Trademark Class 39: Transport and Travel Arrangement
Trademark Class 39 contains services relating to the transport and storage of goods, their packaging, and services rendered for making travel arrangements. As such, this class includes services such as hiring transport vehicles, services rendered for loading and unloading at docks, and services rendered for using bridges, roads, etc.
The overall function of transport and storage includes many different services, all of which fall under the purview of Trademark Class 39. Transportation, storage, and packaging are essential services that all manufacturers need, making it vital to understand the trademarking process for this class.
Service Groups in Trademark Class 39
Here are the leading service groups in Trademark Class 39:
· Transport of Goods:
This includes hiring transport vehicles, the transporter’s exploitation of roads, rails, and ferries, freighting, services relating to the maintenance and inspection of transport vehicles before departure, etc. Different means of transport, whether by air, water, or land, are all part of this class. Services indirectly connected to the transport of goods, such as transportation information and logistics, are also covered in this class.
· Storage of Goods:
Warehousing, leasing of storage facilities, storage information, logistics, etc., are the services connected to storing goods. These are included in this class as they are essentially linked to transportation. All goods transported from one place to another need intermediary storage before they become ready for use in manufacturing or for sale.
· Travel Arrangement Services:
Arrangement of travel tours, preparation of itinerary for travel, etc., are also included under Trademark Class 39. This group of travel facilitation services is more concerned with transporting humans as travellers, not goods used in business.
· Packaging of Goods:
It is a given that goods must be packed securely before being transported from one place to another. Packaging services such as pelleting, carton packing, etc., are also a part of Trademark Class 39.
Read More: Trademark Class 40: Printing and Treatment of Materials
Information of Services under Trademark Class 39
There are a lot of services under Trademark Class 39. To give you a fair idea of what this class deals with, a detailed alphabetical list of services in this class has been provided below:
| Products | Products | Products |
|---|---|---|
| Air cargo transport | Air passenger transport services | Air traffic control services |
| Aircraft chartering | Aircraft rental | Airport baggage handling |
| Airport services for cargo handling | Airport transfer services | Ambulance services |
| Arrangement and transportation of passengers by aircraft | Arrangement and transportation of passengers by helicopters | Arrangement and transportation of passengers by ships |
| Arrangement and transportation of passengers by trains | Armoured car transport | Advisory services relating to the storage of goods |
| Arranging cruises | Advisory services relating to the transport of goods | Arranging transportation for excursions |
| Arranging transportation for travel tours | Automobile vehicle leasing services | Automobile vehicle renting services |
| Automobile towing | Automobile transport services | Baggage check-in at airports |
| Barge transport | Bicycle rental | Bicycle transport services |
| Boat chartering | Boat docking services | Boat mooring |
| Boat rental | Boat storage | Booking agency services for airline travel, land travel, or sea travel |
| Bonded warehousing | Bus Chartering | Bridge usage services |
| Brokerage for transportation services | Booking of seats for travel | Bottling services |
| Bus rental | Bus services | Cab services |
| Car parking services | Car rental services | Car sharing services |
| Car transport services | Cargo handling | Cargo loading and unloading services |
| Chartering services for private aeroplanes | Chartering of watercraft, yachts, ships, boats and water vehicles | Cargo ship transport |
| Cartage services | Cryogenic storage services | Cash transport services |
| Chauffeur services | City transport services | Clearing and forwarding of cargo |
| Coach rental services | Consulting services related to making travel arrangements | Computerized information storage and retrieval services used in warehousing and storage |
| Courier and collection services of goods by air, water, or land. | Cold storage services for meats, medicines, etc. | Commercial travel packages for cruises, world tours, etc. |
| Commercial freight transportation | Container rental | Courier services (messages or merchandise) |
| Cruise ship services | Customs clearance services (transport) | Delivery of goods |
| Delivery of parcels | Delivery of goods by mail order | Distribution of energy |
| Distribution of natural gas | Distribution of renewable energy | Distribution of water |
| Document storage and delivery services | Diving services | Docking services for ships |
| Drayage services | Drop shipping services | Electric vehicle charging station services |
| Electricity distribution | Emergency vehicle rental | Energy distribution |
| Escorting of travellers | Expedition services | Express delivery services |
| Ferry transport | Filling of machines with lubricants | Flight arrangement services |
| Freight brokerage | Freight forwarding services | Freight shipping by truck, train, or aeroplane |
| Funicular transport services | Garbage collection | Gas distribution |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation services | Goods handling | Goods storage |
| Grain storage | Guarded transport of valuables | Guided tours (transport services) |
| Hauling services | Hazardous materials transport | Helicopter transport |
| Hire car transporters | Horse-drawn carriage transport | House moving services |
| Household goods moving services | Humanitarian logistics services | Ice-breaking services |
| Import and export cargo handling | Information on transport services | Intermodal container transport services |
