Sometimes, our LTC and postal tracker envelopes seem to be delayed in the mail system. Why does it take 4+ weeks for an envelope or a postcard to be delivered? So I asked. We have some knowledgeable and helpful employees at my village post office. Here are some tips they shared with me.

Mail is a mixture of typed and handwritten addresses. If the scanner can read the zip code, the letter is processed quickly.

If the scanner cannot read the zip code (for an assortment of reasons), the letter is tossed out to be hand sorted by an employee. That can slow down the process considerably depending on staff reductions at some locations.

Avoid writing the address and zip code with curves and loops and fancy stylized fonts. Write the zip code in a typed-style, clear and bold.

The computerized scanner expects to see the zip code or bar code near the bottom of the letter. Any designs, numbers, letters, or doodles below the zip code, any where along the bottom edge of the envelope, can result in the letter being set aside for hand sorting.

Interesting.

Machines are fast, but not perfect. Since this is the way the USPS has chosen to process mail, it helps to understand better ways to address our envelopes and postcards to minimize delays or, dare I say, hand sorted letters which could pile up and might be discarded. Oh My!!! : O

Good tips. They are worth a try.

I was recently told by a retired postal worker that you should always include the full 9-digit zip code. He explained that the mail piece takes a more direct route and doesn't make stops at regional sorting centers.

I've been addressing bubble-mailers to a few friends lately with the full codes, and honestly haven't noticed a difference. I've been tracking and still see stops at the regional centers, and the packages seem to take the same amount of time as usual. I figure it can't hurt, though, so I plan to start including my full zip with trackers and my own bubble mailers, etc. I will also include everyone's full zip when I remember to look it up- easily found at https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction_input

Well I think it's a crap shoot.

I've used printed labels, hand written labels, and six digit zip codes. Haven't had any problems. 2018 turned a new page for me. My mail is taking longer to arrive..a lot longer...and I officially have one lost envelope.

I am now on the list of "unreliable sender". 😉

I actually know my 11 digit zip code number. The last two digits tell them the exact home on the route.

i’ve seen the same thing this year...I ship with USPS for my business and I’ve had more complaints in 2018 than all of 2017! Tracking is poorly updated and I’ve lost my first package.

Linden Leaf is NOT on any unreliable senders list.

But it does seem that the USPS has slowed down in 2018. Raise prices. Layoffs. Closing offices. Condensing operations. All ways to save money, but it doesn't improve mail delivery or contribute to good customer service.

I lost my first envelope and set of cards this year. It's a terrible feeling to know that our cards can fall into a black hole.

To add to this:

I was told that if the mailing and the return address are the same the mail could be destroyed- considered suspicious mail. That even if I am mailing the envelope back to its original location that I should be putting my return address on it.

This may be why I didn’t receive a package back and it never went back to the sender. Some very time large consuming carves gone.

I was told that if the mailing and the return address are the same the mail could be destroyed

Sounds like the hosts should start extending the tape that goes under the stamps, all the way to the left edge. Then, in addition to stamps, put their own return address label on the tape. Hopefully, that would prevent the "suspicious mail" problem.

six digit zip codes . . . . . and I officially have one lost envelope.

I think I know which envelope went astray . . . 😁

Lol...hey now. I'm sick. And I prefer art over numbers.

Six digit zip code? I only use a five digit one! ;-)

I use printed labels for all mail and haven't seen any noticeable increase in missing mail this year.

I never received several postcards from the Halloween swap, but several I did receive had stickers, glue, and plenty of other "banned" stuff on them, so the missing ones might have been worse and either unreadable or got stuck and destroyed along the way.

One thing that might help deliver the mail faster is to teach the delivery person to read!! MANY times I have gotten mail supposed to go to an other street, but with the same house number as mine. I put it back in the corner mailbox, and a day or two have have the same piece of mail delivered to me again.
I had been waiting for a letter for a couple of weeks lately and when I finally got it someone had circled the street name and written that the letter should go there. Obviously delivered to the wrong place.
And trying to find out about missing mail at the USPS site did not work for me, looking for a plain letter was not a choice.

Bokmal

MANY times I have gotten mail supposed to go to an other street, but with the same house number as mine.

Here in Utah (and probably many other places) most addresses are like this (made-up) address: 5677 West 2500 South. With this address on the envelope they have delivered it to 5677 South 2500 West. These two addresses even have different zip codes (and the correct zip code was on the envelope) so there is no excuse. So I have received their mail and they have probably received mine.

But it is not just the USPS. On two occasions that I know of my package was delivered to the other address, including an expensive one I was waiting for. I had tracking on those and when it was marked as delivered but it wasn't here I contacted the shipping company (one UPS and the other a company I'd never heard of before) and told them about what the USPS has done. Each package then really arrived the next day.

Huh. And here I was blaming our military postal workers (Airmen, not civilian postal workers) for how long it seems to be taking for mail. My daughters birthday card from my grandma took almost a month to get here. Funny enough packages are still coming as fast as they ever did it's just regular mail that's delayed.

Hmmm, interesting information. I always hand-address, often with scripty letters and numbers. I also frequently write addresses sideways on the back of postcards and my sig stamp is often stamped in the lower right corner of a postcard, below the address... I fear I am breaking all the rules, but haven’t really had much problem with mail getting lost or running exceptionally late. The one package that did go missing for me this year was addressed with standard lettering and positioning. I also participated in the Naked Mail postal a few months ago and everything made it around the ring despite the unconventional packaging, labeling, etc. The problems seem to be very random.