<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-027264
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031020
<FILING-DATE>20031022
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HSIEH DOUGLAS
<CIK>0001260720
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-28452
<FILM-NUMBER>03951942
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>200 MADISON AVE STE 1900
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10016
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>VELOCITY EXPRESS CORP
<CIK>0001002902
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4513
<IRS-NUMBER>870355929
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0629
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>7803 GLENROY ROAD
<STREET2>FOUR PARAMOUNT PLAZA STE 200
<CITY>MINNEAPOLIS
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55439
<PHONE>612-492-2400
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>7803 GLENROY ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 200
<CITY>MINNEAPOLIS
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55439
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>UNITED SHIPPING & TECHNOLOGY INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19990512
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>U SHIP INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19960313
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd20670.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-20</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001002902</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VELOCITY EXPRESS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VEXP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001260720</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HSIEH DOUGLAS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 1900</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10016</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series B Convertible Preferred Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6340921</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2806797</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series C Convertible Preferred Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-09-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3092094</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series D Convertible Preferred Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-09-05</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3762995</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1017538</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series G Convertible Preferred Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1107466</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3333333</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series H Convertible Preferred Stock</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2687686</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>196900</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Series I Convertible Preferred Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>1.5</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See note 1</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The securities reported on this Form 4 are directly held by one or more of the following entities related to TH Lee Putnam Ventures LP:  TH Lee Putnam Ventures, L.P. (f/k/a TH Lee.Putnam Internet Partners, L.P.), TH Lee Putnam Parallel Ventures, L.P. (f/k/a TH Lee.Putnam Internet Parallel Partners, L.P.), THLi Coinvestment Partners, LLC and Blue Star I, LLC, collectively "THLPV."</footnote><footnote id="F2">As a result of the issuance Series I Convertible Preferred Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Series B, Series C, Series D, Series G and Series H Convertible Preferred Stock are convertible upon exercise of such series of Convertible Preferred Stock increased pursuant to antidilution provisions in the preferred instruments.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Conversion of the Series I Convertible Preferred Stock into Common Stock requires shareholder approval.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Not applicable</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Douglas Hsieh</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