| Intercity transport services | International shipping services | Jet rental services |
| Journey management services | Kayak rental | Kitting services (assembling goods for shipping) |
| Knowledge-based logistics services | Lighterage services | Limo services |
| Luggage forwarding services | Luggage storage | Luggage transport |
| Mail delivery services | Mail order delivery | Marshalling of goods for transport |
| Marine transport | Marine towage services | Merchandise packaging for others |
| Message delivery | Metro transport services | Motor coach rental |
| Motor vehicle transport | Moving van services | Municipal waste collection |
| Multimodal transport services | Navigational services | Newspaper delivery |
| Non-motorised vehicle rental | Nuclear waste transport | Ocean freight services |
| On-demand air charter services | Operation of canal locks | Organisation of excursions |
| Organisation of sightseeing tours | Overhaul of ships | Overnight delivery services |
| Packing articles for transportation | Passenger air transport | Passenger rail transport |
| Passenger sea transport | Passenger transport | Pet transport services |
| Petroleum distribution | Pipeline transport | Piloting services for ships |
| Porter services | Postal services | Providing driving directions for travel purposes |
| Public transport services | Quay services (marine port services) | Quick delivery services |
| Quicksilver transport | Rail cargo transport | Rail passenger transport |
| Rail transport | Railway coach rental | Refrigerated storage |
| Refloating of ships | Regional transport services | Repackaging services |
| Rental of diving suits | Rental of storage containers | Rental of vehicles for transport |
| Rescue operations (transport) | River transport | Road freight transport |
| Road transport | Roadside assistance (vehicle breakdown) | Salvage of ships |
| Satellite navigation services | Sea freight services | Sea rescue services |
| Ship brokerage | Ship chartering | Ship refloating |
| Shipping of documents and parcels | Shuttle services | Sightseeing tour services |
| Space Transport | Storage information | Storage of agricultural products |
| Storage of cargo | Storage of hazardous materials | Storage of goods |
| Storage of oil | Storage of toxic waste | Storage services for archiving electronic data |
| Storage services for vehicles | Taxi transport | Towing services |
| Tour bus services | Tour conducting | Tour organising |
| Traffic information services | Tram transport | Transport arrangements for medical patients |
| Transport by pipeline | Transport of construction materials | Transport of furniture |
| Transport of medical waste | Transport of valuables | Transport reservation |
| Travel guide services | Travel ticket reservation | Truck rental |
| Trucking services | Tunnel transport services | Underwater salvage |
| Unloading cargo | Urban transport services | Vehicle rental |
| Vehicle towing | Vehicle transport | Vessel salvage |
| Veterinary ambulance services | VIP transport services | Vehicle parking services |
| Warehousing | Waste collection services | Waste disposal transport |
| Water distribution | Water supplying | Wharfage services |
| Wildlife rescue transport | Wreckage salvage | Yacht chartering |
| Yard rental services | Zero-emission transport services | Zoo animal transport services |
Some Famous Trademark Class 39 Service Providers
Many courier and transport services are famous worldwide. Below is a list of the most famous ones that have impacted countries worldwide.
- FedEx: One of the world’s largest courier and transportation companies, FedEx is an American multinational conglomerate making over 80 billion US dollars in revenue annually. Its iconic orange and purple logo symbolises courier services. FedEx is a publicly traded company.
- DHL: DHL is a logistics, courier, delivery, and transportation services company founded in San Francisco in 1969. It handles over 1.7 billion parcels annually, making it one of the world’s largest courier delivery service providers.
- UPS: UPS, or United Parcel Services, has operated since 1907, over a century ago. It is an American Fortune 500 company and one of the world’s largest courier and shipping companies.
- Uber: Uber is the world’s largest taxi and transportation services provider. Its ride-hailing services have become synonymous with taxis and passenger transport services. Uber’s iconic black-and-white theme and logo are instantly recognisable worldwide.
- Expedia: Expedia is the world’s leading travel agency. They book over 3 billion lodging locations from their websites and meta-search engines.
Services Not Included in Trademark Class 39
There are a lot of services that are usually employed in conjunction with Class 39 services but are not included in Trademark Class 39. Some of those are:
· Services Regarding the Advertisement of Travel Undertakings:
Advertisements of cruises, travel packages, discounts on travel, etc., are not included in Class 39, which provides only travel and transport services. Advertisement services are a part of Trademark Class 39.
· Services Regarding the Issue of Travellers’ Cheques:
Brokers or travel agents issue travellers’ cheques or letters of credit, which is a financial service; hence, it is not under the purview of Trademark Class 39. Financial services are included in Class 36.
· Insurance Services Concerning Travel:
Travel packages and passenger transport services like Uber often include customer safety and security insurance. However, as they are financial, they are not covered under the scope of Trademark Class 39 and fall under Class 36.
· Lodging Services for Travelling Passengers:
Travelling is almost always accompanied by lodging. The use of hotels, rooms, and other temporary accommodation services is also outside the purview of Trademark Class 39. Such things fall under Class 43 (Provision of food, drink, and temporary accommodation).
Corresponding Classes of Class 39
Corresponding or related classes are the ones most closely related to the bundle of services offered under a concerned class, which in this case is Class 39.
