Editing United States Postal Service (section)

=== Delivery timing ===
[[File:Usmailcontractor.jpg|thumb|USPS contractor-driven [[semi-trailer truck]] seen near [[Mendota, California]]]]
[[File:2008-08-06 Postal delivery van in Durham.jpg|thumb|1998 United States Postal Service Ford Windstar, showing the larger driver's side door]]

==== Delivery days ====
From 1810, mail was delivered seven days a week. In 1828, local religious leaders noticed a decline in Sunday-morning church attendance because of local post offices' doubling as gathering places. These leaders appealed to the government to intervene and close post offices on Sundays. The government, however, declined, and mail was delivered seven days a week until 1912.<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://atheism.about.com/b/a/242048.htm About.com, "Sunday Mail Service in a Christian Nation", Austin Cline, February 19, 2006] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906100319/http://atheism.about.com/b/a/242048.htm |date=September 6, 2008 }}. Retrieved October 10, 2007.</ref><ref name="The Atlantic">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/the-unlikely-alliance-that-ended-sunday-mail-delivery-in-1912/281370/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214003537/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/the-unlikely-alliance-that-ended-sunday-mail-delivery-in-1912/281370/|url-status=dead|title=The Unlikely Alliance That Ended Sunday Mail Delivery ... in 1912|first=Megan|last=Garber|date=November 12, 2013|archive-date=February 14, 2017|website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> Since then, U.S. Mail (with the exception of Express Mail)<ref>[http://www.usps.com/serviceperformance/dayofmailing.htm USPS – Express Mail Delivery Chart] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929150736/http://www.usps.com/serviceperformance/dayofmailing.htm |date=September 29, 2007 }}. Retrieved October 10, 2007.</ref> has not been delivered on Sunday.

Saturday delivery was temporarily suspended in April 1957, because of lack of funds, but quickly restored.<ref>[http://www.onthisday.com/events/april/13 Historyorb.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102035351/http://www.onthisday.com/events/april/13 |date=January 2, 2016 }}, events April 13.</ref><ref>[http://www.onthisday.com/events/april/15 Historyorb.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102035351/http://www.onthisday.com/events/april/15 |date=January 2, 2016 }}, events April 15</ref>

Budget problems prompted consideration of dropping Saturday delivery starting around 2009. This culminated in a 2013 announcement that regular mail services would be cut to five days a week, which was reversed by Congress before it could take effect. (See the section [[#Revenue decline and planned cuts|Revenue decline and planned cuts]].)

==== Direct delivery vs. customer pickup ====
Originally, mail was not delivered to homes and businesses, but to post offices. In 1863, "city delivery" began in urban areas with enough customers to make this economical. This required streets to be named, houses to be numbered, with sidewalks and lighting provided, and these street addresses to be added to envelopes.<ref name="city delivery">{{cite web |title=City Delivery |website=Postal History |publisher=USPS |url=http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/city-delivery.pdf |access-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305100057/http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/city-delivery.pdf |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The number of routes served expanded over time. In 1891, the first experiments with [[Rural Free Delivery]] began in less densely populated areas.

To compensate for high mail volume and slow long-distance transportation which saw mail arrive at post offices throughout the day, deliveries were made multiple times a day. This ranged from twice for residential areas to up to seven times for the central business district of [[Brooklyn]], New York.<ref name="deliveries per day">[http://www.usps.com/postalhistory/_pdf/DeliveriesperDay.pdf Deliveries per Day] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509022313/http://www.usps.com/postalhistory/_pdf/DeliveriesperDay.pdf |date=May 9, 2009 }}. (PDF). Retrieved July 8, 2011.</ref> In the late 19th century, mail boxes were encouraged, saving carriers the time it took to deliver directly to the addressee in person. During the 1910s and 1920s, they were phased in as a requirement for service.<ref name="city delivery" /> In the 1940s, multiple daily deliveries began to be reduced, especially on Saturdays. By 1990, the last twice-daily deliveries in New York City were eliminated.

Since then, mail is delivered once a day to most private homes and businesses. The USPS still distinguishes between city delivery (where carriers generally walk and deliver to mailboxes hung on exterior walls or porches, or to commercial reception areas) and rural delivery (where carriers generally drive).<ref>[http://www.usps.com/receive/businesssolutions/cityruralandgeneraldelivery.htm?from=receiveyourmail&page=homedelivery Home Delivery]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723225613/http://www.usps.com/receive/businesssolutions/cityruralandgeneraldelivery.htm?from=receiveyourmail&page=homedelivery |date=July 23, 2011 }}. USPS (November 26, 2008). Retrieved July 8, 2011.</ref> With "curbside delivery", mailboxes are at the ends of driveways, on the nearest convenient road. "Central point delivery" is used in some locations, where several nearby residences share a "cluster" of individual mailboxes in a single housing.

Some customers choose to use [[post office box]]es for an additional fee, for privacy or convenience. This provides a locked box at the post office to which mail is addressed and delivered (usually earlier in the day than home delivery). Customers in less densely populated areas where there is no city delivery and who do not qualify for rural delivery may receive mail only through post office boxes. High-volume business customers can also arrange for special pick-up.<ref>[http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c{15ca7f10-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000} USPS FAQ – Caller Service], multiple pickups for a fee{{dead link|date=January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>[http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c{1624ad00-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000} USPS FAQ – Firm Holdout Service], free pickup once a day{{dead link|date=January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Another option is the old-style [[general delivery]], for people who have neither post office boxes nor street addresses. Mail is held at the post office until they present identification and pick it up.

