A private carrier refers to a party or business that provides delivery services of goods, money or transportation. However, this is not their primary business. It is quite different to a common carrier, which is actually in the business of airlines, buses, trucks, taxis, railroads, etc.
Despite the fact that a private carrier is not transporting for business purposes, it is still liable for any injuries that might occur to anyone who has paid in full or shared the cost of transportation. In the absence of specific terms, the private carrier usually has no lien over consignor’s goods.