The U.S. Postal Service’s Vast Options and Unnecessary Complexities
Posted on Monday, April 14th, 2003 at 21:00.
After nearly three months at Postal Annex+ #2, a love-hate relationship has formed with the United States Postal Service. On one hand, the service is economical. On the other hand, the service confuses my simpleton customers.
Why?
- First-Class mail becomes Priority Mail after so many ounces when Priority Mail is widely assumed the faster way to send regular mail. Third-Class becomes Parcel Post. Fourth-Class is always Media Mail.
- Express Mail provides overnight service to select zip codes, but costs more than FedEx Standard Overnight or UPS Next Day Delivery. This is used when an urgent article must be sent to a Post Office Box because the USPS will not receive third-party courier parcels for its box holders.
- Certified Mail provides the sender with evidence of mailing and an electronic record of the delivery date and time or attempted delivery via the Internet, but does not provide tracking service. Certified Mail requires a signature at the time of delivery.
- Delivery Confirmation provides electronic access to delivery date and time for First-Class, Priority Mail, and Parcel Post. Delivery Confirmation service does not require a signature upon delivery. While en route scans may be provided when available, they are not a feature of Delivery Confirmation service. This service is not available for International Mail, military (APO/FPO) mail or for items addressed to U.S. territories, possessions, or freely associated states, with the exception of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- A Return Receipt is a green postcard that provides the sender with hardcopy proof of delivery. It must be purchased accompanying another special service. The return receipt is ripped off the letter or package sent and returned to the sender after deliver to show who signed for the item and the date that it was delivered.
- Registered Mail is supposedly the most secure way to send First-Class Mail and Priority Mail domestically and internationally. Registered articles are "insured and placed under tight security from the point of mailing to the point of delivery." It provides both a receipt showing an item was mailed and an electronic record of the delivery date and time (for items delivered in the U.S.A. only) and a signature is required at the time of delivery. This can only be purchased directly from the USPS.
Adopting a unified tracking and delivery confirmation system accessible via telephone and Internet would be too simple. A consistent nomenclature would also be too simple. Does the Postmaster General actually do anything except raise the price of a stamp?
