We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Safety

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Mobile Post Office?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 5,897
Share

A mobile post office is a mail sorting and handling facility on wheels or wings. In some cases, boats can house mobile post offices as well. Sorting mail on the move allows mail handlers to speed the process of mail delivery to better meet the needs of customers. In addition, mobility can be useful for setting up temporary mail stations for events or in the wake of natural disasters where the main post office may not be operational due to damage, inaccessibility, or an employee shortage.

Mobile post offices date to the 1800s, when a number of nations began using specially equipped train cars. In addition to collecting mail from towns along the tracks, the personnel in the mobile post office would also sort it, setting up bags for delivery to towns on the route and exchanging bags with mobile post offices moving in the opposite direction. This service expanded to trucks, boats, and aircraft over time with the growth of the postal service.

Mobile mail handling cuts down significantly on delivery time. Rather than taking mail to a central sorting facility, postal personnel can deliver at least some mail in transit. This reduces the load at central facilities as well, allowing them to focus on long distance mail services. Customers timing their mail dropoffs well could deliver mail to a mobile post office in the morning and rest assured that the recipient would get it in the afternoon, especially in the case of mail traveling within a town or city.

Many nations have made a decision to phase out routine mobile mail handling for a variety of reasons ranging from mail volume to security concerns. There are a few exceptions. In highly rural areas, a mobile post office can be an efficient solution for delivering local mail, as otherwise the mail might spend days in transit to a central facility and then back out to the region. Likewise, sometimes the postal service will set up a temporary post office at a big event like the Olympics to handle a large volume of mail from participants and attendees.

After natural disasters, a mobile post office can help get mail service running quickly again. It may take weeks or months to restore damaged postal facilities and train new personnel, while a mobile post office is ready immediately. It can travel throughout regions with inadequate mail service to deliver mail and news, as well as collecting mail for other regions. Some also offer phone services, allowing people to make contact with friends and family who may be otherwise inaccessible.

Share
WikiMotors is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WikiMotors researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wikimotors.org/what-is-a-mobile-post-office.htm
Copy this link
WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.