Why You Can’t Start Your Own Postal Delivery Service

Last week, we learned the price of a first-class US postage stamp has increased for the second time this year at 73 cents, a five-cent jump from this past January.

Quick tip, buy a bunch of "forever" stamps because they don't change value. Well, you have to pay a higher price for a book of stamps now, but if you don't mail a lot of stuff, which I only send one bill these days, you'll have them, maybe forever.

I saw an article a couple of months ago that posed the question and the answer as to why there isn't an alternative mail delivery system to the US Postal Service. You hear all the time you can't mess with someone else's mail or mailbox because it's against the law and that's true. Mail delivery in the US falls under the Private Express Statutes, a set of laws that date back to 1792. It states the USPS has the exclusive right to deliver letters in exchange for compensation. These laws are necessary to keep private couriers away from taking business on the most profitable routes which would leave the government at a net loss of profit.

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If you choose a private courier to deliver your mail, it's cool as long as you provide the proper US postage on the letter in question. In other words, you can buy a postage stamp, but you don't have to use it, and just cancel the postage in ink.

The only leeway the USPS allows for delivery is for bike messengers. They can carry 25 letters or less by a special messenger on an "infrequent, irregular basis for the sender or addressee". Also, make sure you have postage on a leaflet or flyer you happen to drop in a mailbox; Title 18 of the United States Code prohibits the placement of "mailable matter" into an approved mailbox regardless of whether or not the owner of that mailbox objects. Since it's an election year, you have received and will continue to receive all of this mailable matter.

I think I have about 5 or 6 forever stamps left, I think I'm good.