Editing United States Postal Service (section)

==== 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>