Learn More About EasyPost's Newly Launched Final Mile Carrier TForce Logistics!

May 24, 2022

by Travis Edwards

Final mile by TForce Logistics is now just a click away with EasyPost!

We're incredibly excited to announce the formal launch of TForce Logistics on EasyPost. You can now access TForce's robust last mile delivery offering through our API. And it can be done in seconds! Like any other carrier we support, link your TForce Logistics credentials within our carrier account dashboard and start shipping. If you haven't created a TForce Logistics account, this can be done in minutes on their website.

Ok remind me, what is final mile delivery again?

Final mile delivery and last mile delivery are used interchangeably and they refer to the final step in delivering a package to its end destination, whether a residential address, company office, or something else. Typically a package arrives at a distribution center close to its final destination as the penultimate stop. Then the “final mile” delivery gets the package from the distribution center to the end destination.

And why is it so important?

Though the last step in the delivery process is typically the shortest distance traveled in the delivery lifecycle, estimates find that the last mile is also the most expensive step, taking more than 50% of shipping costs. This is because prior steps in the shipping lifecycle have far fewer variables to consider and are much more easily optimized. Just a few examples to illustrate the point:

Final mile delivery is typically on local streets where there is more room for error, less predictability in terms of timing, and higher accident rates, whereas prior steps in the delivery lifecycle take place primarily on the highway.
Final mile delivery has less margin for error from a timing perspective because it is the final step and having a one-day slip up means the package is now at least one day late. Missteps upstream in earlier stages of the delivery lifecycle can be made up downstream with prioritization.
Final mile delivery involves physically dropping off the package to recipients which means much more communication with recipients. Tracking updates need to be much more accurate and there is the costly variable of coordination that has to happen with every drop-off.

What does this all add up to? Final mile delivery is a hard problem with tons of room for optimization (and savings!!) if done right.

Don't other carriers offer final mile delivery; what makes TForce Logistics so special?

TForce Logistics is one of the few offerings in the industry that can provide a reliable alternative to major carriers' last mile offerings. As you can imagine, the final mile is increasingly expensive the further that “mile” is. For this reason, many strategically located distribution centers are needed to lower delivery times and overall costs. TForce has over 75 distribution centers tactically located in all the major metros in the US and Canada. Further, they have a workforce of over 6,000, allowing them to manage peak demand efficiently.

But they know a standard last mile delivery service isn't enough to win business. So they specialize in providing custom solutions for customers. This is especially critical for their industry because customers looking for final mile solutions are typically looking for the ability to ship packages in 1 day or less as part of their business model. TForce Logistics has custom solutions for customers of this nature in the Ecommerce, Financial, and B2B industries and is ready to handle the most custom shipping use cases any customer throws their way.

How to know if you will benefit?

In short, if your business has a strong need to reliably ship packages to customers within one day, TForce Logistics can help you. You can start in your most concentrated metro and gradually expand out. Some customers look to differentiate from the competition by offering an affordable next-day option to consumers to increase purchases. Other customers can open up new business lines with stringent delivery SLAs by using TForce Logistics.