UPS to add 1,500 access locations, mainly rural, in 2020

Package delivery giant United Parcel Service is moving further into rural areas that are under-served in the era of e-commerce," Anne D'Innocenzio reports for The Associated Press. "The Atlanta-based company said Wednesday it's adding 1,500 pickup and drop-off locations at small businesses primarily located in rural cities and towns across the U.S by year-end. It's through its Access Point program, where UPS pays local merchants a small fee to act as a package pickup location. The move will increase those locations to more than 22,000 this year."

The company said that would put 92 percent of the U.S. population within five miles of an access point. That will help small businesses and give rural residents more access to online shopping, AP reports: "Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer of Publicis Communications, says rural areas are even more dependent on e-commerce as more retailers close stores in those areas."

UPS has made efforts in recent years to expand its rural outreach. In 2019 it added 12,000 new package pick-up locations inside CVS, Michaels and Advance Auto Parts stores, AP reports.