National Dog Bite Prevention Week addresses aggressive dog behaviors that pose serious threats to Postal Service employees delivering mail and how communities they serve can play a part in their safety.

The Postal Service’s Sustainability brochure – Building a Brighter, Greener Future

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at the U.S. Postal Service.

Environmental Management: Putting our Stamp on a Greener Tomorrow

Compliance with environmental requirements provides a foundation for healthier air and waterways and sustainability success.

• The Postal Service’s “zero discharge” policy mandates that no pollutants be released or discharged into stormwater systems at Postal Service facilities.
• In 2023, the Postal Service recycled:
  • 394,000 gallons of used oil — equivalent to saving more than 16 million gallons of crude oil.
  • 39,000 pounds of small lead-acid and dry cell batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, which are found in cellphones, laptops, scanners and other small electronics.
• The Postal Service voluntarily reports hazardous chemicals stored on site to local authorities. The voluntary reporting policy meets requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and supports state and local emergency planning committees and emergency responders.

Also, the Postal Service’s Curseen Morris Processing and Distribution Center in Washington, DC has more than 14,305 solar panels, with a capacity of 5.8 megawatts (MW). It is expected to generate 7,356,000 kilowatt hours annually, which is enough electricity to power 1,014 homes each year.

For more information, go to USPSOperationSanta.com.

In 2020, the program expanded nationwide for the first time. More than 1 million people visited USPSOperationSanta.com. Generous customers shipped more than 21,000 packages to the families and children who wrote to Santa to help them have a happier holiday.

In 2019, the digital program continued to expand. Letters were accepted letters from 17 locations, and the letters could be adopted by anyone in the country. Gifts could be shipped from more than 19,000 post offices.

In 2018, the Postal Service expanded the 2017 pilot test to include 6 additional cities (Austin, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Washington DC – and Puerto Rico and Chico, CA (site of wildfires). Letters from those locations populated the website and people in those locations only could adopt them and ship from one dedicated post office per city.

In 2017, the Postal Service launched a pilot test of a digital Operation Santa option for residents of New York City. People living in New York City, within proximity of the James A. Farley building could adopt letters online and ship gifts from JAF. Puerto Rico was also added after the hurricanes that year.

HISTORY

In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to letters addressed to Santa Claus and the program came to be known as Operation Santa.

In the 1940s, mail volume increased to the point where the Post Office Department invited charitable organizations and corporations to participate for philanthropic purposes —providing written responses and small gifts.

Through the years, the program has taken on a life of its own and today cities around the country have established successful programs with recognized charitable organizations, major corporations, local businesses and postal employees making a major difference in the lives of the children from coast to coast.

For more information on the Postal Service’s sustainability efforts and initiatives, go to Sustainability – What We Do – About.usps.com

You can purchase the uniform here.

This was the first official costume for the Postal Service. The second was the U.S. Mail carrier dog costume.

The costumes for kids and dogs are among an ever-growing portfolio of USPS licensed products that create royalty revenue for the organization without the expense of manufacturing and marketing.

You can purchase the uniform here.

It’s only the second official costume in USPS history, following in the footsteps of the U.S. Mail carrier kids costume that’s been available for years.

The costumes for dogs and kids are among an ever-growing portfolio of USPS licensed products that create royalty revenue for the organization without the expense of manufacturing and marketing.

Letter mail at a processing plant that cannot be read by the automated equipment has an image taken and transmitted to the Remote Encoding Center (REC). At the REC, employees look at the image and type in address information. The information is matched up with a valid address, the data is transmitted back to the equipment at the plant, and a barcode is printed on the letter. That barcode can be read by any letter processing machine in the Postal Service, keeping the letter within the automated stream of mail in the postal network.

Franklin used to own the building and there is a small museum on the second floor.

Corrales NM Post Office

Decoding the code.  In 1983, the ZIP+4 Code was introduced. The extra four numbers enable mail to be sorted to a specific street. In 1991, two more numbers were added so that mail could be sorted directly to a residence or business. Today, the use of ZIP Codes extends far beyond the mailing industry, including being a fundamental component in the nation’s 911 emergency system.

There are 41,704 ZIP Codes in the country. They range from 00501, belonging to the Internal Revenue Service in Holtsville, NY, to 99950 in Ketchikan, AK. Easiest to remember? How about 12345, a unique ZIP Code for General Electric in Schenectady, NY.

Mr. ZIP helped promote the new ZIP Code concept in 1963.

Just don’t think you can send enough bricks to build a house or, perhaps a bank. Been there. Done that. You can read about the bank of Vernal, UT, here.

The Inspection Service provided security and management in the cooperative effort between the Post Office Department, local law enforcement, U.S. Army and U.S. Treasury Department.

The diamond was placed in a box, wrapped in brown paper, and sent by registered mail from New York in a Railway Post Office train car. In Washington, it was picked up by a postal carrier and driven to the National Museum of Natural History. The price paid for shipping the gem, valued at $1 million at the time, was $145.29, most of that for package insurance.

Chicks can be safely transported without food or water within 72 hours of hatching. In fact, placing food and water inside the hatchery box could jeopardize the integrity of the box and could endanger the health and safety of the animals inside. Thousands of chicks are transported through the U.S. Mail seamlessly every year. This is a legacy operation we take very seriously as lives are literally at stake.

Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska – ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14th spot goes to Nevada, 89049.

Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska – ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14^th spot goes to Nevada, 89049.

At first, Owney stayed close to the Post Office, but he soon began riding mail wagons to the train depot and then rode the railway mail car down to New York City and back to Albany. As Owney traveled farther, his friends at the Albany Post Office feared he might wander too far away to find his way home again, so they purchased a leather collar with a tag reading “Owney, Post Office, Albany, N.Y.” Railway mail clerks recorded Owney’s travels by attaching metal baggage tags to his collar to identify the rail lines he traveled on. He was soon weighed down by his collection of tags. Postmaster General John Wanamaker presented Owney with a little jacket to distribute their weight more evenly.

Owney took to traveling farther and staying away longer, eventually visiting Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, Singapore, Suez, Algiers, and the Azores. While being shown off to an Ohio newspaper reporter, Owney bit the clerk who was handling him. The Postmaster had Owney put down on June 11, 1897. Railway mail clerks chipped in money to have a taxidermist preserve Owney’s body, which then was sent to postal headquarters in Washington, D.C., for exhibit. In 1911, the Post Office Department entrusted Owney to the Smithsonian Institution. Since 1993, Owney has been part of the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Owney was honored on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.

