The express companies of the United States : a study of a public utility

This work offers a clear‑sighted survey of America’s express companies, tracing their roots from early stage‑coach couriers to the sprawling rail‑linked networks that dominate today’s parcel movement. It explains how a single fee covers collection, transport, delivery and basic insurance, and shows why the system evolved uniquely on the continent, unlike the parcel‑post or railway‑based models found abroad.

The author then turns to the present landscape, examining how private express firms compete with the growing parcel‑post service and the increasing layers of government oversight. Detailed statistics on costs, profits and operational scope lead to a thoughtful discussion of whether these services would run more efficiently under public ownership, drawing on European examples for comparison. Readers gain a solid grounding in the history, economics and policy debates surrounding a utility that still touches everyday commerce.