Email

Has a piece of your important mail ever gotten lost on the way to its destination? It happens fairly often. One little envelope just does not make it to the place it belongs. The United States Postal Service understands how frustrating it can be to lose valuable mailings. That is why they have recently started using a new system to keep better track of mail trucks: GPS tracking.

USPS Implements GPS Tracking

Recently, I sent a greeting card to a relative. A few weeks later, I asked her if she had received the card, and she looked at me, puzzled. Apparently, the piece of mail had never reached its destination. Both of us were saddened to learn of the postal service’s mistake. But let’s face it – with thousands upon thousands of envelopes going through the system every day, one little piece of mail can easily get lost.

The United States Postal Service cares about the quality of its service. Using tracking devices, they are able to keep track of the location of every truck carrying mail. By December of 2010, even the semi-trucks carrying bulk mail between states will all be outfitted with GPS technology by mandate of the USPS.

The End of Lost Mail?

If a piece of mail gets lost, GPS tracking devices make it possible to look back at the route a piece of mail was sent on in order to discover where it may have been misplaced. Which truck was the package on? Who was driving it? What roads did he take along the way? Perhaps the missing piece simply slipped into the wrong stack and ended up in the wrong post office. If the truck carrying the mail can be detected, the process of finding the missing envelope is expedited.

GPS technology also makes it possible to better anticipate when mail will arrive. Since all mail trucks now carry a tracking device, the Postal Service can keep track of the current location of each one. This allows them to maintain a constant watch of the time table on which the mail will arrive. If the mail is late, the USPS can find out exactly why.

Can GPS tracking save the mail? Obviously, it can help to prevent and remedy the loss of important envelopes and packages. And that’s good news to Americans who care about the mail that they send. The next time I send a greeting card to a family member, I will have greater confidence that it will arrive at its destination.

Post Written by Greg Bartlett