Feb 2005

Parcels carrier Amtrak, one of the most active in the home delivery sector, is extending its evening delivery service nationwide. For a modest premium, the company can now can offer deliveries within a specific time window between 5.30pm and 8.30pm anywhere in the country.

The company has also extended its DayTrak same-day courier delivery service nationwide. It claims DayTrak is one of the only such services offering true centralised same-day delivery. DayTrak uses both Amtrak regional offices resources and selected franchise offices, and is managed via the internet. It is said to have grown fivefold since the start of 2004.

Amtrak says it has taken evening deliveries nationwide in response to growing demand for home deliveries as retailers increase sales through catalogues and the internet. The company claims to be the first express parcel company in the UK to offer deliveries up until 8.30pm as part of a standard service offering.

Amtrak has been edging towards offering nationwide evening deliveries ever since it launched trials in London the year before last. By last year it had extended the offering to include most of the country's main urban centres. It says the service has been most popular with companies involved in computer and electrical equipment, where a small additional delivery charge has turned out not to be a deterrent.

The company says 70 per cent of its deliveries are to home addresses. It also provides special handling for fragile items such as wine, flowers and electrical equipment, which it delivers on behalf of retailers such as Comet, Virgin Wines and Simply Computers.