United Parcel Service, Inc. has deployed radio-frequency identification (RFID) package tracking across its small package network in the United States, providing unprecedented visibility and reliability to customers of all sizes. RFID detection technology is now present in all UPS delivery vehicles in the U.S., in the country’s sorting centers, and on each package shipped through the more than 5,500 The UPS Store locations, including customer returns. UPS is thus becoming the first major logistics provider to extensively deploy RFID technology within its integrated network.
UPS has invested over $100 million to date to develop and implement this technology. While optical scanning technology has been the norm in the logistics sector since the early 1990s, with UPS leading the way by providing scanning terminals directly to drivers, the company is now transitioning from scanning to detection.
This transition represents a natural evolution of UPS’s commitment to technological innovation in customer service, aiming to improve service continuity and create an unmatched high-end experience. By integrating RFID chips into labels, vehicles, and loading docks, customers benefit from total visibility throughout the entire shipping process, from pickup to delivery, without the need for any manual readings.
RFID detection at pickup confirms that parcels have been collected and are in UPS’s possession. Parcels are automatically detected as they transit the network, providing customers with greater transparency on the location and progress of their shipments. With more and higher-quality data, UPS gains agility in the face of changing conditions, such as weather-related or other unforeseen events. RFID is used daily at UPS to process millions of parcels, providing customers with unparalleled precision tracking.
