Tracking number

Tracking numbers are numbers given to packages when they are shipped. Tracking numbers are useful for knowing the location of time sensitive deliveries. It is a unique ID number or code assigned to a package or parcel. The tracking code is represented on the shipping label usualy as a bar code number that can be read by the courier service with a bar code reader. The tracking number is reference for the package itself to locate a package in various points of packages transit when it shipped as well as providing convenient information for the costumer end receiver about estimated delivery time, where, condition the package was.
In the United States, mostly all companies are using tracking number, some of the companies and organizations that use tracking numbers are UPS, FedEx, and the United States Postal Service. Most Postal Services use the international S10 (UPU standard), including the United States Postal Service and most European Postal Services.

Formats
Tracking numbers consist of letters and numbers between 8 and 40 characters long sometimes with spaces or hyphens between groupings of characters. When shown on your receipt after shipping a package the tracking number is usually close to the barcode.

FedEx Ground and Express tracking numbers can be between 12 and 14 digits. Before January 2013, Ground tracking numbers were up to 15 digits and Express numbers were up to 12 digits.

A UPS tracking number, for domestic packages within the United States, will usually start with "1Z" followed by a 6 character shipper number (numbers and letters), a 2 digit service level indicator, and finally 8 digits identifying the package (the last digit being a check digit), for a total of 18 characters.

DHL Express supports the carrier-independent ISO standard 15459-1 for the identification of single packages. Such identifiers consist of uppercase characters and numerals, and they can be up to 35 digits long. Companies that already use this standard do not require an additional identifier to track their pieces when shipping with DHL Express. In addition, DHL Express uses numeric identifiers of exactly ten digits to track transport orders (i.e. an order to transport a shipment consisting of one or more pieces from A to B). Customers can use both codes for tracking purposes.

See also
FedEx
S10 (UPU standard)
United Parcel Service
United States Postal Service

References

Category:Freight transport