Earlier this week, Memphis-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider FedEx said it has rolled out a new service offering, focused on quick, same-day delivery.
Entitled, FedEx SameDay Local, FedEx is collaborating on this offering with last-mile delivery platform OneRail. FedEx explained that FedEx SameDay Local enables consumers to choose either two-hour or end-of-day delivery at checkout, in turn connecting customers to a national network comprised of more than 1,000 delivery partners—with orders subsequently matched to the appropriate vehicle and driver, quickly dispatched and tracked with live updates from pickup to delivery.
FedEx highlighted various benefits within FedEx SameDay Local, including:
- time-definite delivery windows, including two-hour and end-of-day service with a national network;
- near real-time tracking from pickup to drop-off, predictive ETAs, and proof of delivery;
- flexible integration through efficient API connections and full platform support;
- smart orchestration using AI-driven rules to optimize delivery provider selection, routing, and delivery performance;
- 24/7 support with proactive monitoring to help stay ahead of delay or disruptions from pickup to arrival; and
- ability to fulfill large, oversized, or specialized deliveries
In explaining what drove the need for the rollout of FedEx SameDay Local, Jason Brenner, SVP of Digital Portfolio at FedEx, told LM that research from Invesp showed that 96% of shoppers define “fast delivery” as same-day, with 80% wanting to see a same-day option at checkout, and nearly half are more likely to complete a purchase when same-day delivery is available.
“Visibility is critical to meeting these demands,” said Brenner. “The recent FedEx Future of Logistics Intelligence Report found that 36% of consumers prioritize reliable delivery windows, yet only 59% of organizations use shipment data proactively to predict and prevent issues, with just 18% able to always intervene to minimize the impact when delays occur. By providing near real-time tracking, predictive ETAs, and automated rerouting, FedEx SameDay Local will help customers close this gap, reduce abandoned carts, and build customer loyalty.”
And OneRail Co-Founder and Chief Operations & Marketing Officer Lisa Catania told LM that the collaboration was driven by a clear shift in both retailer and consumer expectations toward faster, more flexible delivery—particularly same-day.
“FedEx brings scale, brand trust, and deep shipper relationships, while OneRail provides an AI-native platform purpose-built to orchestrate same-day fulfillment and delivery across a highly fragmented carrier ecosystem,” she said. “Together, we’re enabling a solution that helps retailers meet rising service-level expectations with greater efficiency, improved visibility, and the ability to maintain control of their customer experience.”
When asked about the relationship between FedEx and OneRail, Catania observed that the relationship developed over time, with early conversations focused on how OneRail’s platform could enhance last-mile orchestration alongside FedEx’s network.
“As both organizations continued to engage, it became clear there was a strong strategic fit—particularly around solving the complexity of same-day delivery at scale—which led to this collaboration,” she said. “With FedEx systemically focused on transformation, commercializing our relationship accelerated throughout 2025 leading up to this announcement.”
Value-adds: FedEx’s Brenner said that SameDay Local empowers FedEx customers to meet rising consumer expectations for flexibility, control, and convenience while balancing their cost to serve. To that end, he observed how consumers don’t just expect “as fast as possible” delivery for every order, instead, they increasingly want choices.
“Whether it’s ice-melt rock salt that needs to arrive before a snowstorm, medication when someone is sick, or a TV that must be delivered within a precise time window so the customer is home, this service lets shoppers decide what works best for them,” he said. “For our customers, that translates into higher conversion rates, fewer abandoned carts, and stronger brand loyalty.”
OneRail’s Catania noted that the offering helps retailers compete more effectively in an environment where fast delivery has become a baseline expectation and is dominated by the marketplaces.
“It allows them to offer same-day service without sacrificing control of their customer relationship or brand, while providing speed, reliability & dependability,” she said. “For retailers, partnering with FedEx SameDay local means they can build a delivery ‘product’ that reflects their brand, their pricing terms to shoppers, and what makes sense for their business.”
When asked to provide a basic example of FedEx SameDay Local at work, Brenner laid out the following scenario: A shopper selects the “same‑day” option at checkout. The e-commerce retailer sends the order to FedEx. FedEx’s system automatically matches the order to the right driver and vehicle based on distance, size, and service level, then dispatches the pickup. The shopper gets branded, real‑time tracking and updates. The driver captures proof of delivery (photo or signature) and the teams offer 24/7 logistics support as needed.
A typical use case would involve a FedEx merchant offering customers the option to select either a two-hour or same-day delivery window at checkout, according to Catania. Once the order is placed, she said the delivery is orchestrated through OneRail’s platform, which manages routing and carrier selection in real time. At that point, the end customer receives a fully white-labeled experience, including real-time tracking and updates, allowing the retailer to maintain control of the customer interaction from purchase through delivery.
Competitive advantages: In terms of what makes this new offering a competitive advantage, Brenner said that FedEx SameDay Local offers broad coverage right from the start, supported by more than 1,000 local delivery providers from a national network.
“Our service can handle a wide range of items from many retailers, giving customers more choice and retailers more flexibility to provide fast, reliable same-day delivery while maintaining their own branding,” he said. “FedEx also offers intelligent visibility and retailer tools, including real-time tracking, predictive ETAs, API integration, dashboards to monitor performance, and 24/7 support and exception management. This is a delivery infrastructure for shippers where they can see and control the delivery experience end-to-end.”
From OneRail’s perspective, she said that, for FedEx, this offering extends its reach into same-day delivery with a scalable model that complements its existing network and strengthens its value proposition to merchants. And for OneRail, she said it highlights the ability of its AI-native platform to orchestrate complex, same-day fulfillment and delivery at scale across a highly fragmented carrier ecosystem.
“Together, the combined solution delivers a differentiated offering—bringing FedEx’s brand, customer relationships, and network together with OneRail’s real-time orchestration, enabling faster delivery, improved efficiency, and a fully white-labeled customer experience and the ability for merchants to have competitive advantage against the marketplaces,” she said.
Nate Skiver, Founder of LPF Spend Management, wrote in a LinkedIn post there is market relevance for this collaboration, especially with Amazon and Walmart furiously pushing same-day delivery, which helps increase their respective retail and e-commerce market share, as well as constraining parcel market volume, for at least traditional non-same-day volume.
“Providers like DoorDash and Instacart are delivering more retail orders,” he said. “FedEx has been behind here. As a direct comparison to UPS, UPS offers same-day delivery through Roadie and Delivery Solutions. There are clear market opportunities for FedEx. In some cases, this might be reclaiming wallet share. Over time, FedEx has lost volume to DoorDash et al. [as has UPS, albeit maybe less due to Roadie], as some customers ramped and optimized ship-from-store. Now, maybe FedEx can claw some of that volume back and/or win new volume from existing large customers like Best Buy, Walgreens, Dick’s, GameStop, PetSmart, etc. Same-day as an entry point with UPS customers [is a] similar scenario, only it’s UPS customers with material same-day volume. Maybe FedEx has a better same-day value prop and wins same-day plus traditional parcel volume from UPS. So, on the surface this makes sense [with] FedEx leveraging the carrier network and tech of an established same-day provider, OneRail. One question I have is on price. It has to be competitive, or retailers have little incentive to make a change.”
