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American History
Related: About this forumOn this day, July 1, 1971, the United States Postal Service began operations.
United States Postal Service
Government signature used since 1993
Agency overview
Formed: July 1, 1971; 52 years ago
Employees: 653,167 (516,636 career personnel, 136,561 non-career personnel) as of 2021
The full eagle logo, used in various versions from 1970 to 1993
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U.S., including its insular areas and associated states. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the Constitution of the United States. The USPS, as of 2021, has 516,636 career employees and 136,531 non-career employees.
The USPS has a monopoly on "letter" delivery within the U.S. and operates under a universal service obligation (USO), both of which are defined across a broad set of legal mandates, which obligate it to provide uniform price and quality across the entirety of its service area. The Post Office has exclusive access to letter boxes marked "U.S. Mail" and personal letterboxes in the U.S., but has to compete against private package delivery services, such as United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL.
{snip}
Government signature used since 1993
Agency overview
Formed: July 1, 1971; 52 years ago
Employees: 653,167 (516,636 career personnel, 136,561 non-career personnel) as of 2021
The full eagle logo, used in various versions from 1970 to 1993
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U.S., including its insular areas and associated states. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the Constitution of the United States. The USPS, as of 2021, has 516,636 career employees and 136,531 non-career employees.
The USPS has a monopoly on "letter" delivery within the U.S. and operates under a universal service obligation (USO), both of which are defined across a broad set of legal mandates, which obligate it to provide uniform price and quality across the entirety of its service area. The Post Office has exclusive access to letter boxes marked "U.S. Mail" and personal letterboxes in the U.S., but has to compete against private package delivery services, such as United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL.
{snip}
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On this day, July 1, 1971, the United States Postal Service began operations. (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Jul 2023
OP
Yes. Per month. The next option was to drive 15 miles to rent a box. Rural isn't always cheaper.
Runningdawg
Jul 2023
#6
bucolic_frolic
(46,731 posts)1. I wonder what a mid-size post office box cost back then
I'd bet about $4 a year. Now it's $120. Ouch.
Runningdawg
(4,590 posts)4. In the late 70's, in a rural town in OK, a small PO box was $7.52 month.
bucolic_frolic
(46,731 posts)5. per month??
How is it I rented a mid-size town box in the 90s for $16 a year?
Runningdawg
(4,590 posts)6. Yes. Per month. The next option was to drive 15 miles to rent a box. Rural isn't always cheaper.
Delarage
(2,346 posts)2. Wow!
It was the "United States Post Office Department" when I was born (several months before the change).
Unfortunately, Louis DeJoy is still running it
GreenWave
(8,995 posts)3. On July 26, 1775 the Second Continental Congress
established the US postal system. It had as its first postmaster general, Ben Franklin!