Accessibility of Delivery services in USA
For Nationwide View
For Nationwide View
Various package delivery providers, including UPS, USPS, FedEx, and Amazon, operate extensively across the United States. While companies such as UPS maintain a nationwide presence, Amazon's delivery services are predominantly concentrated in metropolitan areas and along major transportation corridors.
Grocery delivery services are offered by multiple brands within a typical radius of 15 miles. Walmart leads with 5,234 locations providing extensive coverage, followed by Target (1,780 locations), Trader Joe’s (521 locations), and Whole Foods (517 locations).
Meal delivery services continue to expand, relying primarily on bicycles or cars for deliveries. These services are predominantly urban, contingent upon the proximity of delivery personnel and participating restaurants. While DoorDash focuses on smaller, localized areas, UberEats covers a broader geographic scope.
Regions in the United States that lack delivery services are often situated in geographically challenging areas, such as deserts or mountainous terrain. Additionally, even within certain proximities to urban centers, “delivery-deserts” can be identified—areas devoid of accessible delivery services.
An estimated 4 million U.S. households reside in food deserts, where access to grocery stores is limited. Delivery services could serve as an alternative in these regions. However, numerous areas still lack grocery and meal delivery options, leaving some food deserts without sufficient access to fresh and healthy food supplies.
This map focuses on a delivery desert approximately 40 miles from Houston, where delivery services are notably sparse. The nearest UPS hub is also situated 40 miles away, further illustrating the challenges of service accessibility in this area.
A detailed examination reveals small residential clusters within this delivery desert. However, the fragmented nature of development in the region poses significant obstacles to the establishment of efficient delivery infrastructure.