If you’ve ever watched a movie or TV show that follows the life of the royal and wealthy in the 18th or 19th centuries, you’ve probably witnessed the characters send notes by courier in order to communicate in a speedy fashion without waiting for the public mail service to deliver their messages. Though courier systems today lack the romanticized element of history, they do serve very important legal purposes around the country and the world.
A Brief History of Couriers
Transportation has evolved dramatically over the past few hundred years, and the delivery of mail has evolved with it. The earlier couriers literally ran between their destinations, sometimes sprinting miles and miles at a time to deliver a message in a timely manner. There are marathon routes today that even honor these ancient courier routes. Transportation by horseback soon replaced the need for running, and soon homing pigeons were also utilized to deliver messages quickly.
The Industrial Revolution transformed the courier system, allowing couriers to utilize faster means of transportation to fulfill their duties. Bicycles, motorcycles, and airplanes continued this progress, and today couriers have virtually no limits to how they can deliver their goods.
The Purposes of Modern Couriers
Modern couriers serve a host of purposes, most noticeably in helping deliver legal papers that involve very strict deadlines and time sensitive information. Lawyers and others in the legal field can use professional couriers, like those through process server companies, to deliver important papers with speed, security, and tracking.
When it comes to the most important legal documents, it’s risky to trust that the papers get delivered when and how they should through the regular mail system. Couriers take personal responsibility of papers and packages to ensure their safe and timely delivery. In America alone, the courier industry is a $59 billion industry.
