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Now Post Office Tests Same-Day Delivery

Service will roll out in San Francisco next month

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 22, 2012 5:17 PM CST

(Newser) – First Amazon, then Walmart ... now the post office is trying out same-day delivery. The struggling USPS thinks it may be able to cash in on all those Internet shoppers desperate to get their holiday gifts delivered just as quickly as if they had gone to a store. It will begin offering the expedited shipping service Dec. 12 in San Francisco, and the price will be similar to that of the competition, the AP reports.

The postal service will team up with eight to 10 big national retailers to offer the service, although it hasn't revealed its partners yet. The AP notes that the list probably includes department stores, general merchandise chains, and clothing companies. Shoppers who want same-day delivery will have to order by 2pm or so; postal workers will pick up the orders from retail stores or warehouses and deliver by 8pm. If the experiment goes well, same-day delivery will expand to more big cities next year.

In this Dec. 5, 2011 file photo mail is loaded into bins for transport at the Capitol Station, in Springfield, Ill.
In this Dec. 5, 2011 file photo mail is loaded into bins for transport at the Capitol Station, in Springfield, Ill.   (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
trailmix
Nov 22, 2012 8:08 PM CST
I ordered something on line and it was sent through UPS and delivered to my USPS  mailbox.  I don't feel real good about a private Company ( UPS ) having access to my federal mailbox. I have nothing against UPS, I believe its a fine Company. It's just that it's A Private Company not Federal Service.  This wouldn't be necessary if congress would undo the requirement for the USPS to pre-fund their retirement and health care benefits for the next 50 years. And I sure as hell hope that there is someone making sure that the USPS Can't get bought out, everyone fired and all assets liquidated, allowing some lame management company  to walk away with BILLIONS.
MikeLand
Nov 22, 2012 8:01 PM CST
Back in the 30's through 70's they had the ability to do same day envelope service in most bigger cities that had the pneumatic delivery for inner urban centers.  You posted a letter in the morning and sorter saw it was for an address on the pneumatic system.  They would immediately drop it in the box for that delivery.  In the afternoon it was bundled and shot along its way in the tube.  It arrived a minute or so later and if it was designated for a PO box, it would arrive before the end of business day.  While the postal system has eliminated the system, urban hospitals use them to wisk away lab specimines and reports all over downtown locations.
radicalronpaul
Nov 22, 2012 7:56 PM CST
With carriers going off their routes to stand in line at department stores, who's going to deliver the rest of the mail?
US

 
USPS • post office • US Postal Service • same-day delivery

 
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