Why is shipping via ground (ex: UPS) take a long time to be delivered?

Question

Why is shipping via ground (ex: UPS) take a long time to be delivered even if it's a state away for example? I am waiting for a package that is scheduled for a delivery on 10/26 (today is 10/23) and I checked the online status and it indicates that it is in the closest terminal in my area with a time it arrived and status like "in-transit". Why can't it be delivered the next day or later on that day? Why does it have to sit until the scheduled delivery day?

I know I paid for the cheapest delivery, but still. If the package is there, why not put it in the truck?

Answer 1

In my experience once it hits the terminal near you there are no further updates until the driver rings your doorbell. My deliveries have always been on the day they said they would come.

Answer 2

the ones that paid more get to go first

Answer 3

UPS delivers based on route like the post office. Ground shipping means it will be taken to a sorting location for each truck in transit. UPS has several sorting location hubs throughout the country.. It generally does not go from point A to point Z without hitting a couple of stops in between it would be too cost prohibitive to have a truck dedicated between end points. So they use a spoke and hub transit configuration.  You may be at one spoke, it goes to a hub, then to another, and another reaching the final hub then to the final spoke.