P2P

Point-to-point (P2P) service means a vehicle or shipment travels directly from origin to destination without stopping at intermediate hubs or consolidation centers. In trucking, a P2P load goes straight from shipper to receiver. In passenger transport, a P2P flight or coach service carries passengers between two specific terminals without intermediate stops. This contrasts with hub-and-spoke networks, where freight or passengers are routed through central distribution points.

P2P is common in less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking for time-sensitive shipments and in express parcel delivery where speed justifies the cost. In logistics, P2P routes are typically more expensive per ton-mile than consolidated services because the vehicle does not fill capacity on both legs or consolidate with other shipments. However, transit time is shorter and handling damage is reduced. Tracking is simpler when a single carrier owns the entire route rather than handing off between operators.

Where P2P appears in transport

Full truckload (FTL) shipments are inherently P2P when one shipper fills a trailer. Chartered aircraft and dedicated coach services also operate P2P. In public transit, some express bus routes run P2P during peak hours, bypassing stops on local routes. Conversely, milk runs, consolidation networks, and postal systems deliberately use hub routing to achieve economies of scale.

The P2P model works best for high-value goods, pharmaceutical shipments requiring controlled conditions, and time-critical deliveries where the premium cost is justified. Cold chain logistics often favors P2P because fewer handoffs mean fewer temperature excursions. Conversely, low-density or low-value goods typically move through hub networks where fixed costs are spread across many shipments.

Terminology can blur: a parcel service may call itself P2P if it does not transfer parcels between regional hubs, but still uses multiple local delivery vans. The term emphasizes the customer-facing route (sender to recipient) rather than the internal network topology. In conversation, workers distinguish between direct service and consolidated or network service; P2P is the formal label for the direct model.