UDS Guide

United Delivery Service (UDS) is a regional carrier known for its efficient and reliable parcel delivery services, primarily in the Midwestern United States. Specializing in last-mile delivery, UDS offers a range of flexible shipping options tailored to meet the needs of both businesses and consumers.

This guide includes detailed information on utilizing UDS shipping with the EasyPost API, focusing on account setup, rates, label creation, manifests, tracking, and more.

Sign up for an EasyPost account to obtain a Test and Production API key. See Authentication and Key Management for more information.

Upon sign-up with EasyPost, users gain immediate access to Default Carrier Accounts, which can be enabled directly from the Dashboard. For additional carriers, EasyPost supports a Bring Your Own Account (BYOA) option. This requires users to register directly with the respective carrier.

1. Contact UDS to request a shipper account. A representative will be in touch for additional details regarding the account.
2. Inform UDS about using EasyPost’s API for label purchases.
3. Acquire rates and align any additional shipping needs.
4. Obtain the following production credentials:
   1. FTP Password
   2. FTP Username
5. Input carrier-specific credentials within the EasyPost Carrier Account Dashboard for comprehensive rate access.

The API structure specified by EasyPost can also be used to add the UDS carrier shipper account.

curl -X POST https://api.easypost.com/v2/carrier_accounts \
  -u "$EASYPOST_API_KEY": \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "type": "UdsAccount",
  "description": "UdsAccount",
  "carrier_account": {
    "credentials": {
      "ftp_password": "VALUE",
      "ftp_username": "VALUE"
    }
  }
}'

Download an EasyPost Client Library or utilize the REST API with cURL.

Examine the EasyPost Objects section to understand the API's structure, which is critical for constructing requests and interpreting responses.

Billing is directly handled by UDS using a bill-on-delivery system. EasyPost does not participate in the billing process for UDS services. Contact a UDS representative for details.

Services return a set rate of $0.01. The actual rate is set by UDS.

UDS offers the following services:

There are no predefined packages for UDS.

With EasyPost, generating shipping labels for UDS is the same process as generating them for any other carrier.

Review the Getting Started Guide for help generating a shipping label.

1-call buys enable streamlined label purchasing through the EasyPost API by consolidating multiple operations into a single API request. This feature is designed to simplify and accelerate the shipping process by combining the creation of a shipment, retrieval of rates, and purchasing the shipping label into one efficient step.

See Reducing API Response Times for more information.

Manifesting is supported and required for all purchased UDS shipments.

EasyPost offers native UDS labels in ZPL, PNG, and PDF formats.

Voiding UDS labels through EasyPost is not supported.

The UDS policy on hazardous materials is not explicitly detailed in this guide. Shippers are advised to contact UDS directly for specific hazmat inquiries.

UDS accommodates pickups based on individual agreements with customers. While regular pickups can be arranged directly with UDS during the account registration process, they cannot be scheduled via the EasyPost API.

EasyPost simplifies package tracking by offering two methods:

• Tracking with an existing number and carrier.
• Using a Tracker included with an EasyPost-purchased shipping label.

The service integrates webhooks for timely shipment updates. For detailed information on tracking methods, visit the Tracking Guide.

The Carrier Metadata endpoint can programmatically return information about service levels, predefined packages, supported features, and shipment options.

Use this information to quickly integrate and make educated decisions about the mix of carriers for shipping needs. Additionally, the Carrier Metadata endpoint is available to retrieve comprehensive information about all carriers on the EasyPost platform, enhancing decision-making for carrier services.

In addition to the guidance provided in our Carrier Guides, EasyPost offers support to assist with FAQs, troubleshooting issues, and inquiries related to the EasyPost platform.

Please visit the Help Center for more information.

For questions about getting started with the EasyPost API please talk to a Shipping Expert or contact our Support team.