But I'm looking for specifically why did they choose the color blue. That’s very convenient. If you have some time, I suggest writing to the current Postmaster or Postal Historian - if such a post still exists. Most of them are excellent, it just depends on what sort of management/supervisors they have? I assume this is a broader USPS decision against packages in blue boxes, not just the location where you saw that note. Now that you mention it, I have seen the blue boxes in front of my local post office ‘out of commission’ on the afternoon of Monday holidays, when people cram boxes in the chute that are too large, and they get stuck. I was under the impression that this move is what the future looks like. Sometimes my packages are just slightly larger than they really should be to fit in the swing door, and I really have to wiggle them to get them to drop. Brown / khaki boxes were used for storage - like a street locker for the local mail carrier, and additional mail storage for route trucks. Sometimes they stay jammed until Monday AM/. I cancelled the label, but after 10 days it first showed up in tracking and was delivered anyway. the post office counters are getting higher volumes of packages, which they don’t like either. (I suspect mail person scrawled the note because that box isn’t getting whatever retrofit is being rolled out here in Chicago and apparently Boston, judging by other comments.). More importantly, red was usually reserved for emergency items, like fire hydrants and call boxes. Postal Service, formerly the Post Office Department, has a standard color scheme of red, white and blue in 2011. TL;DR - I can't actually find anything about why the decision was made. I was surprised to see this handwritten sign on both blue USPS collection boxes at one of my local post offices. Jones in 1889, "The Story of the Post Office." He mentioned that "years ago" the color had been dark green, then it was vermilion red, then an aluminum color, then green, then aluminum bronze. Type any location in the field above, or click the GPS button to automatically find mailboxes near you. In front of the post office they have the blue drop boxes. On July 4, 1955, Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield declared that collection boxes would be painted red, white, and blue to make them easily recognizable. Perhaps there is some sort of prioritization going on. I think that has been a rule for at least 5-10 years. Before World War I, the color of collection boxes changed repeatedly. You haven’t been allowed to put packages in those drop boxes for years. An order of 1 equals 10 or 25 boxes depending on your selection under Format. The U.S. That said, I’ve been burnt by these blue boxes twice. Here, the post office is systematically replacing the swing-down chute-type openings on the blue boxes with fixed narrow slits, for envelopes and flats only. Information. The blue collection boxes are covered under trademarked use of USPS marks, at least for film and television. Schedule a pickup. More likely you have one grumpy carrier at that box, so, even if the rule is arbitrary, you don’t want to push your luck. I know the usps blue collection boxes are only emptied Monday-Saturday, but can I still drop an envelope in the collection box on a Sunday? There are even a few songs from 1970-71 about painting mailboxes blue! Postal Service, formerly the Post Office Department, has a standard color scheme of red, white and blue in 2011. Posted at 10:20am Jan 6, 2010 EST. Whether it fits into the drop box has no bearing on if it’s acceptable or not. Blue mailboxes are to collect outgoing mail. SKUs featured on this page: O_1093X, O_1093. According to the Washington Post letters (down 30% to 50%) are an increasingly smaller percentage of USPS volume than large parcels and packages (up 60% to 80%).
After the war, the War Department gave the Post Office Department a large supply of surplus olive drab paint that was used to coat the collection boxes. VeryJeriVintage says Drop Off Packages may be handed to your carrier or taken to the Post Office. And I have seen them start to replace swing doors with slits (snorkels?). In Los Angeles many of them have the restricted restricted-access- slot-- even the ones at the post-office- the clerk’s tell you not to put anything in there, because people get creative & have found ways to retrieve things , your mail outbound does get stolen…, Some of them seem to think it’s quite hilarious… but those are the clerks operating in their own little world, of protected status…. However, I am 100% certain that the limitations as to what goes in a collection box are based on weight and size. How to Identify Government License Plates.
GO.
With all due respect Lake - and far be it from me to question your wisdom after taking your advice for all these years on these forums! If you must leave packages in the box have a chat with the postmaster and take a copy of the USPS rules with you. (The Postal Reorganization Act actually commands that no goods or tools used by the postal service shall be Soviet-made.) I'd be interested to know if you do find out. So, I have gotten to the point where I schedule pickups for almost everything. Article Number. In the United States, what is the difference between blue and green mailboxes? According to the USPS Historian, the boxes went from red-white-blue to just blue with the 1971 reorganization (privatization) of the Post Office. What is permitted has nothing to do with what fits, and everything to do with size (no boxes) and weight (le.
Or maybe they don’t fully drop. I did poke around a bunch. Including: USPS said late trips and extra trips — which it estimated cost the agency about $200 million in “added expenses” — were now prohibited. Even if they are, you should probably avoid those. More posts from the NoStupidQuestions community, Press J to jump to the feed. Using a dark color like blue was serviceable, and wouldn't get dirty or covered in graffiti as easily/obviously as yellow or white.Blue gave a calm, business-like impression while making it clear this was no longer the old government-run postal service. The post office in the next town has a 24 hour lobby and a much larger indoor package drop. Maybe your boxes also say it and nobody was taking notice? It was post-911 security measure to deal with anonymously sourced mail.
Anne Davis writes pieces on domestic and international travel, automotive maintenance, education and health. Responses. We cannot post links outside of Amazon on the forum. Sep 20, 2019 • FAQ. They are notorious for having missed-pick-up days, resulting in late scans, and late shipment metrics. It refers to 800 street letter boxes painted either red or green; the red ones are listed as the most important. This reference suggests that there was no standard color for collection boxes, and that it had changed according to the whims of administrators. (specific entries on pages 7, 13, and 20.. along with others.) But I never see them at any other post offices, or at any of the many blue collection boxes around town.
You have someone at that PO with a what I call a god complex. Just at this one post office. But just the blue boxes at the post office, and none around town? Thoughts? Our boxes here have said “No packages other than envelopes” (and possibly with a weight limit too) for as long as I can remember. This trademark case further illustrates only that the USPS considers the blue color of the box as one of their branding/trade markings. I actually talked to the USPS guys on the truck going around town and replacing the boxes. The timing of this change to blue boxes seems to be more in line with limiting these drop-off boxes to letters only which are easier to handle and lighter to increase efficiency and reduce expense than with security. I am in the Boston metro area.
I understand the history behind when the colors were changed. This page from the Wayback Machine seems to confirm my own theory - the newly-separate postal service adopted a new 'branding'; logos, trademarks, colors.The boxes had been metallic, various varieties of green, and red-white-blue in previous years. I just read the rules, the way i interpret it is you can put anything in with printed postage. Red alone was out, as the 'red scare' was still in effect.
You can also pan and zoom the map to find mailboxes anywhere in the United States. You'd think that info would be readily available but I can't find it anywhere. What is permitted has nothing to do with what fits, and everything to do with size (no boxes) and weight (le. Security measures include people fishing into the old-style swing boxes, which was really happening a lot. not domestic.
AS I understand it the USPS is going to run out of cash shortly. The color of collection boxes from their beginning in the 1850s is unknown. Just Google usps blue box rules. These colors are most recognized on the USPS's collection boxes, which are on street corners throughout the country.
The U.S. I also have heard it reported by Business Insider that the Postmaster General has directed mail slow down as a cost cutting measure. But maybe there is a good reason for the restriction at that branch.
In 1903, Assistant Postmaster General, J. Bristow wrote to General Superintendent of the Free-Delivery System, A.W. I wouldn’t just ignore it – you may suffer unintended consequences. They still have to follow the published rules. Same here.
It's unclear whether that reference applied to all collection boxes, or just to those in Boston, where the author lived.
Type Any Location. Ignore this at your peril. My shipments have online postage purchased through Amazon. Find Blue USPS Mailboxes. As UPS and USPS both will come and pick up packages (UPS costs, but it seems the more packages you have the less it costs, regardless of the weights that I usually ship) it makes it convenient for me. It used to be different than what I am reading now. Thanks for reminding me. But I think of that and wonder if this is the reason for the handwritten signs, and if the signs are directed at me personally. Packages need to be handed over the counter, left at a pickup area inside, or left on the dock. I'd definitely be interested to read what you find out about the decision process. This trademark case further illustrates only that the USPS considers the blue color of the box as one of their branding/trade markings. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and history, and is pursuing graduate study in a related field. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, The correct postage, fees, and labels are affixed. According to the Washington Post letters (down 30% to 50%) are an increasingly smaller percentage of USPS volume than large parcels and packages (up 60% to 80%). @sallyanne, I would understand if the restriction was on all blue boxes. Each Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express shipment includes USPS Tracking®. Items weighing 10 oz.
I feel like Chicago USPS is the worst, but for anything worth anything, I don’t do it. Now that same boxes have doors that only open up a couple inches. Not true, that only applies to stamped mail. The timing of this change to blue boxes seems to be more in line with limiting these drop-off boxes to letters only which are easier to handle and lighter to increase efficiency and reduce expense than with security. Olive drab became the standard color for collection boxes until 1955. Some key benefits: - Can be used for Domestic and International destinations.-This item features self sealing tape on each end.