# No more mailman at the door under U.S. Postal Service plan
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [July 24, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366 "2013-07-24T06:57:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/1 "2013-07-24T06:57:44Z")
"Under a cost-saving plan by the U.S. Postal Service, Americans moving into newly built homes will not have mail delivered to their doors and will instead have to trek to the curb or neighborhood cluster boxes.
The Postal Service began the change in April, and Congress is considering an even bolder shift that would also affect existing houses. It’s unclear if delivery to the door will eventually be eliminated entirely."
[http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/24/usa-postal-delivery-idUSL1N0FU01A20130724](http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/24/usa-postal-delivery-idUSL1N0FU01A20130724)
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/2 "2013-07-24T07:23:36Z")
I’m kind of surprised there were still new homes getting mail at the door.
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### Author:  [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/3 "2013-07-24T09:26:17Z")
Trek to the curb? How long **are** your driveways?
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/4 "2013-07-24T10:00:56Z")
Depending on the mail truck’s route, you might have to cross the street too. :eek::eek:
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/5 "2013-07-24T10:36:58Z")
I’ve always thought centrally located post office boxes (at the area post office) would eventually occur as a cost saving move.
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### Author:  [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/6 "2013-07-24T11:03:16Z")
Around where I live the only people getting door delivery pickup/drop off through traditional mail slots had been grandfathered in, to the point that it was specific to individual customers. When I actually moved into my house I got notice that as a new resident on the route I was required to setup a curbside mailbox and the door slot would not be used for mail delivery.
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### Author:  [@Shoujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoujin)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/7 "2013-07-24T12:03:34Z")
I’ve been a door to door USPS letter carrier in the same town for over twenty years. My customers generally reside in $1 million plus homes, and I’m sure they won’t like this at all.
Personally, I kinda like the idea. Less physical stress (just got back to work after 11 weeks off w/ a broken foot) and faster delivery. Parcels will still have to go to the door, as will accountable (requires signature/ postage) mail.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/8 "2013-07-24T12:14:23Z")
Mailmen don’t come to the door
Meter reading is done digitally
Nurses in scrubbies instead of starched white uniforms
compression shorts instead of jock straps
Pizza delivery drones and pool roombas
(sigh)
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/9 "2013-07-24T12:15:23Z")
I’ve thought this was already a rule. My sister moved into a newly built neighborhood, oh, around a decade ago. Every cul-de-sac had its own central mailbox for everyone who lived there. I housesat for her for a while, and it was kind of a pain, to be honest. I didn’t like it.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/10 "2013-07-24T12:17:59Z")
> [@PastTense](#):
>
> "Under a cost-saving plan by the U.S. Postal Service, Americans moving into newly built homes will not have mail delivered to their doors and will instead have to trek to the curb or neighborhood cluster boxes.
I can envision a pile of junky mailboxes in populated areas. Very attractive, I’m sure, and an invitation to theft.
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### Author:  [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/11 "2013-07-24T12:21:49Z")
Only in America would people complain that walking to the curb of their own home is too much effort. 🙂
My house is an older home but we already have street mailboxes. My neighbor has to walk across the street to get to her box on my property. Everyone manages.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/12 "2013-07-24T12:29:48Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> I can envision a pile of junky mailboxes in populated areas. Very attractive, I’m sure, and an invitation to theft.
[Cluster boxes.](http://www.xpblocker.com/images/cluster%20mailboxes.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/13 "2013-07-24T12:30:47Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> I can envision a pile of junky mailboxes in populated areas. Very attractive, I’m sure, and an invitation to theft.
Are you referring to “cluster boxes”? They’re kiosks with PO-box style mailboxes (with additional larger boxes for packages.) Less susceptible to thievery since they are locked (they are filled from the inside of the kiosk.)
ETA: or in a small neighborhood they might just be a metal post with a dozen or so mailboxes. Still locked, though, as opposed to the individual unlocked mailboxes.
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### Author:  [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/14 "2013-07-24T12:41:05Z")
Strange; in Great Britain the Royal Mail has a legal rule that mail goes to the address, not the person. So a letter to Chris M. of 24 Elm Row, must go to no. 24 whether or not Chris lives there, or is known to live next door, or moved, etc… By following the letter of the law thus, they safeguard themselves from accusations of mishandling the post, wrongful or late delivery etc., since they did what was \*asked, \*not what was intended.
It must be mentioned that in Britain at least, not a few writers are frankly loopy, and add all sorts of extraneous crap to the envelope.
I can’t imagine what it must be like using a mailbox instead of it being delivered. The only times I’ve even seen a mailbox is outside a farm. Presuming that the merry farmer drives up his gateway every day in a Range Rover or tractor; which for those of us in town without a path would be impracticable.
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### Author:  [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/15 "2013-07-24T12:43:54Z")
They are kind of cool for people living alone. They usually have a couple big ol’ package boxes. SO the times you get a big package, he doesn’t have to leave it on the porch, or make you come pick it up, they just put it in the big pigeon hole, and put the key to that in your mailbox.
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/16 "2013-07-24T12:58:17Z")
I live in an old neighborhood, and there wouldn’t be a place to put a mailbox cluster without taking a piece of someone’s yard via eminent domain. The sidewalks are too narrow to fit a cluster. I could see them switching to mailboxes between the sidewalk and curb - there _might_ be room, tho the space between the sidealk and curb is less than a foot deep in most places. It would make car delivery easier. Or mailboxes at the edge of the yard for walking mail carriers.
I’d be sad to have my mail slot abandoned, as I like being able to go away and not worry about mail visibly piling up. I also like my mail carrier and would hope he gets a good deal out of any changes they make.
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### Author:  [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/17 "2013-07-24T13:07:32Z")
We’ve had them in Canada for at least a decade now and they haven’t gone back to neighborhoods that have door to door delivery and changed them, new neighborhoods are just set up under the new system.
It’s actually really convenient as long as you’re out of the house anyway and since the demographic in new housing is mostly two income families it works out well.
[These](http://www.castanet.net/content/2012/11/liam_p1301329.jpg)ones have clearly been in place for a while judging by the graffiti but you can see the larger boxes where they put packages. The key for the larger box is just left in your personal mail box so you can grab your package.
You can see from the picture that they customize the setup based on needs. They can choose the ones with the package containers or just all personal boxes depending on the number of houses they’re serving. I’ve lived in a couple of houses that used them and never had one more than a 5 min walk from my front door.
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### Author:  [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/18 "2013-07-24T13:21:14Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#):
>
> Depending on the mail truck’s route, you might have to cross the street too. :eek::eek:
And/or walk down the block. I’m seeing a lot of that with new construction. Mail box clusters containing twenty boxes or so.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/19 "2013-07-24T13:24:22Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#):
>
> I can’t imagine what it must be like using a mailbox instead of it being delivered. The only times I’ve even seen a mailbox is outside a farm. Presuming that the merry farmer drives up his gateway every day in a Range Rover or tractor; which for those of us in town without a path would be impracticable.
For those of you in town, how far is it from your front door to the street? Surely not as far as it is from a farmhouse to the farm’s gate.
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-mailman-at-the-door-under-u-s-postal-service-plan/664366/20 "2013-07-24T13:26:34Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> For those of you in town, how far is it from your front door to the street? Surely not as far as it is from a farmhouse to the farm’s gate.
About 20 feet.
I think I need a tractor.
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