CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for couriers and express delivery services in Pennsylvania
360 couriers and express delivery services operated in Pennsylvania in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 360CBP 2023
- Employees
- 42,036mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 2.8U.S. 3.2
- State rank
- 7th of 51by count
Couriers and express delivery services in Pennsylvania by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 360 establishments in Pennsylvania classified as Couriers and Express Delivery Services (NAICS 492110) for 2023. They employed 42,036 people in mid-March and reported $2.3 billion in annual payroll. That is the 7th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Couriers and express delivery services make up 0.12% of the 307,065 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Pennsylvania has 2.8 couriers and express delivery services, 13.8% below the national rate of 3.2. The average establishment has 116.8 employees against 95.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $55,376, 3.6% above the U.S. figure of $53,476.
| Measure | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 360 | 10,859 |
| Mid-March employees | 42,036 | 1,036,160 |
| Annual payroll | $2,327,772,000 (moderate noise) | $55,409,968,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 116.8 | 95.4 |
| Payroll per employee | $55,376 | $53,476 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 2.8 | 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.
Pennsylvania's largest markets for couriers and express delivery services
Census published courier service counts for 16 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Pennsylvania. The largest is Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 194 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 55% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 194 | 20,584 | 3.1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 75 | 6,417 | 3.1 |
| Harrisburg, PA | 25 | 6,587 | 4.1 |
| Allentown, PA-NJ | 23 | 6,028 | 2.6 |
| Scranton, PA | 20 | 1,766 | 3.5 |
| Lancaster, PA | 15 | 1,357 | 2.7 |
| York, PA | 13 | 1,912 | 2.8 |
| Altoona, PA | 9 | 419 | 7.5 |
| Erie, PA | 7 | — | 2.6 |
| Williamsport, PA | 7 | 412 | 6.2 |
| Reading, PA | 6 | 453 | 1.4 |
| State College, PA | 5 | 195 | 3.1 |
| Johnstown, PA | 5 | 306 | 3.8 |
| Pottsville, PA | 4 | 283 | 2.8 |
| Oil City, PA | 4 | 153 | 8.1 |
| DuBois, PA | 3 | 156 | 3.8 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at couriers and express delivery services in Pennsylvania
34.4% of Pennsylvania's couriers and express delivery services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 34.8% nationally. 41.7% 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 | 124 | 34.4% | 34.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 26 | 7.2% | 9.1% |
| 10–19 employees | 40 | 11.1% | 11.3% |
| 20–49 employees | 45 | 12.5% | 13.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 125 | 34.7% | 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to couriers and express delivery services in Pennsylvania:
- Dispatch calls a driver with a new pickup.
- A law office calls for a same-day filing delivery.
- A business calls about recurring routes.
Business texting for couriers and express delivery services
Couriers text pickup confirmations and proof of delivery.
Texting from a local number in Pennsylvania requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs a courier service in Pennsylvania
Couriers and express delivery services in Pennsylvania average 116.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 117-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 117 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $3,510.00 a month and 117 on Ooma Office Pro cost $2,919.15. Callata comes to $2,339.00 a month for 117 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $14,052 less than RingCentral for a courier service in Pennsylvania 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 | $2,339.00 | $28,068.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $2,223.00 | $26,676.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $2,691.00 | $32,292.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $2,919.15 | $35,029.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $3,159.00 | $37,908.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $3,510.00 | $42,120.00 |
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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 267 | 786 | Eastern | 1999 | 215, 445 |
| 484 | 786 | Eastern | 1999 | 610, 835 |
| 717 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 223 |
| 814 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 582 |
| 215 | 783 | Eastern | 1947 | 267, 445 |
| 724 | 783 | Eastern | 1998 | 878 |
| 570 | 782 | Eastern | 1998 | 272 |
| 610 | 782 | Eastern | 1994 | 484, 835 |
| 412 | 762 | Eastern | 1947 | 878 |
| 272 | 336 | Eastern | 2013 | 570 |
| 223 | 252 | Eastern | 2017 | 717 |
| 878 | 190 | Eastern | 2001 | 412, 724 |
| 445 | 183 | Eastern | 2018 | 215, 267 |
| 582 | 154 | Eastern | 2021 | 814 |
| 835 | 109 | Eastern | 2022 | 484, 610 |
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 Pennsylvania
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
360 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 42,036 people in mid-March.
Which Pennsylvania metro area has the most couriers and express delivery services?
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, with 194 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 117-person courier service?
$3,510.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $2,919.15 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $2,339.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Pennsylvania 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.