Location barcode
Is your mailbox a managed service point? Until a few months ago I had never heard of a managed service point. That’s when I noticed the white barcoded USPS sticker on the inside of the door to my mailbox (see photo). Yesterday I asked my mail carrier why it is there.
She told me there are nine managed service points on her route, each about an hour’s work apart. When she gets to one, she pulls out a mobile scanner that reads the barcoded location and logs the time. She has the checkpoints memorized, but as backup they are printed on large flash cards in case a substitute has the route for the day. She downloads the scanned data at the end of her shift. I asked her what the USPS does with it. She wasn’t sure, but said she would hear about it if she didn’t turn the data in or missed a checkpoint by mistake.
At first I thought the USPS might be using the barcode technology to make sure carriers are doing their jobs. But that makes no sense. A simpler check is whether they leave with a full truck of mail in the morning and return with an empty truck at night. And to take into account any customer complaints. Concerning performance, mail carrier jobs are hard to get and few people would intentionally jeopardize losing one. Newman, Jerry and Kramer’s neighbor on Seinfeld, was an exception.
Then I did more research and found out there actually is a Managed Service Point (MSP) program. Here’s a nutshell description from the USPS web site:
The MSP program is intended to improve consistency in the time of day that mail is delivered to customers. The program uses mobile data collection devices to scan barcodes placed strategically along the city carrier’s line of travel.
Mail delivery times haven’t become more consistent on my route since the program started. They can vary by up to two hours depending on weather, amount of mail delivered that day, and, most important, whether the regular carrier or a substitute is delivering the mail. Perhaps the program will eventually smooth out delivery times. If so, it won’t be because my regular carrier is doing things differently. She’s retiring next month. She’s likable, friendly, and does a great job. My neighbors and I will be sorry to see her go.
Mud Bay Blog 
Of course I went right out to see if I was a managed service point. I wasn’t. At first I thought that they should have asked you if you minded being part of the pro gram fist. It is after all your box. Now I think it is a good idea and have noticed that out mail usually comes about the same time evry day unless there is a substitute carrier.
Here’s what I’ve done. I’ve opted out. I don’t think my private residence needs to be the quality control department of the USPS. I have asked the carrier to remove it, and she didn’t so I keep removing it.
If they’re concerned about efficiency, why do they deliver 90% junk?
My carrier is regular as clockwork unless he has been asked to do an extra route which sometimes occurs when a carrier becomes ill. I would prefer that mail arrive earlier than late afternoon, but “me first” went away in kindergarten. We became the MSP because we are the top left corner of the neighborhood box.
MSP locations and scan times should post to a public area of usps.com in real time so customers can know at what time their mail did/will arrive each day.