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Smaller parcel carriers made big gains during the pandemic handling packages that the larger players couldn’t deliver.
Some want to get bigger.
Regional shipping companies across the U.S. are expanding their operations to pick up business from bigger rivals, seeking to capitalize on labor uncertainty at United Parcel Service Inc., higher rates charged by UPS and FedEx Corp. and growing reluctance among merchants to rely on a single carrier.
The push comes as the e-commerce boom that fueled carriers’ growth has faded and inflation-weary shoppers begin to pull back on purchases. Some small carriers say that despite the slowdown, they see an opportunity to build on the gains they made during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.