By law, only you and the U.S. Postal Service are allowed to put things in your mailbox. But what if companies like FedEx and UPS could do it too?
That could happen under a recommendation by the Trump administration.
A White House task force said in December that USPS should “explore franchising the mailbox as a means of generating revenue.”
The Postal Service could use the cash.
It’s been losing money for years, including a $3.9 billion loss in fiscal 2018. It’s no surprise. People are mailing fewer letters — first-class volume dropped by 2.1 billion pieces last year. To help offset that drop, USPS raised stamp prices by 5 cents in January — its largest increase ever.
And the Postal Service is still struggling to pay $5.5 billion each year in future retiree benefits.
By allowing access to private companies for a fee, the agency could earn cash without making changes to its current products, the task force says. The proposal did not name any specific companies, but it brings firms like FedEx and the United Parcel Service to mind.
This is a huge mistake! The sanctity of the mail will be jeopardized! Not all vendors are vetted like a Usps employee. What happens when I approach a mailbox that is filled with a 3rd party package and I can’t utilize it? Will I as the mail carrier be compensated for removal and walking to the door for the 3rd party?
probably not but scan it as ‘no access’…
Why publish such an ignorant idea? The Postal Service IS NOT, I repeat IS NOT LOSING MONEY. Please examine the facts before you publish this Republicsn bull shit.
agree…. look at the grievance $$ that is paid out…
Ha most mail Boxs don’t even hold the mail so are they just going to hang packages all over it so that we can get mail in the box? Probably so as I see this a lot on the rural side. Even down on the ground where they just leave it in rain,
Sorry but the rural side doesn’t hang shit on the box! That would be another service or all these shitty new amazon workers!
i don’t want more than me and my mailperson putting anything in MY mailbox. too many sticky hands. look what is happening to parcels at your front doors!
Like the article says, by law only the mail carrier and the resident have access to the mailbox. I don’t think most residents would want that! I know I wouldn’t! The law would have to be changed and I don’t think that will happen