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Letters and packages can be mailed using the US Postal Service or one of several private delivery services.
The US Postal Service delivers
letters and packages and sells stamps and postal money orders. They
deliver mail both domestically and internationally.
Letters weighing up to 16 ounces with the appropriate postage affixed
can be deposited in the blue mailboxes located throughout the
city. Mail is removed from these boxes twice daily. You can also mail
letters and packages directly from the post office. International
letters and packages must be mailed from the post office and must be
accompanied by a customs form.
Letters and correspondence are usually sent by First Class mail within
the United States. There is no need to pay extra postage for air mail,
because all interstate first class mail is routinely sent by air.
On the other hand, when sending mail abroad you should pay for air
mail because surface mail travels by ship and is considerably slower.
When addressing mail for delivery within the United States, don't
forget to include the zip code. If you don't include a zip code,
delivery will be delayed. You can use a five-digit zip code if you don't
have the nine-digit zip code. The zip code should be placed on the
same line as the city and state, after the state, not
before.
The first digit of the zip code represents one of 10 geographic
regions. For example, zip codes in California begin with a 9, in Texas
with a 7, in
Illinois with a 6, in
Pennsylvania with a 1, and Massachusetts with a 0. The next two digits
indicate a mail distribution point, and the last two digits indicate a
town or post office. The additional four digits in a 9-digit zip code
narrow the location even further, designating a delivery sector and
even a specific address.
The following is an example of how you would address a letter
to a person named "John Student". The number "12345-6789" is the
nine-digit zip code. You should print the address in block
letters and omit punctuation, since that makes it easier for
address reading machinery to scan the address.
US Postal Service
Addressing Mail
MR JOHN STUDENT
1234 MAIN STREET
CITY STATE 12345-6789
For more information on addressing mail and other topics, please see the
Consumer's Guide to Postal Services & Products.
If you do not know your address in the US before you leave, mail for you can be sent "General Delivery" to your name at the main post office in your destination city. It is a good idea to write "Hold for 30 Days" on the front of the envelope. General Delivery mail will not be held for more than 30 days. You will need proof of identity, such as a passport, to pick up your mail.
There are four main types of mail, each with a different set of postage rates:
Girth is the circumference of the package (twice the sum of width and depth).
The following are some of the more frequently used postage rates. Additional information can be obtained at the post office or from the US Postal Service's Rate Calculators. One ounce is about 28 grams. A business-size envelope containing six sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" office paper weighs approximately one ounce.
First Class Mail | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | Mexico | Canada | All Other Destinations (Airmail) |
|
Letters | 33¢ for first ounce 22¢ for each additional ounce |
46¢ for first ounce 40¢ for each additional ounce |
52¢ for first ounce 72¢ for 2 ounces 95¢ for 3 ounces 19¢ for each additional ounce |
$1.00 for the first ounce 40¢ for each additional half ounce |
Postcards | 20¢ | 35¢ | 40¢ | 50¢ |
Aerograms | N/A | 50¢ | 50¢ | 50¢ |
Priority Mail provides flat rates for first class mail for packages. For example, a package weighing up to 2 pounds can be sent by priority mail for $3.20. (The post office also offers a flat rate envelope which costs $3.20 no matter what the weight of the material in the envelope.) Each additional pound up to a total of 5 pounds adds $1.00 in postage. After that, the postage depends on the weight and the distance. Mail weighing less than 11 ounces can be sent by priority mail, but there's no real reason to send it priority mail since first class mail will take just as long. All mail weighing over 11 ounces sent first class is handled as priority mail. Delivery confirmation is available for an additional 35¢.
First Class and Priority Mail will deliver the letter or package within three or four days. Sometimes it is quicker (e.g., if you mail a letter from a post office to a P.O. box).
Other services offered by the post office include:
The post office also sells envelopes, boxes, and other packing and
shipping supplies.
An unfortunate consequence of having an address is the arrival of
advertising circulars and other unwanted
commercial solicitations, collectively referred to as "junk
mail". When retail stores and mail order companies get your address,
they often sell it to a mailing list company. The mailing list
companies maintain specialized mailing lists, such as lists of people
who bought books through the mail. When an advertiser wants to reach
such people, they rent a mailing list of people who match their criteria.
If
you would like to reduce the amount of junk mail, you can write to the
following address to ask to be removed from mailing lists:
To be removed from the mailing lists of the major credit reporting
agencies, call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).
