The Postal Service is part of the fabric of the nation with employees making a difference in every community across the country. Here’s a look at some of the programs and causes our organization supports.
weight limit
In 1913, an 8-month-old baby in Ohio was mailed by his parents to his grandmother who lived a few miles away.
Grandma, can you babysit?
In the early days of Parcel Post, parents sometimes mailed their children if they met the 11-pound weight limit. In 1913, an 8-month-old baby in Ohio was mailed by his parents to his grandmother who lived a few miles away.
female Postmaster General
Megan J. Brennan is the 74th Postmaster General of the United States.
historic buildings
More than 1,400 postal-owned buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Take a closer look
They’re treasures. But they’re not hidden.
Many of our buildings are historic. Inside — and outside — many of our Post Offices, you’ll find impressive works of art that reflect the stories of our people and our nation.
More than 1,400 postal-owned buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
More than 1,400 murals and/or sculptures from President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs are in our Post Offices around the nation.
About 400 murals have images of Native Americans, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
There is also a publication dedicated to Postal Service history.
resolving disputes
The Postal Service's Judicial Officer Department is a court system that conducts hearings and neutrally resolves a wide variety of disputes involving postal matters.
Resolving disputes
The Postal Service’s Judicial Officer Department is a court system that conducts hearings and neutrally resolves a wide variety of disputes involving postal matters. Its independent decisions involve contract disputes, employee debt disputes, mail disputes and mail fraud, among many other areas.
The department uses an advanced and widely acclaimed electronic filing and case management system, resulting in virtually paperless litigation. The electronic system is designed to provide maximum, easy and free access to the postal court system for all parties.
The Judicial Officer Department has been conducting an increasing number of its hearings using video technology — from its courtroom to areas around the country — saving time and money for the Postal Service and opposing parties.
PCC members
Postal Customer Councils connect business mailers with local Post Office leadership to develop more effective and profitable mailings through training and information sharing. About 155 local PCCs support 80,000 members.
providing technical advice
Representing select mailing associations, the Postmaster General's Mailers Technical Advisory Committee works to enhance the value of mail by providing technical advice and recommendations to the Postal Service.
workshops and seminars
The National Postal Forum is an annual mailing industry conference that provides educational and networking opportunities for thousands of business customers. Attendees learn about the latest mail trends and innovations through more than 100 workshops and seminars.
no official motto
The Postal Service has no official motto. It's not this phrase: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
About that motto…
The Postal Service has no official motto. Nope, it’s not this phrase: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Those words are engraved on the front of the James A. Farley Post Office in New York City, set in stone by the architectural firm that built it. The phrase is taken from an ancient book by the Persian historian Herodotus and refers to messengers in the Persian Empire.
But we approve of the sentiment.
Postmaster General
The Post Office Department was founded in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. His annual salary was $1,000. That makes us the second oldest federal department. Before 1971, the PMG was a Cabinet member.
Military Postal Service Agency formed
Each military service managed its own mail program until 1980 when the Military Postal Service Agency was formed.
Military mail in brief
Each military service managed its own mail program until 1980 when the Military Postal Service Agency was formed. The Department of Defense designated the Secretary of the Army as the single military mail manager.
Military members receive virtually the same level of service as if they were at home in the United States. Differences are based on the country in which they’re stationed and the type of military operation in which they’re involved.
Military mail moves within the United States via the USPS transportation network to major mail processing facilities.
If it’s First-Class Mail, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, the item moves from major airport gateways in the U.S. to overseas airport gateways on commercial aircraft. It’s then moved by various methods to designated military postal facilities to delivery to individual service members. Mail also moves by military aircraft when necessary.
boxes in Military Care Kit
The Military Care Kit contains six Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes - two large and four medium - six address labels, one roll of tape and six customs forms. The kit can be ordered online at shop.usps.com at no charge.
military veterans
Veterans. The Postal Service employs more than 105,000 military veterans. USPS also has issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation's military history.
mail fraud
The Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service provide education, tools and information to combat identity theft and mail fraud during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission's annual awareness campaign.
employees and family members
The Postal Service partners with Be The Match Foundation to help people dealing with life-threatening diseases. Since 1998, more than 61,200 postal employees and their family members have joined the national marrow donor registry - the largest number from a single private or public organization in the United States.
dog attacks
With our carriers delivering to homes where there are pets, the Postal Service during National Dog Bite Prevention Week highlights safety initiatives and dog bite prevention tips to protect employees and customers. In 2017, more than 6,000 employees were attacked by dogs in more than 2,500 cities.
mailed to Santa
For 105 years, postal employees, charities, and individual and corporate volunteers have helped spread the magic of the holiday season to families in need by answering and "adopting" letters mailed to Santa.
million people
All heart. The Postal Service is the core of the $1.4 trillion U.S. mailing industry that employs more than 7.5 million people.
employee heroes
Heroes. Postal employees regularly go beyond the call of duty to protect the lives of customers they serve, including older and disabled customers through the Carrier Alert Program. In fiscal year 2017, the Postal Service recognized 318 heroic employees.
Pony Express
The Pony Express was in operation only from April 3, 1860, to Oct. 26, 1861. It was never part of the U.S. Postal Service.
That’s no pony, that’s a big horse
The official name for the “Pony Express” actually was Overland Express Route.
Before they were hired, riders had to swear on a Bible not to curse, fight or abuse their animals.
The service was in operation only from April 3, 1860, to Oct. 26, 1861.
billion pounds of food
The Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers hold the largest one-day food drive in the nation. Almost 1.6 billion pounds of food have been collected and donated since the campaign began in 1993.
Trademarks
The Eagle Logo, the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following word marks are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service®:
Certified Mail®, Click-N-Ship®, Every Door Direct Mail®, Express Mail®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, gopost®, Intelligent Mail®, Metro Post®, Parcel Select®, PO Box™, Post Office™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, Postal Service™, Premium Forwarding Service® , Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail Flat Rate®, Priority Mail International®, Priority: You®, Registered Mail™, Return For Good®, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Inspection Service®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail®, U.S. Postal Inspector®, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS BlueEarth®, USPS Mobile®, USPS Tracking®, USPS.COM®, ZIP + 4®, and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Postal Facts provides the public with information about the Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, and in a business, informational, academic context and the like, and in the body of text discussing factual subject matter relevant to the fact being presented. However, these facts may become outdated after publication and seeking the latest information is advised.
Special thanks to the Postal Facts 2018 editors:
Sue Brennan, Ilze Sella, Megan Plummer, Ashley Holmes Mullenix, Tatiana Roy, Carl Walton
Website design by:
Scott Tracy
Visit about.usps.com for more information.
Produced by Corporate Communications
© 2016-2018 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
The Eagle Logo, the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following word marks are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service®:
Certified Mail®, Click-N-Ship®, Every Door Direct Mail®, Express Mail®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, Forever®, Global Express Guaranteed®, gopost®, Intelligent Mail®, Metro Post®, Parcel Select®, PO Box™, Post Office™, PostalOne!®, Postal Police®, Postal Service™, Premium Forwarding Service® , Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail Express International®, Priority Mail Flat Rate®, Priority Mail International®, Priority: You®, Registered Mail™, Return For Good®, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Inspection Service®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail®, U.S. Postal Inspector®, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS BlueEarth®, USPS Mobile®, USPS Tracking®, USPS.COM®, ZIP + 4®, and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks.
Postal Facts provides the public with information about the Postal Service. The facts in this publication may be reproduced for the purpose of stating the fact itself, and in a business, informational, academic context and the like, and in the body of text discussing factual subject matter relevant to the fact being presented. However, these facts may become outdated after publication and seeking the latest information is advised.
Special thanks to the Postal Facts 2018 editors:
Sue Brennan, Ilze Sella, Megan Plummer, Ashley Holmes Mullenix, Tatiana Roy, Carl Walton
Website design by:
Scott Tracy
Visit about.usps.com for more information.
Produced by Corporate Communications
© 2016-2018 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
