New homes in the US won't get door delivery mail anymore

[2timer]

Congress is also considering a proposal to institute "mail clusters" in existing homes:

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76772015/

I've always thought this is a good idea. Makes Post Office delivery much more efficient and cost-effective. In the long term, this benefits pretty much everyone. Anything not to like about this?

 

[Attic]

I like it for efficiency benefits. But I've always liked a personal mailbox outside my home.

I suppose if the delivery person isn't a hot brunette I wouldn't be too crushed with the change.

 

[Printer Bandit]

ban junk mail.

 

[irishScott]

My one concern would be a small increase in misplaced mail, but I could live with that. I'm all for efficiency. Besides, fatties need to walk more.

 

[PrinceofWands]

ban junk mail.

This.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Old people or those with disabilities who can't walk? Post office absorbing liability for theft from cluster boxes, which are much higher targets than individual home boxes? It takes about 9 seconds to realize it's a bullshit plan to fix a problem the wrong way.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

I was gonna mentioned the above. Cluster boxes equals a one stop shopping bonanza for mail thieves.

 

[irishScott]

I was gonna mentioned the above. Cluster boxes equals a one stop shopping bonanza for mail thieves.

I assume you'd get a key, like most town house complexes.

 

[Murloc]

here most people live in multifamily dwellings and thus have clusterboxes and it's really not a problem at all.

Imho, mail is not valuable enough to warrant the risk of being seen on the street using a blowtorch or a steel cutting tool to detach them. I've never heard about mail theft indeed.
Most mailboxes open with the same key as the house.

I'm not really sure I agree with this policy though, they're basically cutting services to cut costs. In the long-term, maybe the intention is to make mail disappear completely, but right now mail is still important enough.

But in the projects and big blocks mailboxes are already clustered, while everyone who lives in those sprawling american suburbs has a car because of the big distances and it's cheap and badly served by public transport, so they could create drive-in mailboxes and this way it wouldn't be a discomfort for anyone to have to do this.

 

[irishScott]

here most people live in multifamily dwellings and thus have clusterboxes and it's really not a problem at all.

Imho, mail is not valuable enough to warrant the risk of being seen on the street using a blowtorch or a steel cutting tool to detach them. I've never heard about mail theft indeed.
Most mailboxes open with the same key as the house.

I'm not really sure I agree with this policy though, they're basically cutting services to cut costs. In the long-term, maybe the intention is to make mail disappear completely, but right now mail is still important enough.

But in the projects and big blocks mailboxes are already clustered, while everyone who lives in those sprawling american suburbs has a car because of the big distances and it's cheap and badly served by public transport, so they could create drive-in mailboxes and this way it wouldn't be a discomfort for anyone to have to do this.

My dad's town house complex is precisely like this. The complex is on a pretty steep hillside, but the mailboxes are all clustered at the one entrance with a small cutaway for people to pull over. Not "drive-in", but "drive-up". No complaints.

 

[Double Trouble]

I understand why they're doing it, but I'm not a proponent of this. If the mail doesn't get delivered to your door, how are you going to get packages that don't fit in a tiny mailbox? Do you have to deal with a stupid slip of paper and go pick it up at the post office, that's a big pain in the ass. What about mail that needs to be signed for? They'd still have to deliver that to each house anyway. Unless you have a key for the mailbox mail theft will be that much more convenient for the thieves, and if you do have to have a key, that's another key to carry around (and lose or misplace).

I know they're trying to save money, but I don't think that's the right way.

 

[Double Trouble]

ban junk mail.

Actually, junk mail pays the bills for the post office. Without those billions of pieces of junk mail the post office would have no chance of surviving. After all, someone is paying to mail that junk mail, it's revenue to the post office.

 

[kami333]

I understand why they're doing it, but I'm not a proponent of this. If the mail doesn't get delivered to your door, how are you going to get packages that don't fit in a tiny mailbox? Do you have to deal with a stupid slip of paper and go pick it up at the post office, that's a big pain in the ass. What about mail that needs to be signed for? They'd still have to deliver that to each house anyway. Unless you have a key for the mailbox mail theft will be that much more convenient for the thieves, and if you do have to have a key, that's another key to carry around (and lose or misplace).

I know they're trying to save money, but I don't think that's the right way.