The corresponding classes of Class 39 are:
· Class 35 (Advertisement and Business Services):
Class 35 covers promotional services for any brand or product rendered by an individual, agency, or company. It also covers services rendered to help in business operations and functions, along with advisory and consultancy on improving them. Advertisements for transport and travel ventures are a part of this class.
· Class 36 (Financial Services):
Class 36 comprises various financial services. Travel and transport arrangements often involve the issue of traveller’s cheques, credit extensions, etc. These financial components involved in the 39 services are a part of Class 36.
· Class 42 (Technological and Scientific Services):
Provision of warehouse management systems, logistical optimisation using technology, and other such technological and scientific services provided in storage and transport are under the purview of Class 42, even though they are related to transport and storage.
· Class 43 (Provision of Food, drinks, and Temporary Accommodation):
Food and beverages, hotels, and other temporary accommodations accompany travelling. Restaurant services, hotel services, etc., are under the purview of Class 43.
Benefits of Trademark Registration for Service Providers
If you are a service provider, trademark registration has many potential benefits. It preserves your unique identity, and those branding assets can recognise the quality of your services.
The main benefits of trademarking your intellectual property assets as a service provider are:
- Brand Identity: Getting a piece of intellectual property registered as a trademark means you have exclusive rights to use it. It is as much under your control as your average physical assets. A trademark can be crucial to creating and maintaining a distinguished brand identity. It helps customers identify your brand or company and opt for your services instead of the many available alternatives. In time, your trademarks start acting as advertisements and marks of quality.
- Legal Protection: As you have exclusive rights over your trademark and its use, any competitor who tries to replicate your identity by copying your trademark becomes liable for legal actions and may land in heaps of legal trouble. It is the best tool to protect against infringement. However, it is essential to note that you are only protected under the Class under which you have trademarked yourself.
- Market Positioning: A trademark helps differentiate your brand in the market. When used with clever marketing, a trademark becomes a powerful tool to ensure that consumers remember your product for a long time and continue buying it. It is essential to convey a consistent brand image for positive customer retention. For example, a consistent colour theme and brand symbols transfer your existing reputation to new offerings you have.
- Marketing Efforts: Trademarks serve as highly creative tools for establishing successful marketing campaigns. Many companies have used trademarked works or slogans to distinguish their marketing efforts. For example, Band-Aid is a brand name trademark associated with using adhesive bandages; Uber has single-handedly transformed the taxi experience, etc.
- Licensing Opportunities: No one can use a trademark that you own without legal permission. This gives rise to several licensing opportunities and the chance to acquire more revenue streams. Licensing your trademark means allowing someone to use it in return for compensation or royalties.
In case you ever come across a trademark objection while registering your trademark, we recommend that you talk to our experts.
Conclusion
Trademark Class 39 plays a crucial role in enabling essential services connected to transportation, storage, packaging, and travel arrangements. These services are vital for businesses to transport goods and for individuals to plan and engage in travel.
Registering a trademark in this class offers businesses significant advantages, such as establishing a brand identity, obtaining legal protection, and improving their position in the market. This helps them protect their operations and expand in a competitive setting. The protections provided under Class 39 ensure that service providers can operate without concern about intellectual property infringement, thereby establishing a more substantial presence in the market.
Get expert assistance for trademark search and trademark monitoring.
Frequently Asked Question
What is Trademark Class 39?
Class 39 primarily covers services for moving individuals, animals, or commodities from one location to another via railway, road, water, air, or pipeline. It also includes services directly related to such transportation and the storage of goods in various types of storage facilities, warehouses, or other structures for their protection or security.
What services are included under Trademark Class 39?
Transport and storage services, as well as packaging and travel arrangement services, are a part of Trademark Class 39.
What are some exceptions to Trademark Class 39?
Advertising related to travel or transport falls under Class 35, while insurance services for the transportation of people or goods are categorised under Class 36. Maintenance and repair of vehicles or other items connected with transport are included in Class 37. The service of conducting guided tours is covered under Class 41. Electronic data storage services are part of Class 42, and the reservation of hotel rooms or other temporary accommodations by travel agents or brokers is classified under Class 43, which are some exceptions to Trademark Class 39.
How long is a trademark valid for?
A trademark is valid for ten years after the trademark certificate is issued. After the initial ten years, it must be renewed every ten years.
How can I get a trademark registered as a service provider?
After selecting an appropriate class that reflects the nature of your service, a duly filled application must be filed with the Indian Trademarks Registry. All information regarding your business, product or service, and proposed trademark must be provided. If there are no similar existing trademarks, the trademark is granted after a thorough review and an objection period.
Who is the Indian authority on Trademarks?
The Indian Trademarks Registry under the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) is the authority on trademarks. The CGPDTM operates under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
Are travel ticket booking services via online channels a part of Trademark Class 39?
Yes, travel arrangement services are a crucial part of Trademark Class 39.
Do I need to register in other classes if I provide services in Class 39?
For complete protection, your business must be trademarked under all the classes in which you do business. For example, your company must be registered under Class 39 AND Class 42 if you provide transport and advertising services.
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