Rural Postal Amenity

choi

Post office reform | Not yet Signed, Sealed or Delivered; Long queues and late delivery are the least of the post office's problem. Economist, Feb 19, 2022.
https://www.economist.com/united ... l-services-problems

Note:
(a) " 'You can come in here at eight o'clock at night to pick up mail,' says Trevor Braun, bragging about the post office inside Elmore Store in rural Vermont. * * * contract postal unit"
(i) Elmore, Vermont
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore,_Vermont
(a town; The population was 886 at the 2020 census)
(ii) I suspect that Mr Braun was bragging to the (Economist) reporter.
(iii)
(A) CPU charges the same price gpt postal products.
(B) Payments to Contract Postal Unit and Village Post Office Suppliers. Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service, undated
https://www.uspsoig.gov/document ... st-office-suppliers

Quote:

"The Postal Service fulfills its universal service obligation partly through its Alternate Access Channels programs * * * These programs include CPUs and VPOs. All CPUs and VPOs provide Postal services as required by contract with the Postal Service in a supplier-owned or supplier-leased facility.

"CPUs are facilities that suppliers operate under contract with the Postal Service. CPU contract compensation types include:
• Firm-Fixed Price: The Postal Service pays the supplier a set amount monthly.
• Performance-Based: The Postal Service pays the supplier an agreed upon percentage of sales.

(b) "The post office is where many get their news."

In 1989 I was a postdoctoral fellow at Biology department of MIT (for seven months only). Another postdoc at the neighboring lab (under a separate boss) was hired as assistant professor to continue fruit fly research, at University of Vermont (in Burlington, the most populous city but not the capital in the state whose population in 2020 census was 44,743). Burlington is a college town. I went there for a three-week visit, hoping to learn about fruit fly. No such luck. My friend was just setting up the lab, which was empty. But the entire university was backward in terms of research (particularly equipment). There were no newspapers there, either local or national (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today). Locals got news from televisions. The only good things to say about Burloington is cheap Ben and Jerry's ice creams, whose headquarters is in Burlington and whose prices reflects n shipping costs.
(c) General Guidelines and Policies for Rural Delivery; FAQ. USPS, Apr 7, 2020 (Article Number 000003402).
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/G ... -for-Rural-Delivery

Quote:

"Any and all specific questions regarding Rural Delivery are handled by the particular postal unit involved with that route and with the rural carrier delivering to that route.

"General Guidelines[:]
* * *
• Rural carriers are required to stop at a mailbox with the signal flag raised, indicating mail to be picked up, even if there is no mail for delivery.
* * *
• For Accountable mail items and oversized parcels (not postage due), the carrier must try to gain the attention of the recipient, which includes honking their horn, in order to get them to come to the vehicle. If the customer doesn't come out and the house/delivery point is within 1/2 mile of the line of travel AND has a passable road, the carrier should attempt to deliver it. Otherwise, the carrier will leave PS Form 3849 and the customer will have to make arrangements to obtain the item.
• Rural carriers are not required to go to the door with a Postage Due letter - only to the mailbox and blow the horn. The customer must come out to the mailbox to pay and/or receive the letter.
• Rural carriers operate a Post Office™ on Wheels and can do the following:
o Sell stamps
o Accept/Deliver mailable matter including USPS Retail Ground®, Priority Mail® and Priority Mail Express® (Registered Mail®, Certified Mail®, Insured & Collect on Delivery [COD]).
o Payment for services and stamps can be made in cash or by check payable to Postmaster, similar to paying fees in a Post Office.
o Sell money orders, after filing PS Form 6387 - Rural Money Order Transaction Application. Only cash will be accepted for money orders."

(d) Postal Terms. USPS, undated
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub32/pub32_terms.htm   
("accountable mail[:] Mail that requires the signature of the addressee or addressee's agent upon receipt to provide evidence of delivery or indemnification for loss or damage")