Courier/Messenger

Domestication of Horses

3500 BCE

At this time, people began to domesticate horses. About 5300 years later, people would begin to use this animal to help them deliver goods.

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE

One of the most famous messengers of all time ran from Marathon to Athens to inform the people of the Greek victory over the Persians.

Origin of the Motto of the U.S. Postal Service

470 BCE

In 470 BC, the motto of the U.S. Postal Service originated when Herodotus said, "Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed."

Founding of Wells Fargo

1852

Wells Fargo began in 1852 and was the first premium package delivery service in the United States.

Establishment of the Pony Express

1860

The Pony Express was created to provide courier service from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento. It was a relay-like set-up of horses and riders. It soon ended when the telegraph made it possible to communicate electronically.

Creation of the Overland Telegraph Company

1860

In 1860, the Overland Telegraph Company was created, and telegraphs began to be used to deliver messages.

First Car

1885

The first useful car was invented by Karl Benz. This would eventually facilitate the delivery of packages by couriers.

First Airplane

1903

The first airplane ever was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright, which would help courier services even more in the future.

Founding of UPS

1907

Jim Cassey set up a messenger service in Seattle that eventually became UPS.

UPS Delivers Retail Packages

1913

UPS began to focus on delivering retail packages after they got a car.

UPS Gets Its Name

1919

UPS adopted the name United Parcel Service and began to expand their operations to include cities throughout the Pacific Coast. They also became the first company to use conveyor belt technology for their packages.

Air Services

1953

For the first time, air services began to be used in order to deliver packages.

U.S. Postal Service Established

1971

The U.S. Postal Service was established. For the U.S., this was the first national mail delivery organization, and it created many new job opportunities.

Founding of FedEx

1973

FedEx began their operations. They delivered 186 packages on their first night of operation.

Wide Use of Air Services

1977

At this time, UPS began to offer air service to every state in the U.S. This resulted in a larger demand for pilots to operate in the courier career.

First Use of Same Day Shipping

1982

TNT became the first service to use same day shipping. This increased the demand for drivers.

UPS Operates Own Airline

1988

At this time, UPS began to operate its own airline. This caused an even higher demand for pilots in the company, creating more job opportunities for couriers.

UPS Introduces Electronic Tracking

1992

At this time, UPS introduced Electronic Tracking for packages. Electronic services would eventually become a large part of the courier career.

TNT Launches Electronic Proof of Delivery

1997

TNT in the U.K. launched their Electronic Proof of Delivery at this time. This allowed workers to collect goods within 30 minutes of the customer ordering.

First Text Message Service for Tracking

2000

At this time, the first text message service for tracking packages was introduced by DHL. This created even more jobs within the field, as workers were needed to maintain the electronic equipment and network.