Local since 2024. Driven by the 518.
518 Courier started with one van, one phone line and a promise: pick up when you call, treat drivers fairly, and get it there on time. That's still the whole pitch.
We built the courier service we wished existed.
In 2024, after years inside the logistics machine at FedEx learning high-volume precision and time-critical delivery, our founder saw the other side of the transportation industry while driving for Uber across the Albany area.
He experienced firsthand how giant gig platforms treat both local drivers and customers: taking massive cuts, squeezing drivers with unpredictable pay on Central Avenue and Wolf Road, and leaving clients stuck with automated chatbots whenever a delivery went wrong.
He knew the Capital Region deserved better — a service that combined FedEx-level reliability with a direct, local connection that actually supports local drivers.
So in 2024, he bought a cargo van, printed flyers for law firms, medical clinics, and local businesses along Western Avenue, and started answering the phone himself.
Today, 518 Courier connects local businesses across Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and Saratoga with dependable, professional delivery solutions. The foundation hasn't changed: pick up when you call, compensate drivers fairly, deliver on time, and treat every package like it's the only one.
Three rules we'll never break.
On time, every time
We measure ourselves on minutes, not days. Every late delivery is a debrief.
Local people
Every driver and dispatcher lives in the 518. We know the back roads.
Service like it's 1995
You'll always reach a human. No bots, no tickets, no waiting on hold.
The journey so far, step by step.
- Early 2024The spark & first route
After years at FedEx and driving Uber across the Capital Region, our founder buys a single cargo van and launches 518 Courier to give Albany businesses a reliable, driver-first alternative.
- Late 2024Tri-city fleet expansion
Expands routes into Schenectady and Troy, building a 5-vehicle fleet staffed by local drivers paid fair, predictable rates.
- Mid 2025Medical & STAT division
Launches a dedicated, HIPAA-compliant medical and lab specimen delivery division with temperature-monitored transport.
- Late 202524/7 human dispatch
Establishes 24/7 local dispatch staffed by real regional operators, eliminating chatbots and automated call loops.
- 2026100k deliveries & EV pilot
Surpasses 100,000 local deliveries and kicks off a full electric-van pilot program across downtown Albany and Saratoga Springs.
Meet the people behind 518 Courier.
Stephane K.
Drove the first route himself in 2024. Still answers the dispatch line on Sundays.
Maria Sanchez
15 years in logistics. Builds the routes that keep the Capital Region moving.
Devon Brooks
Former EMT. Leads the HIPAA-compliant specimen division.