Each year, the Postal Service™ designates the third full week of May as “Mailbox Improvement Week” to encourage customers on city motorized, rural, or contract delivery service routes (formerly highway contract box delivery routes) to examine and, where necessary, improve the appearance of their mailboxes. Neat, attractive mailboxes make a significant contribution to the appearance of the countryside and streets in suburban areas. Mailbox Improvement Week calls attention to the need for providing mailboxes that are:
1. Approved by the Postmaster General®.
3. Designed to protect the mail from weather.
7. Large enough within allowable size limits to support the customer’s daily mail and package volume (see about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/current-initiatives/delivery-growth-management/welcome.htm).
Mailboxes designed to meet these seven important requirements help delivery and collection operations while improving service to the entire route. There are two main design groups of curbside mailboxes:
1. Non-locked designs (full or limited service):
a. Traditional design (see Exhibit A1, here).
b. Traditional design — wide; USPS® preferred (see Exhibit A2, here).
c. Contemporary design (see Exhibit B, here).
2. Locked designs (full or limited service):
b. Wide or large-capacity design; USPS preferred.
USPS-STD-7C governs the design and specifications of curbside mailboxes and includes provisions for improved product quality.
Notice 209 – Download here
Postmasters must send Notice 209, Mailbox Improvement Week, to all rural and highway contract box delivery route customers the week before Mailbox Improvement Week as a reminder of the event. Postmasters may order Notice 209 through the U.S. Postal Service® eBuy+ ordering system under the Material Distribution Center (MDC) eBuy+ catalog or the Touch-Tone Order Entry (TTOE) system.
The Postal Service Stock Number (PSN) is 7610-03-000-9145 and the Postal Service Identification Number (PSIN) is NOT209. If you already have a 10-digit access code for TTOE, please call 800-273-1509 to place your order. If you do not have an access code, call 800-332-0317 to register for TTOE.