CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas
110 couriers and express delivery services operated in Arkansas in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 110CBP 2023
- Employees
- 10,139mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 3.6U.S. 3.2
- State rank
- 29th of 51by count
The courier service industry in Arkansas
The Census Bureau counted 110 couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 492110). They employed 10,139 people in mid-March and reported $460.5 million in annual payroll. That is the 29th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Couriers and express delivery services make up 0.16% of the 70,452 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Arkansas has 3.6 couriers and express delivery services, 11.6% above the national rate of 3.2. The average establishment has 92.2 employees against 95.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $45,419, 15.1% below the U.S. figure of $53,476.
| Measure | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 110 | 10,859 |
| Mid-March employees | 10,139 (moderate noise) | 1,036,160 |
| Annual payroll | $460,499,000 (moderate noise) | $55,409,968,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 92.2 | 95.4 |
| Payroll per employee | $45,419 | $53,476 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 3.6 | 3.2 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Couriers and express delivery services by metro area in Arkansas
Census published courier service counts for 9 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Arkansas. The largest is Memphis, TN-MS-AR, with 323 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 73% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 323 | — | 24.1 |
| Little Rock, AR | 39 | 5,926 | 5.1 |
| Fayetteville, AR | 22 | 1,310 | 3.6 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 13 | 563 | 5.6 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 7 | — | 4.8 |
| Harrison, AR | 6 | 155 | 13.1 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 5 | 363 | 3.6 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 4 | 172 | 4.0 |
| El Dorado, AR | 4 | 96 | 10.8 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas
24.5% of Arkansas's couriers and express delivery services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 34.8% nationally. 31.1% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 26 | 24.5% | 34.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 7 | 6.6% | 9.1% |
| 10–19 employees | 19 | 17.9% | 11.3% |
| 20–49 employees | 30 | 28.3% | 13.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 24 | 22.6% | 31.5% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a courier service in Arkansas has to catch
Local couriers are booked for time-sensitive deliveries, so a missed call is a missed job. Dispatch and drivers need to stay connected. That holds for couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas:
- A customer calls about delivery status.
- A law office calls for a same-day filing delivery.
- Dispatch calls a driver with a new pickup.
Business texting for couriers and express delivery services
Couriers text pickup confirmations and proof of delivery.
Texting from a local number in Arkansas requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs a courier service in Arkansas
Couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas average 92.2 employees, so the comparison uses a 92-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 92 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $2,760.00 a month and 92 on Ooma Office Pro cost $2,295.40. Callata comes to $1,839.00 a month for 92 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $11,052 less than RingCentral for a courier service in Arkansas of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $1,839.00 | $22,068.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $1,748.00 | $20,976.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $2,116.00 | $25,392.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $2,295.40 | $27,544.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $2,484.00 | $29,808.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $2,760.00 | $33,120.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Arkansas
Arkansas has 4 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a courier service can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 870 | 785 | Central | 1997 | 327 |
| 501 | 630 | Central | 1947 | none |
| 479 | 568 | Central | 2002 | none |
| 327 | 42 | Central | 2024 | 870 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for couriers and express delivery services in Arkansas
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Arkansas is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many couriers and express delivery services are in Arkansas?
110 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 10,139 people in mid-March.
Which Arkansas metro area has the most couriers and express delivery services?
Memphis, TN-MS-AR, with 323 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 92-person courier service?
$2,760.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $2,295.40 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $1,839.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Arkansas number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.