This is the J.W. Westcott II approaching a Canadian freighter on the Detroit River

The consistent, year-round temperatures and humidity levels in the caves allow the stamps to be maintained in mint-quality condition. The underground facility also keeps the inventory and employees safe from snow, flooding, winds and tornadic activity common in the Midwest.

With the introduction of the nine-digit ZIP Code, or ZIP+4, in 1983, Mr. ZIP went into partial retirement. His image still was printed on the selvage of some sheets of stamps, but that practice ended in January 1986. Mr. ZIP still is used occasionally by the Postal Service.

Facebook — facebook.com/usps

Twitter — twitter.com/usps

Instagram — instagram.com/uspostalservice

LinkedIn — linkedin.com/company/usps

YouTube — youtube.com/usps

Go to https://about.usps.com/resources/postal-bulletin.htm to browse past issues.

About those iconic blue boxes…

They weren’t always blue. Before 1970, they were green, then red, then white, then green again, and finally — beginning in 1955 — red, white and blue.

383.3 M       —    number of mail pieces processed and delivered each day.

16 M              —    average number of mail pieces processed each hour.

226,000      —    average number of mail pieces processed each minute.

4,437            —    average number of mail pieces processed each second.

Grandma, can you babysit?

Just a few weeks after Parcel Post began, Jesse and Mathilda Beagle “mailed” their 8-month-old son James to his grandmother, who lived a few miles away near Batavia, Ohio. Baby Beagle was just under the initial 11-pound limit for parcels. Rural Carrier Vernon Lytle picked up the baby from his parents’ house and carried him in his mail wagon to his grandmother’s house. The postage was fifteen cents, and the “parcel” was insured for $50. Although it was against postal regulations, several children traveled via U.S. Mail in the early years of Parcel Post. Initially the only animals that were allowed in the mail were bees and bugs. In 1918, day-old chicks were allowed in the mail. In 1919, some additional “harmless live animals” were permitted, but children did not fall into this category.

The “Pluto: Not Yet Explored” 29-cent stamp was part of a set of solar system stamps that were issued in 1991.

Got mules? The most unusual mode of delivery used by the Postal Service is the mule train.

Since the 1930s, mules have been carrying mail and goods to the Havasupai people located inside the Grand Canyon.

• 10-22 mules are used daily, along with one wrangler on horseback, 5 days a week, traveling 9 miles down into the canyon to the Supai Post Office.
• It takes 3 hours to get down and 5 hours to get back up
• On the way back up, the wrangler untethers the mules and sends them back up on their own
• Each mule can carry up to 200 pounds and the weight is loaded equally on each side for balance
• The Supai Post Office has a special Mule Train postmark

Quick! What’s that ZIP Code?

The ZIP Code was introduced in 1963. The first number represents a general geographic area of the nation, “0” in the East moving to “9” in the West. The next two numbers indicate regional areas and the final two, specific Post Offices or postal zones in larger cities. Make it a ZIP+4 Code, introduced in 1983, and mail can be sorted to specific streets, buildings, houses and businesses. Today, ZIP Codes are important parts of the nation’s 911 emergency system. ZIP = Zone or Zoning Improvement Plan.

There is a sign beside the office that reads:

OCHOPEE POST OFFICE

Considered to be the smallest post office in the United States, this building was formerly an irrigation pipe shed belonging to the J.T. Gaunt Company tomato farm. It was hurriedly pressed into service by postmaster Sidney Brown after a disastrous night fire in 1953 burned Ochopee’s general store and post office. The present structure has been in continuous use ever since – as both a post office and ticket station for Trailway’s bus lines – and still services residents in a three-county area, including deliveries to Seminole and Miccosukee Indians living in the region. Daily business often includes requests from tourists and stamp collectors the world over for the famed Ochopee postmark. The property was acquired by the Wooten Family in 1992.

— Collier County Board of County Commissioners

That’s no pony, that’s a big horse

The official name for the “Pony Express” was the Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Co. Before they were hired, riders had to swear on a Bible not to curse, fight or abuse their animals. Orphans were preferred. The service was in operation only from April 3, 1860, to Oct. 26, 1861. It operated as a U.S. Mail route during its final 4 months.

On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. Ten days later, on April 13, the westbound rider and mail packet completed the 1,800-mile journey and arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound packet’s arrival in St. Joseph by two days and setting a new standard for speedy mail delivery. The Pony Express was by far the most effective way to communicate cross-country—until the telegraph came along. After 18 months in operation, the system was shuttered on October 26, 1861, and the last remaining mail was delivered.

The Pony Express National Historic Trail was designated to preserve the story and routes of this nationally significant trail and to support the associated sites that preserve its history. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/poex

Election Mail consists of mail to or from election officials, including ballots, ballot applications, registration forms and other items that enable citizens to participate in the voting process. The U.S. Postal Service is committed to delivering the nation’s Election Mail securely and on time, consistent with the organization’s non-partisan public service mission.

During the election period of Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, 2023, there were nearly 62 million pieces of Election Mail dispatched.

The Postal Service supports voters choosing to use the U.S. Mail to return their ballots, whether it’s for a seat on the local school board or for the president of the United States — and everything in between.

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum offers exhibits tracing the history of the postal system in the United States. It houses nearly six million postal-related items — mostly stamps, but also postal stationery, greeting cards, covers and letters, mailboxes, postal vehicles, handstamps, metering machines, patent models, uniforms, badges, and other objects related to postal history and philately. The museum’s library, with more than 40,000 volumes and manuscripts, is open to the public by appointment. In 2013, the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery — the largest in the world — opened at the museum.

For more information, go to postalmuseum.si.edu.

The William F. Bolger Center is a Postal Service-owned state of the art training facility located on 83 beautiful acres in Potomac, Maryland. It was built in the 1930’s as a Catholic convent by the Sisters of Mercy.

In the 1980’s, it was purchased by the U.S. Postal Service as a training center.

Named for William F. Bolger (March 13, 1923 – August 21, 1989), the 65^th Postmaster General of the United States from March 15, 1978 to January 1, 1985.

Postal Service Headquarters, 1973–Present

Vlastimil Koubek designed the present Postal Service Headquarters building, which is located in Washington, D.C., just a few blocks south of the National Mall.

Post Office Department Headquarters, 1899–1934

This granite building on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House, was the last to simultaneously house both postal headquarters and the Washington, D.C., Post Office. Horse-drawn wagons brought mail to the building in its early years. By the time postal Headquarters moved to a larger building, almost all mail was carried by motor vehicles.

In the late 19th century, free home delivery of mail was introduced — first in cities, then in rural areas — and letter carriers became familiar, trusted visitors to homes and businesses across the country.

