The History of Courier Services in the United States

Courier Services have become a cornerstone in today’s ever changing society. Whether you are a doctor that needs to send medical records to another doctor or patient, an attorney that needs to get time sensitive documents to the court, or you are a business owner that needs to get your product to a vendor, courier services ensure that all of these vital aspects of our society continues to move. However, many people often wonder how courier services came to be such a staple in our culture. When did this service that we have become so used to take shape and how did it grow?

It might come as a surprise to you that courier services have existed since ancient times. During those times, before we had modern transportation, people would use designated runners or pigeons to send messages back and forth to each other. This trend would carry on through the times, and eventually, the types of messages or the sophistication of what was being sent would continue to grow. As times continued to change, people began to use horses and stagecoaches to carry those messages and even packages. Until, ultimately, the continued evolution of transportation from railroads to modern automobiles and interstate highways has contributed to today’s modern courier industry.

When the United States was initially founded, the main way of message or package delivery was via horseback. If any person thinks of the Revolutionary War, messages were constantly sent back and forth to General Washington throughout all 13 colonies. Almost every correspondence carried extremely vital and time sensitive information that could potentially change the outcome of the war; thereby making couriers extremely trusted individuals. However, as the United States began to grow and people began to move westward, a more efficient method of just one man on horseback from station to station developed. This is where William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell founded the Pony Express in the late 1850’s. Finally, the massive gold rush in the west was a major factor in further development of courier services, as people needed a company that could be trusted to deliver their gold back and forth. This ultimately led to the birth of Wells Fargo which was founded in 1852. They became yet another trusted company to deliver packages or, more importantly, gold, in not only a safe manner but a speedy manner as well, similar to a modern day courier service.

Econo-Courier is proud of the fact that we have been able to keep up with the times and changing needs of the world of courier services. Not only have we been able to grow along with the businesses we serve. Additionally, we have been able to build a courier business that is economically friendly! We understand that our clients must trust that we will deliver all of their products safely and in a timely manner. Please call our office today at 973-882-8004 or visit our website at www.econo-courier.com to learn more about our courier services.