In 1984 I was driving a 1969, forest green, Pontiac LeMans, and there were Time moved on and for the past hundred plus years the gear was moved to Postal vehicles and the mailboxes only store mail. Originally the boxes served as storage facilities for carriers who made their rounds on foot, storing rain gear and coats, gloves and mail bags. That whole thing seems a little on the sketchy side, and we may revisit that, later, for now, Blue Collection Boxes.Ĭollection boxes were first introduced in 1858. To recap, when the USPS was called the Post office Department, it was a service, but now that’s called the United States Postal Service, Congress expects it to support itself as a business. The act mandated that the new agency support itself through its own revenues, rather than relying on federal appropriations. The act replaced the cabinet-level Post Office Department with a new federal agency, the United States Postal Service, and took effect on July 1, 1971. In the aftermath of that Congress took action by way of the Postal Reorganization Act, signed into law by President Richard Nixon on August 12, 1970. Then in March of 1970 Postal workers went on strike. When the USPS was known as the Post Office Department it was a service. And obviously, it would have to be during regular business hours, but that’s the most secure way to protect your mail.Is the removal of blue collection boxes another Trump Scandal, or is it business as usual for the United States Postal Service?īefore we dive into that, why should there be any business for the United States Postal Service? It’s a service, not a business. “The other option would be to take it directly into the post office. “One of the best things that you can do is hand it off directly to your postal carrier, obviously, then it’s already in their hands, and it’s into the system,” said United States Postal Inspector Paul Shade. You don’t want your letters or packages sitting overnight or over holidays and weekends when thieves could target the boxes. Make sure you are putting your mail in the boxes before that time.

Here are a few precautions to make sure your gifts are delivered.įirst, look at the time of the last collection for the day on the front of the blue box.

USPS reported an increase in thefts from these boxes during the holiday season. Before you drop an envelope in one of those blue boxes, United States Postal workers want you to keep a few things in mind. (KY3) - The holidays are right around the corner, and soon, many people will be mailing Christmas gifts.

Usps blue box