Carrier Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Carrier, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Carrier?

(n) Carrier is the person or business entity involved in providing services of transporting goods or peoples by providing transport vehicles on hire or by plying them in a definite manner as career vehicle for use of public.

History and Meaning of Carrier

The term "Carrier" has been used for centuries to refer to a person, business, or vehicle that transports goods or people from one place to another. In the past, carriers were often individuals who traveled on foot or horseback to deliver messages or packages, but today carriers may operate trucks, trains, planes, or ships for transportation.

The history of carriers can be traced back to ancient trade routes, where caravan drivers transported goods between towns and cities. The advent of railroads in the 19th century led to the emergence of more sophisticated carriers, and the development of the trucking and shipping industries in the 20th century continued to expand the definition and scope of carriers as we know them today.

Examples of Carrier

  1. UPS is a carrier of goods, offering worldwide package delivery services.

  2. Delta Airlines is a carrier of people, providing air transport for passengers to destinations around the world.

  3. FedEx is a transport carrier that also provides additional logistics and supply chain management services to clients.

  4. Maersk, the world's largest shipping container carrier, operates a fleet of more than 700 vessels to move goods by sea.

  5. Greyhound, a popular bus carrier in the United States, offers point-to-point travel services for passengers across North America.

Legal Terms Similar to Carrier

  • Common Carrier: A business or individual that is legally required to transport goods or people for hire, such as a taxi or bus company.

  • Private Carrier: A company that transports its own goods or products using its own vehicles, rather than offering transport services to the public.

  • Freight Forwarder: A company that coordinates the shipment of goods from one location to another using multiple carriers and transportation modes.

  • Third-Party Logistics (3PL): A company that provides logistics and supply chain management services to clients, including transportation, storage, and inventory management.