SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Amazon announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its Same-Day and Next-Day delivery services to over 4,000 small cities and towns across the rural areas of the United States.

This expansion will bring its fast Prime delivery service to millions of customers in places such as Asbury, Iowa; Fort Seneca, Ohio; Lewes, Delaware; North Padre Island, Texas; and Sharptown, Maryland, according to the company.

The e-commerce giant plans to invest more than 4 billion U.S. dollars to triple the size of its delivery network by 2026.

By increasing its investment in Same-Day and Next-Day delivery, the company aims to create more jobs in rural communities, with an estimated 170 positions on average at the delivery stations, along with additional driving opportunities, Amazon said.

Amazon also reported that the number of items delivered the same day or the next day in the United States has increased by over 30 percent compared to the same period last year. In 2024 alone, the company delivered more than 9 billion items using the faster delivery services. ■