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Up until last year I would distribute flyers by attaching them to mailbox post.. honestly had no idea i wasn't suppose to. I was under impression the flyer just couldn't be touching actual mailbox. Mailman stopped me and told me I could no longer attach flyer to box post.. this has made the process more complicated. Now what I'm doing is spending way too much on brochures that advertise my website and putting them in doorhangers, then walking door to door to drop them off.. anyone still doing mailbox flyers?

The mailbox actually belongs to the USPS and is only to be used by them and the resident.

http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/gg97085.pdf

Charles

Old Goat said:

The mailbox actually belongs to the USPS and is only to be used by them and the resident.

http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/gg97085.pdf

Charles

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Old Goat,
Someone needs to tell Lowes to bill the USPS for the mailbox they sold me when I had a Centurion stone mailbox "post" made to match the decorative manufactured stone I had the front porch and chimney covered with last summer. Seems like if I "bought it", I should "own it":0(

lawnguy1 said:

Up until last year I would distribute flyers by attaching them to mailbox post.. honestly had no idea i wasn't suppose to. I was under impression the flyer just couldn't be touching actual mailbox. Mailman stopped me and told me I could no longer attach flyer to box post.. this has made the process more complicated. Now what I'm doing is spending way too much on brochures that advertise my website and putting them in doorhangers, then walking door to door to drop them off.. anyone still doing mailbox flyers?

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Let ms ask what type of mailbox are you talking about? were you attaching your flyers to an individual box or a cluster box?

djdicetn said:

Old Goat,
Someone needs to tell Lowes to bill the USPS for the mailbox they sold me when I had a Centurion stone mailbox "post" made to match the decorative manufactured stone I had the front porch and chimney covered with last summer. Seems like if I "bought it", I should "own it":0(

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:laughing: The Mailbox is yours and you own it. The only mailboxes the post office owns are there cluster boxes.

Yup, The USPS must be right, they know all the rules & all the answers, that's why they are in the red by BILLIONS of $$$$$$ :shocked:

Ric, only the individual mailboxes

lawnguy1 said:

Ric, only the individual mailboxes

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If you ate attaching flyers to the individual mail box post you are fine as long as you are not attaching anything to the mailbox itself. Although the mailbox is installed for USPS specific use, The post office doesn't own yours or anyone's Mail box or post.

Ric, yeah I didn't think so. I mean for years I've done it. In retrospect, the Mailman did seem like a know-it-all. Maybe he just wanted to throw his weight around ha

lawnguy1 said:

Ric, yeah I didn't think so. I mean for years I've done it. In retrospect, the Mailman did seem like a know-it-all. Maybe he just wanted to throw his weight around ha

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Was your mail late that day or maybe it was on a Monday :smile: cause that generally is there bad day. They get loaded up after the weekend delivery, or after a holiday is when the carriers get slammed.

United States Postal Service regulation upheld by the Supreme Court in 1981.
Section 508.3.1.3 of the Postal Service's Domestic Mail Manual

3.1.3 Use for Mail

Except under 3.2.11, Newspaper Receptacle, the receptacles described in 3.1.1 may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 3.2.10, Delivery of Unstamped Newspapers, or 3.2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail.

Anyone caught delivering flyers, brochures or other materials to a mailbox can face prosecution and fines.

Here's what the U.S. Code says about the infraction:


"Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title."

Violations of the mailbox restriction law can be punished by a fine but not by imprisonment. The maximum fine for each offense is $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations.

I know you can't put flyers IN the mailboxes, but I thought you can attach them to the side. I do that, and that is what the businesses in my area so also. :smile:

What midnite rider posted above & the PDF I posted says the same things basically on page 6.

It is good to have this information brought to light here. Most people do not know the rules about this matter.

When you stop and think about it, you'd want your mail to be secure.

Charles

Mailman here, if i have to remove or move an advertisement to service Our customer I'm supposed to bring the flier back, that fliers address can/will be found and a bill for the cost of That route will be billed to you. (I don't know any mailman who has done that) more than likely the mailman is tired of pulling up to the blocked mailbox due to the grass cutter parking in the way, he pulls up, properly curbs their Tire, puts vehicle in P, kills the motor, gets the mail prepared, reaches down to unfasten the required seat belt, exits vehicle, maneuvers around to service the box, closes the mailbox, reenter vehicle, secure seat belt, depress brake, start vehicle, move to D, triple check all mirrors, proceed around blocked vehicle, carry on until the next block box. Sounds simple but done a dozen times a day and it gets old. I exit for this a dozen times a day on average. Takes at least one minute, often two. Based on one minute per stop at 200,000 carriers, that comes to 2 million 400 thousand minutes. OR 40,000 Work hours. I know you guys know #'s, and know time is $, but based on my hourly (which is less than mowing hourly) comes to approximately $1,000,000+ each workday. Some days are worse, some not as bad. Not counting the injuries that often occur from the dismounts, etc....

Not complaining myself, because I know it's difficult to park our trucks trailers. But before you complain, you should consider the other person.

Old Goat said:

What midnite rider posted above & the PDF I posted says the same things basically on page 6.

It is good to have this information brought to light here. Most people do not know the rules about this matter.

When you stop and think about it, you'd want your mail to be secure.

Charles

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You are absolutely correct, you don't want just anyone opening your box. That can cause all sorts of trouble with cc, checks, et...

lawn mower fanatic said:

I know you can't put flyers IN the mailboxes, but I thought you can attach them to the side. I do that, and that is what the businesses in my area so also. :smile:

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You can attach your flyers to the post, just not to the mailbox as the other message said no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle.

The wife work for the USPS for 34 Years and was a supervisor for 12 of those years, believe me I've heard everything about rules more sometimes than I wanted. The thing is most of my clients just drive by the house and just stick there payments in the box all the time and the carrier never says anything, most don't even care.

I don't do it anymore as I previously stated. I was talking about the post though, I don't see how that could obstruct the process of placing mail in the box. But as far as the parking, that's a no-win situation, there is no where else to park when the driveway is not available.

Ric, that's a great point. A lot of my clients Do that as well