USPS Priority Mail Envelope "Misuse Statement"

Here's one solution: Send for a few First Day Covers! The USPS ALWAYS sends them back in a cellophane wrapper with a 7.5" x 4.5" cardboard backing. I'm overloaded with them as I don't use them as fast as the FDC's are mailed to me. They work great as stiffeners in mailing packets of material.

I estimate 50% of the stamps I receive through the mail have priority envelope stiffeners. These are mostly from professional stamp dealers, not your average Joe.

On the topic of misuse of Priority Mail products, several years ago the local post office actually suggested that the organization a friend of mine works at ship their products using inside out Priority Mail boxes provided by USPS. They sold a lot of self-published books and sent most of their products media rate. The practice of flipping the Priority Mail boxes inside out and using them for media mail shipments was supported by the local PO for years. When you look at the cost of quality shipping boxes, the 30 seconds it takes to flip and tape a "free" USPS box is a compelling option. The standard flat rate boxes (not the zone metered boxes) are very well constructed.

Ironic that someone might get in trouble for using a recycled USPS envelope as a stiffener considering the amount of clear misuse that has been tolerated -- even encouraged.

Typical example of poor worker training or a stupid/lazy station manager. While these are still relatively small amounts (compared to current multi-BILLION dollar shortfall), it's the shoddiness of the entire system and many of its workers/administrators that have brought about this mess.

Many of the postal workers really cared less about the shortfall until this year, when they realized their jobs and pensions were on the line. I've noticed a huge change this year in several of the post offices I frequent. Even the grumpiest workers are suddenly nice, and now they are shifting gears up 2 notches from "unbelievably slow" to "slow". Station managers now actually show up in the lobby and check to see if there are any problems.

Meanwhile, upper management keeps jumping back and forth, changing decisions left and right, and making some very poor decisions as well. You can be assured that politics didn't help.

The current fiasco is equally caused by the workers, administrators, and Congressmen/women of the past 20 years.

It's going to take a lot to change it and keep USPS from going under. The first thing that needs to be changed are the attitudes of all 3 groups. I've seen the workers and station managers adjust their attitudes. Hopefully, upper management and Congress will change their attitudes as well.

My opinions.

And yes, I think they should require you to drop something off for priority/express mail service before they give you more supplies, or if you have nothing to drop off, they should limit you to 2 supplies. Exceptions can be given to businesses that have an established record of volume priority/express mail. The problem is, until this year, management no longer thinks -- they were too busy following directives from PMG or Congress.

This article is 3 years old now, but it pertains to the matter at hand as if it were reported today:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/new.../detail.html

For whatever it's worth, this is right off the USPS web site: