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Pushing the Envelope Blog

The Postal Service in the 21st Century: A Recent History

Date: 01/23/23 | Category: Ideas Worth Exploring

When we think of the nation’s postal history, we often think of a few well-known images: rural post offices filled with newspapers from across the country, stagecoaches carrying both mail and people, and the first air mail flights. But as memorable as these stories are, U.S. postal history is more than just a few events way back when. The recent past is also part of the story.

The OIG just published a white paper that examines the past two decades of the Postal Service’s history in order to provide a high-level overview of the organization’s operational environment. It covers the stories that made headlines across the nation such as the anthrax-letters attack in 2001, the Postal Service’s efforts to realign its retail network, and its role during the pandemic and recent elections.

The paper also describes how the Postal Service’s financial condition worsened after mail volume peaked right before the Great Recession and details the growing importance of ecommerce. Postal Service innovations get a mention, too, including the introduction of the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb), Informed Visibility, and Informed Delivery to give mailers, recipients, and the Postal Service itself better information on the flow of mail.

Did we miss any important events or developments? What do you think are the most important postal stories of the last 22 years? Read the paper and let us know in the comments below.

Leave a Comment

Your Name
Paul Smith-Waison
Mar 22, 2023
Your Comment
I love the Postal Service and would like to see your service expanded to include Banking. This would especially benefit folks who are presently abused by the Check Cashing industry. The USPS would serve as a fair alternative to that awful industry. I am sure that others could find those services very convenient.
I was not impressed with the increase in cost of your Priority Mail envelopes and boxes.
Please show DeJoy DePain! Enough already.
Your Name
Mike Oxlong
Mar 2, 2023
Your Comment
The development of autonomous vehicles for use in the sorting plants is exactly the sort of innovation the Post Office needs to remain competitive in the 21st century. I hope to see more developments like it.
Your Name
ROGER MESSMAN
Feb 20, 2023
Your Comment
THE USPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN FANTASTIC. I REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN SOME RATS WERE TRYING TO TURN THE POSTAL SYSTEM OVER TO CORPORATIONS. WHEN THAT HAPPENED I WROTE EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS & TOLD ALL MY FRIENDS TO WRITE TO BLOCK THIS. THE POSTAL INSPECTORS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE. THEY DISCOVER FRAUD AND INFORM THE FBI AND THE FBI GOES AFTER THE RATS AND GETS ALL THE CREDIT BUT ITS THE INCREDIBLE POSTAL INSPECTORS WHO MAKE THE INITIAL DISCOVERY. YOUR AGENCY HAS ALWAYS BEEN FANTASTIC & I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU 100%. I AM 78 YEARS OLD & I AM A DISABLED VIETNAM VET. I AM USE TO A GOOD FIGHT & I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR THE USPS.