Before 1863, postage paid only for the delivery of mail from Post Office to Post Office. Citizens picked up their mail, although in some cities they could pay an extra one- or two-cent fee for letter delivery or use private delivery firms. Among the postal reforms suggested by Postmaster General Montgomery Blair in his 1862 report to the President was free delivery of mail by salaried letter carriers, which he felt would “greatly accelerate deliveries, and promote the public convenience.” He reasoned that if the system of mailing and receiving letters was more convenient, people would use it more often, and pointed to increasing postal revenues in England, which already had adopted free city delivery.

Congress agreed. An Act of Congress of March 3, 1863, effective July 1, 1863, provided that free city delivery be established at Post Offices where income from local postage was more than sufficient to pay all expenses of the service. For the first time, Americans had to put street addresses on their letters.

At first, Owney stayed close to the Post Office, but he soon began riding mail wagons to the train depot and then rode the railway mail car down to New York City and back to Albany. As Owney traveled farther, his friends at the Albany Post Office feared he might wander too far away to find his way home again, so they purchased a leather collar with a tag reading “Owney, Post Office, Albany, N.Y.” Railway mail clerks recorded Owney’s travels by attaching metal baggage tags to his collar to identify the rail lines he traveled on. He was soon weighed down by his collection of tags. Postmaster General John Wanamaker presented Owney with a little jacket to distribute their weight more evenly.

Owney took to traveling farther and staying away longer, eventually visiting Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, Singapore, Suez, Algiers, and the Azores. While being shown off to an Ohio newspaper reporter, Owney bit the clerk who was handling him. The Postmaster had Owney put down on June 11, 1897. Railway mail clerks chipped in money to have a taxidermist preserve Owney’s body, which then was sent to postal headquarters in Washington, D.C., for exhibit. In 1911, the Post Office Department entrusted Owney to the Smithsonian Institution. Since 1993, Owney has been part of the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Owney was honored on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.

Two postmasters became U.S. Presidents later in their careers — Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman. Truman held the title and signed papers but immediately turned the position and its pay over to an assistant. Lincoln was the only President who served as a Postmaster.

On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Lincoln was appointed Postmaster of New Salem, Illinois. Lincoln served until the office was closed May 30, 1836. Postal records show that Lincoln earned $55.70 as Postmaster in fiscal year 1835 and $19.48 for one quarter’s work in fiscal year 1837. Besides his pay, Lincoln, as Postmaster, could send and receive personal letters free and get one daily newspaper delivered free. Mail arrived once a week. If an addressee did not collect the mail, as was the custom, Lincoln delivered it personally — usually carrying the mail in his hat. Even then, Lincoln was “Honest Abe.”

Reportedly, when the New Salem Post Office was discontinued, Lincoln had a balance of $16 or $18, which he took with him to Springfield, Illinois. Months later, while his close friend Dr. A. G. Henry was visiting, a Post Office agent called on Lincoln to collect the funds. Henry knew that Lincoln had been in financial straits and feared that he might not have the money. Henry recalled that just as he was about to offer Lincoln a loan, the future President:

“. . . went over to his trunk at his boarding house, and returned with an old blue sock with a quantity of silver and copper coin tied up in it. Untying the sock, he poured the contents on the table and proceeded to count the coin, which consisted of such silver and copper pieces as the country-people were then in the habit of using in paying postage. On counting it up there was found the exact amount, to a cent, of the draft, and in the identical coin which had been received. He never used, under any circumstances, trust funds.”

With the introduction of the nine-digit ZIP Code, or ZIP+4, in 1983, Mr. ZIP went into partial retirement. His image still was printed on the selvage of some sheets of stamps, but that practice ended in January 1986. Mr. ZIP still is used occasionally by the Postal Service.

The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery.

On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847. One, priced at five cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a ten-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets. Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a five-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A two-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person.

Isaac Myers served from 1870 until 1879.  During his employment he helped solve a number of notorious cases.

https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/ 

In 2023, the Postal Service replaced 36,998 U.S. flags and 43,199 POW-MIA flags.

You can find the publication at about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf.

Go to https://about.usps.com/resources/postal-bulletin.htm to browse past issues.

Our History is the History of America

They are treasures. But they’re not hidden. Many of our buildings are historical properties. 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 information can be found at gov/nr/research/
• More than 1,400 murals and/or sculptures from President Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs are in our Post Offices around the nation.
• Five murals were featured on First-Class postage stamps in 2019
• The United States Postal Service: An American History is an entire publication dedicated to our history and can be found at usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/welcome.htm.

The support of Queen Isabella was essential to Columbus’s expedition. Though the subject of the 1-dollar stamp suggests that Queen Isabella sold her jewels to fund Columbus’s expedition, in reality the Queen offered limited financial support. However, her decision to endorse Columbus’s voyage in the name of Spain made the discovery of the “New World” possible.

The portrait of Queen Isabella on the 4-dollar stamp is the first portrait of a woman to appear on a US postage stamp.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service enforces federal laws, prevents crimes and keeps customers, employees and the mail safe. It’s one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation. These days our Inspectors remain on the heels of the criminals — targeting theft, disrupting drug traffickers, warning about fraud scams and more.

The Inspection Service does this with approximately 2,400 employees, including nearly 1,300 Postal Inspectors, roughly 500 uniformed Postal Police Officers and 600 professional, technical and administrative support personnel ensuring America’s confidence in the U.S. Mail.

For more information, go to USPSOperationSanta.com.

In 2020, the program expanded nationwide for the first time. More than 1 million people visited USPSOperationSanta.com. Generous customers shipped more than 21,000 packages to the families and children who wrote to Santa to help them have a happier holiday.

In 2019, the digital program continued to expand. Letters were accepted letters from 17 locations, and the letters could be adopted by anyone in the country. Gifts could be shipped from more than 19,000 post offices.

In 2018, the Postal Service expanded the 2017 pilot test to include 6 additional cities (Austin, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Washington DC – and Puerto Rico and Chico, CA (site of wildfires). Letters from those locations populated the website and people in those locations only could adopt them and ship from one dedicated post office per city.

In 2017, the Postal Service launched a pilot test of a digital Operation Santa option for residents of New York City. People living in New York City, within proximity of the James A. Farley building could adopt letters online and ship gifts from JAF. Puerto Rico was also added after the hurricanes that year.

HISTORY

In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to letters addressed to Santa Claus and the program came to be known as Operation Santa.

In the 1940s, mail volume increased to the point where the Post Office Department invited charitable organizations and corporations to participate for philanthropic purposes —providing written responses and small gifts.