If you receive an unwanted telephone solicitation, tell the caller "I
am not interested. Please put me on your do not call list." and hang
up the phone. If that doesn't work, try saying "I never buy anything
over the phone. Please put me on your do not call list."
In addition to the US Postal Service, there are several companies that
offer shipping services for letters and packages. They are much more
reliable than the US Postal Service, since they track every letter and
package. They also offer guaranteed overnight delivery (early morning,
morning, afternoon, and end-of-day) and 2 or 3 day
delivery. Guaranteed delivery times are by 8:00 am for early morning,
by 10:30 am for morning, by 3:00 pm for afternoon, and by 5:00 pm for
end-of-day.
The primary advantage of the US Postal Service is the inexpensive rates
for delivering letters. Also, only the US Postal Service can deliver
packages to a PO Box. The other shipping companies are only able to
deliver to a street address.
The major shipping companies are:
Packages should weigh no more than 150 pounds (70 pounds for
same-day), and may measure no more
than 165 inches in length and girth combined (90 for same-day), with a
maximum length of 119 inches (48 for same-day). FedEx also offers
domestic freight services that can deliver larger packages of 151 to 2,200
pounds in 1, 2, or 3 days.
For more information, call 1-800-GO-FEDEX (1-800-463-3339). For
information about international shipping from the US, call 1-800-247-4747.
Packages which weigh less than 30 pounds but which measure
more than 84 inches in length and girth combined are considered
"oversize" and charged the 30 pound shipping weight. Packages should
weigh no more than 70 pounds.
UPS Ground takes anywhere from one business day to five business days,
depending on distance.
UPS provides a
time-in-transit calculator
on their web site to estimate delivery times for UPS Ground. They
guarantee day of delivery.
For more information call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) or send
email to customer.service@ups.com.
For more information, call 1-800-AIRBORNE (1-800-247-2676) or send
email to cac.web@airborne.com.
For information about international shipping from the US, call
1-800-ABX-INTL (1-800-229-4685).
All three companies let you track the progress of a package on their web sites
using the package's tracking number.
With any of these services, including the US Postal Service, it is
important to package fragile items carefully. Insurance will
cover damage to the item only if there is visible damage to the
outside of the box. Use the four-foot drop
rule: the article should be packed so that it can survive a drop of
four feet without damage. This means wrapping fragile items in bubble
wrap and using Styrofoam packing "peanuts" to cushion the item within
the box. Use enough packing material so that the item doesn't shift or
compress the packing material in
transit, or the carton may be damaged upon arrival. Paper may be used
for wrapping items, but should not be used as filling around the
items. If there is more than one fragile item they should be wrapped
individually, so that they do not touch each other. You should have at
least 2 or 3 inches of packing material around the contents of the box. This will minimize
the likelihood of breakage. The carton should be made of sturdy
corrugated cardboard, with no string or wrapping paper on the outside
of the carton. It is best to ship appliances and electronic items in
their original boxes and shipping materials. Use shipping tape, not cellophane or masking
tape. Reinforced filament tape is best.
Remove any old shipping labels from the box. Include the origination
and destination addresses on both the inside and outside of the
box. This is in case the address on the outside of the box gets
obliterated.
If you need boxes, many of the delivery services will provide shipping
materials for free. If your item doesn't fit in one of the standard
sized boxes, you can buy boxes from any stationery supply store such
as Office Max,
Office Depot, and
Staples. Peanuts, bubble wrap,
and other packing materials are also available from these stores.
You can also get boxes for
free by speaking to the manager of the local grocery store.
International shipping companies in the US include:
Adcom Express,
Allied International,
Bax Global,
Corrigan International,
Crystal International,
DHL Worldwide Express,
Excess International Movers,
North American Van Lines International,
Rainier Overseas Movers, Inc.,
Sterling International, Inc.,
and
Stevens Worldwide Van Line.
Junk Mail
MAIL PREFERENCE SERVICE
DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION
PO BOX 9008
FARMINGDALE NY 11735-9008
Some of the mailing list companies use the DMA's mail preference
service to filter their mailing lists. This will not eliminate all of
the junk mail, but will reduce the amount of
unwanted advertising mail you receive. It does not stop mail addressed to
"Resident" or "Occupant". (If you want to receive junk mail, you can
also use the DMA's service to add your name and address to mailing lists.)
Other Shipping Services
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