Last Mile Delivery
The final leg of the delivery process from the local post office or distribution hub to the recipient's mailbox or door.
Last mile delivery refers to the final stage of the delivery chain — moving a package or letter from the last sorting facility to the recipient's address. Despite covering the shortest distance, the last mile is typically the most expensive and time-consuming segment of the delivery process, accounting for up to 53% of total shipping costs.
For the USPS, last mile delivery is handled by letter carriers who walk or drive established routes, visiting every address in sequence. In rural areas, this may require a carrier to drive many miles between stops. Private carriers like UPS and FedEx often contract with the USPS for last mile delivery under programs like SurePost and SmartPost, leveraging the Postal Service's universal delivery network.
ZIP code density and geographic characteristics directly impact last mile costs. Dense urban ZIP codes with hundreds of deliveries per block are far more efficient than rural ZIPs with addresses miles apart.