Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Amazon announced a $4 billion investment to expand its rural delivery network in the United States, a move the company says will create more than 100,000 jobs and speed up deliveries for millions of customers in small towns.
The expansion will grow Amazon’s rural footprint to more than 200 delivery stations, enabling the company to deliver “over a billion more packages each year to customers living in over 13,000 zip codes spanning 1,200,000 square miles—an area the size of Alaska, California, and Texas combined.” The company emphasized that while other logistics providers have pulled back from rural service due to high costs, Amazon is “stepping up our investment to make their lives easier and better.”
Delivery speeds have already improved by 50% since Amazon began scaling its small-town network in 2023, and the company expects rural delivery times to be cut in half by 2026. “In 2020, we opened our first rural delivery station. In 2023, we began scaling our small-town delivery network and have already seen improvement,” Amazon said.
Job creation is central to the initiative. Each new delivery station will add about 170 jobs, plus thousands of driving opportunities through Amazon Flex and the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. Amazon said full-time station employees earn “an average hourly wage nearly triples the federal minimum and benefits like health care from day one.”
Local leaders have welcomed the investment. “Amazon opening a delivery station in our town has been an incredible boon for our community,” said Abbeville, Louisiana, Mayor Roslyn White. “Not only has it created more than 300 jobs, but it has alsodramatically improved delivery speeds.”
The DSP program has already supported 2,600 U.S. business owners, generating nearly $50 billion in revenue and creating 210,000 driving jobs. Another initiative, Hub Delivery, lets small businesses—such as coffee shops or florists—deliver packages locally, earning up to $27,000 annually.
Amazon also highlighted the broader economic impact. Company-cited research shows its delivery network investments have generated $500 million in growth in rural communities. A study by Amazon and the Wharton School found that when the company opens a facility, county household incomes rise by $1,225 a year, while poverty rates fall by up to 3.3%.
While Prime now offers entertainment, storage, and discounts, Amazon said its focus remains unchanged: “Fast and reliable delivery across a wide selection of products remains a cornerstone of our offering and an enduring priority.”
