USPS Office of Inspector General

In some urban and suburban areas, grocery delivery vehicles are a regular sight. Indeed, many urban dwellers get regular offers for an annual $100-subscription to a same-day delivery service.

Same-day delivery sure seems popular given the buzz. But same-day delivery of merchandise and groceries to consumers represents only 2 percent of the total domestic parcel market (249 million packages in 2018). And nearly every delivery is a money-loser, our recent white paper indicates.

The Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb) allows the U.S. Postal Service to track mail in real time from acceptance to delivery without the need for seeding and sampling of pieces.

The IMb is an information-rich barcode applied to mail pieces for automation discounts, free address corrections, and other services known as full-service mail, which serves as the cornerstone of the Postal Service’s official measurement system.

Less controversial than the Football Bowl Series college football rankings. More fun than most social media clickbait lists. It’s the annual top 10 stories from the postal and delivery world.

As we do at this time every year, here is our countdown of what we think are the top postal-related stories of the year. Did we miss a story that you think should be on the list? Did we include one you would have left off? Share your thoughts in the comment section.  

Pushing the Envelope wishes our readers a joyful holiday season and a prosperous new year. We are taking a break this week but encourage you to read our past blogs and let us know what you think on any of the wide range of topics we blogged on in 2019.

On December 30, look for our annual list of the Top 10 Postal Stories of the Year. As always, we look forward to your comments and insights.

The financial impact to the U.S. Postal Service from workers’ compensation fraud cases is so significant, it warrants a good deal of investigative attention. Our special agents – often working with other law enforcement partners – investigate fraud by claimants or providers.