7 Weird and Interesting Facts About the U.S. Postal System

The United States Postal Service has been delivering our mail as an independent agency since 1971. It has earned a reputation as a reliable mail delivery service and is used by millions of people every single day.

Many people take the USPS for granted, but some fascinating facts should give people an idea of how amazing the postal system is.

From the number of vehicles it uses to the postal heroes who outrun dogs, here are the most interesting facts about the USPS.

7 Interesting Facts About the U.S. Postal System

The word fascinating may not be the first adjective that comes to mind about the postal system, but these facts can’t be described any other way.

1. No Tax Dollars

Contrary to what many people believe, the postal system doesn’t actually use any tax dollars.

The USPS is entirely funded by money they get from postage stamps, which are required for sending mail through the postal system. Postage stamps are made from a postage machine and can have many different designs.

2. Tons of Vehicles

The USPS utilizes over 200,000 vehicles to deliver mail. Delivering mail requires many different means of transportation. This includes airplanes, boats, trucks, vans, bicycles, mules, and more.

3. Street Boxes of Different Colors

Street mailboxes used to be all different colors until they were made to be the standard blue that you’re familiar with today. They became standardized in 1971 when the USPS was founded.

4. They Can Decipher Bad Handwriting

Have you ever wondered if letters addressed with terrible handwriting ever make it to their destination? The answer is yes.

The USPS has a special unit called the Remote Encoding Center which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They have a system for deciphering horrible handwriting on letters and packages so they can reach their destination.

5. Chased By Dogs

USPS workers have to deal with territorial and aggressive dogs on a daily basis. Each year, more than 6,000 mail carriers get attacked, chased, or bitten by dogs each year when trying to deliver mail.

6. When Was the Postal Service Founded?

While the USPS was founded in 1971 in Washington D.C., the United States has had a postal service for more than 231 years. It is one of the few government agencies that is outright stated in the U.S. Constitution.

7. Presidential Stamps

Presidents have graced the U.S. postage stamps for centuries, but the first person to ever be on a stamp was actually Benjamin Franklin, who was never president of the United States.

George Washington has the honor of being the most stamped president, but just about every president has been honored with a commemorative stamp. The only presidents who are not on stamps yet are the ones still alive today.

For More Weird Facts

The USPS has only been around for 47 years, but the US postal system has been in place since the beginning of our country. In that time, there have been some weird and interesting facts about the postal system that would fascinate anyone.

For some other interesting facts, check out our weird news blog today!

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