US Postal Service

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Independent agency of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government

• Monopoly

  Traditional letter delivery within the U.S.

• Main Address

  475 L'Enfant Plaza SW Room 4012, Washington, DC 20260-2200

• Also Known As

  Post Office, U.S. Mail, Postal Service

• Exclusive Access

  Letter boxes marked "U.S. Mail" and personal letterboxes

• Customer Service Phone

  1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)

• Constitutional Authorization

  Explicitly authorized by the Constitution of the United States

• Total Employees (as of 2024-03-29)

  640,000+

• Universal Service Obligation (USO)

  Requires uniform price and quality across its service area

• Career Employees (as of 2024-03-29)

  525,377

• Pre-career Employees (as of 2024-03-29)

  114,623

Timeline

• Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General by the Second Continental Congress, establishing the precursor to the modern USPS. (Source: USPS.com)

  1775-07-26

• The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S., was founded by Benjamin Franklin. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1775-08-07

• The USPS reported having 525,377 career employees and nearly 114,623 pre-career employees, totaling over 640,000 individuals. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2024-03-29

• A plan to overhaul the US Postal Service, with input from Howard Lutnick, was discussed as a potential proposal from the Donald Trump administration. (Source: All-In Podcast)

  Unknown

United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the United States, its insular areas and associated states. It is one of a few government agencies explicitly authorized by the Constitution of the United States. As of March 29, 2024, the USPS has 525,377 career employees and nearly 114,623 pre-career employees. The USPS has a monopoly on traditional letter delivery within the U.S. and operates under a universal service obligation (USO), both of which are defined across a broad set of legal mandates, which obligate it to provide uniform price and quality across the entirety of its service area. The Post Office has exclusive access to letter boxes marked "U.S. Mail" and personal letterboxes in the U.S., but has to compete against private package delivery services, such as United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL.

Web Search Results

• United States Postal Service - Wikipedia

  The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the United States, its insular areas and associated states. It is one of a few government agencies explicitly authorized by the Constitution of the United States. As of March 29, 2024, the USPS has 525,377 career employees and nearly 114,623 pre-career [...] The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Founded by Benjamin Franklin on August 7, 1775, its mission is to protect the Postal Service, its employees, and its customers from crime and protect the nation's mail system from criminal misuse.[\[178\]]( [...] The USPS is often mistaken for a state-owned enterprise or government-owned corporation (e.g., Amtrak) because it operates much like a business. It is, however, an "establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States", (39 U.S.C. § 201) as it is controlled by presidential appointees and the postmaster general. As a government agency, it has many special privileges, including sovereign immunity, eminent domain powers, powers to negotiate postal treaties with foreign

• U.S. Postal Service (USPS) | USAGov

  State and local governments Branches of government Elected officials Federal laws and regulations Indian tribes and resources for Native Americans Federal, state, territory, county, and municipal courts U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ========================== The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) provides mail processing and delivery services to individuals and businesses in the U.S. Website ------- U.S. Postal Service Contact ------- [...] Contact the U.S. Postal Service Toll-free number ---------------- 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) 1-800-222-1811 (track a package) TTY --- 7-1-1 (for your state’s telecommunications relay service (TRS). An agent there will help you make a TTY call.) Find an office near you ----------------------- Locate a post office Main address ------------ USPS Office of the Consumer Advocate 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW Room 4012 Washington, DC 20260-2200 Popular services ---------------- [...] U.S. Postal Service (USPS) | USAGov =============== Skip to main content Image 1: U.S Flag An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Here's how you know Image 2 Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Image 3 Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Home Close

• Contact Us - USPS

  Hours of Operation Monday – Friday 8 AM – 8:30 PM ET Saturday 8 AM – 6 PM ET Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) – TTY Access for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or have speech impairments can connect with USPS by using the FCC’s TRS program: Access your state’s telecommunications relay service (TRS) to make TTY calls by dialing 7-1-1 or [...] Hours of Operation Monday – Friday 7 AM – 11 PM ET Saturday 7 AM – 6 PM ET Image of Facebook social media icon. Image of instagram social media icon. Image of Pinterest social media icon. Image of Threads social media icon. Image of X social media icon. Image of Youtube social media icon. [...] For general information, how-to steps, or to learn more about USPS products and services, check our FAQs. The most common questions have to do with tracking packages or delayed delivery. Frequently Asked Questions Email Customer Service ### Customer Care Center Connect with our customer service representatives to help resolve your issue and get back on track. Email: USPS® Customer Service Call: 1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777)

• Postal History - Who we are - About.usps.com

  Images of past postal workers, equipment, vehicles, and scenes from postal history. Section thumbnail ### The official history of USPS See our 170-page illustrated book The United States Postal Service: An American History. To order a printed copy, see How to Order. Section thumbnail ### Kids’ history of the USPS A Kids’ History of the United States Postal Service, for young readers, shares USPS history in 40 fun-filled pages. ## U.S. Postal Service links USPS logo [...] USPS About website nameplate # Postal history Explore the past, glimpse the future. In the nearly 250 years since Benjamin Franklin was appointed our first Postmaster General in 1775, the Postal Service has grown and changed with America, boldly embracing new technologies to better serve a growing population. We invite you to use these links to explore our rich history. ## Related Services & Links ## Featured sections Section thumbnail ### Photo galleries [...] Facebook logo Instagram logo Pinterest logo Threads logo X logo (formally Twitter) YouTube logo LinkedIn logo Facebook logo Instagram logo Pinterest logo Threads logo X logo (formally Twitter) YouTube logo LinkedIn logo ### USPS.com ### About.USPS.com ### Related sites ### Legal Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service

• Mail & Shipping Services - USPS

  get lower Commercial Rates.) [...] USPS Ground Advantage® is an affordable and reliable way to send packages up to 70 lbs inside the U.S. Packages up to 15.999 oz are priced by the ounce, rounded up to 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, and 15.999 oz. Packages heavier than 15.999 oz are charged by the pound (rounded up). Prices start at just $5.25 at a Post Office. (Ship online with Click-N-Ship and get lower Commercial Rates. Businesses can get additional savings by opting in to the Business Rate Card.) [...] Rates. Businesses can get additional savings by opting in to the Business Rate Card.)