Through the years, the program has taken on a life of its own and today cities around the country have established successful programs with recognized charitable organizations, major corporations, local businesses and postal employees making a major difference in the lives of the children from coast to coast.

Regular features include “Heroes’ Corner,” a column about employees who perform heroic deeds, and “On the Move,” a weekly roundup of employees who’ve received new appointments or recognition.

Employees with postal email addresses receive a Link email each weekday with links to the most recent stories. The team also produces an end-of-week Link Recap email with stories readers might have missed, along with Link Extra emails for breaking news.

Link mobile is a mobile-friendly version of the Link site. Link mobile has all the news you’ll find on the desktop version of Link, except it’s formatted for easy reading on handheld smart devices. Employees and others can receive a weekly Link mobile email by subscribing at www.usps.link.

With Label Broker, customers can get a shipping label on their mobile device, in the form of a matrix barcode, directly from the merchant. The customer uses the code to print a label at a Post Office or on a printer connected to usps.com. Label Broker is also the foundational technology that has enabled USPS Operation Santa to expand and evolve in a digital format.

For more information, go to www.usps.com/business/label-broker.htm

• Most of the International Mail revenue is generated from outbound services that allow customers in the United States to send mail and packages abroad.
• The Postal Service sends 5 million pounds of international, military, and diplomatic mail and packages weekly, using 80 international airlines, composed of 11 U.S. flag carriers and 14 foreign flag carriers, and their affiliates.
• Click-N-Ship allows customers to print shipping labels with postage for Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International and First-Class Package International Service. For more information, go to com/ship/.

• With one of the largest corporate email systems, the Postal Service handled more than 6 million legitimate emails a day in 2023, delivered to more than 195,000 email accounts. But some emails are blocked due to:
  • Spam: More than 2 million spam email messages were blocked monthly.
  • Content: More than 1 millionemails were blocked monthly due to malicious content including phishing, brand spoofing and suspicious URLs being detected.
  • Malware: More than 12,000 email messages were blocked monthly due to malware.
  • Phishing: More than 815,000 phishing email messages were blocked monthly.
  • On average, 5 percent of the 109 million email messages received from external senders were blocked monthly for the safety of the Postal Service network and email users.

With one of the largest corporate email systems, the Postal Service handled more than 3.6 million legitimate emails a day in 2023, delivered to more than 195,000 email accounts. But some emails are blocked due to:

• Spam: More than 2 million spam email messages were blocked monthly.
• Content: More than 1 millionemails were blocked monthly due to malicious content including phishing, brand spoofing and suspicious URLs being detected.
• Malware: More than 12,000 email messages were blocked monthly due to malware.
• Phishing: More than 815,000 phishing email messages were blocked monthly.
• On average, 5 percent of the 109 million email messages received from external senders were blocked monthly for the safety of the Postal Service network and email users.

In 2023, those stamps were:

• The Lunar New Year — Year of the Rabbit stamp, part of the Celebrating Lunar New Year stamp series, had intricate gold and teal foil in the stamp artwork and selvage.
• The Endangered Species stamps showcased photographs of 20 endangered animals found within the 50 states and U.S. territories, as well as two North American species living near U.S. borders. The stamps were printed with a matte and spot gloss.
• The Thinking of You stamps featured whimsical artwork and stickers with messages of encouragement for use on envelopes.
• The $10 Floral Geometry stamp included a watercolor background and silver foil-stamped designs and typography creating a sophisticated look.

Systems at Work

The daily operations performed by the Postal Service depend on an astonishing network of people and technologies that collect, transport, process and deliver the nation’s mail. The Postal Service operates hundreds of mail processing and distribution centers across the country. The employees in these facilities accept, sort and dispatch the nation’s mail.

• Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) operations includes more than 10,000 uniformed motor vehicle and tractor trailer operators. The PVS fleet includes 2,202 cargo vans, 1,880 tractors and nearly 3,200 Commuting within a 170-mile radius of their facility, PVS drivers travel more than 167 million miles each year.
• To move mail using surface transportation, the Postal Service drove more than 9 billion miles in 2023 — more than 23.8 million trips in more than 25,000 box trucks and tractor-trailers daily.
• To move mail through the air, the Postal Service flies 6 million pounds of mail per day, using more than 140 domestic airports.
• The Los Angeles Processing and Distribution Center is the largest processing facility at 725 million square feet.
• The Postal Service is the world leader in optical character recognition (OCR) technology, with machines reading nearly 98 percent of all hand-addressed letters and 99.5 percent of machine-printed mail.
• The Postal Service:
• Deployed more than 150 new package processing systems in 2023, which increased package processing by 4.6 million pieces daily. The new machines enable the fleet of parcel sorters to now process 46 million packages daily.
• Has 365 automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in 25 facilities. AGVs use sensors and navigation technology to move around processing facilities without human involvement.
• Has one of the largest material-handling systems in the world for moving mail. There are more than 200 miles of conveyors within postal facilities.
• Has the largest gantry robotic fleet in the world with 165 robotics systems moving 300,000 mail trays per day.

The Postal Service operates more than 8,500 pieces of automated equipment that process and sort U.S. Mail.

• The largest piece of automated equipment, the Enhanced Package Processing System (EPPS), sorts packages at 25,000 pieces per hour

• The Flex Rover Sorter (FRS) is a wheeled robot that sorts large and nonmachinable packages into containers. There are more than 600 rovers deployed at 35 sites across the country.

• The High Output Package Sorter (HOPS) is the newest piece of automated equipment. It can sort packages at a rate of 8,500 pieces per hour.

• The Automated Delivery Unit Sorter (ADUS) sorts packages and bundles of mail at a rate of 3,400 pieces per hour with a sort accuracy of 99.95 percent

• The Robotic Containerization System (RCS) sorts trays and automatically loads rolling containers or pallets

• The Advanced Facer Canceller System (AFCS) positions letter mail and postmarks stamps at 36,000 pieces per hour

• The Delivery Barcode Sorter (DBCS) reads barcodes and sorts letters at 36,000 pieces per hour

• The Automated Flat Sorting Machine (AFSM) sorts flat mail at 17,000 pieces per hour

• The Automated Package Processing System (APPS) sorts packages and bundles of mail at 9,500 pieces per hour

• The High Throughput Parcel Sorter (HTPS) sorts packages and bundles at 15,000 pieces per hour

• The Automated Parcel and Bundle Sorter (APBS) sorts packages and bundles of mail at 6,500 pieces per hour

• Tray sorting machines sort more than 10 million trays per day through conveyor systems

• Mobile Delivery Devices (MDDs) provide real-time scanning for daily delivery operations. There are more than 285,000 MDDs in use nationwide.

