Abstract: The expansion of e-commerce has reshaped consumer expectations for package delivery convenience and cost. However, delivery service availability is not uniform across the United States. This creates what this study defines as “delivery deserts,” which are regions with no or limited delivery services. These areas are often in rural or geographically isolated locations and can prevent the availability of goods to consumers and reduce the efficiency of e-commerce. This research presents one of the first efforts to identify and map delivery deserts across the country. The study integrates the spatial distribution of nearly 31,000 USPS facilities and over 2,000 Amazon, FedEx, and UPS distribution centers with an analysis of transit times generated through approximately seven million FedEx shipping scenarios. The results reveal that rural and non-metropolitan areas experience longer delivery times and reduced coverage. The findings also highlight how facility placement strategies and transportation infrastructure impact last-mile delivery performance. This work advances the conceptual understanding of delivery deserts and provides a framework to support policymakers, researchers, and logistics practitioners in designing logistics solutions.

Dr. Marcella Kaplan is a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Kaplan earned her BS, MS, and doctoral degrees in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. Her work addresses critical issues in transportation safety and mobility, as well as multi-modal transportation technologies, last-mile logistics, and integration of technology-enabled mobility options to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation.