Courier and Freight Services Across California
Marvin Transportation is a California courier and freight carrier working from four branch offices. We run same-day courier, refrigerated freight, white glove delivery, air cargo ground handling, warehousing and dedicated fleet across the state. Dispatch is staffed every hour of every day, STAT jobs are picked up and delivered inside 90 minutes, and same-day work moves on a dedicated vehicle rather than being consolidated.
Services
Thirteen service lines, all run with our own vehicles and drivers rather than brokered out.
Where we run from
Four staffed branches, each holding vehicles. This is what makes a 90 minute STAT commitment real in both Northern and Southern California rather than a number on a rate sheet.
Cities we cover
Northern California
San FranciscoOaklandSan JoseHaywardSan LeandroRedwood CityPacificaHalf Moon BaySacramentoFresnoRosevilleElk GroveFolsomDavisRocklinStocktonTracyModestoSalinasMontereySanta CruzPacific GroveSan Luis ObispoCentral Coast
Southern California
Los AngelesLong BeachSan DiegoAnaheim and Orange CountyBurbank and GlendaleRiverside and Inland EmpireIrvine
California airports we work
Airport cargo recovery and tender is handled by drivers who are TSA approved and hold a Security Threat Assessment. Our SFO and LAX branches sit close to the cargo areas at the two busiest.
SFO San FranciscoLAX Los AngelesOAK OaklandSJC San JoseSAN San DiegoSMF SacramentoONT OntarioBUR BurbankLGB Long BeachSNA John WayneFAT FresnoPSP Palm Springs
Industries we run for
Healthcare and hospitalsPharma and biotechLegal and court filingTechnology and electronicsManufacturingAviation and aerospaceAuto partsEcommerce and retailAgriculture and foodConstruction and tradesTrade shows and eventsFreight forwarders and 3PLMail and messenger
Life sciences and cold chain
Cold chain work is a distinct discipline and we treat it as one. Eight dedicated pages cover the specific handling each type of consignment needs.
Diagnostic and lab specimensBlood bank and tissueVaccine cold chainClinical trialsBiotech researchSpecialty pharmacyMedical device and surgicalHospital and health system
What we do differently
Same-day work is dedicated. One vehicle, your freight only, direct from collection to delivery. The industry norm is consolidation, because consolidation is how a carrier makes the economics work on a shared line haul. It also means your freight waits on a dock while the load builds. We price dedicated as standard rather than as an expedite premium.
Dispatch is a person. Staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Not an answering service that takes a message and calls a driver in the morning. This is the difference that matters at 3am on a holiday weekend when a hospital needs tissue moved.
STAT means 90 minutes. Pickup and delivery both complete inside 90 minutes, not 90 minutes to reach the collection point. Four staffed branches are what make that achievable across a state this size.
Insurance published up front. Auto liability $1,000,000. General liability $1,000,000 with a $2,000,000 aggregate. Cargo liability $1,000,000. Refrigeration breakdown $100,000. Workers compensation $1,000,000. Certificates on request, additional insureds named on request. The refrigeration breakdown line is the one worth comparing, because most cargo policies exclude product lost to a failed reefer unit.
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover the whole of California?
Yes, worked from four branch offices. Fremont and South San Francisco cover the Bay Area, Peninsula, Silicon Valley and the Sacramento corridor. Inglewood covers the Los Angeles basin, Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego. Central Coast and Central Valley towns are served from whichever branch is closer.
How fast can you collect?
STAT is 90 minutes for collection and delivery together. Standard same-day collection depends on where you are relative to a branch, and dispatch will give you a real window on the call rather than a default two hour promise.
Are you a broker or do you run your own vehicles?
We run our own vehicles and employ our own drivers. Work is not brokered out to whoever answers a load board, which is what makes a chain of custody and a temperature log meaningful.
What size shipments do you handle?
From an envelope to a full truckload. Motorcycle and sedan for documents and small parcels, cargo van to 2,000 lbs, box truck to 10,000 lbs with liftgate, refrigerated truck for temperature-controlled pallets, and tractor with a 53 ft trailer to 48,000 lbs.
Can you handle airport cargo?
Yes. Our drivers are TSA approved and hold a Security Threat Assessment, which covers collection from and delivery into airport cargo facilities. The SFO and LAX branches sit close to the cargo areas at both airports. Note that we are not an Indirect Air Carrier, so we handle the ground movement rather than acting as the air carrier.
Do you offer scheduled or dedicated routes?
Yes. Recurring daily and weekly lanes run with a named driver and a fixed window, and dedicated fleet assigns vehicles and drivers to your operation full time. Both are common for lab rounds, pharmacy replenishment, parts distribution and food service.
How do I get a price?
Call dispatch with the collection and delivery ZIP codes, the weight and dimensions, any temperature requirement and the timing. You get a price on the call. Nothing about this needs to wait for a form to be processed overnight.
Get a price on the call
Dispatch is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Give us the ZIP codes, the weight and the timing and you will have a number before you hang up.
Call +1 (323) 673-7397Request a quote