What Bluebird Express does

Bluebird Express is a privately held international freight forwarder and logistics provider founded in 2002 by James Gillett and Raymond Boccia and headquartered in Valley Stream, New York. The company operates company-owned gateway offices in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto (via subsidiary Bluebird Canada), and London Heathrow, supported by a 190+ country agent network, and holds IATA/CNS accreditation providing direct access to 450+ airlines for passenger and cargo capacity. Its core service lines span domestic transportation (OBC, Next Flight Out, trucking, white-glove), international export and import (air, ocean, charter, customs brokerage), and vertical-specific logistics for government/defense, healthcare/life sciences, aviation, entertainment, fashion, and event management, supplemented by 3PL/supply chain management, reverse logistics, dangerous goods handling, and All Risk Insurance.

The company's underlying technology is Bluetrax, a proprietary operating system installed in 2004 that provides shipment lifecycle visibility (pickup, uplift, arrival, out for delivery, POD), automated email alerts to multiple stakeholders, and threat-of-delay notifications; the same platform supports online booking and management reporting. Bluebird generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis through weight-based freight charges, a 31% fuel surcharge, separate insurance pricing ($0.55 per $100 value, $35 minimum), customs brokerage fees, and managed-service fees for 3PL engagements. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with dedicated account management for enterprise B2B and government clients, including compliance with GSA procurement structures and authorized clearances for military bases.

The company is founder-owned with no disclosed institutional capital, subsidiaries limited to Bluebird Canada, and no M&A or funding activity in the public record. End markets are diversified across at least six verticals with named federal agency customers (GSA, FEMA, NASA, DoE, IRS, DOT, Armed Forces) and enterprise clients in healthcare manufacturing, airlines/MROs, luxury brands, and entertainment production; quantitative revenue and headcount figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Bluebird Express

Legal name

Bluebird Express, LLC

Website

https://bluexps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bluebird Express is an IATA-accredited international freight forwarder providing domestic and international transportation, customs brokerage, and vertical-specific logistics for government, healthcare, aviation, fashion, entertainment, and event management clients across 190+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services

NAICS

Air Transportation (481), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Air Courier Services (4513), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Integrated Express Parcel Carriers (Air + Ground) (THABAEAB)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Air cargo logistics
• International shipping
• Government logistics
• Healthcare logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Valley Stream

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: Core revenue from domestic and international freight transportation including airfreight (expedited/standard), trucking, and ocean freight services. Revenue generated through weight-based charges, fuel surcharges (31%), and service-specific fees.
2. All Risk Insurance (CIF): Additional insurance coverage offered to clients with cost calculated at $0.55 per $100 value, minimum charge of $35 per shipment, and $500 deductible. Covers complete loss transportation charges.
3. 3PL/Supply Chain Management Services: Third-party logistics services including integrated operations, transportation, warehousing, cross-docking, inventory management, packaging/crating, and courier services for B2B clients.
4. Customs Clearance and Brokerage: Door-to-door import services including customs clearance, brokerage, and delivery services with options for DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) and DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bluebird Express is an IATA-accredited freight forwarder and 3PL provider that arranges domestic and international transportation of time-critical shipments via airfreight, trucking, ocean, charter, and courier services. Its offering is organized into Core Services (Domestic, Export, Import) and Industry-specific logistics modules serving government/defense, healthcare/life sciences, aviation, entertainment, fashion, and event management, all unified through its proprietary Bluetrax visibility and booking platform.

Product overview

Bluebird Express is a logistics and transportation company offering domestic and international freight services through a portfolio of specialized modules. The core offering centers on Bluetrax, a state-of-the-art operating system providing shipment visibility and tracking. The company provides foundational transportation services across Domestic, Export, and Import categories, supplemented by industry-specific logistics solutions including Entertainment, Aviation, Event Management, Fashion, Government/Defense, and Healthcare/Life Sciences verticals. Additional value-added services include Supply Chain Management (3PL), Reverse Logistics, Hazardous Materials handling, and All Risk Insurance (CIF). The portfolio operates as an integrated suite where Bluetrax provides unified tracking across all service lines, while industry-specific modules offer tailored handling, compliance, and delivery options for each vertical.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Domestic Transportation Services Domestic freight services for enterprise and government clients, including On Board Couriers (OBC), Next Flight Out, Same Day, Counter to Counter, Airfreight (Standard and Expedited), Trucking/Rail (Dedicated, LTL, FTL), and Drive Jobs with White Glove delivery options.
• Export Services International export freight forwarding delivered as an IATA-accredited cargo agent with access to over 450 airlines and a network spanning 190 countries, offering Door to Door, Clearance and Delivery, Air Charter, and Ocean Freight services.
• Import Services International import services including Door to Door, Airport to Door, On Board Couriers (OBC), Next Flight Out, Courier, Airfreight, Air Charter, and Ocean Freight (FCL/LCL), with gateway operations in Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, and London Heathrow, plus customs clearance and brokerage with DDP and DDU options.
• Government / Defense Logistics Specialized logistics for U.S. federal government and defense agencies (GSA, Department of Energy, FEMA, IRS, DOT, Armed Forces, NASA) with strict authorized clearances, high-security freight handling to military bases, white glove delivery, multi-man crews, and packing/crating.
• Healthcare / Life Sciences Logistics Mission-critical healthcare logistics including pharmaceutical and biotechnology shipping, temperature-controlled packaging (ambient to frozen), validated packaging, regulatory compliance, documentation processing, clinical trial logistics coordinated with CROs and central labs, dangerous goods handling, and secure warehousing.
• Aviation Logistics Time-critical spare parts delivery for airlines, operators, OEMs, MROs, and aftermarket suppliers, supporting Minimum Equipment List (MEL) and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) scenarios with Dedicated Drive Job, Next Flight Out, Expedited Airfreight, Hand Carry, and Chartered Aircraft options.
• Fashion Logistics Shipping services for window displays and luxury goods brands, with liaison services for regional visual managers regarding install dates and dedicated track/trace visibility for worldwide visual managers.
• Entertainment Logistics Specialized logistics for the entertainment industry covering film cameras, digital cinema, broadcast equipment, lighting, audio visual gear, wardrobe, and film dailies, with film festival coordination and hi-security anti-piracy shipping options.
• Event Management Logistics Event-specific logistics including door-to-dock, door-to-booth, time-specific deliveries, paperwork processing (commercial invoices, registrations, carnets, pre-clearance), temporary imports, on-site personnel liaison, return paperwork processing, and integrated carrier services (FedEx, UPS, DHL).
• Hazardous Materials / Dangerous Goods Transport Handling and transport of hazardous materials and dangerous goods including lithium batteries, compliant with IATA, ICAO, and ADR regulations, with dedicated email and phone support for dangerous goods inquiries.
• Supply Chain Management (3PL) Third-party logistics (3PL) services providing integrated operations, transportation, warehousing, cross-docking, inventory management, packaging/crating, courier, and freight forwarding for B2B clients across North America.
• Reverse Logistics Reverse logistics services including recapturing value, product disposition management, disposal compliance, parts reclaiming for inventory, and recycling, serving B2B clients across North America.
• All Risk Insurance (CIF) Optional all-risk insurance coverage at $0.55 per $100 of declared value with a $35 minimum charge and $500 deductible per shipment, covering all transportation charges in case of complete loss.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ airline partnerships through IATA accreditation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IATA (International Air Transport Association)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2003Bluebird Express became IATA/CNS certified in 2003, providing accreditation as a cargo agent with access to 268 airlines initially and currently over 450 airlines worldwide. This certification enables both passenger and cargo aircraft options for expedited or standard shipments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AIT Worldwide Logistics: Mid-size global freight forwarder offering air, ocean, ground, and specialized logistics with strong presence in healthcare, government, and aerospace verticals. Closest size comparable to Bluebird among direct peers.
• Expeditors International: Global air and ocean freight forwarder with asset-light model similar to Bluebird, serving enterprise and government clients across multiple verticals with proprietary tracking technology. Much larger scale but operates the same fundamental brokerage/forwarding business model.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Air and ocean freight forwarding arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group, offering end-to-end international supply chain solutions including customs brokerage and industry-specific verticals (healthcare, automotive, technology). Same customer base and service portfolio as Bluebird at much larger scale.
• Yusen Logistics: Global logistics provider offering air, ocean, ground forwarding plus contract logistics and warehousing. Comparable multi-modal forwarding model with industry-specific vertical expertise in automotive, healthcare, and technology.
• C.H. Robinson: Major North American freight broker and 3PL offering truckload, intermodal, air, and ocean forwarding services. Comparable asset-light brokerage model serving enterprise and government clients with technology-enabled visibility.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders offering integrated air, ocean, road, and contract logistics across 190+ countries. Directly comparable business model and network breadth, though at vastly larger scale than Bluebird.

Emerging players

• Flexport: Digital-first freight forwarder using proprietary technology platform to manage ocean, air, and trucking shipments. Competes with Bluebird in international freight forwarding but with stronger technology positioning and venture-backed growth profile.

Broad incumbents

• UPS Supply Chain Solutions: Logistics and freight forwarding division of UPS, providing air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and contract logistics. Overlaps significantly with Bluebird's service portfolio while leveraging UPS's owned asset base.
• RXO (formerly XPO Logistics freight forwarding): North American freight broker and last-mile provider offering truckload, less-than-truckload, and managed transportation services. Competes with Bluebird in domestic ground and integrated freight forwarding for enterprise clients.
• FedEx Logistics: Freight forwarding and logistics arm of FedEx Corporation, offering air, ocean, ground, and customs brokerage with global network. Operates broader portfolio than Bluebird and directly competes for many of the same enterprise and government accounts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-bird-express

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bluebird Express