The last mile is the most expensive and time-critical segment of delivery. In urban logistics, drivers spend 60% of their transport time searching for stops and making deliveries. This operational friction occurs alongside a massive scale, with over 5.6 billion packages moving through the USPS network alone.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 70% of e-commerce returns are due to 'fit' issues and customer dissatisfaction (peer-reviewed review cited by ReturnLogic or similar; example: scholarly analysis of online apparel returns drivers)
- 2.3 hours median time to deliver last mile from depot to delivery stop in a dense urban logistics scenario (study of last-mile delivery operations timing in urban areas)
- 60% of transportation time in urban logistics is spent on searching for delivery locations and stopping (urban last-mile efficiency study)
- 15–30% of logistics costs in e-commerce are associated with the last mile segment (academic/logistics cost breakdown cited in peer-reviewed logistics research)
- 24% reduction in delivery-related costs when using route optimization and predictive ETA systems (last-mile routing/optimization study)
- U.S. parcel delivery employers paid $30.8 billion in wages in 2022 for transportation and warehousing occupations tied to parcel delivery supply chains, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (detailed sector tables used in industry analyses).
- USPS delivered 5.3 billion packages in FY 2022 (USPS Annual Report/Performance Report)
- USPS 2023 'Last Mile' deliveries are among top operational priorities; 2023 package volume is 5.6B (USPS financial/performance reporting)
- eCommerce generated 5.6 billion USPS packages in 2023 (USPS FY 2023 package volume), as reported in the USPS FY 2023 Annual Report.
- 45% of online shoppers in the U.S. say they prefer scheduled delivery time (industry survey on delivery preferences)
- 48% of consumers in the U.S. say they prefer delivery windows, according to a 2021 survey result summarized by Parcel Perform.
- 32% of consumers said they prefer delivery to parcel lockers rather than home delivery in a 2022 survey by OnBuy (reported in its delivery preference research).
- 23% of customers in the U.S. expect same-day delivery for at least some orders (industry survey)
- U.S. e-commerce sales were $1.0 trillion in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau annual e-commerce totals.
- In 2022, the U.S. transportation sector accounted for 28.8% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions excluding international transport, with road freight and last-mile trucking being key contributors per U.S. EPA inventories used in transportation emission breakdowns.
Last mile delivery is costly and error prone, but route optimization and scheduled windows can cut failures and costs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Performance Metrics6 stats
01
Nearly 70% of e-commerce returns are due to 'fit' issues and customer dissatisfaction (peer-reviewed review cited by ReturnLogic or similar; example: scholarly analysis of online apparel returns drivers)
02
2.3 hours median time to deliver last mile from depot to delivery stop in a dense urban logistics scenario (study of last-mile delivery operations timing in urban areas)
03
60% of transportation time in urban logistics is spent on searching for delivery locations and stopping (urban last-mile efficiency study)
04
20% fewer failed deliveries with scheduled delivery windows in pilot programs (postal/parcel delivery operations research)
05
4.6% of packages are reported as undeliverable in a major U.S. carrier operational analysis (USPS/industry delivery performance disclosures)
06
1.1% of parcel deliveries in the U.S. were reported as damaged during delivery in 2023, based on a consumer survey by Brightpearl (summarized in its 2023 Last Mile Delivery survey).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
For performance metrics in last mile delivery, the biggest takeaway is that operational friction and customer experience both dominate outcomes, with about 70% of returns linked to fit and dissatisfaction and urban delivery time loss driven by 60% spent searching for stops and making stops, even though scheduled delivery windows can cut failed deliveries by 20%.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
15–30% of logistics costs in e-commerce are associated with the last mile segment (academic/logistics cost breakdown cited in peer-reviewed logistics research)
02
24% reduction in delivery-related costs when using route optimization and predictive ETA systems (last-mile routing/optimization study)
03
U.S. parcel delivery employers paid $30.8 billion in wages in 2022 for transportation and warehousing occupations tied to parcel delivery supply chains, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (detailed sector tables used in industry analyses).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Last mile delivery is a major cost driver since it accounts for 15–30% of e-commerce logistics expenses, and leveraging route optimization and predictive ETAs can cut delivery-related costs by 24%, underscoring why parcel delivery labor costs of $30.8 billion in 2022 remain a key part of cost analysis.
03 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
USPS delivered 5.3 billion packages in FY 2022 (USPS Annual Report/Performance Report)
02
USPS 2023 'Last Mile' deliveries are among top operational priorities; 2023 package volume is 5.6B (USPS financial/performance reporting)
03
eCommerce generated 5.6 billion USPS packages in 2023 (USPS FY 2023 package volume), as reported in the USPS FY 2023 Annual Report.
04
The global last-mile delivery market is projected to reach $255.4 billion by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights (2023 base).
05
The USPS reported delivering 5.3 billion packages in FY 2022 (linehaul and last-mile distribution combined), as disclosed in USPS financial/performance reporting (FY 2022 Annual Report).
06
The USPS reported 5.6 billion packages in FY 2023, as disclosed in USPS financial/performance reporting (FY 2023 Annual Report).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
USPS moves about 5.3 billion packages annually in FY 2022 and 5.6 billion in FY 2023, underscoring a growing last mile market that aligns with the global market projected to reach $255.4 billion by 2030.
More related reading
04 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
45% of online shoppers in the U.S. say they prefer scheduled delivery time (industry survey on delivery preferences)
02
48% of consumers in the U.S. say they prefer delivery windows, according to a 2021 survey result summarized by Parcel Perform.
03
32% of consumers said they prefer delivery to parcel lockers rather than home delivery in a 2022 survey by OnBuy (reported in its delivery preference research).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For user adoption of last mile delivery, the data shows strong pull toward more controlled receiving options with 48% of U.S. consumers preferring delivery windows and 45% choosing scheduled delivery times, while 32% also show interest in parcel lockers over home delivery.
05 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
23% of customers in the U.S. expect same-day delivery for at least some orders (industry survey)
02
U.S. e-commerce sales were $1.0 trillion in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau annual e-commerce totals.
03
In 2022, the U.S. transportation sector accounted for 28.8% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions excluding international transport, with road freight and last-mile trucking being key contributors per U.S. EPA inventories used in transportation emission breakdowns.
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Within the Industry Trends for last mile delivery, rising consumer expectations are clear with 23% of U.S. customers expecting same day delivery for at least some orders, even as U.S. e commerce hits $1.0 trillion in 2023 and the transportation sector contributes 28.8% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the dual pressure to move faster while managing environmental impact.
report visual · Comparison
Last-mile delivery: where time and costs go
Urban last-mile operations spend most of their time on delivery stop searching and inefficiencies, while scheduling windows and route optimization can reduce failures and delivery-related costs.
60% of transportation time in urban logistics is spent on searching for delivery locations and stopping (urban last-mile60%
24% reduction in delivery-related costs when using route optimization and predictive ETA systems (last-mile routing/opti
24%
20% fewer failed deliveries with scheduled delivery windows in pilot programs (postal/parcel delivery operations researc
20%
2.3 hours median time to deliver last mile from depot to delivery stop in a dense urban logistics scenario (study of las
2.3
source-verifiedsciencedirect.com
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Last Mile Delivery Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/last-mile-delivery-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Last Mile Delivery Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/last-mile-delivery-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Last Mile Delivery Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/last-mile-delivery-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)