Thanksgiving vs. Christmas Deliveries Analyzed
Deliveries made the week of Christmas far outnumber those being made the week of Thanksgiving, even though the week marks the start of the holiday shopping season with Black Friday and leads into Cyber Monday.

Food and beverage deliveries by Verizon Connect customers are getting longer and more frequent each holiday season.
Photo courtesy of Verizon Connect.
Deliveries made the week of Christmas far outnumber those being made the week of Thanksgiving, even though this week marks the start of the holiday shopping season with Black Friday and leads into Cyber Monday, according to data from Verizon Connect.
Truck and van drivers made 29% more stops and drove 27% further for deliveries over the Christmas holiday when comparing 2017 to 2018 across the U.S., according to data from the telematics provider.
Other findings came from Verizon Connect.
For one, commercial trucks are driving longer and stopping more often for retail and restaurant deliveries during the holidays. The number of stops and miles driven between October and December increased by about 18% between 2017 and 2018, as the rate of retail deliveries continues to rise.
Also, food and beverage deliveries are increasing commercial driving distanced year over year, according to Verizon Connect. In 2018, drivers made longer journeys for food and beverage deliveries than ever before. Delivery distances increased 33% to restaurants and 58% to liquor stores.
Lastly, the majority of foodies and shoppers inhabit the Midwest and Northeast. Those two regions now lead the U.S. in holiday retail and restaurant deliveries. Each accounts for about a third of all driver stops in 2017 and 2018.
To gather the data, Verizon Connect surveyed about 4,000 customers using the Verizon Connect Reveal telematics platform.
More Telematics

Deleting Driver Data Is No Longer Enough in Connected Vehicles
A factory reset may erase what's stored inside a vehicle, but it doesn't always end a former driver's digital connection. Here's how fleets can make digital offboarding part of every vehicle transition to reduce privacy, security, and compliance risks.
Read More →
How AI Can Help Fleet Managers Build Their Own Solutions
Syneos Health Fleet Manager Kristin Leary is exploring how AI-powered development tools, telematics data, and predictive analytics could help fleets solve operational challenges without waiting for a vendor roadmap.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)
Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab
Read More →
100% Fleet Uptime? Here's Stellantis' Strategy
Keeping commercial vehicles on the road is becoming just as important as getting them into service. Stellantis’ U.S. fleet chief Michael Ferreira shares how connected technology and AI are changing the way fleets manage uptime.
Read More →
Waymo vs. Tesla Robotaxi: Side-by-Side Ride-Hailing Test Highlights Different Approaches to Autonomy
Video comparison in Austin contrasts traditional Uber service with autonomous offerings from Waymo and Tesla Robotaxi.
Read More →
Paying for a Fire Hose, Drinking from a Garden Hose: Getting the Full Value of Your Telematics
Why fleets struggle to turn telematics data into real-world results and how to fix it.
Read More →
Building Smarter Cybersecurity Policies for Fleet Operations
As fleet operations become increasingly connected, cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an IT issue alone. Building effective policies requires a proactive approach that protects vehicles, data, and operational systems while ensuring employees, vendors, and technology partners follow consistent security standards.
Read More →
Turning Connected Vehicle Data Into Decisions That Matter
Fleet leaders have more data than ever, but turning that data into clear, actionable decisions remains a challenge. This white paper shows how leading organizations are using connected vehicle data to improve safety, reduce costs, and optimize fleet performance. Learn how to turn insight into action across your fleet.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention
Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.
Read More →
The Predictive Pivot: How AI and Data Are Redefining Auto Logistics in 2026
AI is no longer a luxury but the baseline for profitability in 2026. Auto haulers that adopt these tools now will quickly outpace those that use manual workflows or take a wait-and-see approach.
Read More →
