Every week, Tusk Logistics analyzes tens of thousands of parcel deliveries moving across our nationwide network of alternative carriers. These insights give shippers a real-time view of how regional and alternative carrier performance is trending — especially as peak season ramps up.

Here’s what we saw last week.

Overall Network Performance

• 📦 94.9% of all shipments were delivered on time
• 🔥 92.6% were delivered within two days
• ⏱️ Of the small percentage that arrived late, 81% were delivered the very next day

Performance dipped slightly below our typical weekly baseline, driven by early peak season volume and congestion at one carrier hub. This is common for the first wave of holiday demand, and exactly why shippers benefit from a diversified carrier mix.

The Tusk team is already adjusting time-in-transits for select ZIPs to keep OTP transparent and accurate in the weeks ahead.

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Top Performers: 100% On-Time Delivery

Three carriers delivered a perfect week:

• Falcon Express Transportation: 15th week on the list
• Courier Express: first week back on the list
• Promed Delivery: first week back on the list

These providers continue to show how strong regional parcel carriers can operate under early peak conditions — especially when national networks begin to feel the strain.

Carriers With OTP Above 97%

Several alternative carriers delivered standout performance:

• LSO Parcel — 8th week on the list
• CDL Last Mile — 23rd week on the list
• Optima Overnight — first week back
• Better Trucks — first week back
• Purple Mountain Solutions — first week back
• United Delivery Service — 20th week on the list
  

Even with volume pressure rising, these providers continue to deliver consistent 1–2 day regional performance — a key advantage over national networks during peak.

‍What We’re Seeing Across the Industry

Early peak is showing two clear patterns:

1. Volume is arriving earlier and more unevenly: Retailers are spreading promotions across more weeks, which pushes loads into hubs in unpredictable bursts.
2. Regional providers are adapting faster: The strongest alternative carriers are adjusting staffing, linehaul planning, and ZIP-level routing earlier in the season. That agility is a major reason their two-day delivery rate remains above 92% even when volumes spike.

As national carriers prepare for the steepest part of the curve, this is where a multi-carrier shipping strategy begins to pay off: reducing risk, maintaining speed, and improving customer experience.

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Check Back Weekly

Tusk publishes fresh alternative carrier performance data every week, giving shippers a clear, unbiased view of how the network is handling peak demand.

👉 Follow along for weekly insights to help inform your multi-carrier strategy.