• Check out the Systems at Work video for more information (youtube.com/watch?v=WX16-52bHvg)

• But some emails are blocked due to:
  • Spam: More than 2 million spam email messages were blocked monthly.
  • Content: More than 1 million emails were blocked monthly due to malicious content including phishing, brand spoofing and suspicious URLs being detected.
  • Malware: More than 12,000 email messages were blocked monthly due to malware.
  • Phishing: More than 815,000 phishing email messages were blocked monthly.
  • On average, 5 percent of the 109 million email messages received from external senders were blocked monthly for the safety of the Postal Service network and email users.
• In 2023, the Postal Service email gateway system delivered more than 5 billion external email messages to postal customers and business partners. Roughly 82 percent of these were automated messages from Informed Delivery. The Postal Service also delivered 107 million notification emails related to COVID-19 test kits.

The “Pluto: Not Yet Explored” 29-cent stamp was part of a set of solar system stamps that were issued in 1991.

Find more information at postalpro.usps.com/pcc.

The daily operations performed by the Postal Service depend on an astonishing network of people and technologies that collect, transport, process and deliver the nation’s mail.

The USPS Printer Directory provides customers free access to local print, design and mail preparation services for Every Door Direct Mail and other direct mail products through a searchable database and mapping program. More than 700 listings populate the directory that serves small and medium-size businesses nationwide.

Informed Delivery provides eligible residential customers with a digital preview of their household’s incoming mail scheduled to arrive soon. Users can view greyscale images of the exterior, address side of incoming letter-sized mail pieces (not the inside contents) via email or an online dashboard.

Informed Delivery also allows customers to track packages delivered by the Postal Service and see when they will be delivered.

For more information and to sign up, go to usps.com/informeddelivery.

The Postal Service communications network contains more than 249,000 provisioned subnets that connect more than 2 million devices

It’s one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation. Postal Inspectors remain on the heels of the criminals — targeting theft, disrupting drug traffickers, warning about fraud scams and more.

The Inspection Service does this with approximately 2,400 employees — including nearly 1,300 Postal Inspectors, roughly 500 uniformed Postal Police Officers and 600 professional, technical and administrative support personnel — all working to ensure America’s confidence in the U.S. Mail.

Isaac Myers served from 1870 until 1879.  During his employment he helped solve a number of notorious cases.

Delivering Justice to Opioid Dealers

The Inspection Service is committed to using the most advanced technology to stop fentanyl traffickers. Postal inspectors use data, forensics and citizens’ tips to protect Americans and apprehend opioid dealers who send illegal drugs through the mail.

• 4,574 synthetic opioids seizures by the Inspection Service between Oct. 1, 2018 and Sept. 30, 2023
• 9,210 pounds of synthetic opioids seized by the Inspection Service between fiscal years 2019 and 2023
• 1,702 synthetic opioid seizures totaling 4,311 pounds in fiscal years 2023
• More information can be found at uspis.gov/the-opioid-epidemic

Keeping America’s postal system secure — 2023 stats

• 4,728 arrests. 4,103 convictions. Primarily prohibited mail, mail theft, and assaults and robberies of employees.
• More than $600,000 in misappropriated or stolen mail transport equipment recovered.
• 1,804 suspicious mail incidents investigated.
• 2,001 arrests for illegal narcotics.
• 6,721 responses to reports of violent criminal activity, including 576 credible threats and assaults against postal employees. 450 arrests. 306 convictions.
• 1,566 assets seized, worth more than $402 million.
• Six investigations into the use of mail in the sexual exploitation of children. Three arrests. Five convictions. To date, more than 20,000 child sexual abuse victims identified.
• More than 1 million items, including 378 terabytes of data, examined by forensic scientists and specialists in the Postal Inspection Service’s Forensic Laboratory Services. 2,262 suspects identified.

Additional information on Operation Protect Veterans

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service enforces federal laws, prevents crimes and keeps customers, employees and the mail safe. It’s one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation. These days our Inspectors remain on the heels of the criminals — targeting theft, disrupting drug traffickers, warning about fraud scams and more.

The Inspection Service does this with approximately 2,400 employees, including nearly 1,300 Postal Inspectors, roughly 500 uniformed Postal Police Officers and 600 professional, technical and administrative support personnel ensuring America’s confidence in the U.S. Mail.

More information can be found at

• NCPW 2024 – United States Postal Inspection Service (uspis.gov)
• Celebrate National Consumer Protection Week. Talk about scams | Consumer Advice (ftc.gov)

Keeping America’s postal system secure — 2023 stats

• 4,728 arrests. 4,103 convictions. Primarily prohibited mail, mail theft, and assaults and robberies of employees.
• More than $600,000 in misappropriated or stolen mail transport equipment recovered.
• 1,804 suspicious mail incidents investigated.
• 2,001 arrests for illegal narcotics.
• 6,721 responses to reports of violent criminal activity, including 576 credible threats and assaults against postal employees. 450 arrests. 306 convictions.
• 1,566 assets seized, worth more than $402 million.
• Six investigations into the use of mail in the sexual exploitation of children. Three arrests. Five convictions. To date, more than 20,000 child sexual abuse victims identified.
• More than 1 million items, including 378 terabytes of data, examined by forensic scientists and specialists in the Postal Inspection Service’s Forensic Laboratory Services. 2,262 suspects identified.

Keeping America’s postal system secure — 2023 stats

• More than $600,000 in misappropriated or stolen mail transport equipment recovered.
• 1,804 suspicious mail incidents investigated.
• 2,001 arrests for illegal narcotics.
• 6,721 responses to reports of violent criminal activity, including 576 credible threats and assaults against postal employees. 450 arrests. 306 convictions.
• 1,566 assets seized, worth more than $402 million.
• Six investigations into the use of mail in the sexual exploitation of children. Three arrests. Five convictions. To date, more than 20,000 child sexual abuse victims identified.
• More than 1 million items, including 378 terabytes of data, examined by forensic scientists and specialists in the Postal Inspection Service’s Forensic Laboratory Services. 2,262 suspects identified.

Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska – ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14th spot goes to Nevada, 89049.

Twenty-four of the top 25 largest ZIP Codes in the country are located in Alaska – ranging from the largest, 99734, at more than 30,000 square miles to 99741 at 7,600 square miles. The 14^th spot goes to Nevada, 89049.

Postal Service Headquarters, 1973–Present

Vlastimil Koubek designed the present Postal Service Headquarters building, which is located in Washington, D.C., just a few blocks south of the National Mall.

Post Office Department Headquarters, 1899–1934

This granite building on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House, was the last to simultaneously house both postal headquarters and the Washington, D.C., Post Office. Horse-drawn wagons brought mail to the building in its early years. By the time postal Headquarters moved to a larger building, almost all mail was carried by motor vehicles.

Two postmasters became U.S. Presidents later in their careers — Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman. Truman held the title and signed papers but immediately turned the position and its pay over to an assistant. Lincoln was the only President who served as a Postmaster.

On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Lincoln was appointed Postmaster of New Salem, Illinois. Lincoln served until the office was closed May 30, 1836. Postal records show that Lincoln earned $55.70 as Postmaster in fiscal year 1835 and $19.48 for one quarter’s work in fiscal year 1837. Besides his pay, Lincoln, as Postmaster, could send and receive personal letters free and get one daily newspaper delivered free. Mail arrived once a week. If an addressee did not collect the mail, as was the custom, Lincoln delivered it personally — usually carrying the mail in his hat. Even then, Lincoln was “Honest Abe.”

Reportedly, when the New Salem Post Office was discontinued, Lincoln had a balance of $16 or $18, which he took with him to Springfield, Illinois. Months later, while his close friend Dr. A. G. Henry was visiting, a Post Office agent called on Lincoln to collect the funds. Henry knew that Lincoln had been in financial straits and feared that he might not have the money. Henry recalled that just as he was about to offer Lincoln a loan, the future President:

“. . . went over to his trunk at his boarding house, and returned with an old blue sock with a quantity of silver and copper coin tied up in it. Untying the sock, he poured the contents on the table and proceeded to count the coin, which consisted of such silver and copper pieces as the country-people were then in the habit of using in paying postage. On counting it up there was found the exact amount, to a cent, of the draft, and in the identical coin which had been received. He never used, under any circumstances, trust funds.”

This is the J.W. Westcott II approaching a Canadian freighter on the Detroit River

The consistent, year-round temperatures and humidity levels in the caves allow the stamps to be maintained in mint-quality condition. The underground facility also keeps the inventory and employees safe from snow, flooding, winds and tornadic activity common in the Midwest.

Got mules? The most unusual mode of delivery used by the Postal Service is the mule train.

Since the 1930s, mules have been carrying mail and goods to the Havasupai people located inside the Grand Canyon.

• 10-22 mules are used daily, along with one wrangler on horseback, 5 days a week, traveling 9 miles down into the canyon to the Supai Post Office.
• It takes 3 hours to get down and 5 hours to get back up
• On the way back up, the wrangler untethers the mules and sends them back up on their own
• Each mule can carry up to 200 pounds and the weight is loaded equally on each side for balance
• The Supai Post Office has a special Mule Train postmark

There is a sign beside the office that reads:

OCHOPEE POST OFFICE

Considered to be the smallest post office in the United States, this building was formerly an irrigation pipe shed belonging to the J.T. Gaunt Company tomato farm. It was hurriedly pressed into service by postmaster Sidney Brown after a disastrous night fire in 1953 burned Ochopee’s general store and post office. The present structure has been in continuous use ever since – as both a post office and ticket station for Trailway’s bus lines – and still services residents in a three-county area, including deliveries to Seminole and Miccosukee Indians living in the region. Daily business often includes requests from tourists and stamp collectors the world over for the famed Ochopee postmark. The property was acquired by the Wooten Family in 1992.

— Collier County Board of County Commissioners

In 2022, the skateboarding shoe and apparel company Vans unveiled a collection of licensed clothing, including sneakers, a cuffed beanie and a pullover hoodie.

Fingerprinting services are offered to customers applying for an identity history summary check, which is required for adoptions, visas and other purposes. After fingerprints are taken, the information is sent to the FBI for processing.

With just a few taps, customers can complete many common DMV tasks through the kiosks, including renewing vehicle registration, receiving a replacement registration card or sticker, and obtaining a vehicle record.

Customers can also select artwork that complements their card from hundreds of designs in six different categories.

With Label Broker, customers can get a shipping label on their mobile device, in the form of a matrix barcode, directly from the merchant. The customer uses the code to print a label at a Post Office or on a printer connected to usps.com. Label Broker is also the foundational technology that has enabled USPS Operation Santa to expand and evolve in a digital format.

For more information, go to www.usps.com/business/label-broker.htm

As of July 14, 2024

The mission of the .POST Group is to support posts in providing their customers with reliable and secure web services.

• The .POST Group promotes innovation, integration and inclusion of postal activities on a uniquely secure platform, employing a rigorous UPU community membership and authentication process to deliver a safe, uncompromised and trustworthy customer experience.
• More information can be found at upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Cooperatives-Boards/-POST-Group

The Postal Service is a member of the Express Mail Service (EMS) Cooperative.

• • The EMS Cooperative was created by the UPU in 1999 and consists of 174 postal operators. It allows access to more than 180-member countries to provide EMS — the UPU’s fastest cross-border international postal product.
  • The EMS global network has the largest number of customer access points in the world, serving more than 5 billion citizens of member posts.
  • EMS postal operators have the largest last mile coverage worldwide, supported by the postal delivery network.
  • More information can be found at post/en/global-network.

The Postal Service is one of 11 members of the Kahala Posts Group (KPG).

• • The KPG is an international alliance of the world’s largest postal administrations that collaborate to improve international postal services.
  • Launched in 2002 by six postal administrations, the KPG network accounts for almost half of the world’s internationally recognized Express Mail Service (EMS) traffic.
  • More information can be found at com.

The Postal Service is one of 25 members of the International Post Corporation (IPC). The IPC is a cooperative association of posts in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

• • Since 1989, the IPC has created solutions and services that are used by more than 180 posts worldwide and is the leading service provider of the global postal industry. Collectively, IPC members deliver 80-percent of global mail volumes — more than 330 billion mail pieces each year.
  • More information can be found at ipc.be.

The Postal Service is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a United Nations’ organization.

• • Established in 1874, the UPU, is the second-oldest international organization worldwide. It is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland.
  • With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between posts. The UPU helps to ensure a truly universal network of products and services.
  • More information can be found at int.

• Most of the International Mail revenue is generated from outbound services that allow customers in the United States to send mail and packages abroad.
• The Postal Service sends 5 million pounds of international, military, and diplomatic mail and packages weekly, using 80 international airlines, composed of 11 U.S. flag carriers and 14 foreign flag carriers, and their affiliates.
• Click-N-Ship allows customers to print shipping labels with postage for Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International and First-Class Package International Service. For more information, go to com/ship/.

• • International Mail is a $1.6 billion business within the Postal Service.
  • Most of the International Mail revenue is generated from outbound services that allow customers in the United States to send mail and packages abroad.
  • The Postal Service sends 5 million pounds of international, military, and diplomatic mail and packages weekly, using 80 international airlines, composed of 11 U.S. flag carriers and 14 foreign flag carriers, and their affiliates.
  • Click-N-Ship allows customers to print shipping labels with postage for Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International and First-Class Package International Service. For more information, go to com/ship/.

In 2023, nearly 8,000 customers used this convenient office.

Top five pages on com, in order of popularity, in 2023:

1. USPS Tracking — 944 million users
2. Informed Delivery — 110 million users
3. The Postal Store — 40 million users
4. COVID-19 tests — 32 million users          
5. Post Office Locator — 31 million users

Here’s more you should know:

Priority Mail Express offers you overnight delivery to many U.S. locations with up to $100 of insurance coverage included with most shipments.

With Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and envelopes, there’s no need to weigh or calculate postage of packages up to 70 pounds.

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes, envelopes and labels, as well as customs pouches for international mailing products are available at no charge. They can be ordered at usps.com and delivered to your door or picked up at a local Post Office.

Priority Mail is the environmental choice — boxes are recyclable!

The Post Office on your phone. The Postal Service app — USPS Mobile — is available on Apple and Android platforms. Some of the most popular functions currently available on usps.com — USPS Tracking, Informed Delivery, Post Office Locator, ZIP Code Lookup, The Postal Store, calculating postage, holding mail, requesting Package Pickup and ordering shipping supplies — are now available on most smartphones.

The free usps.com iPhone app was launched in 2009.

Some of the most popular functions currently available on usps.com — Informed Delivery, USPS Tracking, Post Office Locator, ZIP Code Lookup, calculating postage, holding mail, requesting Package Pickup and ordering shipping supplies — are now available on most smart phones.

In 2023, there were more than 3.1 billion visits to usps.com from a mobile device.

Postal Service revenue from passport applications in 2023 was $387.2 million.

Our History is the History of America

They are treasures. But they’re not hidden. Many of our buildings are historical properties. 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 information can be found at gov/nr/research/
• More than 1,400 murals and/or sculptures from President Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs are in our Post Offices around the nation.
• Five murals were featured on First-Class postage stamps in 2019
• The United States Postal Service: An American History is an entire publication dedicated to our history and can be found at usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/welcome.htm.

More information can be found at npf.org.

The Military Care Kit — and the special pricing offered for APO, FPO and DPO destinations — makes it easy to send care packages to loved ones stationed overseas.

usps.com/shop

The USPS Printer Directory provides customers free access to local print, design and mail preparation services for Every Door Direct Mail and other direct mail products through a searchable database and mapping program. More than 700 listings populate the directory that serves small and medium-size businesses nationwide.

Informed Delivery provides eligible residential customers with a digital preview of their household’s incoming mail scheduled to arrive soon. Users can view greyscale images of the exterior, address side of incoming letter-sized mail pieces (not the inside contents) via email or an online dashboard.

Informed Delivery also allows customers to track packages delivered by the Postal Service and see when they will be delivered.

For more information and to sign up, go to usps.com/informeddelivery.

During 2022, the Postal Service issued 66.4 million money orders.

383.3 M       —    number of mail pieces processed and delivered each day.

16 M              —    average number of mail pieces processed each hour.

226,000      —    average number of mail pieces processed each minute.

4,437            —    average number of mail pieces processed each second.

Thousands of employees in nearly 400 unique jobs have been recognized since its inception in 2018. #PostalProud

Regular features include “Heroes’ Corner,” a column about employees who perform heroic deeds, and “On the Move,” a weekly roundup of employees who’ve received new appointments or recognition.

Employees with postal email addresses receive a Link email each weekday with links to the most recent stories. The team also produces an end-of-week Link Recap email with stories readers might have missed, along with Link Extra emails for breaking news.

Link mobile is a mobile-friendly version of the Link site. Link mobile has all the news you’ll find on the desktop version of Link, except it’s formatted for easy reading on handheld smart devices. Employees and others can receive a weekly Link mobile email by subscribing at www.usps.link.

The Postal Service is one of the most diverse organizations in the nation.

• Women make up 45 percent of our workforce.
• Historically underrepresented racial groups make up 53 percent of our workforce.
• Nearly 73,000 veterans are employed by the Postal Service.
• There are more than 39,000 employees with disabilities, of which nearly 29,000 are disabled veterans.
• We maintain a year-round focus on diversity and disability outreach.

Isaac Myers served from 1870 until 1879.  During his employment he helped solve a number of notorious cases.

The Postal Service has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Service Cross Medals stamps.

Find more information at postalpro.usps.com/pcc.

About that motto…

Those words are engraved on the front of the James A. Farley Post Office in NYC, set in stone by the architectural firm that built it. The phrase is taken from an ancient book by the Greek historian Herodotus and refers to messengers in the Persian Empire.

The phrase comes from book 8, paragraph 98, of The Persian Wars by Herodotus, a Greek historian. During the wars between the Greeks and Persians (500-449 B.C.), the Persians operated a system of mounted postal couriers who served with great fidelity.

The popular belief that Herodotus’s description of the Persian postal service is about the U.S. Postal Service is a tribute to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have delivered the mail reliably and dependably, through all conditions, for centuries.

Military and Diplomatic Mail in brief.

• The Military Postal Service (MPS) was formed in 1980, consolidating the postal operations of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The Department of Defense designated the secretary of the Army as the single military mail manager.
• The MPS provides service in 56
• The MPS operates 1,624 military postal operations comprised of 386 land- and sea-based military Post Offices, 328 land- and sea-based unit mailrooms, 291 mobile units, 591 official mail centers and 28 mail processing facilities worldwide.
• The U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Post Office serves 32,500 customers at 184 diplomatic missions across 103 countries around the world.
• Within the military and diplomatic services, 1,170 ZIP Codes are served around the world.
• Members of the military and diplomatic corps receive virtually the same level of service as they would if they were at home in the United States. Differences are based on the country where they’re stationed, and the types of missions involved.
• Military and diplomatic mail moves within the United States via the Postal Service transportation network to major mail processing facilities.
• The MPS oversees 3,300 commercial air transportation lanes, movement of 135 million pounds of mail, at an annual cost of $165 million.
• USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express packages move from major airport gateways in the United States to overseas airport gateways on commercial aircraft. It then moves by various methods to designated military or diplomatic postal facilities for delivery to individual members. Mail also moves by military aircraft when necessary.
• The MPS contributes more than $65 million in Postal Service revenue annually.

The Military Care Kit — and the special pricing offered for APO, FPO and DPO destinations — makes it easy to send care packages to loved ones stationed overseas.

usps.com/shop

More information can be found at

• NCPW 2024 – United States Postal Inspection Service (uspis.gov)
• Celebrate National Consumer Protection Week. Talk about scams | Consumer Advice (ftc.gov)

Military and Diplomatic Mail in brief

• The Military Postal Service (MPS) was formed in 1980, consolidating the postal operations of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The Department of Defense designated the secretary of the Army as the single military mail manager.
• The MPS provides service in 56 countries.
• The U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Post Office serves 32,500 customers at 184 diplomatic missions across 103 countries around the world.
• Within the military and diplomatic services, 1,170 ZIP Codes are served around the world.
• Members of the military and diplomatic corps receive virtually the same level of service as they would if they were at home in the United States. Differences are based on the country where they’re stationed, and the types of missions involved.
• Military and diplomatic mail moves within the United States via the Postal Service transportation network to major mail processing facilities.
• The MPS oversees 3,300 commercial air transportation lanes, movement of 135 million pounds of mail, at an annual cost of $165 million.
• USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express packages move from major airport gateways in the United States to overseas airport gateways on commercial aircraft. It then moves by various methods to designated military or diplomatic postal facilities for delivery to individual members. Mail also moves by military aircraft when necessary.
• The MPS contributes more than $65 million in Postal Service revenue annually.

The organization has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Service Cross Medals stamps.

The U.S. Postal Service is the core of the nation’s $1.58 trillion mailing industry, which employs more than 7.3 million people.*

These types of mail brought in most of the $78.2 billion in postal operating revenue in 2023:

• First-Class Mail — $24.5 billion
• Marketing Mail — $15 billion
• Shipping and Package Services — $31.6 billion
• International — $1.6 billion
• Periodicals — $918 million

In 2023, the Postal Service recognized 128 heroic employees.

Postal Service revenue from passport applications in 2023 was $387.2 million.

The U.S. Postal Service is the core of the nation’s $1.58 trillion mailing industry, which employs more than 7.3 million people.*

These types of mail brought in most of the $78.2 billion in postal operating revenue in 2023:

• First-Class Mail — $24.5 billion
• Marketing Mail — $15 billion
• Shipping and Package Services — $31.6 billion
• International — $1.6 billion
• Periodicals — $918 million

During 2022, the Postal Service issued 66.4 million money orders.

The consistent, year-round temperatures and humidity levels in the caves allow the stamps to be maintained in mint-quality condition. The underground facility also keeps the inventory and employees safe from snow, flooding, winds and tornadic activity common in the Midwest.

In 2023, those stamps were:

• The Lunar New Year — Year of the Rabbit stamp, part of the Celebrating Lunar New Year stamp series, had intricate gold and teal foil in the stamp artwork and selvage.
• The Endangered Species stamps showcased photographs of 20 endangered animals found within the 50 states and U.S. territories, as well as two North American species living near U.S. borders. The stamps were printed with a matte and spot gloss.
• The Thinking of You stamps featured whimsical artwork and stickers with messages of encouragement for use on envelopes.
• The $10 Floral Geometry stamp included a watercolor background and silver foil-stamped designs and typography creating a sophisticated look.

The support of Queen Isabella was essential to Columbus’s expedition. Though the subject of the 1-dollar stamp suggests that Queen Isabella sold her jewels to fund Columbus’s expedition, in reality the Queen offered limited financial support. However, her decision to endorse Columbus’s voyage in the name of Spain made the discovery of the “New World” possible.

The portrait of Queen Isabella on the 4-dollar stamp is the first portrait of a woman to appear on a US postage stamp.

Forever stamps are purchased at the current First-Class Mail postage price and remain valid for full postage no matter how prices change.

Supporting causes in the public interest.

Semipostal stamps are First-Class Mail stamps sold at a price above the cost of a regular stamp to raise funds for designated causes. The dollar amounts below represent the funds the Postal Service has transferred to the causes listed.

• The Breast Cancer Research semipostal has raised nearly $95 million since 1998. More than 1 billion Breast Cancer Research stamps have been sold.
• The Save Vanishing Species semipostal has raised more than $7.6 million since 2011.  Nearly 66 million Save Vanishing Species stamps have been sold.
• The Alzheimer’s semipostal has raised nearly $1.5 million since 2017. More than 11 million Alzheimer’s stamps have been sold.
• The Healing PTSD semipostal has raised more than $1.9 million since 2019. More than 17 million Healing PTSD stamps have been sold.

Postage stamps are miniature works of art designed to reflect the American experience. Stamps highlight heroes, history, milestones, achievements, and natural wonders. There’s a story behind every stamp.

The “Pluto: Not Yet Explored” 29-cent stamp was part of a set of solar system stamps that were issued in 1991.

The organization has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Service Cross Medals stamps.

Supporting causes in the public interest.

Semipostal stamps are First-Class Mail stamps sold at a price above the cost of a regular stamp to raise funds for designated causes. The dollar amounts below represent the funds the Postal Service has transferred to the causes listed.

• The Save Vanishing Species semipostal has raised more than $7.6 million since 2011.  Nearly 66 million Save Vanishing Species stamps have been sold.
• The Alzheimer’s semipostal has raised nearly $1.5 million since 2017. More than 11 million Alzheimer’s stamps have been sold.
• The Healing PTSD semipostal has raised more than $1.9 million since 2019. More than 17 million Healing PTSD stamps have been sold.

Facebook – facebook.com/usps

Instagram – instagram.com/uspostalservice

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/usps

Pinterest – pinterest.com/uspsstamps

Podcast – usps-mailin-it.simplecast.com/

Postal Blog – uspsblog.com

Threads – threads.net/@uspostalservice

X – x.com/usps

YouTube – youtube.com/usps

Thousands of employees in nearly 400 unique jobs have been recognized since its inception in 2018. #PostalProud

The Postal Service has also issued more than 140 stamps honoring the nation’s military history, including the Service Cross Medals stamps.

For nearly two and a half centuries, the Postal Service has adapted to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

With nearly 34,000 retail locations, more than 7 million daily visits on usps.com and serving 153.9 million residences and 12.6 million businesses typically six days a week, the Postal Service is committed to providing a positive customer experience.

The statute that created the Postal Service begins with the following sentence: “The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by an Act of Congress, and supported by the people.” 39 U.S.C. §101(a).

In 2023, the Postal Service recognized 128 heroic employees.

For more information on the Postal Service’s sustainability efforts and initiatives, go to Sustainability – What We Do – About.usps.com