Many of the ones I've had to use in apartment buildings and new subdivisions have several larger boxes for packages that are shared, when you get a package they put it in the larger box and leave the key in your mailbox. You just get your package out and leave the key in the box, I've found it easier than having it delivered to my house and risk missing it.

And how many times a week do you get registered mail you have to personally sign for?

Some of the mailboxes I've used use a 2 key system, one master key that opens all of them (sometimes from the back) and a personal key which is often the same as your house key.

 

[Naeeldar]

ban junk mail.

This.

So you two want to increase the cost of mail.... You do relaize junk mail is one of the few things keeping the post office semi-afloat right now right? Mail costs would go up dramatically if you banned.

 

[Doppel]

Cluster boxes are for scoundrels. I had them at an apartment and do not like. I guess the mail is so worthless now I could probably just check it once a week anyway, though. I have curbside, which I would like to keep. I can see the cost issues in the article, though. I didn't know they still even were doing door to door on new houses, what a waste of money!

I'd much rather see the mail drop a day. Saturday, just kill it, kill it please. After that, kill Thursday, then Tuesday. In the future we need only monday, wednesday, friday, and then ultimately just kill this dinosaur entirely in a few decades once all the old Luddites die off. Saturday should be murdered immediately, though.

 

[EagleKeeper]

ban junk mail.

Junk is why you are able to have $0.50 mail

 

[Atreus21]

Congress is also considering a proposal to institute "mail clusters" in existing homes:

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76772015/

I've always thought this is a good idea. Makes Post Office delivery much more efficient and cost-effective. In the long term, this benefits pretty much everyone. Anything not to like about this?

Privatizing mail would be more efficient.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

This is already the norm for new neighborhoods in the Houston area and has been for at least 8 to 10 years. As for theft, I haven't seen where anyone has attempted to break into any of the mailbox cluster in my neighborhood during the 5 years I've lived here.

 

[Zargon]

Privatizing mail would be more efficient.

private carriers are so efficient that fed ex and ups and dhl all use the us postal service to help cut costs

 

[sportage]

I always thought this was a good idea. Cuts down on random mail theft, more security with keys, meeting neighbors at the old mail cluster, less driving time/gas for the mailman/woman, better outgoing mail service from home, seems like a total win to me.
Actually like something back in the 50's, community mail, almost like having a party line.

 

[bshole]

In the long-term, maybe the intention is to make mail disappear completely, but right now mail is still important enough.

I haven't written a letter in YEARS. I pay all my bills ONLINE. All my important correspondence I get ONLINE. I get tons of junk in the mail. Mail should disappear completely, it is irrelevant.

 

[sm625]

For the amount of money that is spent every year on the postal service, there shouldnt be any stupid compromises like this.

 

[hal2kilo]

Congress is also considering a proposal to institute "mail clusters" in existing homes:

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76772015/

I've always thought this is a good idea. Makes Post Office delivery much more efficient and cost-effective. In the long term, this benefits pretty much everyone. Anything not to like about this?

I don't get the big uproar. The post office has been doing this for the last twenty-five years for new developements. Hell, l even considered suing them because of unequal service.

 

[Naeeldar]

For the amount of money that is spent every year on the postal service, there shouldnt be any stupid compromises like this.

Most of the crazy money they spend is union driven (pensions, benefits, salary) or servicing rural areas. Those are some of the biggest money pits for the service. Pensions is a huge one because they have to pay in advance.

 

[DCal430]

here most people live in multifamily dwellings and thus have clusterboxes and it's really not a problem at all.

Imho, mail is not valuable enough to warrant the risk of being seen on the street using a blowtorch or a steel cutting tool to detach them. I've never heard about mail theft indeed.
Most mailboxes open with the same key as the house.

I'm not really sure I agree with this policy though, they're basically cutting services to cut costs. In the long-term, maybe the intention is to make mail disappear completely, but right now mail is still important enough.

But in the projects and big blocks mailboxes are already clustered, while everyone who lives in those sprawling american suburbs has a car because of the big distances and it's cheap and badly served by public transport, so they could create drive-in mailboxes and this way it wouldn't be a discomfort for anyone to have to do this.

These cluster mailboxes will be spaced about 100 to 300 feet apart. There is only around 15 or so homes on each. Each street block has its own cluster mailbox. There is no need to drive to them.

My cluster mailbox is actually in between my neighbor and my house, but no one has to walk more than 100 to 200 feet to the box.