Some customers receive free post office boxes if the USPS declines to provide door-to-door delivery to their location or a nearby box.<ref>[http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c{0d389670-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000} USPS FAQ – Do I qualify for free box service?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324134730/http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb%3AUSPSFAQ&view%28%29=c%7B0d389670-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000%7D |date=March 24, 2012 }}. Faq.usps.com (November 26, 2008). Retrieved July 8, 2011.{{dead link|date=January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> People with medical problems can request door-to-door delivery.<ref>[https://faq.usps.com/s/article/If-I-have-Hardship-or-Medical-Problems-how-do-I-request-Door-Delivery} USPS FAQ – Hardship / Medical Problems] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324134740/http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb%3AUSPSFAQ&view%28%29=c%7B03a36ea0-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000%7D |date=March 24, 2012 }}. Faq.usps.com (November 26, 2008). Retrieved July 8, 2011.{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Homeless]] people are also eligible for post office boxes at the discretion of the local postmaster, or can use general delivery.<ref>[http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c{0a4e47c0-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000} USPS FAQ – Mail service available for the homeless] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324134748/http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb%3AUSPSFAQ&view%28%29=c%7B0a4e47c0-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000%7D |date=March 24, 2012 }}. Faq.usps.com (November 26, 2008). Retrieved July 8, 2011.{{dead link|date=January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==== Special delivery ====
From 1885 to 1997, a service called [[special delivery (postal service)|special delivery]] was available, which caused a separate delivery to the final location earlier in the day than the usual daily rounds.

==== Same-day trials ====
In December 2012, the USPS began a limited one-year trial of same-day deliveries directly from retailers or distribution hubs to residential addresses in the same local area, a service it dubbed "Metro Post".<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Post office tests same-day delivery|date=November 23, 2012|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/11/23/cash-strapped-post-office-tests-same-day-delivery/EeG60PN9dhT9N7cdfMyj7J/story.html|access-date=June 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629183904/http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/11/23/cash-strapped-post-office-tests-same-day-delivery/EeG60PN9dhT9N7cdfMyj7J/story.html|archive-date=June 29, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Target |url=https://www.usps.com/metropost/ |title=USPS.com – Metro Post |publisher=Usps.com |date=March 28, 2011 |access-date=March 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613090157/https://www.usps.com/metropost/ |archive-date=June 13, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> The trial was initially limited to San Francisco and the only retailer to participate in the first few weeks was [[1-800-FLOWERS]].<ref>{{cite news|agency=EcommerceBytes.com|date=January 14, 2013|first=Kenneth|last=Corbin|title=USPS Adding Retailers to Same Day Delivery Trial|url=http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m01/i14/s04|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-date=January 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120030907/http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m01/i14/s04/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2013, the Postal Service began regular package delivery on Sundays for Amazon customers in New York and Los Angeles,<ref>{{cite web |first=Joseph |last=Adinolfi |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/terms-deal-us-postal-service-usps-deliver-amazon-amzn-packages-not-revealed-usps-or-1470726 |title=Terms Of Deal For US Postal Service (USPS) To Deliver Amazon (AMZN) Packages Not Revealed By USPS Or Amazon |website=[[International Business Times]] |date=November 14, 2013 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102035351/http://www.ibtimes.com/terms-deal-us-postal-service-usps-deliver-amazon-amzn-packages-not-revealed-usps-or-1470726 |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> which it expanded to 15 cities in May 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bishop |first=Todd |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2014/amazon-expands-sunday-delivery-15-cities-deal-u-s-postal-service/ |title=Amazon and USPS expand Sunday delivery to 15 more cities, will reach 'large portion' of U.S. this year |work=GeekWire |date=May 7, 2014 |access-date=June 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223050133/http://www.geekwire.com/2014/amazon-expands-sunday-delivery-15-cities-deal-u-s-postal-service/ |archive-date=February 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Amazon Sunday delivery has been expanded to most major markets as of September 2015.

==== Forwarding and holds ====
Residential customers can fill out a form in-person or online to forward mail to a new address, and can also send pre-printed forms to any of their frequent correspondents. They must have a valid address to forward their mail from ''and'' to, and verify their identity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Standard Forward Mail & Change of Address |url=https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm |website=usps.com |access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> They can also put their mail on "hold", for example, while on vacation. The Post Office will store mail during the hold, instead of letting it overflow in the mailbox. These services are not available to large buildings and customers of a [[commercial mail receiving agency]],<ref>[http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view()=c{11d2df10-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000} USPS FAQ – Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324134758/http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb%3AUSPSFAQ&view%28%29=c%7B11d2df10-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000%7D |date=March 24, 2012 }}. Faq.usps.com (November 26, 2008). Retrieved July 8, 2011.{{dead link|date=January 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> where mail is subsorted by non-Post Office employees into individual mailboxes.

==== First-class packages ====
In April 2022, the USPS announced it would slow deliveries of almost one third of first-class packages as it sought to rely less on air transportation and find cost savings.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Seal |first=Dean |date=April 18, 2022 |title=U.S. Postal Service to Slow First-Class Package Delivery |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-postal-service-to-slow-first-class-package-delivery-11650310634 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref name="NPRServiceTimes" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Manfredi |first=Lucas |date=April 19, 2022 |title=US Postal Service to slow down nearly a third of first-class package deliveries |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/us-postal-service-first-class-package-deliveries |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=FOXBusiness |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Here's why packages might not arrive as quickly as they used to |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/4/25/23041178/postal-service-delivery-changes-why-packages-slow-delivery-inflation-stamp-rates |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>