) moved within a 150 mile radius.
Now in its 11th year, the National Survey of U.S. Expedited Cargo claims to represent views of logistics decision makers responsible for 75% of U.S. domestic shipping activity. Based on survey results, Colography Group says 49.3% of domestic overnight air shipments moved less than 350 miles. Less than a third of total volumes (31%) moved within a 150-mile radius. And, less than 20% of overnight air volume moved over 1,200 miles.
Second-day air showed similar patterns, with 45% of traffic moving less than 350 miles and 19.8% moving over 1,200 miles.
A preponderance of letters in the overnight air volumes (55% in 2002) could account for the distances. FedEx Express held an edge over UPS in the domestic overnight air letter market, carrying 44% of the volume, compared with UPS at 30.6%
Packages in the two- to 70-pound range comprised 39.7% of second-day air traffic and letters were 36.3%. Ground parcel deliveries showed similar patterns, with 52% moving within the 350-mile range and 32% within 150 miles. That segment was dominated by UPS with 63.4% of total ground parcel volumes in 2002, the U.S. Postal Service with 19%, and FedEx Ground carrying 12.1%. Learn more about the study at www.colography.com.