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Postal Facts and Info

Some fascinating facts about the United States Postal Service

The Postal Service processes 5,711 mailpieces every second, 493.4 million each day and 149.5 billion in 2017.

The Postal Service has 6,955 letter carriers who deliver mail entirely on foot.

There are 157.3 million delivery points in the US, up from 149.2 million in 2008.

47% of the world’s mail volume is handled by the USPS.

There are nearly 42,000 ZIP codes in the United States.

The ZIP code with the most street deliveries: 10025 in New York with over 45,000 delivery points.

19 billion postage stamps were printed in 2017.

There are more than 13,000 Main Streets in the US, the most popular street name.  Maple is second with 8,000.

The longest carrier route is in Kansas where the carrier travels 185.4 miles.

The USPS purchased 660 million rubber bands in 2017.

Anniversary of the Forever Stamp

April 12th marks the anniversary of the first United States Postal Service “Forever Stamp”.

The first Forever Stamp in the US went on sale on April 12, 2007 featuring the Liberty Bell and sold for 41 cents.  Forever Stamps can be used to mail a one-once letter regardless of when the stamps were purchased no matter how postage prices change in the future.  Forever Stamps are always sold at the same price as a regular first-class mail stamp.

The USPS applied to begin developing the Forever Stamp program in 2006, it was a concept similar to the United Kingdom’s practice of issuing non-denominated stamps.

The Liberty Bell design was the only Forever Stamp in circulation until October 2010 when the second design was released featuring pine cones and evergreen trees.  All first-class stamps became Forever Stamps in 2011, with the exception of coils of 500, 3,000 and 10,000.  In 2015 the USPS expanded the concept to incorporate several other categories including postcard, additional ounce, and two and three ounce stamps. 

 

Source: USPS

Final Run for the Pony Express

The Pony Express, an icon of America’s Old West, took it’s final run on October 26th, 1861.

As the United States quickly expanded west in the mid-1800’s the need for for fast mail service became apparent.  The population was migrating west in large numbers thanks to the Gold Rush, the Oregon Trail and the Mormon exodus.

In 1860 the need for fast mail service was answered by the Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express Company, later to be know as the Pony Express.  The Pony Express was able to transport mail more than 1,800 miles in 10 days from Missouri to Sacramento, California providing a service faster than any other option at the time.

Skilled riders familiar with the rugged western terrain where hired to run the routes and earned a wage of $50 per month.

Just 10 short weeks after the Express’ first run Congress passed a bill authorizing the construction of the final segment of the transcontinental telegraph line connecting the mid-west to the Pacific coast.  16 months later on October 26th, 1861 New York and San Francisco became directly connected via telegraph and operations of the Pony Express were terminated.

Although the vast majority of the routes have disappeared over time, some small sections of the original trail can still be seen in California and Utah.  Dozens of historical markers now stand where Pony Express stations once stood.

 

Source: National Parks Service

USPS Facts & Figures

Some interesting facts about the United States Postal Service

 

  • In 2016 the USPS delivered 153.9 billion pieces of mail, or about 47% of the world’s mail volume
  • There are 156.1 million delivery points with 1.1 million new delivery points added last year
  • The USPS processed 37 million address changes in 2016
  • If the postal service was in the private sector it would rank 39th in the 2016 Fortune 500
  • The Hinsdale, NH post office has been operating in the same building since 1816, the oldest post office location to do so
  • The longest rural delivery route is in Magnum, Ok which requires the carrier to travel 182.75 miles a day
  • The postal service ordered more than 700 million rubber bands in 2016

 
 
Source: USPS Postal Facts 2017