The Postal Service is encouraging customers to zhoosh up their letter boxes for Mailbox Improvement Week, an annual campaign running this year from May 16-22.
“Clean, official and well-maintained mailboxes aren’t only aesthetically pleasing; they help smooth delivery for mail carriers and speed service for an entire route. Mailbox Improvement Week is an opportunity for customers on city, rural and contract delivery service routes to do their part to improve the delivery and collection of their mail,” said Kristin Seaver, the USPS chief retail and delivery officer.
In addition to requiring that all mailboxes be approved by the Postmaster General, USPS urges customers to ensure that their receptacle is fully operational, weather resistant, safe, convenient, neat and sized to support their daily mail and package volume.
Notice 209, Mailbox Improvement Week, should be sent to all rural and highway contract box delivery route customers the week before the campaign.
Postmasters can order Notice 209 through the eBuyPlus ordering system.
Mailbox Improvement Week originated in 1938 as Clean Up Rural Box Week. The effort continued to focus on rural mailboxes each year until 1942, when the program was suspended for seven years because of World War II.
In 1957, the program was widened to include all curbside mailboxes.
Postal Bulletin’s May 6 edition has more information.
